History [origin of the inverter]

David Prince probably coined the term inverter. It is unlikely that any living person can now establish with certainty that Prince (or anyone else) was the originator of this commonly used engineering term. However in 1925 Prince did publish an article in the GE Review (vol.28, no.10, p.676-81) cited "The Inverter". His article contains nearly all important elements required by modern inverters and is the earliest such publication to use that term in the open literature. Prince explained that an inverter is used to convert direct current into single or polyphase alternating current. The article explains how: "the author took the rectifier circuit and inverted it, turning in direct current at one end and drawing out alternating current at the other". Subsequent development of the inverter is discussed as are rectifier devices.