Electrostatic generator which uses the principle of electrostatic induction by influence to generate voltage. Described in 1762 by the Swedish physicist Johan Carl Wilcke and further developed by Alessandro Volta, an Italian physicist. The English inventor James Wimshurst constructed this design, also called Wimshurstmachine. Parallel contrary rotating discs produce a continuous DC voltage up to 100 kV. They were used to supply x-ray tubes.