The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-30

covery has been made of an element
for furnishing the oxygen to the OK
idisable element on discharge with even
greater freedom than oxide of mercury,
while at the same time the new element
is less explosive, of less weight, is of
greater permanency, and finally is of
greater insolubility in the electrolytic.
An element has also been discovered
which is superior TO cadmium as the
oxidigible element on discharge and
further reduces the weight and cost OF
the cell. AS a result. a reversible gel
etenic cell equipped with this new ele-
ment is of great permanence, Is rela-
lively light and inexpensive and of
great power.
The elements are preferably carried
or supported by hollow perforated
plates, forming receptaces or pockets.
Each plate is formed with two walls,
constructed preferably of "a single con-
tinuous sheet made of very thin sheet
nickel and bent at the bottom around
a horizontal frame from which extend
vertical spacing frames, to all of which
frames the sheet is secured by means
Of nickel rivets to form strong. rigid,
hollow plate, with pockets or recepta-
cles between the vertical frames. The
walls are perforated with small holes,
arranged very closely together. Sc
cured to one or both of the sides OF
the plate are a number of insulated
spacing blocks to prevent adjacent
plates from touching when immersed
in the electrolyte.
In the manufacture of the new oxidiz-
able element morosulfid of iron is re-
duced by a crushing operation. Then
about eight parts of the powdered mon
osulfid is mixed with about two parts
of fake graphite of a size considera-
bly, larger than the perforations in the
walls OF the pockets. The mixture is
moistened with a 20 per cent solution
of potassic hydroxid and the dampened
mass is packed into the pocket. owing
to the unit Of fiexibility of the graphite
the mixture packs to a hard porous
mass. The effect of eletrolytic casing
therefore does not disintegrate the
mass as whole wien properly COM
pressed
wad of asbestos Is put into the
pocket above the moss and on top of
this packing Is placed a strip of sheet
nickel, filling the mouth of the pocket.
The element thus formed is subjected
to electrolytic oxidization in q solution
OF potassic hydroxid whereby sulphur
is set free and combining with the al
kali forms sulid of potassium, which
diffuses out of the moss, while the iron
is converted TO ferrous oxide thereof.
This diffusion of the alkaline sulfd out
of the plate is fastened and facilitated
by subJecting the contents of the plate
TO alternate oxidization and reduction
by alternately reversing the oxidizing
current By several of these operations
the whole of the sulphur will be elm
mated and the element will be ready
for use after the iron has been reduced
to the metallic state.
The improved battery. II is asserted,
can be overcharged. fully discharged or
even reversed and charged in the OPP
posite direction without any injury.
Such a battery has been constructed
with an available storage capacity of
one horse power hour for seventy-three
pounds weight. but 1t may be made
lighter without destroying it's perma-
nent character. The average voltage
over the whole discharge is about one
volt.
The patent contains twenty-six
claims in ALL and the term reversible
galvanic battery is applied TO the in
vention.