Improvements in Primary or Galvanic Batteries.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Primary or Galvanic Batteries.
I, OSCAR AXEL ENHOLM of New York, in the County and State of New York,
United States of America, Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of electrical batteries
and to render them very durable while requiring comparatively little attention.
The invention consists in the combination of a battery jar for holding chemical
solutions, with a dense partition or wall within it, for separating two solutions, said
partition, or wall acting to prevent the passage of one solution into the other, while
serving as an electrical conductor between the solutions.
The invention further consists in the details of improvement and the combinations
of parts that will be more fully hereinafter set forth.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specifica-
tion, wherein;
Figure 1. is a vertical cross section, on the plane of the line c, c, Figure 2. of an
electrical battery constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2. is a plan view of the same, and
Figure 3. is a plan view of a modification.
Referring now to the drawing, the letter A represents a jar, or receptacle, which
may be of any suitable size, shape, and material, and adapted to hold chemical
solutions. Within the jar, or receptacle A are one or more dense partitions B,
extending from wall to wall of the jar and along the bottom of the same, so as
to form water-tight compartments a, a, and b (see Figures 1. and 2). In the com-
partment a, I place a weak chemical solution of, say, sulphuric acid and water, and
in the compartment b, 1 place a similar but stronger solution. But it is evident that
the positions of the weak and strong solutions could be reversed, that is to say, the
strong solution could be in a, and the weak solution in b, while any other desired
kind of chemical solution could be used.
The wall or partition, B, I prefer to make of dense carbon, which will prevent the
weak solution from one compartment a or b, percolating through the partition B, and
mixing with the strong solution in the adjacent compartment, and vice versa.
But this dense carbon partition, while separating the weak from the strong solution
and preventing their mixing, acts as a conductor between the two solutions whereby
the internal action of the battery is increased, and the partition is not injured by the
action of the chemicals in the battery.
D, are the zinc or negative electrodes of the battery which I place in the weak
solution, being shown in the drawing in the compartments a, a.
In Figures 1. and 2. of the drawing, I have shown two compartments a, and two
zinc electrodes D, said electrodes being coupled together by a wire d.
In the compartment b, or in the strong solution, I place one or more carbon
electrodes E, that form the positive pole of the battery. When more than one of
these electrodes E are used, they are all put into connection with a single wire e, that
connects with the main conductor in the usual manner.
The electrodes E, are made in the form of porous carbon cups and contain strong acid,
which gradually percolates through the cups, and thereby replenishes the strong solution
as it is reduced by the action of the battery. From the above it will be seen that the
cups E, serve the double purpose of the positive pole of the battery and a retainer of
acid to replenish the strong solution.
By placing the zinc or negative electrodes D, in a weak solution and separating
said solution from the strong solution, so that the two solutions cannot mix, the zinc

page_text: will not be eaten by the acid as fast as if the strong solution could reach the weak
solution to increase its strength, and therefore the polarization of the negative pole
will be comparatively slow.
many cases.
Although in Figures 1. and 2. two partitions B and two compartments a, are
shown, it is evident that one partition B, and one compartment a, would answer in
In Figure 3. I have shown a battery having one compartment a and
one partition B. In this case the partition B is circular, and is situated at about the
centre of the jar A, the space between the outer walls of the partition B, and the
inner walls of the jar A, constituting the compartment a, while the space enclosed by
the partition B, forms the compartment b.
The electrodes E, may be connected together by a lead or other plate F, if desired
(see Figure 3.)
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
-claim is
1: In a battery, the jar or receptacle A, combined with a dense imperviable
partition that prevents one solution passing into the other, and that acts as a
conductor between two solutions and resists the action of chemicals, substantially as
described.
2: In a battery, the jar, or receptacle A, combined with an imperviable dense
carbon partition for separating two solutions and forming two compartments, and
with the positive electrode in one compartment and negative electrode in the other
compartment, substantially as described.
3: In a battery, the jar A, having the dense imperviable carbon partition B,
combined with the porous carbon cup E, containing strong acid, substantially as
.described.
TACHALOT ANA
1533 ACCU
OSCAR AXEL ENHOLM.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.