Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Mar., 1999
nature of this invention to De as 10OWS:
The object of this invention is to produce an electric battery with liquid
depolarisers.
In all electric batteries hitherto known or proposed, the zinc or other electropositive
metal is placed in a liquid capable of dissolving the oxide of the metal, which is produced
by the action of oxygen disengaging at the surface of the metal. This condition is
necessary to preserve the surface of the metal free of all deposit, and to assure its
contact with the liquid.
The negative electrode is placed in a liquid rich in oxygen, which readily combines
with the hydrogen disengaged.
Zinc in these batteries acts as depolariser for the oxygen.
According to my invention, I use for the zinc an exciting liquid which itself is
capable of being oxydised, and which has a greater affinity for oxygen than the zinc,
so that this liquid, and not the zinc, becomes the depolarising agent, and the zinc
remains intact.
As the electrodes, I employ zinc and carbon, and the exciting liquids I use are
(1), for the zinc a solution of a sulphite or hyposulphite of an alkaline metal, for example,
byposulphite of sodium (Na, S, O³), or sulphite of sodium (Na, SO,); (2) for the carbon,
an oxidising liquid, as, for example, nitric acid, a mixture of nitrate of potash and
sulphuric acid, or dilute chromic or manganic acids. The choice of these substances
depends on economical and local considerations.
The sulphites and hyposulphites of potassium and sodium can be employed
indifferently, for they give an electromotive force nearly equal, and the employment
of one or the other is only a question of economy.
In preparing the exciting liquids, it is to be observed that their density should be
equal.
The apparatus which I prefer to use consists of a box in wood or iron coated inside
with resin, bitumen, or paraffin, and divided into three compartments by porous
partitions.

page_text: In the central compartment is placed the zinc plate, and the two outside compartments
receive the carbons. The two carbons are connected together at top by a metal ring
or frame, and are insulated from the zine by spacing pieces.
EL
For small batteries, the partitions may be simply porcelain plates, but for large
batteries, small porcelain plates may be inserted in a metal frame. The metals parts of
the frame, as well as the odges of the plates, will be covered with resin or a suitable
varnish, and after they have been fixed in the frame, tho joints are filled in with resin,
bitumen, or paraffin.
It is advantageous to reduce, as much as possible, the size of the batteries, and
therefore the electrodes are arranged as near as possible the one to the other, but this
requires, in order to ensure the regular and proper action of the battery, that the
quantity of liquid round the electrodes should be considerablo, with a view to reduce
the interior resistance of the battery. This double condition can ho realised by
making the liquids continually circulate in the battery; thus, the two liquids will be
contained in two separate reservoirs arranged above the battery, and they will be
conveyed by the tubes to the two pipes arranged along opposite sides and nearer, the
bottom of the box or case with which they are connected by the junctions.
Ono pipe is connected with the central compartments, and the other pipe with the
outside compartments of each coll, and each junction is provided with a cock by means
of which any cell may be isolated as required.
At the upper part of the box, and communicating with the respective chambers by
junctions at the level of the liquids, are arranged two other pipes, which sorve as
overflow pipes for the circulating liquids, which are conveyed to two separate reservoirs
placed below the battery by suitable pipes.
In order to empty the several compartments, connections are made with two other
pipos below the box, which are also in connection with the connecting pipo
just mentioned, the junctions boing provided with cocks to open or close them as
required.
The principal advantages of the above described arrangement of battery are: (1)
The distance of the electrodes the one from the other can be reduced to a minimum.
(2) The continual circulation of the liquids around the electrodes ensures the sopara-
tion of the different bubbles of gas which may form thore, thus diminishing the
polarisation and the interior resistance. (3) The electrodos roumain in contact with
continuously fresh liquids, which also diminishes the polarisation, & protects the zinc
from oxidation. (4) The arrangement described facilitatus essentially the charging,
the discharging, and the cleaning of the battery. (5) The battery thus arranged
takes up much loss space than batteries with a constant volume of liquid.
Dated this 27th day of June 1888.

page_text: ALEXANDER IMSOHENETZKY of Petersburg Side, Arsenal, St. Petersburg in the
Empire of Russia, Second Captain in the Russian Artillery, 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 this invention is to produce an improved liquid depolarising electric
battery.
In electric batteries as hitherto known or proposed, the zinc or other electropositive
metal is placed in some liquid capable of dissolving the oxide of such metal, which
oxide is produced by the action of the oxygen disengaged at the surface of the metal.
This condition is essential, in order to keep the surface of the metal free from deposit,
and to ensure its proper contact with the liquid.
On the other hand, the negative electrode is placed in a liquid rich in oxygen, which
combines with the disengaged hydrogen.
According to my invention, I place the zinc in an exciting liquid which has a greater
affinity for oxygen than the zinc, so that this liquid, and not the zinc, becomes the
depolarising agent, and the zinc remains intact.
The electrodes I prefer to employ are zinc and carbon, and the exciting liquids I
use are (1) a solution of a sulphite or of a hyposulphite of an alkaline metal, for
example, hyposulphite of sodium (Na, S, O,) or sulphite of solium (Na, SO,) for the
zinc; (2) an oxidising liquid such as nitric acid, a mixture of nitrate of potash and
sulphuric acid, or dilute chromic or manganic acids for the carbon. The choice of
these substances will depend on economical and local considerations. Thus, for an
electrical installation on a large scale having a laboratory, or even a special manų-
factory, it will be advantageous to use a sulphite or hyposulphite and dilute manganic
acid (K Mn O + H, SO, + H, O) for the exciting liquid. as this combination gives the
greatest amount of electromotive force, and the chemical products which are formed
in the battery can be easily recovered. In effect, during the action of the battery the
sulphite or hyposulphite of sodium (Na, SO, or Na, S, O,) is transformed into
sulphate of soda (Na, SO,), and the manganic acid (2K Mm O. + H, SO₁) into sulphate
of potash and peroxide of manganese (K, SO, 2 Mn O₂), and water is also formed
(4 H, O).
The sulphate of soda produced in the battery, if calcined with carbon, will give
sulphide of sodium (Na $), and a solution of this, when saturated with sulphurous
acid gas, will be formed into byposulphite of sodium, or, to obtain sulphite of sodium,
the sulphate may be converted into carbonate (Na, CO₂), and a solution of this into
sulphite, by means of sulphurous acid gas.
The sulphate of potash can be converted into carbonate (K, CO₂) and into

page_text: hydrate (K HO) of potash, and this latter being calcined with poroxide of man-
ganese (Mn), will give manganite of potash (K, Mn 0), a solution of which, on
being heated, may be transformed into manganate of potashi (K. Mn O).
This transformation can also be produced by other means, but in all cases the
employment of the following materials only will be necessitated, viz., sulphur,
carbonated or hydrated lime (Ca Co, and (h´(HU),), carbon, and the fuel for the
calcination and evaporation.
•
The sulphites and byposulphites of potassium and sodium can be employed
indifferently, as they give a nearly equal electro-motive force, and the employment of
one or the other is only a question of economy.
In small electrical installations, where the recovery of bye-products would not be
profitable, it is more advantageous, in order to obtain the current at the least possiblo
expense, to employ, for the positive or zine liquid, hyposulphite of soda, which is low
priced, and can be easily kept without deterioration; and, for the negative or carbon
liquid, instead of manganate of potash, the price of which is bigh, an oxidising liquid
such as chromic or nitric acid, or a mixture of saltpetre and sulphuric acid, but in
such cases the electro motive forco would be low.
In preparing the exciting liquids, it is to be observed that their density should be
equal.
The con-trnation of battery which I prefer to use, is that shown in the accom-
panying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a cross section of a single cell constructed
according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a circulating battery,
taken on the line 1, 2 of Fig. 5: Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation, partly in section,
and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same.-Figs. 4 represont respectively a plan and a
cross section of a partition frame.
A. is a box in wood or iron, conted inside with resin, bitumen, or paraffin, and it is
divided into three compartments by the porous partitions B. In the central compart-
ment is placed the zine plate Z, and the two outside compartiments receive tho
carbons (
The two carbons are connected together at top by a metal ring or frame a, and aro
insulated from the zine Z by spacing pieces bb.
For small batteries, the partitions B3 B may be simply unglazed porcelain plates, but
for large batteries, small porcelain plates may be inserted in metal frames, as indicated
at Figs. The metal frames, as well as the edges of the porcelain plates, will be
covered with resin or some suitable varnish, and after they have been fixed in the
frame, the joints are filled in with resin, bitumen, or paraffin.
In order to lesson the interior resistance of the battery, it is desirable to reduce as
much as possible the size of the baiteries, and thereby bring the electrodes as near as
possible the one to the other.
For the regular and proper action of the battery, it is, however, desirable that the
quantity of liquid around the electrodes should be considerable. These antagonistic
conditions can be reconciled by causing the liquids to circulato continuously through
the battery.
A convenient arrangement for effecting this purpose is shown in Figs 2, 3 and 5.
The two exciting liquids are contained in two separate reservoirs (not shown in the
drawing) arranged above the battery, and they are conveyed by the tubes m n to the
two pipes D and E arranged along opposite sides, near the bottom of the box or case
and they are connected to their respective cells by the junctions ecc, ono pipe D being
connected with the central compartments, and the other pipe E with the outer cou-
partments of ench coll. Ench junction may be provided with a cock by means of
which any of the cells may be isolated if required.
At the upper part of the box A, and communicating with the respective cells by
junctions at the level of the liquids, are arranged two pipes D' and ', which pipes
servo as overflow pipes, the circulating liquids being conveyed by pipes m³ ³ to two
soparate reservoirs (not shown) placed below the buttery.
In order to empty the several compartiments, pipes FG are provided below the
box A, said pipes being fitted with cocks de, to open or close them as required.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In an electric battery of zinc and carbon, with two exciting liquids, placing
the zinc electrode in a liquid which has a greater affinity for oxygen than for
the zinc.
2. In an electric battery of zinc and carbon, and two exciting liquids, placing
the carbon electrode in a solution of manganic acid, or in a liquid rich in oxygen,
and the zinc electrode in a solution of sulphite or hyposulphite of an alkaline
metal, or in a liquid which has a greater affinity for oxygen than for the zinc.
3. The arrangement of electric battery as shown and described with reference to the
drawing.
11
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1000