IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE METHOD OF DEPOLARIZING ELECTRIC BATTERIES
Year: 1884

page_text: 1
I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47 Museum Street Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex Civil Engineer and Patent Agent
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE
METHOD OF DEPOLARIZING ELECTRIC BATTERIES A communication to me from abroad,
by Ernest Bazin Civil Engineer, and Chevalier of the Legion of Honor of the city
of Paris in the Republic of France to be as follows:
The feature of novelty in this invention consists in mechanically moving the
zinc and carbon elements of clectric batteries, and particularly in imparting to them
a rotary motion; the elements in this case are in the form of circular disks, the object
of such arrangement being to destroy or prevent the formation of gaseous globules
of hydrogen which attaching themselves to the elements produce polarization of the
battery.
The zinc and carbon elements being rotated by aid of special appliances the
exciting liquid can be stirred or skimmed and the elements can be, wiped if
necessary, by applying scrapers or sponge brushes to them, or in covering them
with a special tissue for removing the hydrogen globules.
These disks may be smooth striated, with holes in them or constructed in the
most suitable manner for their proper action.
Their rising from the exciting bath removes froth from them and their return to
it introduces a little oxygen.
The zinc and carbon elements may be replaced by any other substance having
the same active and conducting properties.
The invention is equally applicable to bichromate of potash or other liquid
batteries, and for special liquids without porous cells or vases, which simplifies the
system and facilitates the maintenance of the battery.
The zin and carbon elements are mounted on an axis of rotation common to all
and their form and dimensions may vary ad infinitum which it is unnecessary to here
describe; the essential feature being their mechanical rotation which may be
continuous, intermittent, or it may be oscillatory and alternating, either raising
027

page_text: them or not from the exciting bath and so destroying the adhesion of the gaseous
hydrogen globules by the frictional action of the liquid, or by drawing them out
into the air and thus nullifying the main cause of polarization.
The inventor gives to his invention the appellation of "Bazin's Depolarizer,” and
it can be applied in the production of light, force, for the telephone, in telegraphy,
galvanoplastics, and generally in the production of electric currents for various
applications.
On a table are grouped side by side a number of elements each one of which
comprises a case or vase of glass, a porous cell, two carbons plunging into the
exciting liquid, and the zinc placed in the porous cell in the centre of the glass
vase.
The zincs and carbons are of the same form viz: that of a circular disk, they are
furnished in the centre with a kind of hub of zinc or carbon intended to keep them
in position on the axis which is of ebonite or other suitable insulating substance
the ends of this axis turn in cushions adjusted to the frame and bolted to
the table.
The cushions are movable vertically and can be raised or lowered simultaneously
by means of a crank, which motion is transformed by two endless screws and
helical gearing, into rectilinear.displacements by aid of two shafts which are solid
with the cushions and are threaded at the summit so as to gear with the helical
gear wheels. This arrangement admits of lifting all the zilies and carbons at the
same time from the liquid when the battery is not in use.
The hubs of the disks bear on one or both sides grooves intended for establishing
electrical contacts with wires or bands of copper arranged so as to rest or wind
round the grooves, and bearing, a counterpoise at the free end, and fixing at the
other end to a terminal on an insulating bar common to all' and supported by the
frame.
..
The shaft is set in motion either automatically by aid of springs or weights. In
this case two elements supply electricity to the motor which is in connection with
this shaft by a combination of gear work and toothed pinions in accordance with
the speed of rotation to be imparted to the zinc and' carbon disks.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
33
I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47 Museum Street Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex Civil Engineer and Patent Agent
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF DEPOLARIZING ELECTRIC BATTERIES A communication to me from abroad
by Ernest Bazin, Civil Engineer of the city of Paris in the Republic of France and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement to be as follows:-
The feature of novelty in this invention consists in mechanically moving the
zinc and carbon elements of electric batteries, and particularly in imparting to them
a rotary motion, the elements in this case are in the form of disks, the object of
setting them in motion being to destroy or prevent the formation and adhesion to
the elements of hydrogen globules, which in attaching themselves thereto produce
polarization of the battery.
The zinc and carbon elements are rotated by aid of special appliances, and the
exciting liquid can be stirred or skimed, and the elements wiped if necessary by
the application to them of sponge brushes, or some equivalent contrivance, or they
may be covered with a special tissue whose object is the removal of the hydrogen
globules.
These disks may be either smooth, striated, with holes in them, or constructed in
the most suitable manner for insuring their effective action.
Whilst in rotation the effect of their rising from the exciting bath is to remove
froth or hydrogen globules from them, and their return to it introduces a little
oxygen thus prolonging the baths action.
The zinc and carbon elements may be replaced by any other substance having the
same active and conducting properties.
:
This invention is equally applicable to bichromate of potash or other liquid.
batteries, and for special liquids without the use of porous cells or vases, which
simplifies the system and facilitates the maintenance of the battery.
The method of mounting the zines and carbons on an axis common to all alike
is clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings, their form and dimensions may
vary ad infinitum, which it is unnecessary here to describe, the essential feature
being the principle as herein expressed.
I have named the invention "Bazin's Depolarizer" and it can be applied in
the production of electric. light, for power, for the telephone, in telegraphy,
galvanoplastics, and generally in the production of electric currents for various
applications.
"
Description of the apparatus-Fig 1 is a sectional elevation of a battery supplied"
with my mechanical depolarizing appliances.
Fig 2 is a vertical 'section following the line A. B. of Fig 1.
Fig 3 is a plan in which a certain number of elements forming a battery is
supplied with the appliances for mechanically effecting depolarization forming the
subject of my invention.
Fig 4 is a vertical section following the line C-D, of Fig 1.
Fig 5 shows one of the electrical contacts of a zinc or carbon element in detail.
Fig 6 represents a hub of the preceding contacts shown in detail full size.

page_text: -
Fig 7 shows in front and transverse section a method by which the zinc and
carbon elements can be replaced which will be hereafter explained.
On a table a side by side are grouped a certain number of elements each of
which comprises a case or glass vase b, a porous cell d, two carbons c, c', plunging
into the exciting liquid and the zinc z also plunging into the liquid contained in
the cell d which latter is in the centre of the case b.
The zinc and the carbons c. c¹ are both similarly formed viz that of a circular
disk as shown by the Figures 2. 4. 5. 6. 7 and 8. They are furnished in the centre
with a kind of hub of zinc or carbon intended to keep thein in position on the
axis f common to all, which is or may be of ebonite or other suitable insulating
substance having a metal centre of tubular or other shape, the ends of which axis
turn in cushions f. f1, adjusted on the frame.g. g¹ bolted to the table a.
The cushions f. f¹ are movable vertically and can be raised or lowered simul-
taneously by means of a crank m, which motion is transformed by two endless
screws i, i, and helical gearing j. j, into rectilinear, displacements by aid of the two
shafts k. k. which are solid with the cushions f. f¹, and are threaded at the summit
so as to gear with the wheels j. j¹.
By this means all the zinc and carbon elements can be lifted simultaneously from
the liquid when the battery is not in use.
The hubs of the disks are furnished on one or both sides with grooves l. l. vide
Fig 6 which are for establishing electrical contacts with wires or bands of
copper F. F, arranged as shown by Figs 1. 2. 3 and 5, that is to say resting or
winding round the grooves, and bearing a counterpoise at the free end, and fixing
at the other end to a terminal x, on an insulating bar n cominon to all and
supported by the frame g. g'.
Terminals a bearing the conducting wires direct the electricity as required
whether the battery is to be used for tension or quantity.
The shaft is set in motion either automatically by means of springs or weights,
or by a dynamo electric motor as shown by Fig 1. In this case two elements
supply electricity to the motor p, which communicates with the shaft f by a
combination of gear work and toothed pinions in accordance with the speed of
rotation to be imparted to the zinc and carbon disks.
Figs 7 and 8 show an arrangement for facilitating when necessary the mounting
and replacing of the zinc and carbon elements, these consist of two half disks
united by a metallic muffle g. A counter or indicator can be adapted to the
motor p for indicating the time for renewing the liquids, zincs, and carbons.
Action of the Depolarizer-Polarization causing globules of hydrogen to attach
themselves to the zinc and carbon elements, it will be readily conceived that a
rotary motion imparted to these elements, on one hand produces a friction in the
liquid sufficient to destroy these globules, and on the other hand should these
gaseous globules be drawn along undisturbed outside the liquid; by judicious
precautions these globules are easily removed from the disks.
The parts of the disks which re-plunge into the bath take with them into the
liquid an appreciable quantity of oxygen which with the disposable hydrogen
reforms into water which increases the duration of the battery by that amount.
.
My improved system of depolarization insures a uniform production of electricity
until a natural exhaustion of the exciting properties of the liquid occurs, which
result has as yet not been successfully attained by chemical means.
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
::
1st The method of and the means employed for mechanically imparting to the
zinc and carbon elements (or their equivalents) of an electric battery (of whatever
form and dimensions, but preferably circular disks) a continuous or intermittent
rotary motion with or without their leaving the exciting liquid bath, such
movement destroying by a frictional action in the liquid, or by their being drawn

page_text: through the liquid into the air, the adherence of hydrogen globules, which are the
main cause of polarization of the batteries.
The advantages of this method of depolarization of the battery being a
prolongation of their effective action, that is to say by the removal of the hydrogen
globules from the elements, the battery is kept in good and constant working
order.
2nd The method of employing an electric motor of some sort under the conditions
herein mentioned or otherwise for imparting the mechanical motion to the zinc and
carbon elements of batteries.
3rd The method of and means employed for lifting out all the zinc and carbon
elements from the exciting liquid at one and the same time, or in returning them
to the bath by the same means, in variable numbers, determined according to the
greater or less quantity of electricity required.
4th The simple and practical method of collecting and grouping the currents of
each of the elements composing the battery in the manner and by the means herein
specified.
5th The means described and indicated for mounting and disposing the zincs and
carbons on an axis common to all and replacing or removing them promptly and
economically as herein described.
6th The method of adapting a counter to the dynamo electric motor for indicating
the time for renewing the liquids and zincs and carbons in the manner herein
specified.