IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERING
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Rapieff, of 35 Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Electrician, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC
BATTERING"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Rapieff at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1882.
"
_JOHN RAPIEFF, of 35 Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Electrician,
IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES"
My Invention relates to improved galvanic cells and to the construction of new
cells for the same purpose, namely for generating electric currents, and consists:-
Firstly. In increasing the surface of electrodes made of carbon, which I propose
to prepare from one or several comparatively thin sheets of carbonized and suitably
treated organic substances or cellulose, perforated or not, grooved or not, and bent
into zigzag, spiral, cylindrical, or other suitable forms.
For the same purpose I use as electrodes, not only single blocks of the carbon
but a row or rows, group or groups, of comparatively thin pencils or rods of carbon;
such as gas retort carbon; coke, or electric light carbon, or any other kind of
carbon.
"
These rods or pencils of carbon can be put close together, or separate with a
space between them, all being of course united or metallically bound together so as
to make a pole.
For the same purpose, I use carbonized fibrous substances, such as cotton, flax or
hemp, or threads or strands twisted together, or separately, or tulle, tarletan, muslin,
canvass, net, linen and other fibrous, woven, or textile materials. These materials I
may use separately or combined with those above mentioned.
To give all these substances more strength, elasticity, rigidity and more
particularly electrical conductivity, I carbonize them at proper temperatures in
closed vessels in presence of a carboniferous or hydro-carbonic atmosphere, or in
presence of liquid or solid bodies of the same substance, or in presence of a current
of the same, so as to obtain upon them a deposit of the particles of crystalline or
metallic carbon.

page_text: To increase the conductivity of the carbons I may also cover them, by suitable.
chemical or electrical means, with thin layers of one or more metals; such as
platinum, palladium, lead, iridium &c.
Secondly. In new forms of improved cells which I propose to construct as
follows:-
=
For one electrode I take lead, solid or perforated, bent or straight, grooved or
not, in form of one or more sheets, rods, wires, webs, gauze, ribbons etc, or formed
into a vessel.-I then take peroxide or oxide of lead, barium, or their equivalent,
separately or combined, or mixed with small pieces, residuums, or cuttings of lead,
shot, powdered or granulated lead, or carbon or graphite, and place them around
the above mentioned electrode in a porous vessel, which I may afterwards close or
seal, leaving, or not leaving, an aperture for the escape of the gas and the charging
and discharging of the cell.
This porous vessel I put into another vessel of larger size into which I also put
another electrode made of zinc, in form of rod, sheet, cylinder, pieces etc; or this
larger vessel may itself be made of zinc.
As active liquid for the charging of this cell I propose to use a solution of the
salts or hydrates or oxides of zinc, ammonia, potassium, sodium and other alkaline
metals; or I may use a solution of an acid, separately or together with the above
mentioned solution.
I sometimes modify this arrangement, for instance ;-instead of using an electrode
of lead I use an electrode' made of carbon of any suitable form; for example any of
the forms above mentioned. Further, I may change the arrangement of the cell,
for instance it may be reversed:-in the porous vessel I may place zinc, and in the
outer vessel another electrode; this outer vessel might itself be made of lead or
carbon. The zinc may be amalgamated and in some cases immersed, or partially
immersed, in mercury. When I use as an active liquid a solution which acts
destructively upon zinc I make the zinc so that it may be lifted at pleasure from
the solution, or I may make the zinc in the form of a vessel which I partially or
wholly fill with mercury.
:
Instead of the two vessels as above described I may in some cases use only, one
with suitable diaphragm or diaphragms, which may be made of any suitable shape
or material, for example, clay carbon, sand, asbestos, glass wool, porcelain, ebonite,
cloth or any woven or textile fabric, which may be parchmanized or not.
-This diaphragm, or diaphragms, may be of any suitable shape, be fixed or loose
in the vessel, or may be made as part of the same, and may be perforated or not.
In some cases I may entirely dispense with the diaphragm.
In such case I arrange the cell on the gravity principle; or I, compress the
. peroxide or other oxide of lead, barium; or their, equivalents, with or without
conductive materials, or electrodes, and with or, without adhesive substance, in a
cold or a heated state, into any desired form or shape...
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All the above mentioned cells may be partially or wholly regenerated by a
suitable current, or otherwise.
Thirdly. Another improvement in cells for obtaining galvanic current consists in
using as active liquid a solution of chloric or perchloric acids, which may be
previously prepared, or prepared during the action of the battery by the change in
the chemicals which there takes place! This solution may be used for any
description of cell..
↓
2.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Rapieff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th June
1883.
_JOHN RAPIEFF of 35 Queen Victoria Street in the City of London Electrician
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES."
My invention relates to improved galvanic cells and to the construction of new
cells for the same purpose, namely for generating electric currents, and consists
Firstly In increasing the surface of electrodes made of carbon, which I propose
to prepare from one or several comparatively thin sheets of carbonized and suitably
treated organic substances or cellulose, perforated or not, grooved or not, and bent
into zigzag, spiral, cylindrical or other suitable forms.
5
For the same purpose I use as electrodes not only single blocks of the carbon
but a row or rows, group or groups of comparatively thin pencils or blocks or rods
of carbon, such as gas retort carbon, coke, or electric light carbon, or any other
kind of carbon.
These rods or pencils of carbon can be put close together, or separate with a space
between them; all being of course united or metallically bound together or imbedded
in metal or alloy so as to make one pole.
For the same purpose I use carbonized organic fibrous substances, such as wood
or cotton, flax or hemp, or threads or strands twisted or not, together or separately,
or tulle, tarletan, muslin, canvass, net, linen, and other fibrous woven or textile
materials. These materials I may use separately or combined with those above
mentioned, and in the form of thin rods, sheets, ribbons, threads, or any other
suitable form and grooved or not grooved or perforated as may be desired.
To give to all these substances more strength, elasticity, rigidity and more parti-
cularly, electrical conductivity, I carbonize them under necessary pressure and at
proper temperatures in closed vessels in presence of a carboniferous or hydro-
carbonic atmosphere at suitable pressure, or in presence of liquid or solid bodies of
the same substance, or in presence of a current of the same, so as to obtain upon
them a deposit of the particles or granules of crystalline or metallic or graphitoidal
carbon.
To increase the conductivity of the carbons I may also cover them, by suitable
chemical or electrical or mechanical means, with thin layers of one or more metals,
such as platinum, palladium, lead, iridium, silver etc.
The principal aim of these arrangements is to obtain electrodes having a large
surface, every part of which is thoroughly connected with the pole of the battery.
By virtue of such arrangement we obtain at once a decrease of the local action and
reduction of the force of polarization of the electrodes; their connection with the,.
liquid or solid depolarizing agent is increased and more intimate, and consequently
the quantity of the current given by the battery is increased.
Secondly-In new forms of improved cells which I propose to construct as
follows:-
For one electrode I take lead or other metal solid or perforated, bent or straight,
grooved or not, in form of one or more 'sheets, rods, wires, webs, gauze, ribbons..
etc, or formed into a vessel. I then take peroxide or oxide, of lead, barium,
manganese, 'silver, iron, copper, or their equivalent, separately or combined, or
mixed with small pieces residuums or cuttings of lead, shot, powdered or granulated
lead, or other metal of which the aforesaid electrode is made, or carbon or graphite,
and place them around the above mentioned electrode in a porous vessel which I
may afterwards close or seal, leaving or not leaving, an aperture for the escape of
the gas and the charging and discharging of the cell.
133 I

page_text: This porous vessel I put into another vessel of larger size which may be sealed
in similar manner afterwards and into which I also put another electrode made of
zine, in form of rod, sheet, cylinder, pieces etc, or this large vessel may itself be
made of zinc.
As active liquid or liquids for the charging of this cell I propose to use a solution
of the salts, or hydrates or oxides of zinc, ammonia, potassium, sodium, and other
alkaline metals; or I may use a solution of an acid, separately or together with the
above mentioned solution.
The same liquids may be used in both cells or vessels. In this case I prefer
to use solutions of hydrates of oxides or hydro-oxides of sodium, potassium,
or other alcaline metal, or solutions of sulphuric, hydro-chloric, oxalic, chromic
or other acids, or particularly for the battery with peroxides or oxides of lead,
iron, silver or copper, I use a solution of salts such as chloride, chlorate, perman-
ganate, sulphate, nitrate, carbonate of ammonia, sodium, potassium, or magnesium.
Or the said battery may be used as a double liquid battery. Then for negative
cell or vessel. (Where there is electrode of carbon, lead, or other metal with peroxides
or oxides of lead, iron, copper, silver, and not manganese as depolarizing agents) I
use a rather strong solution, say about 15 to 30 per cent, of sulphuric, hydrochloric,
chromic or other acids, and in the other or positive vessel or cell (where the zinc
is) I use a solution of one or several of the before mentioned salts of ammonia,
· sodium, potassium, magnesium or other alcaline metal, or a solution of sulphate of
zinc. Also as an active liquid in the negative cell with the said substances,
including oxides and peroxides of manganese, I may use a solution of hydro-oxides
of ammonia or alcaline metals. The liquid in the positive cell being the same as
before.
I sometimes modify this arrangement, for instance; instead of using an electrode
of lead I use an electrode made of carbon of any suitable form, for example any of
the forms above mentioned. Further I may change the arrangement of the cell, for
instance it may be reversed, in the porous vessel I may place zinc, and in the outer
vessel another electrode; this outer vessel might itself be made of lead or carbon.
The zine may be amalgamated and in some cases wholly or partially immersed in
mercury. When I use as an active liquid a solution which acts destructively upon
zinc I make the zinc so that it may be lifted at pleasure from the solution, or I
may make the zinc in the form of a vessel, perforated or not, which I partially or
wholly fill with mercury, or the zinc may be more or less immersed in short
receptacles which may be separate or make a part of the vessel. The last few
arrangements I use for the single liquid battery.
Instead of the two vessels as above described I may in some cases use only one
with suitable diaphragm or diaphragms, which may be made of any suitable shape
or material, for example, clay, carbon, sand, asbestos, glass, wool, porcelain, ebonite,
cloth or any woven or textile fabric, which may be parchmanized or not.
This diaphragm or diaphragms, may be made of any suitable shape, be fixed or
loose in the vessel, or may be made as part of the same, and may be perforated
or not.
In some cases I may entirely dispense with the diaphragm.
the per-
In such cases I arrange the cell on the gravity principle, or, I compress
oxide or other oxide of lead, barium, or their equivalents, with or without conductive
materials or electrodes, and with or without an adhesive substance, in a cold or
heated state, into any desired form or shape. These by preference are single liquid
batteries.
Sometimes, and particularly in the arrangements where I use as active liquid or
liquids the solution or solutions of the above mentioned hydro oxides or salts, I
substitute for the above specified peroxides or oxides, chromates, sulphates,
oxalates, manganates, chlorides, iodides, bromides of lead, mercury, copper,
manganese, iron or calcium etc, and mostly by those which are insoluble or
sparingly soluble in water or in the above mentioned solutions.

page_text: All the above mentioned cells may be partially or wholly regenerated by a suitable
current, or otherwise.
Thirdly-Another improvement in cells for obtaining galvanic current consists
in using as active liquid a solution of chloric or per-chloric acids, which may be
previously prepared, or prepared gradually during the action of the battery by the
change in the chemicals which through the pure chemical or electro-chemical
action then takes place. This solution may be used for any description of cell.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is or may be performed I Claim as secured to me by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent :-
Firstly In a Galvanic battery, giving an increased surface to the negative
electrode by using a number of thin pencils or plates of carbon metallically bound
together, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Secondly-In a Galvanic Battery, using for the negative electrode carbonized
organic fibrous substances or textile materials prepared substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Thirdly-In a Galvanic Battery, the use of a cell having for depolarizing agent
the peroxides or oxides, or Sulphates and manganates, chromates, chlorides, iodides,
bromides or oxalates of lead, mercury, copper, manganese, iron, barium, and calcium,
with solutions of hydro-oxides of sodium, potassium or other alkaline metals,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fourthly In a Galvanic Battery, the use of a cell having for depolarizing agent
the substances set forth in my third claim, with the exception of peroxide or oxides
of manganese, with the solutions of sulphuric, hydrochloric, oxalic chromic or
other acids or solutions of chloride, chlorate, permanganate, sulphate, nitrate
carbonate of ammonia, sodium, potassium and magnesium, substantially as herein
before described.
Fifthly In a Galvanic Battery, the use of a cell having as active liquid a
solution of chloric or perchloric acids prepared substantially as herein before
described.
In witness whereof I the said John Rapieff have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twelfth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
JOHN RAPIEFF (L.S.)