IMPROVEMENTS IN 'GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH STARKEY BARBER-STARKEY, of 8 Bolton Gardens, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN 'GALVANIC BATTERIES and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to that class of electrical generators, known as galvanic
batteries, and which depend for their operation, upon chemical action. It is
designed to produce a battery cell, which, whilst capable of developing a steady
continuous and powerful electro-motive force, as a primary generator, shall at the
same time be capable of regeneration in a very perfect manner and to a practical
extent, by the reversal of a current through it from an external source, in the usual
way, as a secondary battery or accumulator. The elements I employ are as
follows:-
The exciting fluid consists of bi-sulphate of mercury in a solution of sulphuric
acid variable according to the purposes for which the battery is required, and which
acid I find to be necessary to produce the powerful constant and regenerative action
of my improved battery.
For telegraphic purposes I prefer to use a weak solution of sulphuric acid, of
about 1 in 24, which I find gives an ample and steady current of long duration.
For lighting purposes, however, I may increase the strength of this solution up to
about 1 in 8 according to requirements.
The electrodes are respectively carbon or lead conveniently formed as a rod or
rods, or plates, in combination with a large quantities of broken carbon, specifically
arranged as hereinafter more fully described constituting the one electrode; and
zinc, or zinc and lead combined, and amalgamated; especially arranged as herein-
after more fully described constituting the other electrode.
I prefer that a free charge of mercury should always be present in my battery,
and I usually add such charge in immediate contact with the metal electrode, to
ensure maximum amalgamation and to facilitate its generative and regenerative
action.
The bi-sulphate of mercury also must be used in large quantities to act as a
depolarizing agent.
The cell thus constituted forms a primary battery capable of developing a
uniform current of considerable electro motive force and when
or before it is

page_text: exhausted, a reverse current may be at any time passed through the battery, when
the zinc will redeposit upon the zinc electrode, the mercury being again taken up
into amalgamation and solution, or in other words the chemical action such as may
have taken place in generating the current is reversed and the battery regenerated
most perfectly into its normal condition. The battery may thus be used without
alteration or destruction, alternatively as a primary battery, or a secondary battery
by regeneration, a high percentage of efficiency being obtained in accumulated
electrical energy as compared with the regenerating current employed for the
purpose.
This form of battery lends itself particularly to construction on a large scale
with enormous areas of exposure of the electrodes in single cells without any
attending disadvantages, such as the buckling of plates common to lead secondary
batteries.
Further by the lifting of the zinc electrodes out of the solution of bi-sulphate of
inercury or by the lowering of the level of the said solution from contact with the
zinc electrode all chemical action producing further waste ceases.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now describe
two convenient forms, in which my improved battery may be constructed to
fulfil the conditions herein before defined, for the greatest efficiency of electrical
generation.
Like letters refer to similar parts in the different figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a convenient form of my improved battery
with the electrodes placed horizontally.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a convenient form of my improved battery with the
electrodes placed vertically.
Figure 4 is a plan of the same.
Referring to figures 1 and 2 A A are the carbon or lead electrodes placed in the
horizontal battery down one or more sides and over the bottom of the containing
cell B, in the form of plates, such as are most conveniently obtained in pure
gas-retort carbon where carbon is used. I find it imperative for the efficient action
of my regenerative battery, that the carbon or lead pole and the surrounding broken
carbon should be in constant communication over as large a surface as possible with
the bi-sulphate of mercury and sulphuric acid solution. It is necessary therefore
that good electrical contact should be carefully made between the carbon plate A¹
at the bottom of the battery, and the side plate or plates to which one binding
screw C is conveniently attached. The lead plate will obviate the difficulty
aforesaid as it may be bent round the corner; and the superincumbent weight
prevents buckling.
In figures 3 and 4 the said carbon poles A A A are shown in the shape in which
the pure gas retort carbon is conveniently obtained, and good electrical contact is
made between these vertical carbon poles and the horizontal submerged carbon
plate A¹ and the surrounding broken carbon at the bottom of the containing cell B.
Among the liquid element or solution used in my battery, namely, the bi-sulphate
of mercury combined with the solution of sulphuric acid, is distributed the broken
carbon D D in contact with the before mentioned carbon electrodes A. A'.
In the horizontal battery, Figures 1 and 2 I place upon the submerged broken
carbon a suitable perforated or latticed tray F or support conveniently of wood, in
which I place the amalgamated zinc electrode E. Between the zinc and tray
I place a sheet of flannel G, or other fibrous tissue to prevent any particles of zinc
falling through the perforations of the tray or support. I find also that flannel or
fibrous tissue so used, suffices to support a small bath of free mercury, in which
I place the zinc electrode, when the battery is first charged.
*The zinc electrode in the case of the horizontal battery, I conveniently make in
the form of a perforated plate or grill, the apertures of the grill being filled with
scrap zinc, and thus permitting the convenient rise and discharge of gases from
below. To the said zinc electrode I make the usual binding screw attachment H,

page_text: I find the horizontal position of the zinc electrode, superincumbent upon the
broken carbon, and pressing thereon by its weight, useful, for effecting and
ensuring good electrical contact throughout the broken carbon and carbon plates.
In the vertical arrangement of battery shown at Figures 3 and 4 the zinc
electrodes E are conveniently in the form of rods or tubes enclosed in perforated
or latticed chambers F F conveniently of wood, to prevent contact with the carbon.
I surround these perforated chambers by a pocket of flannel or other fibrous tissue
as before described, to prevent the escape of any particles of zinc into the
surrounding carbon. I rest the said zinc electrodes and perforated chambers, or
form as part of the latter, a lower cupped non-metallic support, to insulate the zinc
electrodes from the carbon bottom A, and to hold and collect the free charge of
mercury with which I first charge the batteries, or to catch such as may be
discharged hereafter from the amalgamated zinc during the working of the
battery.
To put the horizontal battery out of action I may, instead of lifting the zinc
grill, attach a reservoir K by means of a flexible pipe L to a point, below the
bottom of the zinc electrode When this reservoir is placed below the level of its
entrance into the cell, a part of the liquid charge is thereby withdrawn, and the
action of the battery ceases. On the other hand, when the reservoir K is again
raised above the level of its entrance into the battery, the said liquid charge is
returned to the battery and the operation once more commences.
Having now particularly described the nature of my invention and the manner
of its performance be it known that I do not make any specific claim to the use of
the elements of zinc and carbon in a solution of sulphate of mercury, to form a
galvanic couple, but I declare that what I do claim is
1st The composition of a galvanic couple consisting of electrodes of amalgamated
zinc, or zinc and lead, and carbon or lead, consisting of plates or rods surrounded
or covered by large masses of broken carbon respectively immersed in bi-sulphate
of mercury dissolved in a solution of sulphuric acid, to render the cell constant in
its electro motive force and capable of regeneration as a secondary battery to a
very perfect and practical extent, substantially as described.
2nd The construction of the cell, whether vertical or horizontal with the carbon
or lead electrode consisting of rods or plates surrounded by large masses of broken
carbon in constant and perfect communication with the bi-sulphate of mercury,
and the zinc or zinc and lead electrode in constant contact with a free charge of
mercury, to render the cell capable of regeneration to a very perfect and practical
extent substantially as described.
בד
11