AN IMPROVED GALVANIC ELEMENT OR BATTERY
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for AN IMPROVED
GALVANIC ELEMENT OR BATTERY, a communication to me from abroad by Karl
Pollak and G. Wehr, Manufacturers, both care of J. Brandt and G. W. v. Nawrocki,
Patent Agents, of 78, Friedrich-Strasse, Berlin, Germany, to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to a galvanic element, in which the depolarising
substances are always regenerated.
For this purpose I use zinc- and "metal"-elements, for instance, zinc and copper,
and set the "metal," that is to say, in the case of a zinc-copper element, the copper,
in conducting connection with carbon, which only partly dips into the exciting
liquid, which liquid will be different according to the nature of the element.
A zinc-lead or zinc-silver-element may be constructed as follows:
In a cylindrical glass vessel is suspended a clay cell, provided with many openings.
This clay cell is filled with metallic lead or silver in small pieces, mixed with pieces
of carbon and a suitable carbon plate, dipping into this carbon and lead mixture,
serves to conduct the current to the terminal.
Through the middle of the clay cell passes a well insulated copper wire down to
the zink-plate, situated at some distance below the perforated clay cell. The glass
cylinder is so far filled with liquid, for instance with a solution of common salt,
that the clay cell dips but a little into the liquid.
For this element it is necessary, that the metal situated in the clay-cell, be
oxydizable.
The following is the operation of this element.
Owing to the connection of the metal, existing in the clay cell, with the carbon
in the liquid, a current is generated, in consequence of which this metal is oxydized
or dissolved. Therefore I have now metal (lead or silver) in shape of a metallic
oxyde or solution on the one hand, and zinc on the other hand. If now the
element is closed, the result is a constant current between the metal in its oxyde
or solution, and the zinc. In consequence of this current, the metallic compound
is reduced.

page_text: But as soon as the element is again opened, a current flows between the metal
(in the clay cell) and the carbon mixed with the same, in consequence of which the
reduced metal (of the clay cell) oxydizes again or is dissolved. Thus a constant
regeneration of the element takes place.
A zinc-copper element may be made as follows:
In a glass vessel, narrowed at the bottom, is situated a wooden cross, or fraine,
by which the zinc cylinder and the clay-cell are supported. The latter is filled
with pieces of carbon. The side wall of the cell is insulated from the zinc by
shellac, wax or similar substances, for preventing a current between the zinc and
the carbon. The bottom of the cell is perforated and porous. Through the carbon
pieces passes an insulated copper wire, which, however, is in electric connection
with the, carbon at the top. The extremity of the copper wire, which projects
below the carbon cell, is connected with a copper plate, situated in a little glass
vessel or tumbler.
By the effect of the carbon, which is always in electric connection, that is to say,
by the current originating between the carbon and the copper; the copper,
according to the liquid contained in the element, is dissolved, so as to form copper
salts or. oxyde of copper. Therefore the copper plate is always surrounded by
depolarising substances (copper compound), which were formed by the influence of
the carbon. If now the element is closed, metallic copper is deposited on the
copper plate, from the depolarising substances, surrounding the copper plate, which
copper is again changed into depolarizing substances by the carbon. This process
is continually repeated, whereby the copper-plate is always surrounded withi
depolarizing substances, the result of which is a constant current between copper
and zinc.

page_text: An Improved Galvanic Element or Battery.
I, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of 67, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me
from abroad by Karl Pollak and G. Wehr, Manufacturers, both care of J. Brandt
and G. W. v. Nawrocki, Patent Agents, of 78 Friedrich Strasse, Berlin, Germany,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to a galvanic element with metallic electrodes, one.
electrode being brought in conducting connection with carbon for the purpose of
generating depolarising substances for use in the element.
The depolarising substances are not added to the element, but are first generated
by the carbon and continuously regenerated thereby after being used.
For this purpose I use preferably zinc-metal-elements, for instance zinc copper,
and place the metal (that is to say in the case of a zinc copper element, the copper)
in conducting connection with. the carbon, which only partly dips into the exciting
liquid.
The metal of which the positive electrode consists, must always be oxydizable.
The construction of the element may vary according to the manner, in which the
positive electrode (copper, lead, silver) is brought in electric connection with the
carbon. The accompanying drawing shows four different constructions.
Fig. 1 represents a zinc-lead-or a zinc-silver element.
In a cylindrical glass vessel a is suspended by projections bb a clay cell c
provided with perforations. This clay cell is filled with metallic lead or silver in
small pieces, mixed with pieces of carbon, a suitable carbon plate f dipping into
this carbon and lead mixture serves to conduct the current to the terminal
Through the middle of the clay cell passes a well insulated copper wire g down
to the zinc electrode h. The glass cylinder a is so far filled with the liquid (for
instance a solution of common salt), that the clay cell dips only a little into the.
liquid.
The following is the operation of this element.
Owing to the connection of the metal in the clay cell, with the carbon, in the
liquid, a current is generated in consequence of which this metal is oxydized or
dissolved. Therefore I have now metal (lead silver) in shape of a metallic oxyde
or solution on the one hand and zinc on the other hand. If now the circuit of the
element is closed, the result is a constant current between the metal in its oxyde or
solution and the zinc. In consequence of this current, the metallic compound is
reduced, that is to say metal is separated, which is precipitated or deposited on
the metal not yet utilized in the clay cell, namely the positive metallic electrode.
As soon as the element is disconnected, a current flows between the metal (in the
clay cell) and the carbon mixed therewith, in consequence of which this reduced-

page_text: metal (of the clay cell) is again oxydized or dissolved.. Thus a constant regeneration
of the element takes place.
Fig. 2 represents a zinc-copper element made as follows:
In a glass vessel a, narrowed at the bottom, is situated a wooden cross or
frame i, by which the zinc cylinder h and the clay cell c are supported. The latter
is filled with pieces of carbon. The side wall of the cell is insulated from the zinc
by shellac, wax or similar substances for preventing a current between the zinc
and the carbon. The bottom of the cell is perforated and porous. Through the
carbon pieces passes an insulated copper wire g which, however, is in electric
connection with the upper pieces of carbon. The extremity of the copper wire,
which projects below the carbon cell, is connected with a copper plate k, situated
in a little glass vessel or tumbler.
By the current passing between the carbon and the copper, the copper k according
to the liquid contained in the element is dissolved so as to form copper salts or
combinations of oxyde of copper. Therefore the copper plate k is always surrounded
by depolarising substances (copper compound) which were formed by the influence
of the carbon. If now the element is closed, metallic copper is deposited on the.
copper plate k, from the copper salts surrounding the same, which copper is again
changed into depolarising substances by the carbon. This process is continually
repeated by closing and breaking the current, whereby the copper plate k is always
surrounded with depolarising substances, the result of which is a constant current
between the copper and zinc.
In figures 3 and 4 there is the important difference, that a carbon block is
substituted for the small pieces of carbon in conducting connection with the
positive electrode.
"
The element shown in Fig. 3 is constructed as follows:
The vessel a contains a second smaller vessel b, which receives a copper scroll or
cylinder c. Outside the vessel b is situated a zinc cylinder d, to which is connected
a well insulated conducting wire e. The copper scroll is likewise connected with a
well insulated wire f. In the upper part of the vessel a a carbon block, provided
with a central perforation, is so suspended as to dip but slightly into the inciting
liquid. The wire f is in conducting connection with the carbon by a metal ring
introduced above, into the perforation of the carbon block. The wire f is freed
from its insulation at x.
The action of this element is exactly, the same as in Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 shows the construction of a regenerative element for stronger currents, for
instance for lighting purposes.
The vessel a contains on the bottom a zinc-plate d with the conducting strip e.
In the upper part of the vessel a clay cell b is suspended, on the bottom of which
lies a copper plate c with a conducting strip f. The copper plate supports a carbon
plate g with several perforations. The element is filled with an inciting liquid so
that only the bottom part of the carbon dips therein.
Here also the action is the same as with the constructions shown by Figs. 1,
2 and 3.
+1
The carbon employed in the constructions, represented by Figs. 3 and 4, must be
very porous and of great conducting power in order to obtain good results. A
carbon combining these qualities, has not been known heretofore. Small pieces of
carbon as a body are sufficiently porous, but have a bad conducting capacity, since
the pieces of carbon are only in loose contact with each other. The artificial
carbon produced hitherto has good conducting capacity, but is not very porous.
I make for this purpose a sort of carbon possessing both these qualities. This
carbon consists for the greater part of small pieces of carbon, and the remainder of
carbon-dust. These are combined with each other by pressing and baking, in the
form of blocks, the larger pieces being placed below and the smaller pieces and
carbon dust above, so that the block contains, as it were, two layers, as shown in
Figs. 3 and 4.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare, that what
I claim is
1.) In an element with two metallic electrodes the combination of porous carbon
in electric connection with the positive electrode, for changing by local action the
positive electrode partly into depolarising salts when the circuit of the element is
not closed, from out of which salts, when the circuit is closed the metal of the
positive electrode utilised for their generation is again precipitated upon the
positive electrode.
2.). The porous carbon for use in the element made from small pieces of carbon
and carbon-dust by pressing and baking in the shape of plates or blocks, forming
compact and good conductors of electricity, which plates may or may not be
provided with perforations.