Improvements in or relating to Galvanio Batteries.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
Improvements in or relating to Galvanio Batteries.
I, CHARLES LEVETUS, of 182, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, in the County of
Stafford, Experimental Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
-
This invention relates to a new or improved method of supplying automatically
fresh liquid to galvanic batteries in order to enable them to give out a constant
supply of electricity as desired.
To carry this invention into effect I employ, say, two reservoirs, tanks or
cisterns or other suitable receptacles all of which are hereinafter termed and
included in the term "reservoirs" of the same or varying sizes, preferably though
not necessarily so, of varying sizes for the reception of strong liquid with which.
the battery is charged. The reservoir are made of any suitable material and of
any desired shape.
The larger of these two reservoirs may contain sufficient liquid for some con-
siderable time, whilst the second and smaller one may only contain sufficient
liquid to meet the requirements of the galvanic batteries for a predetermined or
suitable number of hours say for example, ten hours. The larger reservoir may
be placed above the smaller one, and the smaller one, in turn may be placed above
the galvanic batteries. Each reservoir being a sufficient height above the other
and above the batteries, so as to give its liquid contents, when discharging,
sufficient pressure or head to enter into the galvanic batteries without difficulty.
The larger reservoir may be connected to the smaller one by a pipe
provided at the top with a suitable tap. The pipe is hermetically sealed
into the top of the smaller reservoir. The smaller reservoir may
be provided with say two openings, or recesses or necks at the top, into one
of which openings the pipe from the larger reservoir is sealed as before
mentioned and in the other opening a ball cock and lever of any suitable
material is affixed in such a manner that in case the lever fails to shut off the.
supply from the first reservoir when the ball cock rises to the top the ball ccck
may itself be forced up by the liquid to the predetermined height and covering
or closing the bottom of the opening or neck thereby prevents any more liquid
entering the second reservoir. The second or smaller reservoir may also be fitted
with one or any suitable number of taps which number varies according to the
number of batteries it has to feed.
To the tap of the first reservoir and to the tap or taps of the smaller reservoir.
may be fitted any suitable electric governor or governors such as for example,
say, a solenoid or solenoids with a contracting core or cores in such a manner
that when the voltage or current or both or either fall below a certain desired
point when the cells are generating or if no electricity is being generated at
all the electric governor or governors will shut or close the tap of the larger
reservoir and at the same time open the tap or taps of the smaller reservoirs,-
thus allowing the whole or part of the liquid contained in the second reservoir to
flow into the cells, but simultaneously therewith preventing any more liquid

page_text: from flowing into the smaller reservoir, until the current is again switched or
turned on, when the electric governor or governors will close the tap or taps of
the smaller reservoir and open the tap of larger reservoir, thus allowing it to
again wholly or partially as the case may be fill the smaller reservoir.
The tap or taps of the smaller reservoir is connected with a tube or tubes into
which it may or may not be hermetically sealed and which is or are placed above
the cells which it is intended to supply with liquid. The said tube or tubes may
run the full length of the cells. The said tube or tubes is provided with a number
of hollow communicating arms, one for each of the porous cells in the galvanic
batteries. These arms may be fixed a certain distance above the lower wall of
tube or tubes or on the top of the tube or tubes in such a manner that any
liquid being passed into the tube or tubes must rise a certain distance before it
can pass into the hollow arms. Each arm may be connected in any suitable
manner with a separate tube arranged to pass a suitable distance into the porous
cell and which, may be sealed into one of the porous cells of galvanic batteries.
By this means when 'the liquid is passed into the long tube or tubes it will simul-
taneously pass therefrom at the same rate of flow into each separate hollow
communicating arm and from thence into each separate porous cell thus ensuring
of the whole of the porous cells being filled alike. A second tube or set of tubes
may be arranged to pass along the whole length of the galvanic cells or batteries
and which may be either placed above or below the before mentioned tube or
tubes. This second tube or set of tubes which are hereafter termed "the gas
tube or tubes" has or have also a number of hollow communicating arms. Each
separate arm of "the gas tube or tubes" is connected with a separate tube which
is sealed into one of the porous cells. These last named tubes do not penetrate
below the lid or cover of porous cells.
The gas tube or tubes is or are provided for the purpose of allowing the whole
of any. gas or gases which may be given off by any number of the batteries.to
pass outwards and be collected in any suitable manner and it also enables the
gases to be collectively passed into a suitable condenser.
The gas tube or tubes may be sealed at one end and may be provided with an
outlet tube at the other end.
In order to make a good connection between the hollow communicating arms
and the tubes sealed in the porous cells, both in the case of the liquid supplying
tubes and the gas tubes. The tubes sealed into the porous cells may be con-
structed with a socket or cup in such a manner that when the hollow communi-
cating arms are placed in the sockets or cups of the tubes sealed into the porous
cells and a suitable cement is poured round the hollow communicating arms
they pass into the sockets or cups. a perfectly liquid and gas tight joint is made.
The action of the two reservoirs is as follows:-
When the batteries are at work and the current of the cells are at their normal
working point the top of the first reservoir is open permitting its liquid to run
into the second reservoir the tap or taps of which is or are closed. The liquid
from large reservoir then flows into the second reservoir until it reaches a pre-
determined height when the ball-cock will operate as described thus preventing
any more liquid flowing into second reservoir. When current decreases or is
switched off, the solenoid or electric governors are arranged to shut off the tap
of the first reservoir and to open the tap or tans of the second reservoir, thus
nermitting its contents to flow into the cells. The second reservoir is arranged
to remain empty or partially empty until the current is again switched on or
until the current and voltage batteries or either or both again becomes normal.
when the solenoid or electric governor closes the tap or taps of the second
reservoirs and again opens tap of first reservoir.
Dated this Thind dow a
1
1000

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Galvanic Batteries.
I, CHARLES LEVETUS, of 182, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, in the County of
Stafford, Experimental Chemist, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in galvanic batteries and has for its
object the provision of means whereby such batteries may be supplied with fresh
liquid, and thus enabled to give an approximately constant current for long
periods.
In carrying out this invention a reservoir is provided containing the liquid to
be supplied to the cells, such liquid being preferably stronger than that originally
placed in the cells, so that the addition of a small quantity of the solution in the
reservoir to that remaining in the cells will restore the latter to its normal
strength. The reservoir communicates with a supply tube from which branch
tubes lead to each cell; these branch tubes enter the supply tube in such a
manner that all the cells are simultaneously supplied with fresh liquid. Prefer-
ably a second reservoir is provided larger than the first and communicating with
it by means of a tube controlled by a valve or tap. The communication between
the first reservoir and the cells is similarly controlled, and both taps may, if
desired, be opened and closed automatically.
An important feature of this invention is that the fresh liquid is usually sup-
plied to the cells whilst they are not working. This is very advantageous for
if cells joined in series are supplied with liquid from a common supply-tube whilst
they are working, the liquid to some extent short-circuits the cells by placing
them temporarily in parallel.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically one construction of apparatus accord-
ing to this invention.
Figure 2 shows in section two constructions of supply tube and
Figure 3 is a view of a connecting tube.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
It is assumed that the liquid is to be supplied to the interior of the porous
cells, and therefore for the sake of clearness only those cells are shown in the
drawings, the other portions of the battery being omitted.
A are porous cells, sealed at the top and each having two tubes A1 and A2
passing into it, the tube A' passes some distance into the interior of the cell
whilst the tube A2 only just passes through the cover, the former is the liquid
supply tube and the latter permits the escape of gas from the cell.
B is a reservoir containing the liquid to be supplied to the cell it com-
municates by means of a tube B' with a supply tube C, having branch tubes D.
one for each pcrous cell. The branch tubes D enter the supply tube C in such
a manner that the liquid is obliged to rise in the latter before reaching the
entrance to the branch tubes, thus it is ensured that all the cells A are supplied
with liquid simultaneously. Figure 2 shows two ways in which the branch
tube may enter the supply tube in order to attain this end. In the one case
the branch tube D enters at the side of the supply tube C; in the ofher instance
it enters at the bottom of the supply tube, but projects a sufficient distance un
info. the tube. Other constructions may be followed, for instance the branch
tubes may enter at the top of the tube C.
Each of the branch tubes D is connected to the tube A of a porous cell A

page_text: by means of a curved connecting tube E; this tube is reduced at each end as
at E to take a rubber tube E and the rubber tubes fit inside the branch tube D
and the tube A respectively. The use of these connecting tubes E enables any
porous cell to be quickly and easily removed or replaced."
The reservoir B is preferably made to contain a definite quantity of liquid, say
enough to replenish the cells once, and the liquid is supplied to the reservoir B
through a tube F¹ leading from a large reservoir F containing a store of the
liquid. The lower end of the tube F¹ passes through the top of the reservoir B
and is controlled by a ball cock B³. A second opening B in the reservoir B
serves to admit air, and if by any chance the ball cock B3 should fail to act
it is arranged that the ball rising with the liquid shall close the opening B' and
thus prevent the liquid overflowing.
The tubes B and F¹ are controlled by taps 132 and F2 respectively, and these
taps are, in the apparatus illustrated, opened and closed electrically by means of
current from the battery itself. This is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1,
where GG are springs tending respectively to open the tap B2 and to close the
tap F. This action is opposed by the electro-magnets H and H¹, the windings
of which are joined as by the wires H to the battery itself. It is obvious that if
the magnet windings and wires H2 form part of the main circuit of the battery,
the action of the apparatus will depend upon the current from the cells, while if
joined up as a shunt circuit the action will depend upon the E.M.F. of the
cells. In either case the result is similar, when the current round the electro-
magnets H H drops or ceases, the tap B2 is opened and the tap F2 closed, thus
allowing the liquid in the reservoir B to pass into the cells A. and preventing
the access of fresh liquid from the vessel F to the reservoir B. When the current
is restored the tap B2 is closed and the tap 1 is opened, and a fresh charge of
liquid flows into the reservoir B.
The tubes A2 are joined by tubes E3, similar to the tubes E, to branch tubes K¹
all leading into a common tube K. This tube K is open at one end and leads
to a condenser or other apparatus for dealing with the gas from the porous
cells A. Although this gas collecting apparatus is not an essential feature of
the invention it is preferred in any case to make the tubes E³, or other con-
tinuations of the tubes A2, of such a height that all risk of overflow of the liquid
in the porous cell is obviated. Under normal conditions no liquid is present in
the tube K.
It is not always essential that apparatus according to this invention should
work automatically, for instance, it may operate as follows:-The cells may
be so arranged that they do their work for a given period without appreciably
running down; at the end of that period the current is switched off and the tap Ba
opened, while the tap F2 is closed. The liquid in the reservoir B is of such
quantity and strength that it just suffices to compensate for the liquid lost by
endosmose during the working of the cell and restores that liquid to its normal
strength. The cells are now fitted for a further period of work and a fresh supply
of liquid may be placed in the reservoir B from the vessel F. or any other source.
It is obvious that under these conditions the taps B2 and F2 could be operated
manually, and, further, that the vessel F could be dispensed with.
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 a galvanic battery the combination with a series of sealed porous cells
each having openings for the entrance of liquid and the escape of gas of a
common supply tube C connected with each cell by a tube D so arranged that
the liquid flows into all the cells simultaneously substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for supplying a galvanic battery with liquid the employment
of tubes C, D, so arranged that all the cells are simultaneously supplied with
liquid substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. The complete apparatus for automatically supplying a galvanic battery
with liquid substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
DL1
11
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.