An Improved Electric Battery.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
An Improved Electric Battery.
We, HORACE SEYMOUR PYNE of Castletown, in the Isle of Man, Lecturer in
Science at King William's College, in the Isle of Man, and ROBERT THOMPSON
of 24, Highfield Crescent, Rockferry, in the County of Chester, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Hitherto it has frequently been found, that if a primary battery is used
intermittently the battery is injuriously affected during the intervals when it is not
intended to be at work, by reason of some chemical, or other action, taking place
in the cells of the battery during such intervals. We have discovered that it is
possible to reduce such chemical, or other action, as aforesaid, to a minimum, by
means of such improvements in the construction of primary batteries as are
hereinafter mentioned. In order to avoid any ambiguity, we here state that by the
word "battery" wherever the same herein occurs, we mean to refer to a primary
battery with any number of cells, in which one or two liquid agents, as the case
may be is or are employed, and that by the word "cell" we mean to refer to a
complete cell with its positive and negative elements and liquid agent or agents, as
the case may be.
The improvements we have introduced into our battery are as follows-
Firstly. We use in combination with a battery a separate vessel, or vessels, into
which when the battery is not intended to be in action, we pass and store the liquid
agent or agents, and if more than one liquid agent is used, we so receive and store
each liquid agent separately.
Secondly. A method of raising or lowering the level of the liquid agent or agents
in the cells of a battery, by raising or lowering the level of the liquid agent or
agents respectively in the storing or receiving vessels.
Thirdly. A method of transferring the liquid agent used in any vessel of a cell
from such cell to any similar cell, or as the case may be, to a proper receiving and
storing vessel for each liquid agent, or vice versa.
Fourthly. We sometimes use in a two fluid battery one or more separate vessels,
in which, when the battery is not in use, we receive and store the liquid agent used
in the porous vessels of the cells, and we so construct our battery, in such a case,
that the porous vessels of the cells can be raised above the surface of the liquid
agent contained in the external vessels of the cells as well as in the receiving
vessels, or vessels connected with the porous vessels.
We make the casing of our battery of suitable size and form to receive the cells,
and of some non-conducting material. We support the positive and negative
elements, and in some cases, the porous vessels and the plungers, hereinafter
mentioned, by a plate or plates of non-conducting material, and which form the lid
or lids of the cells. We prefer to use zinc and carbon as the positive and negative
elements respectively in our battery, but we do not restrict ourselves to the use of
zinc and carbon, as aforesaid. In connection with and as part of our battery, we
construct one or more separate receiving and storing vessels for each kind of liquid
agent used in the particular battery, and we make each set of such receiving
vessels of a capacity to contain the whole of the liquid agent, in respect of
which such receiving vessel or vessels is intended to be used when only partially
filled.
We make communication from the receiving vessel or vessels for receiving and
storing a liquid agent with each vessel of the cells in which that liquid agent is to
be used, and sometimes we also make communication between the similar vessels of

page_text: the cells in the battery by means of syphon tubes bent into the shape of horseshoes,
the arms of which we arrange so as to dip to the lowest point of the vessels between
which we wish to make such communication, as aforesaid, and we sometimes insert
stop taps in these syphon tubes, so that by closing such stop taps we are able to
remove the syphon tubes without emptying them.
We raise or lower the level of the liquid agent in each of the similar vessels of
the cells by means of raising or lowering the level of the same liquid agent in its
receiving or storing vessel, or vessels, by means of plungers in the receiving vessel,
or vessels, which plungers we lower or raise by suitable means.
In batteries where two liquid agents are used we sometimes use one or more
separate receiving or storing vessels, to receive and store the liquid agent from the
porous vessels when the battery is not desired to be in action, and in this case we
arrange the outer vessels of each cell so that when the porous vessels and the
plungers in the storage vessels are raised, the level of the liquid agent in the outer
vessels of the cells falls, and at the same time the liquid agent in the porous vessels
falls from them into the storage vessels through the syphon tubes communicating
between these vessels.
Dated the 10th day of August 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Electric Battery.
HORACE SEYMOUR PYNE of Castletown in the Isle of Man, Lecturer in Science
at King William's College in the Isle of Man, and WILLIAM SCOTT THOMPSON
of 11 New Court Carey Street W.C. Barrister at Law the executor of Robert
Thompson, Engineer, late of 24 Highfield Crescent, Rockferry in the County of
Chester deceased, 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 :—
Hitherto it has frequently been found that if a primary battery is used inter-
mittently the battery is injuriously affected during the intervals when it is not
intended to be at work by reason of some chemical or other action taking place in the
cells of the battery during such intervals. We have discovered that it is possible
to reduce such chemical or other action, as aforesaid, to a minimum by means of
such improvements in the construction of primary batteries as hereinafter mentioned.
In order to avoid any ambiguity, we here state that by the word "battery'
wherever the same herein occurs, we mean to refer to a primary battery with any
number of cells in which one or two liquid agents as the case may be is or are
employed, and that by the word "cell we mean to refer to a complete cell with its
positive and negative elements and liquid agent or agents as the case may be. The
improvements we have introduced into our battery are as follows:-
"
"
Firstly. We use in combination with a battery a separate vessel or vessels int
which when the battery is not intended to be in action we pass and store the liquid
agent or agents, and if more than one liquid agent is used we so receive and store
each liquid agent separately.
Secondly. A method of raising or lowering the level of the liquid agent or agents
in the cells of a battery by raising or lowering the level of the liquid agent or
agents respectively in the storing or receiving vessels.
Thirdly. A method of transferring the liquid agent used in any vessel of a cell
from such cell to any similar cell or as the case may be to the proper receiving and
storing vessel for each liquid agent and vice versa.
Fourthly. We sometimes use in a two fluid battery one or more separate vessels
in which when the battery is not in use we receive and store the liquid agent used

page_text: in the porous vessels of the cells, and we so construct our battery in such a case
that the porous vessels of the cells can be raised above the level of the surface of
the liquid agent contained in the external vessels of the cells as well as in the
receiving vessel or vessels connected with the porous vessels.
We make the casing of our battery of suitable size and form to receive the cells
and of some non-conducting material. We support the positive and negative
elements and in some cases the porous vessels and the plungers hereinafter mentioned
by a plate or plates of non-conducting material and which form the lid or lids of
the cells.
We prefer to use zinc and carbon as the positive and negative elements
respectively in our battery, but we do not restrict ourselves to the use of zinc and
carbon as aforesaid.
In connection with and as part of our battery we construct one or more separate
receiving and storing vessels for each kind of liquid agent used in the particular
battery and we make each set of such receiving vessels of a capacity to contain the
whole of the liquid agent in respect of which such receiving vessel or vessels is
intended to be used when only partially filled.
We make communication from the receiving vessel or vessels for receiving and
storing a liquid with each vessel of the cells in which that liquid agent is to be
used, and sometimes we also make communication between similar vessels of the
cells in the battery by means of siphon tubes bent into the form of horseshoes, the
arms of which we arrange so as to dip to the lowest points of the vessels between
which we wish to make such communication as aforesaid, and we sometimes insert
stop-taps in these siphon tubes so that by closing such stop-taps we are able to
remove the siphon tubes without emptying them.
We raise or lower the level of the liquid agent in each of the similar vessels of
the cells by means of raising or lowering the level of the same liquid agent in its
receiving or storing vessel or vessels by means of plungers in the receiving vessel
or vessels which plungers we lower or raise by suitable means.
In two fluid batteries we sometimes make the cells themselves to perform the
part of plungers, and we sometimes make a storage vessel or vessels placed within
another or other storage vessels act as plungers.
In batteries where two liquid agents are used we sometimes use one or more
separate receiving or storing vessels to receive and store the liquid agent from the
porous vessels when the hattery is not desired to be in action, and in this case we
arrange the outer vessels of each cell so that when the porous vessels and the
plungers in the storage vessels are raised the level of the liquid agent in the outer
vessels of the cells falls, and at the same time the liquid agent in the porous vessels
falls from them into the storage vessels through the siphon tubes communicating
between the vessels.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner the invention may be
carried into practical effect, and will be hereinafter referred to.
Similar letters of reference are therein employed to denote similar parts appearing
in the various figures.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 represents a sectional plan.
Fig. 3 represents a vertical cross section through apparatus at Z Z (see Fig. 2).
Four cells are shown. B, B, is the casing of the battery, E, E, E are the
separate outer vessels of the cells made of vulcanite or other non-oxidising material.
F, F, F, are the porous vessels for separating the depolarising liquid from the
exciting liquid. A, A, A are the zinc elements supported by the plate D.
The carbon elements C, C, C, are also supported by the plate D. The siphon
tubes V, V, V are placed so as to connect the compartments containing the
exciting liquid in each cell with one another. The siphon tube S¹ connects the
exciting liquid with the receiving or storing vessel R¹. V, V, V, are siphon tubes
connecting the compartments or porous cells containing the depolarising liquid.
The siphon tube S connects the depolarising fluid of the cells with the receiving or

page_text: storing vessel R. The taps T, T₁, are for the purpose of regulating the flow of the
fluid and to keep the siphons charged with liquid when it is found desirable to
-detach the battery from the storage vessels or vice versa.
To work the apparatus, first charge the compartments of the cells with their
respective liquids so that the liquids come a little above the extremities of the arms
of the siphons. The siphons V, V, V, V, V, VI, S, S¹, may be charged with
water instead of the other liquid agents if preferred.
The plate D carrying the elements is now fitted, and the siphon tubes S, S³, with
the stop-taps turned off, previously charged with liquid, have each one arm passed
down through holes in the lid of the box and in the plate D to the bottom of the
compartments which receive them.
The respective liquid agents are then passed into the storage or receiving
_ vessels R, R¹, till the level L L is reached, and the battery is desired to be out of
action. By means of the plungers P, P, which are supported and geared, which
gearing is not shown in the figures for the sake of clearness, the level L L can be
raised to L' L' or any other convenient height. On opening the stop-taps T, T¹,
the cells of the battery may be charged. To empty the cells it is only necessary
to raise the plungers P, P¹, when the level L'L' again becomes L L and the
battery is out of action.
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section through Z Z, see Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
(1) The use in combination with a battery of a vessel or vessels for storing the
liquid agent or agents used in such battery in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as hereinbefore described.
(2) The method substantially as herein before described of raising or lowering
the level of the liquid agent or agents in the cells of a battery by raising or
lowering the level of the liquid agent or agents respectively in the storing or receiving
vessels.
(3) The method substantially as hereinbefore described of transferring the liquid
agent used in any vessel of a cell from such cell to any similar cell, or as the case
may be to the proper receiving and storing vessel for cach liquid agent and vice
versa.
Dated this 7th day of May 1894.
HORACE SEYMOUR PYNE.
WM. SCOTT THOMPSON.