An Improved Device for Use with Current Meters in Observing the Charging and Discharging of Electric Accumulators.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1895--Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Use with Current Meters in Observing the
Charging and Discharging of Electric Accumulators.
I, ADOLF KOLBE of 67 Zeil, Frankfort-on-the-Main in the Empire of
Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The charging and discharging of electric accumulators may be observed in the
well known manner and measured by means of current meters, for instance, by
means of voltameters. If such an apparatus indicate on a scale the ampère hours,
the indicator must be brought to zero before each period of charging or discharging,
because, as is well known, a loss takes place, the charged current being never
entirely given off again.
The improvement which forms the object of this invention consists in adding an
automatic side shunt in charging to the current meter, which is so calculated that
the current flowing through this side shunt is equal to the portion of current which
is lost, that is to say, is equal to the difference between the charging and the
discharging ampères. This insertion of a side shunt may be effected in the following
manner, the voltameter ceil being filled, for instance with a solution of sulphate of
zinc. One electrode is suspended in the cell from a roller or drum which has a
pointer moving over a scale. The current flowing to this electrode acts by means
of an electro-magnet on a polarised armature, so that the armature lever, when a
charging current is passed through it, switches on a side shunt resistance.
A
A mechanical switch device may be inserted instead of an electrical one.
contact lever (a so called "jockey armature") is arranged movably with slight
friction on the spindle of the roller which supports the electrode. This contact
lever plays between two set screws and receives current for instance through a
metallic wire from the electrode or. from the cable. If, during the charging, the
electrode rises, the said contact lever rests against one of the set screws and
establishes a side shunt through a resistance coil as required. In discharging, the
resistance is switched off, as, on the descent of the electrode, the contact lever rests
against the other set screw. A similar arrangement of automatic side shunts may
also be arranged in other current meters.
Dated this 12th day of May 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Use with Current Meters in Observing the
Charging and Discharging of Electric Accumulators.
I, ADOLF KOLBE of 67 Zeil Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of
Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
imanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The charging and discharging of electric accumulators, may be observed in the

page_text: well known manner and measured by means of current meters, for instance, by
means of voltameters. If such an apparatus indicate on a scale the ampère hours,
the indicator must be brought to zero before each period of charging or discharging,
because, as is well known, a loss takes place, the charged current being never
entirely given off again.
The improvement which forms the object of this invention consists in adding an
automatic side shunt in charging to the current meter, which is so calculated that
the current flowing through this side shunt is equal to the portion of current which
is lost, that is to say, is equal to the difference between the charging and the
discharging ampères.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the electric shunt device, whilst
Figure 2 shows a mechanical shunt device instead of an electrical one.
This insertion of an electric side shunt, as shown in Figure 1, may be effected in
the following manner, the voltameter cell G being filled, for instance, with a solution
of sulphate of zinc.
The electrodes are marked. One electrode v³ is suspended in the cell from
a roller or drum which has a pointer Z moving over a scale S. The current
flowing to this electrode through the line a acts by means of an electro-magnet e
on a polarised armature r, so that the armature lever, when a charging current is
passed through it, switches on a side shunt resistance w.
}"
In a mechanical switch device, such as shown in Figure 2, a contact lever h (a so
called "jockey armature") is arranged movably with slight friction on the spindle
of the roller which supports the electrode ». This contact lever plays between
two set screws m and n and receives current for instance through a metallic wire C
from the electrode or from the cable a. If, during the charging, the electrode
rises, the said contact lever h rests against one of the set screws m and establishes
a side shunt through a resistance coil was required. In discharging, the resistance to
is switched off, as, on the descent of the electrode ul, the contact lever rests against
the other set screw n. A similar arrangement of automatic side shunts may also
be arranged in other current meters.
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
An improved device for use with current meters in observing the charging and
discharging of electric accumulators, characterised by the employment whilst
charging of a side shunt and means for automatically switching the shunt into the
circuit of the meter with the object of adjusting the differences resulting between
the charging and discharging quantities of current arising through losses in the.
accumulator, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of February 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.