Improvements relating to Electric Batteries.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Electric Batteries.
We VINCENT MARIE CORNELY and LOUIS CHARLES HENRY DAUTEL, both of
32 Rue de la Rochefoucauld, Paris in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The objects of this invention are (1) to so construct the cells of an electric battery
as to render them perfectly water-tight, so that the liquid will not be spilt when the
battery is moved. The cells communicate with each other in such a manner as (2) to
facilitate the filling and emptying of the same without disturbing the different
elements, whatever the number of cells; (3) To carry away all noxious fumes arising
from the chemical action; (4) To permit the regulation of the quantity of exciting
liquid; (5) To minimise internal resistance, an evil common to electric batteries, and
so to parcel out the different unities of the elements, as to produce a battery of small
volume and weight with considerable power; (6) To prevent oxidation of the
connections.
The invention is applicable to most batteries, and to those in which the re-agents
used do not cause metallic or other deposits which it would be impossible to remove
by mere washing.
The battery may be used with one or more exciting liquids.
If two liquids are used, the porous pot of each cell is preferably of cylindrical
shape, and closed at top by a stopper of paraffined cork, rubber, or other substance
capable of resisting chemical action, the former being preferred. The paraffin is
mixed with fine sand, pulverised ebonite, slaked lime, plaster, powdered glass, etc.,
which will have the effect of increasing the durability, the cohesion, and the
hardness of the paraffin.
An ebonite tube is inserted into the cork, and forms a neck for the insertion of
the soluble electrode. On the upper part of the neck is screwed a metal contact
piece, and upon this is, in turn, screwed a metallic cap, which carries the rod or
plate of zinc or other metal forming the soluble electrode, which dips into the
exciting liquid. An elastic washer of suitable material below the cap will, when
the cap is screwed down, effectually seal up the neck.
The positive electrode is preferably formed by the cell of the battery,-which
contains the depolarizing liquid,-in which case it is constructed of metal or retort
carbon, and is furnished, near the top edge, with a band of copper securely rivetted
or otherwise attached to form a contact piece.
The top of this cell is closed and sealed by a paraffined cork in which a hole
has been made for the reception of the porous pot which is inserted therein, as is
well understood, and made air- and water-tight.
To prevent the depolarized liquid filtering through the carbon cell, the latter is
treated with successive thin coats of paraffin mixed with one or other of the
substances above referred to, put on hot, until thick enough to render the cell
water tight. The cell is strengthened by layers of paper pasted outside the coating
of paraffin, which, when dry, forms a hard and solid envelope, and protects the
paraffin from injury.
To facilitate the filling and emptying of the battery, the porous pots of adjacent
cells are brought into communication with one another by suitable pipes inserted

page_text: and luted into the corks closing the porous pots, to form a complete system of
channels for the filling and emptying of the porous pots; the pot at one end of
the series communicating by pipes with the air on one side of the battery, to allow
of the gases and liquid escaping; the pot at the opposite end of the series, in like
manner, being fitted with pipes for filling the same.
The adjacent carbon cells are fitted with pipes in a similar manner for the same
purposes, and it is preferable that the two sets of connecting pipes should lie parallel
with each other.
For filling the battery, it is only necessary to tilt the battery to an angle which
may be determined by the shape of a frame on which the battery is placed, and
to pour in the liquid into the inlet pipes until they overflow at the outlet pipe;
the battery is thus placed in its normal position, ready for use.
The emptying is effected by turning the battery on its side, the outlet pipes
downwards, when all the liquid may be drained out into a suitable receptacle.
To facilitate these operations, the battery or batteries, when very heavy, may be
mounted on trunnions in a frame, and turned into any position by means of a
handle.
An indicating dial may be used to indicate the level of the liquid, the pointer
being counterweighted so that it will maintain its position, however much the
battery may be tipped, the dial being fixed to the battery.
In the case of fixed batteries, an arrangement of small vertical pipes extending
to the bottom of the cells, and communicating with a horizontal pipe, connected
at one end to a syphon, and at the other end with a.tank or tanks for filling the
battery, may be adopted in addition to the connecting pipes above mentioned, which
in this case serve to allow of the escape of air from the cells.
The syphon may be put in action by forcing air into the inlet of the air pipes,
until the liquid overflows by the outlet provided for this purpose.
When a battery consists of a large number of cells, the cells are arranged in
parallel rows, and the channels formed by the connecting pipes will preferably take
a serpentine or other course as may be found most convenient.
Dated this 12th day of August 1896.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
rerating
Electric Batteries.
We VINCENT MARIE CORNELY and LOUIS CHARLES HENRY DAUTEL, both of 32 Rue
de la Rochefoucauld, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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 :-
The generator of electrical energy for which we desire to obtain Letters Patent
may be fitted to most hydro-electrical batteries, or, at any rate, to all those in which
advantage is taken of such reactions as do not give rise to any metallic or other
deposits, it being impossible to remove these simply by washing.
Our batteries, when once set up, need only in exceptional cases be moved or
taken to pieces, except as regards the metal decomposed, which must of course be
replaced.
As the cells are tightly closed on all sides, they only communicate with the
atmosphere through a system of pipes or tubing, whereby they are severally connected
together, and a means is afforded both for the passage of the liquids and for air

page_text: circulation, while such tubes or pipes at the same time offer an outlet for the
escape of any gases or vapours that may form in the course of the electro-chemical
process.
Our improved system of apparatus applies equally to single liquid batteries, and to
those which operate with more than one liquid.
We will herein confine ourselves to the description of batteries worked by two
liquids, it being understood that none of our remarks relating to porous vessels, apply
to the case of only one liquid being used.
Our porous vessels (pots or jars) do not prevent any special feature, being made
simply of clay or porcelain earth, and containing, as usual, the soluble electrode and
exciting liquid.
The positive electrode, together with the special devices hereinafter to be described
in detail, may assume the shape of a plate, cylinder, or the like, and, in the usual
manner, be immersed in any suitable outer receptacle or vessel. Preferably, however,
the positive electrode should be constituted by the vessel itself that contains tho
depolarizing liquid, such vessel being, in that case, constructed of either metal
or retort carbon, so that it may possess the requisite conductive properties.
With a view to economizing space in the juxtaposition of our cells, we employ
porous jars of preferably cylindrical shape, while to the outer or containing vessels
(being electrodes) we prefer to impart a rectangular form, by which means room is
made for the depolarizing liquid in the corners of the containing vessels, while the
complete battery is carried out in the smallest possible compass.
The details of construction and operation of our improved generator of energy will
be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a complete cell detached.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, illustrating the manner in which the cells
are coupled together in a row;
Fig. 4 being a corresponding plan.
Fig. 4 is a diagram hereafter referred to.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view representing the battery tilted upon
trestle for filling.
its supporting
Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the battery in the process of emptying.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a frame enabling the battery or batteries
journalled therein to be tilted at any convenient angle; and
Figs. 8, 9, and 10, represent various positions of the indicator dial of the apparatus
shown in Fig. 7.
Before proceeding to describe the general arrangement of the closed cells
represented in the drawings, and the operation of the battery or batteries as a whole,
we will by the aid of Figs. 1 and 2 briefly explain how each complete cell of our
system of electrical generators (which system may be as large or small as may be
desired) is constructed and closed up.
But it must be understood that we by no means limit ourselves to these details of
construction, which may vary to suit varying requirements or circumstances; also
that our system of tubing devised for readily filling and emptying tightly closed
batteries is applicable to sets of cells of any construction or arrangement other than
that which is herein specified.
The porous jar P of each cell (Figs. 1 and 2) is provided with a tube D, of ebonite
or other substance, inserted in the cover E which is formed of cement made of paraffin
and rosin, and employed in closing or sealing the porous vessel.
This tube, not unlike a bottle neck in appearance, serves for the introduction of the
zine or other metal constituting the soluble electrode. It is surrounded by a copper
contact C, of the form of a ring, which is screwed onto the said tube D, and has a
band C which forms an extension.
Over this copper contact ring is screwed a stopper or cap B of the same metal,
within which there is provided a screw-threaded copper rod, to which is further

page_text: secured another rod, or a plate, such as Zn, of zinc or other metal, dipping into the
exciting liquid in the porous pot.
A washer of cork, india-rubber, or other flexible material, with which the inner
bottom surface of the stoppering cap B is lined, ensures an air-tight joint when the
cap is screwed down to close the tube D.
The carbon chamber V, which contains the depolarizing liquid, and does duty for
the positive electrode of the cell, has a copper band or hoop F, soldered or rivetted
round its upper part, care being taken to fit it thereon with the utmost accuracy, a
contact band F forming an extension of such hoop.
In order to prevent the liquid from percolating through the walls of the carbon
vessels, these vessels are coated with any suitable varnish, both impermeable by, and
proof against the action of, the liquid, in addition to which, we surround each vessel with
a moderately thick layer of our paraffin cement, this operation being performed in such
a manner that no interstice can occur between the vessels and the separating diaphragms
thus moulded. The respective bottoms of the two vessels are similarly protected by a
thick layer of the cement just referred to, such cement being, moreover, employed in
sealing the tops of the carbon and porous vessels respectively.
The vessels of both kinds, therefore, are all hermetically closed by the covering E
of paraffin cement, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the entire combination of vessels or cells
so constructed being represented in Figs. 3 and 4.
Each pair of vessels are connected with the pair or pairs of vessels next adjoining,
by tubes such as p and respectively, such tubes being constructed in the shape of
inverted U's of glass or other material proof against the action of the liquid, and the
arms of these U's being embedded in the substance of the closing caps with which
they are integral, so that a perfect tightness of the joints is ensured.
The porous vessel of the first cell communicates with the porous vessel of the
second cell by one of the U-shaped tubes, viz., p, a similar tube connecting the
porous vessel of the second cell with the porous vessel of the third cell, and so on,
till the last cell of the battery is reached.
The outer or containing vessels of each cell are, in their turn, connected by a series
of U-shaped tubes vv, exactly like the first-mentioned tubes p p.
It is necessary that the tubes of each row of vessels should be placed as accurately
as practicable in the same line or plane, so that the system of tubes p p connecting
the porous jars and the system of tubes vv connecting the carbon receptacles, may
form two very closely-set parallel lines, and the reason why this is essential will be
readily understood when we shall have described the operations of filling and emptying
the batteries (see Figs. 5 and 6).
Upon referring to these figures, being perspective views, we find that they repre-
sent a case H containing two rows of "elements," the cells of which are closely
compressed or wedged together, so as, in the aggregate, to form one connected
apparatus. The case H is shown tilted to one side, being the position in which the
battery should be placed for filling.
A ready means for moving it to this inclined position is afforded by its supporting
trestle K, also shown in the drawings.
Referring now to Fig. 4, which is a plan of a row of "elements" or cells, at
e and e' are situated the tubes through which the two liquids, viz., the exciting liquid
and the depolarising liquid, with which the two kinds of vessels are respectively to
be filled, are admitted.
It will readily be understood that when the liquid shall have risen to the level x-y
(Fig. 5), and reached the orifice o (Fig. 4) of the tube which connects the first vessel
with the second, such liquid will pass into the second vessel, without, however, com-
pletely filling the first, if, as shown in Fig. 5, the vessels have been tilted on the side
next to the parallel lines formed by the two systems of U-shaped tubes. In the same
way, the liquid will pass from the second vessel on to the third, and so on, until it
comes to be discharged through the outlet tubes s s¹ (Fig. 4), such discharge serving
as a signal to notify the end of the operation of the attendant.

page_text: When the battery is next brought back to its normal position, i.e., stood upon its
bottom surface, the orifices of all the tubes will naturally become cleared or
unobstructed (Fig. 3), and there will remain in the vessels a free space sufficient
to enable the air to circulate readily through the tubes.
We would here point out that, instead of placing two rows of cells in juxtaposition,
as shown in Fig. 5, three, four, five, or more such rows may be similarly arranged,
the circulation through all the rows, both of the liquids and air, taking place in
each case with a regularity by no means less perfect than that achieved in the
example just described, provided the U-shaped tubes connect each row with the row
immediately adjacent, according to the diagram (Fig. 44), whereby Fig. 4 is supple-.
mented, or, in other words, that the circulation take a serpentine course.
It is scarcely necessary to emphasise the fact that the cells will all retain an
equal quantity of liquid, if the connecting tubes be, in the case of each cell, secured
in the same position in relation to the side towards which the apparatus is inclined.
For the purpose of emptying, it is only necessary to further incline the apparatus,
or, in other words, to lay down the battery upon the side of the case where the
outlet tubes are situated, in a practically flat position (Fig. 6), when the vessels,
thus completely tilted, will discharge the whole of their contents.
In the case of batteries of somewhat considerable magnitude and weight, the
cases containing them may be suspended from a specially constructed frame, such as
shown in Fig. 7.
In this case, a journal or trunnion L would be provided (on either side) to support
each case, it being situated but a short distance above the centre of gravity, and
enabling the battery it thus supports to be readily swung from side to side, as may
be required, for the filling and emptying operations.
The case is provided with an indicator dial M (Figs. 8 to 10), the hand or pointer N
of which is maintained in a position of equilibrium by a balancing weight n, which
serves to constantly keep it in the identical position in relation to the perpendicular.
This arrangement enables the level of the liquid in the vessels to be at any time
accurately ascertained, for, obviously, the more the cells are tilted in the filling stage,
the less will be the proportion they will retain of the liquid poured into them. Thus,
it will rest with the operator to limit the area of immersion of the zinc, as well as
the quantity of depolarising liquid admitted, with mathematical precision, and without
touching any of the internal arrangements of the battery.
The improvements in the manipulation and operation of electrical batteries which
will result from the employment of our generator of energy, will, in our opinion,
render such apparatus applicable to all purposes for which electrical energy or power
is used.
The main distinguishing improvements which our generator is the means of securing,
may be summed up as follows:-
1. The batteries will operate in a condition of perfect air-tightness, being com-
pletely closed in on all sides, so that none of the liquid is liable to be spilt as the
batteries are being transferred from place to place.
2. Offensive smells will be entirely avoided, no matter what the nature of the
reactions used may be, and even in those cases where the chemicals employed are apt
to evolve vapours, it would be a very simple matter indeed, by the aid of our arrange-
ment, to carry off such vapors through the tubing provided, in any desired direction,
or to any suitable place.
3. The filling and emptying of the batteries will prove extremely simple operations,
irrespective of the number of cells of which such batteries may consist.
4. Ready means are afforded for distributing, at one operation, the greater or less
quantity of liquid employed among the several cells.
5. Internal resistance will be found to be materially reduced in the battery, owing
to the fact that our invention permits the cells to be almost indefinitely subdivided,
and the surfaces, therefore, to be multiplied to any desired extent, while the final yield
in energy, as compared to the small weight and compass of the battery, will be very
considerable.

page_text: 6. The very serious inconvenience which, in connection with batteries generally,
resides in the oxidation of the connections, is obviated in our systems of cells, since
their connections are separated from the liquids by a compact mass of paraffin, in
which, indeed, they may with facility be embedded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A generator of electrical energy, wherein any desired number of closed cells are
employed, which cells, whilst retaining each its independence of action, are closely
united or cemented together, and communicate with one another by pipes or tubes,
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
2. For supporting the generator hereinabove described, where its dimensions are
considerable, the employment of a frame wherein the battery is journalled so as to
be capable of readily tipping as may be required for filling or emptying purposes, an
indicator being provided near the inlet and outlet orifices whereby the operator may
be enabled to ascertain the level reached by the liquid in the cells, and may conse-
quently have the quantity of electrolyte admitted into the battery entirely under his
control, the equal distribution of the electrolyte among the several cells being, at the
same time, ensured, in the manner above set forth.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.