IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES." A communication from abroad
by Gustave Trouvé, of Paris, France, Mechanical Engineer.
Sealed the 1st August 1876, and dated the 9th February 18'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1876.
A
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES."
communication.
It is well-known that a battery or pile with one liquid or voltaic pile is very
simple, but it does not give a constant current. This difficulty does not exist with
batteries or piles of two liquids, such as the "Daniel,” the “Bunsen," or that with
bichromate of potash; but these latter necessitate the employment of vessels for
containing the liquids.
The object of this Invention is the production of a battery of two liquids which
shall have the simplicity of the battery of one liquid, and which does not require
any containing vessel. I have thereby solved the problem of obtaining a portable
battery of two liquids in its greatest simplicity.
According to the said Invention I separate the two electrodes by a mass of
porous material, such as paper, felt, cloth, tinder, or the like; then I effect the
charge by two successive immersions, the first in the weaker liquid, by completely
immersing the element therein, the second in the stronger liquid by dipping therein
the element to the middle of its height.
In these conditions the porous material of the element absorbs the two liquids
which remain superposed in the desired order; that is, to each one in relation to
the electrode proper for it for two reasons, that is to say, by the difference of
density of the liquids and by an effect of polarization well known in physics, an
effect which consists in this, namely, that in a solution of sulphate of copper, for.
example, traversed by an electric current, the acids go to the positive electrode and
the alkalies to the negative electrode. Instead of effecting the charge of the battery
by dipping the element first entirely into the weak liquid and then dipping the
element half-way into the strong liquid, I may effect the charge by saturating

page_text: separately the two parts of one element. I may also use other means than
immersion for effecting the charge of the battery and bring the liquids to their
respective electrodes.
It will be understood that various kinds of batteries may be constructed
according to this Invention by changing the nature of the electrodes. For instance,
for the Daniel battery the electrodes will be zine and copper; for the Bunsen
battery, and that with the chromate of potash, they will be amalgamated zinc and
charcoal.
To enable me to better explain the above I have shewn as an example only in the
accompanying Drawings a battery of two liquids, according to the said Invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation, Figure 2 is a vertical section, and Figure 3 is a plan of
the same.
a is the zinc electrode and the copper electrode in the case of the Daniel
battery; amalgamated zinc and charcoal in the case of the Bunsen or the chromate
of potash battery; c is the porous mass separating the two electrodes a and b;
d, e, is a line indicating the limit of the second immersion in the strong liquid.
I have said that this Invention is applicable to batteries of two liquids; I ought,
however, to observe that the element with sulphate of copper does not necessitate
when it is used the superposition or the employment of two liquids or solutions,
since as soon as the chemical reaction commences in the battery the second solution
(the sulphate of zinc) is produced. In fact, the interior current of the battery
passing from the zinc to the copper decomposes the water of the sulphate of copper
solution with which is saturated the half of the porous body which touches the
copper electrode. The oxygen is carried on the zine, and forms with the sulphuric
acid sulphate of zinc. The hydrogen seizes the oxygen of the base of the sulphate
of copper for the reconstitution of the water, and the liberated copper deposits
itself upon the lower negative electrode.
For the above reasons, in the case of the element with sulphate of copper I may
only employ one solution of that salt, and only saturate the half or a part of the
element. It is clearly demonstrated in physics that liquids are better conductors
at the surface of their level or at the surface in contact with the vessel containing
them than at the central part of their mass. An examination of a battery made
nccording to this Invention, whereof the wettest part and the most dense solutions
are formed at the periphery of the porous body explains this difference of con-
structibility. The result is that the electric resistance and conductibility are
greater at the surface than at the central part.
For this reason the molecular exchanges are much more active, and it is not
unusual to see, as in the "Callot" battery for instance, stalactites of metallic
oxides which tend increasingly to diminish the interior resistance of the battery,
which stalactites, in forming, create also secondary currents to the detriment of the
main current of the battery. The same effects are found in my battery.
To obviate this inconvenience I cause the molecular exchanges to take place at or
near the centre of the entire column of the porous body instead of simply at its
surface, at the same time augmenting the resistance or length of the circuit upon
the exterior surface of the column.
may adopt any suitable means for augmenting the resistance or length of the
current; for instance, I may form the porous body with different diameters in such
manner that it has an undulated surface outline; or it may have a uniform diameter
throughout its height, but in either case I interpose in the mass at different heights
one or more pieces of non-conducting material.
Figures 4 and 5 shew a central vertical section and plan of a battery according
to this Invention, with a porous body which has an undulating surface. a is the
zinc, b, the copper, and c, the porous masses with undulating surface; d is a vessel
containing the element, and which serves simply for preventing evaporation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
August 1876.
A
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES."
communication from abroad by Gustave Trouvé, of Paris, France, Mechanical
Engineer.
It is well known that a battery or pile with one liquid or voltaic pile is very
simple, but it does not give a constant current. This difficulty does not exist with
batteries or piles of two liquids, such as the "Daniel" the " Bunsen," or that with
bichromate of potash; but these latter necessitate the employment of vessels for
containing the liquids.
The object of this Invention is the production of a battery of two liquids which
shall have the simplicity of the battery of one liquid, and which does not require
any containing vessel. I have thereby solved the problem of obtaining a portable
battery of two liquids in its greatest simplicity.
According to the said Invention I separate the two electrodes by a mass of
porous material, such as paper, felt, cloth, tinder, or the like; then I effect the
charge by two successive immersions, the first in the weaker liquid, by completely
immersing the element therein, the second in the stronger liquid by dipping therein
the element to the middle of its height.
In these conditions the porous material of the element absorbs the two liquids
which remain supported in the desired order, that is, to each one in relation to
the electrode proper for it for two reasons, that is to say, by the difference of
density of the liquids and by an effect of polarization well known in physics, an
effect which consists in this, namely, that in a dissolution of sulphate of copper,
for example, traversed by an electric current, the acids go to the positive electrode
and the alkalis to the negative electrode. Instead of effecting the charge of the
battery by dipping the element first entirely into the weak liquid and then dipping
the element half-way into the strong liquid, I may effect the charge by saturating
separately the two parts of the element, I may also use other means than immersion
for effecting the charge of the battery and bring the liquids to their respective
electrodes.
It will be understood that various kinds of batteries may be constructed accord-
ing to this Invention by changing the nature of the electrodes. For instance, for
the "Daniel" battery the electrodes will be zinc and copper; for the "Bunsen "
battery and the chromate of potash battery they will be amalgamated zinc and
charcoal.
To enable me to better explain the above I have shewn as an example only
in the accompanying Drawing a battery of two liquids, according to the said
Invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an elevation, Figure 2 is a vertical section, and Figure 3 is a plan of
the same.
a is the zinc electrode and b the copper electrode in the case of the "Daniel "
battery; but these elements will be amalgamated zinc and charcoal in the case of
the "Bunsen" or the chromate of potash battery; c is the porous mass separating
the two electrodes a and b; d, c, is a line indicating the limit of the second
immersion in the strong liquid.
I have said that this Invention is applicable to batteries of two liquids; I ought,
however, to observe that the sulphate of copper element does not necessitate when
it is made the superposition, or the employment of two liquids or solutions, since
as soon as the chemical reaction commences in the battery the second solution (the
sulphate of zinc) is produced. In fact, the interior current of the battery passing
from the zinc to the copper decomposes the water of the sulphate of copper
solution, with which is saturated the half of the porous body which touches the

page_text: copper electrode. The oxygen is carried on the zinc, and forms with the sulphuric
acid sulphate of zine. The hydrogen seizes the oxygen of the base of the sulphate
of copper for the reconstitution of the water, and the liberated copper deposits
itself upon the lower negative electrode.
For the above reasons in the case of the sulphate of copper clement I may only
employ one solution of that salt, and only saturate the half or a part of the element.
It is clearly demonstrated in physics that liquids are better conductors at the
surface of their level or at the surface in contact with the vessel containing them
than at the central part of their mass. An examination of a battery made
according to this Invention, wherein the wettest part and the most dense solutions
are found at the periphery of the porous body explains this difference of con-
ductibility. The result is that the electric resistance and conductibility are greater
at the surface than at the central part.
For this reason the molecular exchanges are much more active, and it is not
unusual to see, as in the "Callot" battery for instance, stalactites of metallic oxides
which tend unceasingly to diminish the interior resistance of the battery, which
stalactites in formning create also secondary currents to the detriment of the main
current of the battery. The same effects are found in my battery.
To obviate this inconvenience I cause the molecular exchanges to take place at
or near the centre of the entire column of the porous body instead of simply at
its surface, at the same time augmenting the resistance or length of the circuit
upon the exterior surface of the column.
I may adopt any suitable means for augmenting this resistance or length of the
circuit; for instance, I may form the porous body with different diameters in such
manner that it has an undulated surface outline; or it may have a uniform diameter
throughout its height; but in either case I interpose in the mass at different heights
one or more crowns of non-conducting material.
Figures 4 and 5 shew a central vertical section and a plan of a battery con-
structed according to this Invention, with a porous body which has an undulating
surface.
is the zinc; b, the copper; and c, the porous mass with undulating surface or
periphery is a vessel containing the element, and which serves simply for
preventing the evaporation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A galvanic battery in which the two electrodes are divided by a mass or
partition of porous substance saturated by immersion or otherwise, with the two
liquids which remain superposed, that is to say, each one in connection with the
proper electrode, so that I thus obtain a battery with two liquids, without vessels
to contain them, and which is consequently portable, as above specified.
Second. The said battery with one liquid or solution only in the case with
the sulphate of copper element is employed, so that immediately the reaction
commences the second solution (sulphate of zinc) is produced.
Third. Augmenting the resistance or length of the circuit on the exterior surface
of the column or porous body, and thus causing the molecular changes at the centre
or towards the centre of the said column with the object of avoiding the formation
on the said exterior surface of stalactites which diminish the interior resistance of
the battery and create secondary currents to the detriment of the principal
current, as above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand nicht kundland and m
W ROB. LAKE. (1..S.)