IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANO-ELECTRIC BATTERIES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Oliphant of Kingsland Road in the County of
Middlesex and Ebenezer Banton Burr of Walthamstowe in the County of
Error fan on Invenation of "TranDATES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Oliphant and Ebenezer
Banton Burr at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th October
1882.
JOSEPH OLIPHANT of Kingsland Road in the County of Middlesex and EBENEZER
BANTON BURR of Walthamstowe in the County of Essex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANO-ELECTRIC BATTERIES
"
The object of this Invention is to make a galvanic or electric battery which
causes the electric current to be produced by the decomposition of water without
the destruction of the element whose agency causes said decomposition.
In the galvanic and other batteries as at present used the decomposition of the
water is accompanied by the deposition of a proportion of the oxygen gas evolved
by said decomposition upon the zinc element which causes a gradual cessation of
the electric energy and in addition if zinc be the positive element and sulphuric
acid solution the agent the zinc will be rapidly reduced to a sulphate.
Now according to our invention we construct a galvano-electric battery
substantially as follows viz―
In an ordinary battery jar we place a solution of dilute sulphuric acid in which
we place the zinc element prepared as hereinafter stated. In this jar we place
(advantageously) a porous cell (a porous or other cell not being absolutely necessary)
this cell must not be made of any hard substance but any material unaffected by
acids and sufficiently porous may be used and we find a cell made of asbestos to be
very suitable for the purpose.
In this cell we place a carbon of ordinary proportionate size to the cell and to

page_text: the positive element and we charge this cell with a solution of nitric acid water
and bichromate of potash in suitable proportions this carbon then forms the
negative element.
The zinc element should be prepared by first coating it with mercury in the
ordinary way and it can then be coated with gold lead or other suitable metal by
either dipping the element in a bath of lead or rolling a sheet of lead upon the
mercurialized zinc.
After being thus dipped or rolled it is necessary to re-amalgamate the aforesaid
element with mercury.
By treating the zinc element as previously described it will be found that the
necessary energy will be obtained from this improved battery without the
destruction of the positive element as is the case with ordinary batteries.
By this means the oxygen evolved from the water will be prevented from
forming an oxide of zinc and the battery will be almost constant an occasional
renewal of the acids and water only being necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Oliphant and Ebenezer Banton Burr in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th April 1883.
JOSEPH OLIPHANT of Kingsland Road in the County of Middlesex and EBENEZER
BANTON BURR of Walthamstowe in the County of Essex "IMPROVEMENTS” IN
GALVANO-ELECTRIC BATTERIES"
The object of this Invention is to make a galvanic or electric battery which
causes the electric current to be produced by the decomposition of water without
the unnecessary destruction by local action of the element whose agency causes said
decomposition.
In the galvanic and other batteries as at present used the decomposition of the
water is accompanied by the deposition of a proportion of the oxygen gas evolved
by said decomposition upon the zinc element which causes a gradual cessation of
the electric energy and in addition if zinc be the positive element and sulphuric
acid solution the agent the zinc will be rapidly reduced to a sulphate.
Now according to our invention we construct a galvano-electric battery
substantially as follows viz:-
In an ordinary battery jar we place a solution of dilute sulphuric acid or water to
suit the internal resistance required in which we place the zinc element prepared as
hereinafter stated together with a small portion of chloride of mercury or any salts
of mercury. In this jar we place (advantageously) a porous cell (a porous or other
cell not being absolutely necessary) this cell must not be made of any hard
substance but any material unaffected by acids and sufficiently porous may be used.
In this cell we place a carbon of ordinary proportionate size to the cell and to
the positive element and we charge this cell with a solution of nitric or sulphuric
acid water and bichromate of potash or chromic acid Cr, O3 in suitable proportions.
this carbon then forms the negative element.
The zinc element should be prepared by first coating it with mercury in the
ordinary way and it can then be coated with gold (or the zinc element may be
electro gilt in the ordinary manner) lead or other suitable metal by either dipping
the element in a bath of lead or rolling a sheet of lead upon the mercurialized zinc.
After being thus dipped or rolled it is necessary to re-amalgamate the aforesaid
element with mercury.
By treating the zinc element as previously described it will be found that the
necessary energy will be obtained from this improved battery without the
destruction of the positive element by local action as is the case with ordinary
batteries.
By this means the oxygen evolved from the water will be prevented from
forming an oxide of zinc and the battery will be almost constant an occasional
renewal of the acids and water only being necessary.
Having thus described the nature of our invention and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice we would remark that we make no claim to any
of the component parts of galvano electric batteries separately which are well
known and in common use; But what we claim is:-The improved construction of
galvano electric batteries by the use of a zinc element prepared as herein before
described in combination with chloride or salts of mercury to protect the gold on

page_text: the plate thus preventing local action or unnecessary destruction of the zinc clement
substantially as described.
In witness whereof we the said, Joseph Oliphant and Ebenezer Banton Burr
have hereunto set our hands and seals this eleventh day of April in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred, and eighty three.
Witness
J. G. TONGUE
Patent Agent
34 Southampton Buildings
London W.C.
SEPH. OLIPHANT (LS)
E. B. BURR
(BS)