IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES AND LIGHTING APPARATUS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter de Villiers of Lancaster Road Doctor of Medicine
and Edmond Fernand Rey of Montague Square both in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES AND
LIGHTING APPARATUS "
(
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter. de Villiers and
Edmond Fernand Rey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
13th July 1883.
PETER DE VILLIERS, of Lancaster Road, Doctor of Medicine, and EDMOND
FERNAND REY, of Montague Square, both in the County of Middlesex, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES AND LIGHTING APPARATUS 33
Our invention relates partly to an electric primary battery designed to produce
electricity for all industrial and domestic purposes, such as electric lighting both
public and domestic, for the transmission of power to motors, for telegraphs,
telephones and other apparatus of the same class, electric bells, electric clocks, the
deposition of metals by the processes of gilding, silver plating, platinum or nickel
plating, or the like; and for other purposes to which electricity may be applied.
Our said invention also relates to apparatus suitable for the production of
electric light for illuminating public streets and buildings, factories, yards, private
houses, railway stations; lines and carriages; which apparatus is hereinafter
described.
In constructing a battery according to our invention we provide a cell of wood
coated with marine glue or tar, of earthenware, porcelain or glass, or of ebonite or
other suitable material. This cell contains three other cells of different forms and
dimensions; by this arrangement improved qualities of electric intensity and quantity
are presented by our battery.
The principal interior cell is formed entirely of compressed carbon or of coke the
different pieces of which are united or caused to adhere. This cell takes the place
of the porous cell employed in other batteries and presents the great advantage of
considerably diminishing, or almost entirely obviating, the internal resistance.
CD

page_text: The said cell is placed exactly in the centre of the exterior cell and is held by
means of small pieces of carbon which bear upon the sides of the exterior cell.
We can if desired, use a porous cell of earthenware, or other suitable material
with a sheet of carbon on each side of the exterior of the cell.
At one end of the exterior cell inside the same is suspended or fixed by, any
suitable means a smaller cell having the following peculiarities, that is to say :-It
is porous, but the upper edge, the bottom and the side which touches the exterior
cell are varnished. This cell may, if desired, be made of carbon.
Another cell nearly of the same dimensions as that last described is suspended or
fixed at the opposite end of the exterior cell within the same. It is varnished all
over and the bottom is perforated. with a hole of about one sixteenth of an inch in
diameter.
These four parts being thus arranged, a plate of zinc, amalgamated by the ordinary
process or, by preference, formed of an amalgam of zinc and mercury obtained by
fusion, is placed or held suspended in the carbon cell in such a manner that it can
be immersed more or less, or withdrawn, at will. The bottom of the zine plate is
prevented from coming in contact with the bottom of the cell by means of ebonite
or other suitable material. We do not employ in the battery any other carbon but
that of the cells which are made of this material.
The large carbon cell is filled with sea salt or rock salt for a quarter of its depth,
the remainder being filled with a concentrated solution of the same salt. These
salts and the saline solution may be replaced by other salts and saline or potassic
solutions.
Into the exterior cell is poured a solution composed of bichromate of potash and
sulphuric or nitric acid in varying proportions according to the purpose for which
the battery is intended. Chlorhydrate of Ammonia may be substituted for the
sulphuric or nitric acid.
The first of the small cells placed at the ends of the exterior cell is filled with
undiluted sulphuric acid. The second of the said cells is filled with pulverized
bichromate of potash.
When an ordinary electric battery operates, it tends to exhaust itself and the
zinc is always attacked. But in our battery, the zinc, not being in immediate
contact with the exciting solution, is very slowly attacked in an almost insensible
manner, especially if it is formed of the amalgam of zinc and mercury obtained by
fusion, as above stated. On the other hand, in proportion as the solution tends to
become exhausted, the cell which contains the pure sulphuric or nitric acid and
which constitutes a reservoir permits a small quantity of the said acid to ooze out
gradually, whilst the cell or reservoir which contains the pulverized bichromate of
potash, admitting the principal solution. into its interior, allows a certain quantity
of bichromate of potash to be melted gradually. The solution is thus maintained
at a suitable degree of density and preserves its exciting qualities much longer
than in other primary batteries.
The large carbon cell and these two cells or reservoirs arranged as above described
constitute considerable improvements.
· Our battery emits no odour, vapours or emanations of any kind. It is very
durable and experience shows that it is not liable to polarization. Its action only
ceases when the solution is exhausted and it may be set in action again for a
certain length of time by pouring a very small quantity of acid into the cell or
reservoir after the acid and the bichromate have disappeared and the solution no
longer manifests the same activity as at the commencement. These are qualities
not possessed by the batteries heretofore constructed.
By means of a windlass and ratchet, or other well, known and simple device
which serves for regulating at will the amount of surface of metal immersed in the
saline solution, by raising or lowering the plates, the change from tension électricity
to quantity electricity and vice versa can be effected instantaneously.
We have stated above that this battery is suitable for all industrial and domestic
uses to which electricity can be applied. It is chiefly designed for electric lighting

page_text: and wo have found various interesting applications of the said battery, one of
which consists in the construction of an electric incandescent lamp that is not liable
to wear out. A glass bulb mounted upon a metal ring which surrounds the neck,
is screwed on to an india-rubber or other elastic piece which is firmly fixed upon
a neck formed at the top of a support made of insulating material. This support
is perforated in the direction of its length with a hole which is closed at its lower
part by an automatic valve or by a screw or pin forming an obturator.
A horseshoe magnet cut at the top is mounted upon the support in the interior
of the lamp and one or more filaments of carbon or other suitable material are
placed above and are maintained in position by means of platinum conducting
wires.
The desired illuminating power may be given to this lamp by employing either
a single magnet and a single filament or by, multiplying them side by side so as to
produce a luminous body of greater or less intensity.
The considerable electric force developed by the battery above described,
permits this lamp to be applied to electric lighting for both domestic and public
places.
'
The advantages resulting from these different arrangements are hereinafter set
forth. We have said that this lamp is not liable to wear out. The glass bulb, by
reason of its arrangement, may be removed for cleaning or for replacing the carbon
or carbons consumed, which cannot be done with the lamps now in use because the
conductors are fixed in the glass itself; the latter lamps are valueless when the
carbon has been consumed.
Another advantage is that the vacuum can easily be created at will each time
that the lamp is cleaned or the carbons replaced. It is only necessary to expose
the glass bulb, screwed to its support, to the heat of a platinum basket heated to a
red heat by means of the battery or simply by the flame from a spirit lamp, or a
gas-burner, to obtain the vacuum, which is afterwards maintained by the valve or
screw, which produces a perfect obturation. But we can, if necessary, exhaust
the bulb in the ordinary manner, or we can combine the two methods of
exhausting.
The employment of a magnet or magnets requires some explanation and is based
upon the fact that, under the influence of an electric current of feeble tension, the
carbon placed in the presence of the magnet shows an intense light which is only
ordinarily obtained by a great expenditure of electric energy With a battery
arranged as, above described we can operate any system of arc lamps, thus
producing a remarkably steady light.
Utilizing the principle of the battery and the lamp above described, we succeed
in constructing a portable electric lamp. This lamp consists of a battery containing
the elements above described, the arrangement only being different. The large
carbon cell is round and is sometimes composed of two concentric cells, or sur-
rounded with independent pieces of carbon suitably arranged. The zinc is wound
upon itself in such a manner as to present sufficient active surface. By these
means the energy of a number of elements is concentrated into a restricted space,
which renders the apparatus very easily handled. A lamp proper, of an illu-
minating power corresponding to the force of the battery, is fitted on the upper
part of the battery.
Thus the problem of lighting private houses by electricity is solved, as well by
the employment of our battery (the elements and consequently the energy of
which may be increased) as by the employment of the portable lamp based upon
the same principle.
The battery herein before described may, if desired, be constructed in a similar
manner to that which we employ for the portable lamp.
There is another application, the utility of which will be readily understood.
We utilize the principle of our battery to produce an electric lantern or miners'
lamp. This portable apparatus consists of a battery on the same system as that
of the portable lamp above described, actuating an intensity or induction coil, the

page_text: arrangement of which is novel, that is to say:-The coil is placed perpendicularly
in a tube of insulating material, side by side with the condenser. The same tube
contains the contact-breaker. From this tube the electricity is conducted into the
lamp through an insulating support.
The lamp consists of a thin tube wound upon itself and terminating at each end
in a bulb containing sulphide of lime, or other salts of the same class, mixed with
a small quantity of potassic or alkaline salts, or a phosphorus compound is
introduced into the bulb. Two conductors of platinum wire are inserted in the
extremities of the tube and the salts which it contains become luminous under the
influence of the electric current.
A lamp of this description gives sufficient light to permit very small objects to
be distinguished in the dark; the battery is sufficiently durable to operate for at
least twenty four hours without being re-charged; the luminous tube is almost
It does not present any danger, and cannot communicate its
incandescence to the explosive gases or to inflammable objects.
inexhaustible.
Our battery is susceptible of a number of other applications.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions. of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Peter de Villiers and Edmond Fernand Rey in the Patent Office
on the 12th January 1884.
PETER DE VILLIERS, of Lancaster Road, Doctor of Medicine, and, EDMOND
FERNAND REY, of Montague Square, both in the County of Middlesex, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES AND LIGHTING APPARATUS
"
Our invention relates partly to electric primary batteries designed to produce
electricity for industrial and domestic purposes, for example, for electric lighting,
both public and domestic, for the transmission of power to motors, for telegraphs,
telephones, microphones and other apparatus of the same class, for electric bells,
clocks, and fire-alarms, for the deposition of metals 'upon metals and other substances
by gilding, silver plating, platinum or nickel plating, or other processes, and for
other purposes to which electricity may be applied.
"
:
Our said invention also relates to electric lighting apparatus designed to be
fixed or portable, and suitable for illuminating public streets and buildings,
factories, yards, private houses, railway stations, lines and carriages, coal-mines and
other places.
In constructing a battery or an element of a battery according to our invention
we provide an exterior cell made either of wood coated with marine glue or tar,
of earthenware, porcelain or glass, or of ebonite, vulcanite, gutta-percha or other
material which is impermeable to the solution and which will not be attacked by
the acids employed. This cell contains three other cells hereinafter described.
The principal interior cell is formed of porous carbon, which may be obtained
by amalgamating various substances and solidifying them by the ordinary
processes; or coke obtained from gas-retorts may be employed. This cell is placed
in the centre of the exterior cell.
Two other cells of terra-cotta or porous porcelain are also placed in the exterior
cell, one at each extremity thereof. These two cells are suspended or fixed by any
suitable means in such a manner as not to touch the bottom of the exterior cell
and to be held at a distance of at least one inch from the said carbon cell. The
upper edge and the bottom of these two cells, as well as the exterior thereof where
they touch the exterior cell, are covered with an impermeable coating.
These four cells being thus arranged a plate of zinc is placed in the carbon cell.
This plate should be of such dimensions that it does not touch the carbon at any
point. We accomplish this result in the following manner, that is to say:-the
zinc plate is made of oblong shape and at each angle or corner thereof about one
inch from the edge an aperture is formed. In each of these apertures is fixed a
pin or plug of ebonite, vulcanite or other insulating material, nearly equal in length
to the internal diameter of the carbon cell. These four pins or plugs prevent the
contact of the zinc with the sides of the cell. At the upper end of the zinc platė
two other apertures are formed, in which are inserted two pins or plugs similar to,
but longer, than those above described. When the zinc plate is placed in the
carbon cell, these pins or plugs bear upon the upper edge of the said cell and prevent
the said plate from touching the bottom thereof. This plate may be of ordinary
zinc, or of zinc amalgamated with mercury by friction or by immersion; but by
preference we make it of an intimate amalgam of zinc, and inercury obtained by
fusion.
The dimensions of the zinc plate are determined by the extent of surface of the
carbon; the said plate should have a surface equal to at least one third of that of
the carbon.
We pour into the carbon cell a solution composed of from twelve-to twenty

page_text: We can,
parts, by volume, of water and one part, by volume, of sulphuric acid, to which
are added from twelve to twenty drops of an aqueous solution of chlorate of potash
at 10/100, if the volume of the solution equals one pint; if it is more or less, the
same proportions must be maintained.
if desired, employ other solutions
in the carbon cell, instead of that above described, such as saturated solutions of
sea-salt, rock-salt or bi-sulphate of potash in pure water, or any other compound of
sodium or potassium of the same class may be employed. But in the latter case
we do not add the solution of chlorate of potash.
Into the exterior cell we pour a solution composed of pure water, bichromate of
potash and sulphuric acid in varying proportions according to the purpose for which
the battery is intended. We sometimes substitute hydrochlorate of ammonia for
the acid, and in this case we employ a saline solution in the carbon cell.
We fill one of the small cells placed at the ends of the exterior cell with
pulverized bichromate of potash, which we moisten slightly with water acidulated
to one fiftieth with sulphuric acid; and we fill the other of the said cells with
sulphuric acid, which should be diluted with from ten to twenty per cent of water,
to reduce the specific gravity of the acid to that of the solution in the exterior cell,
or nearly so, and thus prevent the descent of the said acid to the bottom of the
exterior cell as it issues from the cell containing it. We term these two small
cells. "feeding cells," for the reason hereinafter explained.
When we employ the solution of bichromate of potash and hydrochlorate of
ammonia in the exterior cell, we dispense with the said feeding cells.
When an ordinary electric battery operates, it tends to exhaust itself and the
zinc is attacked. This is an inevitable result, and our object is to diminish or
weaken this result as much as possible. We accomplish this object by isolating
the zinc from the exciting solution but at the same time keeping it in the immediate
vicinity of the carbon. Enclosed in the carbon cell, the zinc is very slowly attacked,
especially if, as above described, it is formed of an amalgam of zinc and mercury
obtained by the fusion of the two metals together. Moreover as the solution tends
to become exhausted, the feeding cells which contain the sulphuric acid on the one
hand and the acidulated bichromate of potash on the other hand, being partly
immersed in the solution contained in the exterior cell, permit the materials which
form the said solution to ooze out gradually. The solution is thus maintained at a
suitable degree of density and preserves its exciting qualities and power of action
much longer than in other electric primary batteries. The feeding cells must be
placed at opposite ends or sides of the exterior cell, or nearly so, in order that the
materials issuing therefrom may circulate through the solution before combining,
and thus keep it at a uniform density throughout. It is evident that if the two
feeding cells were placed on one side of the exterior cell, the said materials would
combine without circulating and would render the solution more dense at one side
than at the other side thereof.
When the sulphuric acid and the bichromate of potash have disappeared from
the feeding cells and the solution no longer manifests the same activity as before,
we add to the solution a small quantity of bichromate of potash dissolved to
saturation in an equal quantity of water and sulphuric acid; and we pour a few
drops of pure sulphuric acid into the carbon cell, when the acid solution is
employed therein; by these means the battery is renewed for a certain length of
time and gives the same results with a remarkable constancy.
By employing the carbon cell as above described, we are enabled to dispense
with the plates of carbon usually employed. We thus simplify the construction
of the battery, the said carbon cell serving as one of the electrodes. The carbon
cell, moreover, if it does not entirely annul the internal resistance of the battery,
at least considerably diminishes it. The carbon cell, therefore, presents a great
advantage over the ordinary porous cell. In some cases, however, we employ, in
our battery having the feeding cells as above described, an ordinary porous cell
together with plates of carbon and zinc. Furthermore our battery emits neither
odour, vapors nor emanations of any kind.
:

page_text: When a battery consisting of a series of elements formed as above described is
employed for any purpose, the zinc plates can be simultaneously raised or lowered in
the carbon cells by means of a windlass and ratchet or other well known and
simple device, in order to regulate the amount of surface of metal immersed in
the saline solution. By these means, effects of intensity or of quantity can be
obtained instantaneously at will. The battery may, moreover, be arranged either
for quantity or for tension, the apparatus above described serving to increase or
modify the effects as desired.
•
We have hereinbefore described this part of our invention as applied to a
battery or an element of a battery having the exterior cell in the form of an
oblong or parallelogram. But it must be understood that any other form, such as
round, oval, octagonal, or square, may be employed, and that our improvements
are equally applicable to these forms without restriction.
:
We sometimes construct a special form of our battery which is very advantageous
and whereby we can effect great economy of space. This battery is made in the
following manner, that is to say, the exterior cell and the carbon cell are made of
much greater length than depth. The zinc plate, which is placed in the carbon
cell, instead of being withdrawn perpendicularly by a windlass and ratchet, is
immersed more or less in the solution or is withdrawn therefrom by means of an
axis or shaft upon which the said plate is firmly fixed by one of its angles or
corners this shaft is arranged to be partially rotated by means of a crank which
can be fixed at the desired position upon a graduated segment or quadrant.
Our improved battery is, as above stated, applicable generally to all industrial
and domestic purposes. We have designed it more particularly for electric lighting,
purposes.
By means of one of our batteries composed of twelve, eighteen, or twenty-four
elements, a considerable number of electric lamps made according to our improve-
ments as hereinafter described, or of incandescent electric lamps of one of the
types heretofore employed, can be supplied with electricity and can be used, if
desired, for lighting a single room or a number of rooms during a period varying
from fifty to a hundred hours, and even more, provided the instructions we have
hereinbefore given relatively to the fitting up of the battery are carried out. The
cost is very small, we are therefore enabled to provide economically for domestic
lighting by electricity.
Moreover, with a battery arranged as above described, we can operate a system
of electric arc lamps so that they will produce a remarkably steady light.
We utilize the principle upon which our battery is based to construct extremely
simple portable lighting apparatus which can be employed for a variety of
purposes.
One portable lighting apparatus made according to our invention comprises a
battery such as above described in which we employ cylindrical cells. The cell of
carbon or of porous earthenware is surrounded at a distance of about an inch by
a hollow cylinder of carbon or by plates of carbon, this cell contains a plate of zinc
wound or rolled upon itself in such a manner as to present a surface equal to that
of the carbon. This arrangement enables us to concentrate in a single element
the energy of several elements, thereby rendering the apparatus very easy to
handle. An electric lamp having an illuminating power corresponding to the
power of the battery is fitted at the upper part of the apparatus.
In another form of our lighting apparatus the interior of the lower part thereof.
is divided into several cells forming as many elements, which when arranged in
series produce a considerable amount of electric energy. By placing side by side or
preferably one above another a considerable number of these cells or elements, a
light of great intensity and long duration can be obtained, and we can either.
employ all the elements simultaneously or we can utilize them successively.
We employ in this form of apparatus an incandescent lamp constructed as
follows viza glass globe or bulb is mounted upon a metal ring which surrounds
the heck thereof and is screwed on to an india-rubber or other elastic piece. firmly

page_text: fixed to a support made of insulating material. This support is perforated in the
direction of its length with a hole which is closed at its lower part by an automatic
valve or by a screw or plug forming an obturator..
A horse-shoe magnet is mounted upon the said support in the interior of the
lamp and one or more filaments or pieces of carbon or similar material are placed
above or adjacent to the said magnet and are held in position by means of platinum
conducting wires.
The desired illuminating. power may be given to this lamp by employing either
a single magnet and a single filament or a series of magnets and filaments placed
side by side. In the latter case a light of great intensity can be obtained. A lamp
made in this manner may be employed for domestic purposes or for lighting streets
and other public places, by reason of the facility with which its luminous capacity
can be augmented or diminished. It is only necessary to arrange the electrical
conductors in such a manner that the battery acts upon only one or upon any
number of the said filaments or pieces.
The construction of this lamp permits the filaments or pieces of carbon or other
material to be renewed when necessary, so that the lamp does not soon become
useless. It is only necessary to take the lamp to pieces in order to replace the
said filaments without difficulty. It is, moreover, easy to create a vacuum in the
lamp by placing the glass globe or bulb, screwed to its support, in a platinum
basket which is heated to a red heat by the current from the battery. The
introduction of a platinum wire into the interior of the globe or bulb by the hole
formed in the support (which wire is heated by the above described means)
facilitates the formation of a vacuum, and when the said wire is withdrawn the
aforesaid valve closes and thus maintains the vacuum, or the screw or plug is
adjusted for this purpose. A spirit lamp or a gas-burner may be used to obtain
the same result, but with. less certainty, of success.
An electric current of feeble tension is sufficient to produce a good light with
this lamp, the action of the magnet or magnets favoring in the carbon as well as
in the platinum wire the production of an intense light, which is only ordinarily
obtained by a great expenditure of electric energy.
We also utilize the principle of our battery in the construction of an electric
lantern or miner's lamp or lighting apparatus. This portable apparatus consists of
a battery, on the same system as that of the portable lamp above described,
enclosed in a box of insulating material. In the upper part of this box is placed
an intensity or induction coil the arrangement of which is novel, that is to say,
the coil is placed in a vertical position side by side with the condenser and the
device for inaking and breaking contact. The communication between the battery
and the coil may be interrupted or established at will by means of a movable
button which brings the conductors together or separates them; or any other
suitable means may be provided for this purpose. At the upper part of this
apparatus is the lamp proper, which consists of a thin tube wound or rolled upon
itself or bent into any suitable shape and terminating at each end in a bulb con-
taining sulphide of lime mixed with a potassic or alkaline substance. We have
found a mixture of about fifty grains of sulphide of lime and about twenty-five
grains of hypophosphite of lime or soda or phosphate of lime advantageous for this
purpose. Two conductors of platinum wire are inserted in the extremities of the
tube, in which tube a vacuum or partial vacuum must be formed. When an
electric current is passed through the tube, the substance contained therein becomes
luminous under the influence of the said current. This lamp is similar to the well
known Geissler Tubes," but the aforesaid substances contained in the tube greatly
intensify the luminous effect. A glass vessel of any suitable form may be used if
desired in place of the said tube.
+
This miner's lamp or lighting apparatus gives sufficient light to permit very
small objects to be distinguished in the dark. It is easily handled and the battery
is capable of operating usefully for at least twenty-four hours without being
recharged, the luminous tube and its contents are almost inexhaustible. It

page_text: constitutes a perfect safety lamp as it cannot communicate its incandescence to
explosive gases or to inflammable substances.
For the sake of additional security we sometimes enclose the luminous tube in a
glass globe or bulb filled with water or with a liquid which will modify the color
of the light; the lenticular form of this body of water or other liquid augments or
concentrates the light.
Having thus fully described our said invention and the manner of performing
the same we wish it understood that we claim ;-
First. In an electric battery, the employment of a porous carbon cell, substan-
tially as, and for the purposes, above specified.
Second. In an electric battery, the employment of two feeding cells placed
within the exterior cell at opposite ends or sides thereof, or nearly so, one of the
said feeding cells containing sulphuric acid properly diluted and the other feeding
cell containing bichromate of potash moistened with acidulated water, substan-
tially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. An electric lamp or lighting apparatus wherein one or more magnets are
arranged in combination with one or more filaments or pieces of carbon or similar
material for the purpose above specified
Fourth. An electric lamp comprising a glass tube or vessel containing sulphide
of lime mixed with a potassic or alkaline substance, which tube or vessel may or
may not be enclosed in a glass globe or bulb containing water or other liquid, all
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. An electric lighting apparatus wherein our improved lamp or other
incandescent electric lamp is combined with our improved battery according to
either of the modifications above described for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof I the said Peter de Villiers for myself and on behalf of
the said Edmond Fernand Rey have hereunto set my hand and seal this twelfth
day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty
four
PETER DE VILLIERS M.D.
(L.S.)