A NEW PRIMARY BATTERY
Year: 1884

page_text: We ALFRED RENÉ UPWARD Electrical Engineer of N° 150 Holland Road
Kensington and CHARLES WILLIAM PRIDHAM Physician of N° 62 Hogarth Road
Cromwell Road Kensington both in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for "A NEW PRIMARY BATTERY." to be as follows:—
The object of our invention is a novel means for depolarizing the carbon element
of the battery.
We cause this element to be surrounded by broken carbon in a porous cell and
amongst this broken carbon we cause chlorine gas to circulate. We admit the gas
by a pipe sealed into the cell preferably at the bottom and lead it away by another
pipe similarly sealed in at the top and so we convey the gas from cell to cell.
The gas may be drawn from a vessel or container in which it is stored under
pressure or it may be supplied by other means.
In place of chlorine we may use other gaseous depolarizing agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We ALFRED RENÉ UPWARD, Electrical Engineer of N° 150 Holland Road
Kensington and CHARLES WILLIAM PRIDHAM, Physician of N° 62 Hogarth Road,
Cromwell Road Kensington both in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for "A NEW PRIMARY BATTERY" and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The object of our invention is a novel means for depolarizing the carbon element
of the battery.
We cause chlorine gas to circulate in the battery cells in such manner as to
come into contact with the carbon elements. These elements are not immersed in
liquid but are simply kept moist by contact with broken carbon or other porous
material which by capillary action distributes a small quantity of water or liquid
which is supplied to it.
The gaseous chlorine penetrates amongst the broken carbon or porous material
and so finds its way to every part of the surface of the plate.
We admit the gas by a pipe sealed into the cell preferably at the bottom and
lead it away by another pipe similarly sealed in at the top and so we convey the
.gas from cell to cell.
The gas may be drawn from a vessel or container in which it is stored under
pressure or it may be supplied by other means.
In place of chlorine we may use other gaseous depolarizing agents.
In order that our said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect we will proceed to describe more in detail convenient ways of
constructing batteries in accordance with our invention.
We take a number of carbon plates say each of an area of thirty six inches and
say an eighth of an inch thick. We take also an equal number of zinc plates of
similar dimensions except that they are say double the thickness. We arrange the
plates alternately carbon and zinc laying them one against the other but with
porous material between; flannel may be conveniently employed. We connect the
plates parallelly all the carbon plates being electrically connected and similarly all
the zinc plates. We embed these connections in bitumen in such manner as to
prevent chemical action in their vicinity. We enclose the plates in a stoneware
trough into which we place a little water just sufficient for the flannels to dip into
it and to suck up moisture between the plates. The trough is provided with a
cover which is tightly closed with cement. A glass or earthenware pipe to lead a
into the trough and by it the gas enters the trough near the bottom at one end
just above the water level. Another similar pipe passes out from the cover at the
other end. The gas may either be generated at the time when required for use or
it may be stored. The cells prepared as above described are connected as many of
them as may be required and the gas is caused to pass through them from end to
end of the series. Electrically the cells may be coupled in series as many as may
be required; they may also be coupled parallel. The gas may be used mixed with
air, the air then aids in carrying the gas forward from cell to cell. In this battery

page_text: it will be seen that the elements are not immersed in liquid and the gas which
serves both as the depolarizing and the exciting agent has free access to all
of them.
The positive plates may however be immersed in an exciting liquid as is usual.
In such case these plates are conveniently carried by the cover of the trough-they
are connected together and the connections are embedded in bitumen to prevent
local action.
The carbons between the zinc plates are placed in porous cells which we fill
with broken carbon around the plates. This carbon is simply moistened with
water. The carbon plates project from the bottoms of the cells and all the carbons
in the trough are connected. As before the connections are embedded in bitumen
to prevent chemical action at the junctions..
The porous cells are entirely closed excepting only two glass pipes the one
admitting the gas near the bottom of the cell and the other allowing it to pass off
near the top. By these pipes the gas is passed from cell to cell. The trough may
be charged around the zinc plates with any ordinary exciting solution. Provision
may be made for drawing off from the interior of the porous cells any liquid which
in course of time may accumulate within them.
The action of these batteries when in use may be rendered more or less energetic
by varying the supply of gas to them and soon after the supply is stopped they
will cease to operate. In some cases the gas may be compressed within the battery
cell so as to store a sufficient quantity in the cell to last for a time without
further supply.
In place of chlorine gas other depolarizing agents in a gaseous form may be
employed as for example the gaseous combinations of chlorine with oxygen.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. Our new primary battery in which chlorine in its gaseous state circulates in
the cells the carbon negative elements being immersed in the gas and not in a
liquid medium.
2. Our new primary battery in which chlorine in its gaseous state circulates in
the cells and in which both the carbon negative elements and the positive elements
are immersed in the gas and not in a liquid medium.
3. The modifications of the said batteries in which other gaseous depolarizing
agents are substituted for chlorine gas.
4. Our new primary batteries substantially as herein described.
Dated this 18th day of May 1885.
ALFRED RENÉ UPWARD.
CHARLES WILLIAM PRIDHAM.
Carpmael & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.