IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Bennett, of 60, Lorrimore Road, Walworth,
in the County of Surrey, Telegraph Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES."
'Scaled the 9th October 1874, and dated the 11th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Bennett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th April 1874.
I, ALFRED BENNETT, of 60, Lorrimore Road, Walworth, in the County
of Surrey, Telegraph Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to produce a galvanic element which
whilst giving good results as regards its potential or power shall by
reason of its long endurance and the cheapness of the chemicals
employed, prove a trustworthy and economical battery for telegraphic
and other
purposes.

page_text: To effect this I use as a negative a plate or piece of gas carbon or
graphite packed in a cell of porous earthenware (or any other diaphragm
of a porous nature not affected by the chemical action) with pieces of
charcoal, broken cinders, coke, or graphite, or with peroxido of man-
ganesc, or with a mixture of any of the above with peroxide of
manganese. This is then wetted with a solution of hydrate of sodium
or hydrate of potassium (by preference the commercial hydrate of sodium
or caustic soda).
ני
The negative electrode may be of copper instead of carbon, but this
combination does not answer so well.
As a positive I use a rod, plate, or cylinder of zinc immersed in a
solution of hydrate of sodium or hydrate of potassium, or a mixture of
those salts.
For practical use I arrange the element as follows:-The porous cell
or bag being packed as described with the broken graphite, coke cinders,
or charcoal, or with peroxide of manganese, or with a mixture of broken
graphite, coke cinders, or charcoal with peroxide of manganese (or with
the addition of a little dry hydrate of sodium or hydrate of potassium
or a mixture of them), is placed in the outer cell or jar, which slightly
exceeds it in height. A portion of the same salt (or mixture of salts)
in a dry state is then placed in the outer jar together with the zinc rod,
plate, or cylinder, to which is attached a copper or other metallic wire
to form the connection with the next element. A piece of cardboard or
other suitable material cut to the required shape is then fitted tightly in
the mouth of the outer jar, leaving nothing visible but the end of the
carbon plate and the metallic wire attached to the zinc. Melted paraffin
or marine or other glue is then made to flow over the surface of the
cardboard so as to cover it and attach it firmly to the outer jar. Two or
more small orifices by which liquid can be poured into the element aro
however left in the cover.
To excite the element it is now only necessary to pour water into the
jar by means of the orifices left for that purpose.
Although I prefer to close the clement thus, its efficiency would not be

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Bennett in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
BENNETT, of 60, Lorrimore Road, Walworth, in the County of Surrey,
Telegraph Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Alfred Bennett, Her special licence that I, the
said Alfred Bennett, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Alfred Bennett, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Bennett, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Bennett, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, 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 my Invention is to produce a galvanic battery which
whilst giving good results as regards its potential or power, shall by
reason of its long endurance and the cheapness of the chemicals
employed prove a trustworthy and economical battery for telegraphic
and other purposes.
To effect this I use as a negative a plate or piece of gas carbon or
graphite packed in a cell of porous earthenware (or any other diaphragm

page_text: of a porous nature not affected by the chemical action), with pieces of
graphite, charcoal cinders, or coke, or with a mixture of any of them
with peroxide of manganese. This is then wetted with a solution of
hydrate of soda or hydrate of potash (by preference the commercial
hydrate of soda or caustic soda).
The negative electrode may be of copper instead of graphite, but this
combination does not answer so well.
As a positive I use a rod, plate, or cylinder of zinc immersed in a
solution of hydrate of soda or hydrate of potash, or a mixture of those
salts.
For practical use I arrange the element as follows:-The negative
electrode being packed as described in the porous cell or bag with broken
graphite, coke cinders, or charcoal, or with a mixture of any of them
with peroxide of manganese, is placed in the outer cell or jar, which
should slightly exceed it in height. A quantity (calculated according to
the time the battery is required to last) of hydrate of soda or hydrate of
potash, or a mixture of those salts, is then placed in the outer jar,
together with the zinc rod, plate, or cylinder, to which is attached a
copper or other wire to form the connection with the next clement. A
piece of cardboard or outer suitable material cut to the required shape is
then fitted tightly in the mouth of the outer jar, leaving nothing visible
but the end of the graphite plate and the wire attached to the zinc.
Melted pitch, paraffin, or any insulating glue is then made to flow over
the surface of the cardboard so as to cover it and attach it firmly to the
outer jar. Two or more small orifices are however left in the cover for
the purpose of admitting air to the negative cell, and for allowing liquid
to be poured into the element.
To excite the battery it is now only necessary to pour water into the
outer jar by means of the orifice left for that purpose.
A sufficient quantity of the solution will find its way by percolation
to the inner cell, but should the full power of the battery be required
immediately water should also be added to the inner cell.
Although I prefer to close the clement as described it is obvious that
its efficiency would not be impaired by being left open.
I claim as my Invention the construction of galvanic batterics
according to the method herein-before described, more particularly the

page_text: use of a positive consisting of zinc and hydrate of potash or of zinc and
hydrate of soda combined with a negative of graphite packed in a porous
diaphragm with small pieces of the same substance.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Bennett, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
ALFRED BENNETT. (L.s.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Alfred Bennett, in
the presence of
EDWARD PHILLIPS,
8, Moorgate Street, E.C.,
Clerk to Messrs. Harcourt & Macarthur.