IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS OR SECONDARY BATTERIES WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE PARTLY " APPLICABLE TO OTHER BATTERIES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July 1883. Communicated to
him from abroad by Charles Dion of Montreal, Canada
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ELECTRICAL
ACCUMULATORS OR SECONDARY BATTERIES WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE PARTLY
"
APPLICABLE TO OTHER BATTERIES [A communication to him from abroad by
Charles Dion of Montreal, Canada]
The communicator of this invention has ascertained by means of numerous
experiments, that a secondary battery shewing considerable power in ampéres and
in volts can be constructed by the decomposition of chloride of sodium by means of
an electric current. When chloride of sodium is decomposed in this manner it is
resolved into sodium and chlorine. The action of these two bodies upon each other
generates a most remarkable electric current. But in order to give it a sufficient
continuance or duration the sodium has to be absorbed by a coat of mercury. By
this process I obtain a much greater decomposition of the chloride and as a con-
sequence the battery can work much longer. As it proves most difficult to operate
upon a sheet of common mercury I have found it better to use an amalgamated
plate of metal which I place either in a vertical or horizontal position. I have
adopted zinc, in preference, for amalgamation purposes although several metals
might be used with the same object, also plates of carbon. The zinc plate may be
either flat and smooth, or folded or corrugated so as to offer the greatest possible
surface in a given space. I can also make use of thin zinc ribbons turned into
spirals upon their edge, such as are used in Dion's dynamo-electric bobbins.
Lastly the plates of carbon themselves might be corrugated. Although this
battery, as described, will produce most excellent results the said communicator
has succeeded in greatly improving it so far as prolongation of action is concerned,
by adding chloride of zinc to the chloride of sodium. In this case the power of
the battery may be somewhat lessened but its action is considerably increased in
duration. When I charge the battery through any current of electricity, the
moment it has absorbed its, full charge, the chlorine begins to get disengaged from
the solution and makes a deposit upon the second polar plate which is better when
composed of carbon than of metal.

page_text: •
The actual constitution and arrangement of the above variety of secondary
battery is as follows that is to say, I employ a solution of chloride of sodium and
chloride of zinc and one plate of carbon and one plate of amalgamated zinc for
their polar plates. But a plate of carbon, coated with zinc or not, may well be
substituted for the plate of zinc.
As the battery has absorbed all the charge it can bear the moment the chlorine
begins to become disengaged from the solution, it follows that its power is limited
by the quantity of metal which can be deposited upon the plates. I have in
consequence tried to extend that limit as much as possible and I have succeeded in
the following manner.
I take a porous vase and place in it one or more plates of carbon. Then I put
in this vase a solution of protochloride of iron which, under the action of a suitable
electric current, absorbs the chlorine until it becomes transformed into perchloride
of iron. I can in this manner command with this kind of secondary battery a
considerable quantity of electricity because there is an actual and constant
reconstitution of the elements of the battery through its very action.
While the battery is at rest, or when at work, the iron salts contained in it
might become oxydized, through the action of the atmosphere, when not yet
brought out to their maximum of oxidation or chlorination. The battery has
had in consequence to be constituted so as to prevent the air altering or modifying
its elements. Divers means may be had recourse to in order to prevent oxidation
taking place, such as, for example, hermetically closing the box or vase, or pouring
into the solution any fat or resinous liquid which will close it against the air. But
I employ another and more scientific process, which accomplishes the same object
and to which I attach considerable importance. Nothing-more is required in order
to prevent the iron salts undergoing oxidation, but to add to the solution a certain
quantity of organic matter. A great number of substances may be used for the
purpose and I shall only mention some of them such as sugar, glucosis, glycerine,
dextrine and the like, and even some of the weaker acids such as oxalic acid, acetic
acid and the like may be used. This application of substances for preventing
oxidation is entirely new and may be employed for all battery elements where
such substances can be used. I attach a great importance to this new application
of said organic matters and weaker acids because, through them, I can secure
increased duration, greater activity and power, and perfect cleanliness, that is
transparency of the liquids of the battery.
The following is a practical illustration of the general constitution and
arrangement of my secondary battery;-First, a glass, stone, or wood case or
box of suitable shape containing one or more plates of carbon; Second, a porous
vase between two or more plates of carbon;-Third, in the porous vase a plate of
amalgamated zinc or of carbon either coated or not coated with zinc. Fourth, in
the porous vase a solution of chloride of zinc to which chloride of sodium may be
added or not; Fifth, to this last solution a certain quantity of bichloride of
mercury may be added which serves to amalgamate the zinc or even the carbon;
Sixth, with the plates of carbon a solution of protochloride of iron; and Seventh
as a complement to both liquids, a certain quantity of the oxidation-preventing
substances above mentioned, such as sugar, glycerine, or the like.
When I desire to make use of the battery I proceed in the following manner.
I take a generator of electricity of any kind such as a primary battery, or a
magneto or dynamo electric machine, and I connect its positive pole with the
carbon of my secondary battery and its negative pole with my zinc plate. While
the current is being discharged into my battery the chloride of zinc in it is
decomposed, as well as the chloride of sodium if there is any, and the chlorine by
becoming disengaged into the protochloride of iron, transforms it into perchloride
of iron. As soon as the transformation is completed, the chlorine comes out into
the atmosphere which shews that the battery has received its full charge.
After the battery has been so charged and is made use of, the primary elements
in it get reconstituted during the discharge, that is, the perchloride of iron is again

page_text: transformed into protochloride of iron and the zinc and sodium which have become
deposited on the plate of zinc are again dissolved into chlorides of zinc and sodium.
These elements may be so reconstituted ad infinitum. After having been
discharged of its electricity the battery can be recharged again as above described.
Protosulphate of iron may be substituted for protochloride of iron without much
disadvantage, but in that case sulphate of zinc must be substituted for chloride of
zinc. Also a certain number of chlorides or sulphates might be substituted for
chlorides or sulphates of iron with certain peculiar advantages in some cases.
I shall only quote as examples the chlorides or sulphates of nickel, tin, antimony
and copper; gold, silver and platinum are hardly applicable for common use.