Improvements in or connected with Electrio Batteries.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1892-Accepted, 9th Aug,
1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electrio Batteries.
1, HENRY CLAY BULL, of No. 29, St. George's Road, Haverstock Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
to be as follows:-
The object of the battery to which the present invention relates is to produce
electricity direct from carbon either in the form of coke, anthracite coal or wood
charcoal.
The carbon is made into rectangular shapes preferably 10″ long 6″ wide and
2" thick this being a convenient size for the battery.
When coke is the substance used, it is made by pulverizing the slack from
ordinary gas making coal such as is used for making illuminating gas and moulding
it under pressure into blocks of the size above described, then carbonising them in
an ordinary gas making retort and recovering the tar, ammonia and illuminating
gns. As a binder for the slack coal, either tar, pitch, or sewage sludge may be
used. If desired, a specially designed apparatus with upright retorts and suitable
arrangements, preferably hydraulic, for raising the moulded rectangular blocks of
coal into the retort and removing the same after they are carbonised may be used.
By this means, coke in the proper shape for the battery, is had at a trifling cost
owing to the cheapness of the kind of slack coal used, the small amount of manual
labor required, and the bye products recovered.
When anthracite coal is used, the blocks would be cut to the size above
described.
When wood charcoal is used, the blocks would be cut to the proper size, and
carbonised in an ordinary gas retort, recovering tar, illuminating gas, wood spirit,
and acetic acid, these being valuable bye products.
The battery is on the lines of the well-known Jablochkoff coke battery described
in the Specification of Letters Patent dated 5th of February 1877 No. 492, the
exciting liquid being nitrate of potash, nitrate of soda, or any other nitrate which
may be found to work satisfactorily, they being maintained in a liquid state by
heat applied as will be hereinafter described.
The carbon in this battery will be the dissolving pole, while the other pole will
be either cast iron or platinum, or any other metal which may be found suitable.
The action being exactly the reverse of ordinary batteries in which carbon is one
pole and iron the other, when both are immersed in a solution of dilute acid. Any
arrangement of the iron and carbon may be used, but I prefer to arrange them as
follows:-
An ion trough of convenient length, width, and depth, having a chamber at
each end and a passage underneath connecting the two end chambers. I prefer to
arrange two such troughs side by side, and between the passages, a gas fire will be
maintained by an ordinary Buusen or Fletcher or other suitable burner of high
power to keep the nitrate liquid. The carbons will be placed in the centre chamber
of the trough of each cell, any number which may be found convenient to make the
size battery required. The action of the nitrate on the carbon oxidises it and
converts it into carbonic acid (which escapes in torrents by a suitable outlet). by
which a portion of the nitrate is converted into nitrite the said nitrite being recon-
verted into nitrate as I will now describe. Within the passage under the first
trough, which is preferably circular, I introduce air and nitric acid vapour under
pressure by means of a steam jet which keeps the liquid in active circulation at the
samo time converting the nitrite back to nitrate. Whero scvoral cells are used in a
battery only sufficient nitric acid vapour will be introduced to recuperate one cell;

page_text: j
this amount must be found by experiment, but an excess of air will be introduced
in the first cell, more than sufficient to convert the nitrite produced in all the cells,
back to nitrate. The nitrous and nitric fumes thrown off from the surface of the
melted contents of the first cell being conducted to the passage under the next cell
where another steam jet drives them through the passage as before. This is
repeated from cell to cell and finally on emerging from the last cell the nitrous fumes
will be converted into nitric fumes by the excess of air and condensed and collected as
nitric acid. Any condenser such as those used in collecting nitric acid from a
sulphuric acid chamber will be suitable. It will thus be seen that the nitrate liquid
remains permanent the only thing consumed being the carbon and such of the nitric
acid as enters into combination with the metallic oxides of the ash of the coke
forming uitrates, or in combination with the nitrogen forming nitrate of ammonia.
The carbon yielde a higher E.M.F. than zinc and as its atomic weight is as 6 to
32 for zinc this battery is necessarily a very economical one. In order to keep
the liquid nitrate at the same level in the centre chamber, I have the chamber at
one end of the trough to equal in cubical contents at least 3ths of the carbon which
is all the battery consumes, the other th is necessary to attach the electrio
connections and is kept out of the bath. The chamber at the other end of the
trough is of much smaller size. The divisions in the trough forming these chambers
are somewhat lower than the ends and sides of the trough. The jet before
described forces the liquid out of the larger end chamber through the passages into
the smaller end chamber whence it overflows the division plate at that end into the
centre chamber overflowing from thence into the larger chamber. The action of
the jet injecting steam, air and nitric acid fumes by the above means keeps a uniform
level in the smaller and centre chambers while the liquid nitrate in the larger end
chamber is lowered to the same degree as the carbon is consumed.
In order to facilitate the escape of the carbonic acid formed, transverse division
-plates are placed in the centre trough between the end chambers each alternate one
touching the bottom and having its top at the level of the liquid, the other plates
commencing a short space above the bottom of the trough but rising above the
level of the liquid nitrate.
Whenever it is desirable to save the carbonic acid a cover placed over the
whole trough and end chambers the high division plate adjoining the low division
plate which forms the side of the smaller chamber rises to the under side of this
cover and separates the space over the small chamber and the overflow passage
down to the trough from the space above the rest of the contents of the trough.
Suitable provision is made for insulating this division plate from the cover.
The
nitrous and nitric acid fumes thrown off are collected from the space above the
small chamber, as above described; the carbonic acid escapes from the rest of
the surface of the liquid nitrate by a separate outlet as above mentioned.
To start this battery it is necessary to have a very small supply of electricity
from an independent source. For this purpose I propose a small electric
accumulator capable of giving out or receiving a small number of amperes of
.current. When the main circuit is cut out or broken the battery will be kept
working charging the accumulator before mentioned, otherwise the iron would be
oxidised by the action of the nitrate and the working of the battery stopped. It is
only when the current is passing that the nitrate does not act on the iron but acts
on the carbon.
A suitable chimney is provided to convey away the products of combustion of
the Bunsen burner. All these gases being at a high temperature may be utilised
for raising steam to supply the aforesaid steam jet. The surplus th of carbon which
is not used may be utilised a portion to make producer gas for the burner and 'to.
raise steam for the steam jets and the remainder may be used to make producer gas
for carbonising the coal or wood blooks or may be sold as coke or charcoal which-
ever may be found the more advantageous.
Suitable connections are made to both the dissolving carbon electrodes and the
iron-trough which is the other electrode. The operation of this battery is as

page_text: follows. The trough will be filled with nitrate of potash, soda, or other nitrate.
The burner will be lighted and when the nitrate is melted, the steam jet, with
air and nitric acid fumes will be started, the cover carrying the dissolving
electrode will be lowered into position and the circuit completed with the work
which may be at that time being done. This work may be either charging
accumulators, producing electric light or heat; direct depositing metals, or pro-
ducing power by driving an electric motor. Electricity from an independent source
as before described is turned on to start the battery and when it is in full operation
yielding the maximum of current the switch from the independent accumulator will
be turned so that when the main circuit is cut out the battery continues to work
producing the minimum of ampères which are stored in the accumulator for future
use in starting the batteries.
By this means the battery is kept in effective operation until the carbons aro
consumed.
In a battery consisting of a number of clements, single cells will be cut out, the
cover carrying the residual carbon removed and a new cover carrying fresh carbons
will be placed on the cell which will again be put in circuit.
The cells will be replenished with carbons at uniform intervals as required.
I find it advantageous to work the burner at such a heat as will give me a very
slight vaporization of the nitrate or nitrite the E.M.F. of the battery rising until
vaporization begins from which point it remains stationary.
Before putting on the cover with the fresh carbons or electrodes each carbon will
be separately tested to ascertain that it is in good contact with its connection.
The nitrite is converted into nitrate by the action of air alone, or, air and steam,
or, air steam and nitric acid fumes.
The whole arrangement above described forms a complete single liquid non-
polarising electric battery.
1
CT11001
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electrio Batteries.
I, HENRY CLAY BULL, of 29 St. George's Road, Haverstock Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the 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 the battery to which the present invention relates is to provide
improved means for producing electricity direct from carbon either in the form of
coke, anthracite coal or wood charcoal.
The carbon is made into blocks of a convenient size and shape.
When coke is the substance used as the carbon, the blocks are made by
pulverising the slack from ordinary gas making coal such as is used for making
illuminating gas, and moulding it under pressure into blocks of the size desired
then carbonizing them in an ordinary gas making retort, the tar, ammonia and
illuminating gas being recovered in the ordinary way; as a biuder for the slack
.coal either tar, pitch or sewage sludge or other suitable material may be used.
When anthracite coal is used for the production of the blocks, it would be cut to
the size required by any suitable means.
When wood charcoal is used for the production of the blocks, the wood would be
cut to the proper size and afterwards carbonized in an ordinary gas retort, the tar,
illuminating gas, wood spirits and acetic acid being recovered, these being valuable
bye products.
The battery is of the type of the well known Jablochkoff coke battery described
in the Specification of Letters Patent dated 5th February 1877, No. 492, the

page_text: Povoan rate of Soua Orany other mitrate which
may be found to work satisfactorily, such nitrate being maintained in a liquid state
by the aid of heat.
As is well known, the carbon in this battery is the dissolving pole whilst the
Iotlier pole is either cast iron, platinum or any other metal which may be found
suitable; the action being exactly the reverse of ordinary batteries in which carbon
is one pole and iron the other, in which case, both are generally immersed in a
solution of dilute acid.
こ
:
I will now proceed to describe my invention in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1. is a vertical longitudinal section of a battery constructed according to
my invention,
Figure 2. is a plan thereof, with the cover removed,
Figure 3. is a transverse section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2. but showing
the cover in position,
Figure 3 is a transverse section of a similar trough, and,
Figure 1. represents a portion of Figure 3., drawn to an enlarged' scale,
illustrating more particularly the method of mounting the carbon electrodes.
In carrying my invention into effect, I take an iron trongh a. of convenient
length, width and depth having a chamber a' at one end, a corresponding but
smaller chamber a' at the other end and a passage a connecting the two end
chambers, but I prefer to arrange two of such troughs a. side by side as shown, for
example, at Figures 3. and 34. Beneath these troughs a. I arrange a gas fire (not
shown), which inay be in the form of an ordinary Bunsen or Fletcher or other
suitable burner of high power, to keep the nitrate liquid. Between the two end
chambers a' a² I employ a central chamber a in which the carbons b. are placed
and I employ any number of such troughs a., which constitute cells, that may be
found convenient to make the sized battery required.
The carbons b. are carried by a cover c. of the central chamber a.
The action of the nitrato on the carbon oxidises it, and converts it into carbonic
acid, (which escapes by a suitable outlet or shaft rising from the cover c), a
portion of the nitrate being converted into nitrite which is reconverted into nitrate
as I will now describe..
1
The connecting passage as of the end chambers a' a³ of each trough a. is, by
preference, circular in section and within each passage a³ I introduce air and nitric
ucid vapour under pressure by means of a jet of steam introduced by means of an
injector hereinafter more fully described which keeps the liquid nitrato in active
circulation at the same time acting upon the nitrite and reconverting it into
nitrate.
Or, several troughs a. might be arranged in end alignment, in which case the
abutting end chambers a' a' would be connected by a conduit e. and the nitric acid
would be introduced into the first of the series only.
When several troughs or cells a. are employed in a battery in the manner lastly
hereinbefore described, only sufficient nitric acid. vapor need be introduced to
recuperate one cell or trough a. this amount must be determined by experiment;
but an excess of air should be introduced into the first cell or trough a., that is to
say, more than sufficient to reconvert the nitrite produced in all the cells or troughs
into nitrate. The nitrous and nitric fumes given off from the surface of the melted
contents of the first cell or trough .a. are conducted to the passage a (not shown)
connecting the end chambers of the next cell a. where another steam jet f., without
nitric acid, is provided to drive such. fumes through the passage a³ as before
described with respect to the first cell or trough a. This is repeated from cell to
coll and finally, on emerging from the last cell or trough the nitrous fumes will be
converted into nitric fumes by the excess of air hereinbefore referred to and
condensed and collected as nitric acid, by any well known means. Any condenser,
such as, those used in collecting nitric acid from a sulphuric acid chamber, will be
suitable.

page_text: It will thus be seen that the liquid nitrate remains permanent, the only thing
consumed being the carbon and such of the nitric acid as enters into combination
with the metallic oxides of the ash of the coke forming nitrates or into combination
with the nitrogen forming nitrate of ammonia.
In order to keep the liquid nitrate at the required overflow level'in the contre
chamber at of each trough a.; as hereinafter described, I form the end chamber a
at the jet end of the trough a. of such cubical contents that, notwithstanding the
consumption of the carbon electrodes . and the consequent extra space thus afforded
for the liquid, the level thereof will always be maintained above the divisions a**,
hereinafter described, but below the electrical connections with the carbons b.
The chamber a at the other end of the trough a. is of smaller size than the
chamber a' and the divisions a¹ are somewhat lower than the ends and sides of the
trough as hereinafter more fully described: The jet f. before described causes the
liquid to flow from the larger end chamber a through the connecting passage a³
into the smaller end chamber a whence it overflows the division plate a** at that
end into the central chamber a*.
The action of the jet ., injecting steam, air and nitric acid fumes, by reason of
the construction above described, keeps a uniform level in the smaller chamber a²
and central chamber a whilst the liquid nitrate in the larger end chamber a¹ is
lowered as the carbous b. are consumed.
In order to facilitate the escape of the carbonic acid gas formed, trausverse
division plates a** *** are placed in the centre chamber of the trough a. between
every two carbons b., cach alteruate plate a rising from the bottom to within a
short distance of the surface of the liquid, the other division plates a*** commencing
a short distance above the bottom of the central chamber and rising above the
level of the liquid nitrate and to within a short distance of the cover c., so as to
leave ways for the passage of the carbonic acid; a plate a*** being employed to
divide the central chamber a longitudinally.
When it is desirable to recover the carbonic acid, the cover c. is employed and a
division plate d. adjoining the division plate at which forms one end of the central
chamber a rises from a short distance from the bottom of the contral chamber a to
the underside of the cover c. and thus separates the space at the upper part of the
small chamber a from the similar space of the central chamber a and suitable
provision is made for insulating this division plato from the cover. The nitrous
and nitric acid fumes thrown.off are taken off or allowed to escape from the upper
space of the small chamber a², which is provided with a cover e', through the
conduit e.
The injecting apparatus, shown at Figure 1., consists of a rena contracta f¹
arranged within the passage a, and an air, steam and vapour supply pipe passing
through the centre of the rena contracta. The end of such pipe is expanded beyond
the neck of the venu contracta and is provided with a perforated cap f
To start the battery it is necessary to have a small supply of electricity from an
independent source and for this purpose I employ an electric accumulator (not
shown) capable of giving out or receiving a suitable number of ampères of current,
and, when the main circuit is cut out or broken, the battory will be kept working
and thus charge the accumulator before mentioned otherwise the iron of the division
plates aa and other parts would be oxidised by the action of the nitrate and
the working of the battery stopped as it is only when the current is passing that
the nitrate does not act on the iron but acts on the carbon.
Suitable connections are made to both the carbon electrodes b. and the iron
trough a. which is the other electrode but these connections I have not thought it
necessary to show.
The operation of this battery is as follows:-The trough a. is filled with nitrate
of potash, nitrate of soda or other nitrate; the burner or furnace is lighted, and,
when the nitrate is melted, the steam jet f. with air and nitric acid fumes must be
started; the cover c., from which the dissolving electrodes b. depend, is lowered
into position and the circuit thereby completed and the current generated' may be

page_text: employed either for charging accumulators, producing electric light or heat, directly
depositing metals or producing power by driving an electric motor. Electricity
from an independent source, as before described, is turned on to start the battery,
and, when the latter is in full operation yielding the maximum of current, and, the
switch is turned so that the main circuit is cut out, the battery continues to work
producing a current which is stored in accumulators for future use in starting the
battery.
By this means, the battery is kept in effective operation until the carbons are
consumed.
In a battery consisting of a number of troughs or colls a. oue of such colls may
be cut out, the cover c. carrying the residual carbons removed and a new cover
carrying fresh carbons placed in position, the cell is theu again placed in circuit
and thus the cells may be replenished, with new carbons, as required.
Before putting on the cover c. with fresh carbons b. each carbon should be
separately tested to ascertain that it is in good electrical contact with its
connection.
The nitrite is converted into nitrate by the action of air alone, air and steam.or
air, steam and nitric acid fumes.
The whole arrangement above described forms a complete single liquid non-
polarising electric battery.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what. I
claim is
1. In an electric battery in which the exciting liquid is a fused nitrate and the
dissolving clectrode carbon, constructing the cells with end chambers connected
with each other by a passage, and the arrangement of parts by means of which the
exciting liquid is maintained at a uniform level as the carbon electrodes are
gradually consumed, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In an electric battery in which the exciting liquid is a fused nitrate and the
dissolving electrode carbon, the employment of a passage constituting a chamber in'
which the process of restoration is conducted, apart from, though in connection
with, the chamber or cells in which the carbon electrodes are immersed in the
exciting liquid, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In an electric battery in which the exciting liquid is a fused nitrate and the
dissolving electrode carbon, the combination in a trough or cell of two end chambers
connected by a passage, a central chamber for the electrodes communicating with
the end chambers and a jet of steam, air and nitric acid fumes introduced into the
connecting passage in order to cause the recuperation of the liquid and the circula-
tion thereof through the central chamber and amongst the electrodes, substantially
as.herein shown and described.
4. The peculiar combination and arrangement of means constituting, or connected
with, an electric battery, substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 9th day of May 1892.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant..