IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES APPLICABLE TO MEDICAL, TELEGRAPHIC, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustave Adolphe Schoth, of the Euston Road, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES
APPLICABLE TO MEDICAL, TELEGRAPHIC, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 28th February 1878, and dated the 29th November 1877
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustave Adolphe Schoth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1877.
GUSTAVE ADOLPHE SCHOTH, of the Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES APPLICABLE TO MEDICAL, TELEGRAPHIC, AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
According to my Invention the elements of this pile are composed of a vessel or
vessels of glass or other suitable material. For use in telegraphy, and for bells or
signals from rooms, and for medical purposes this pile is composed of tubes of similar
material, all as hereafter described.
In each vessel or tube there is a negative element of this pile; this element is
composed of a spiral of red copper wire, which is prolonged to the bottom of the
vessel or tube, and then from the bottom of the vessel or tube this same wire goes
up in a straight line to just the outside of the pile, which thus forins the positive
pole of the element. The lower prolongation of this wire is intended to decompose
the concentrated solution of sulphate of copper which is in the lower part of the
vessel.
The part of the wire which ascends is isolated from the liquid and the rest of the
apparatus by a protecting and isolating envelope.
At the centre the element zinc is surrounded by the red copper spiral wire, the
zinc pencil being drawn out with draw plate, being preferable to cast zine. This
zinc pencil is enveloped by a covering of a porous and permeable nature, the object
of which is to contain a few drops of mercury to maintain the zinc in a good state
of amalgamation, and at the same time to prevent the zinc and the copper from
037

page_text: coming in contact, because these two materials are placed very close to one
another.
The stopper of the pile which is intended for telegraphic purposes is preferably
made of dry wood, and dipped in a bath of melted parafin, which renders it imper-
meable and isolated, and consequently cannot swell or split. On the rim of the
stopper a groove is formed, in which a ring of india-rubber or analogous material is
inserted, and this ring produces an hermetic closing. Through the centre of the
stopper the pencil passes, tightly fitted therein, which descends almost to the bottom
of the vessel. In the same stopper is formed an aperture, by which liquid is intro-
duced and the crystals of sulphate of copper for the supply of the pile.
The stopper suitable for elements used for medicinal purposes is composed of a
cork stopper, through the centre of which the zinc pencil is tightly passed; and on
the stopper on each side of the zinc pencil there is formed a small aperture for the
introduction of liquids to each element, and to allow gases to escape.
This pile is more powerful than any of the known sulphate of copper piles of an
equal surface and equal power, it consumes less sulphate of copper and zinc than all
other known piles, and produces a very constant current. This element operates for
four or five months without any attention except now and then to add water or a
few crystals of sulphate of copper.
The advantages of piles constructed according to my Invention are,
For medical purposes, as for all partitioned sulphate of copper piles, that they
last long and produce a weak chemical action, conditions necessary for medical
purposes.
They also have the advantage over all other partitioned piles that there is, if
desired, only a single vessel and a single liquid, consequently easy to transport; being
very solid, and being almost hermetically closed, there is no fear of upsetting the
liquid.
They are lighter and smaller than ordinary, and do not require attention.

page_text: m pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent nied
by the said Gustave Adolphe Schoth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th May 1878.
GUSTAVE ADOLPHE SCHOTH, of the Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES APPLICABLE TO MEDICAL, TELEGRAPHIC, AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
Electric piles made according to this Invention are in the forin of a vessel or
vessels of glass or other suitable material. For use in telegraphy, and for bells or
signals from rooms, and for medical purposes this pile is arranged in the form of a
tube of similar material, all as hereafter described.
In each vessel or tube there is a negative element of this pile; this element is
composed of a spiral of copper wire or band, which is prolonged to the bottom of
the vessel or tube, and then from the bottom of the vessel or tube this same wire
goes up in a straight line to just the outside of the pile, which thus forms the
positive pole of the element: The lower prolongation of this wire is intended to
decompose the concentrated solution of sulphate of copper which is in the lower
part of the vessel.
The part of the wire which ascends is insulated from the liquid and the rest of
the apparatus by a protecting and insulating envelope.
In the centre is the zinc element surrounded by the copper spiral wire, the zinc
bar being drawn out with draw plate, being preferable to cast zinc. This zinc bar
or pencil is enveloped by a covering of a porous and permeable nature, the object of
which is to contain a few drops of mercury to maintain the zinc in a good state of
amalgamation, and at the same time to prevent the zinc and the copper from coming
in contact, because these two materials are placed very close to one another. The
covering also prevents the products forming round this element from falling to the
bottom of the vessel, and thus hindering the action of the pile.
The zinc element may be in the form of a round or flat bar, or a plate, which may
be in the form of a cylinder cut open.
The stopper or cover of the pile which is intended for telegraphic purposes is pre-
ferably made of dry wood, and dipped in a bath of melted paraffin, which renders it
impermeable and insulated, and consequently cannot swell or split. On the rim of
the stopper a groove is formed, in which a ring of india-rubber or analogous material
is inserted, and this ring produces an hermetic closing. Through the centre of the
stopper the zinc bar passes, tightly fitted therein, which descends almost to the
bottom of the vessel. In the same stopper is formed an aperture, by which liquid is
introduced and the crystals of sulphate of copper for the supply of the pile.
The stopper suitable for elements used for medicinal purposes is composed of a
cork stopper, through the centre of which the zinc bar is tightly passed; and on the
stopper on each side of the zine bar there is formed a small aperture, one for the
introduction of liquid to each element, and the other to allow gases to escape.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section through a pile
suitable for telegraphic and other electric purposes, such as for electric bells; and
Figure 2 is plan of same.
A is a vessel of glass or other suitable material, in this case made in the cylin-
drical form. B is a copper wire or band forming the negative element of the pile;
it is wound in a spiral, and is prolonged from below in an upright wire b, which is
insulated by a protecting envelope b₁ of gutta percha or other suitable material.
The wire b passes through the cover C, which may be made of some dry wood, and
formed with a groove all round, fitted with a joint ring e of india-rubber, or

page_text: analogous material. The wood cover is by preference dipped in. paraffin to render
it impermeable, and prevent it from swelling or splitting.
D is the zine element placed in the middle of the vessel and fastened to the cover;
it is in this case made in the form of a cylinder, cut open on one side, as shown, and
reaching nearly to the bottom of the vessel A; it is by preference envelopped in a
covering of a porous and permeable nature, such as woven linen; in this covering or
envelope are kept a few drops of mercury for the purpose of maintaining the zinc in
a good amalgamation state, for preventing the products forming around the element
from falling to the bottom of the vessel and thus hindering the action of the pile,
and for preventing accidental contact between the copper wire b and the zine
element D.
The lower part of the vessel A is charged with the liquid through a charging hole
in the centre of the cover C, closed by a stopper. E is a glass tube fitting in the
cover C, open at the top; the sulphate of copper crystals are placed therein, and
communicate with the fluid in the vessel A. through one or more small holes in the
lower part of the tube E, so that the lower contents of same are kept constantly
saturated.
"
Figure 3 is a vertical section, and Figure 4 a plan section through line A, A,
of another pile for telegraphic and general electric purposes. The vessel A is here
shown of a flattened or rectangular shape, and the zinc element D is made of a
wave-like or corrugated section, as shown at Figure 4, so as to present a larger
surface and body of zinc than if flat; but I do not restrict myself to either one or
the other form of the zinc element here shown, and described in any of the Drawings.
The element D is by preference envelopped in a covering d of paper or other
porous material, held on, say, by india-rubber loop straps d'. E is the tube con-
taining the sulphate of copper, and formed with a hole in the bottom, as shewn. B
is the copper wire surrounding the zinc element.
Figure 5 is a vertical section, and Figure 6 a plan of a tubular pile suitable for
medical purposes. A is the tube, which is fitted with a cork stopper C, through
which the round zinc bar D is tightly passed. The element D is enveloped in a
suitable linen or other covering d. B is the copper spiral, which passes down to the
bottom of the tube A and then ascends as an upright bar or wire b, which is insu-
lated and protected by a covering 6¹. There is a hole e through the cork C for the
introduction of the liquid, and a hole f for the escape
of gases.
Piles constructed according to this my Invention are more powerful than any of
the known single fluid sulphate of copper piles of an equal surface and equal power.
This pile consumes less sulphate of copper and zine than all other known piles, and
produces a very constant current. This element operates for four or five months
without any attention except now and then to add water or a few crystals of
sulphate of copper.
The advantages of piles constructed according to my Invention are,--
For medical purposes, as for all partitioned sulphate of copper piles, that they
last long and produce a weak chemical action, conditions necessary for medical
purposes.
They also have the advantage over all other partitioned piles that there is, if
desired, only a single vessel and a single liquid, consequently easy to transport;
being very solid, and being almost hermetically closed, there is no fear of upsetting
the liquid.
They are lighter and smaller than ordinary, and do not require attention.
And having thus described and ascertained the nature of this my Invention, I
declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The combination of a spiral copper wire or band surrounding a bar or
plate of zinc enclosed in a porous envelope, the wire being continued up in a wire
or bar with insulated covering, all arranged in a stoppered vase or tube containing
sulphate of copper, and operating as set forth.

page_text: Secondly. The arrangement and construction of electric piles, as described with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustave Adolph Schoth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
GUSTAVE ADOLPHE SCHOTH. (L.S.)