Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1894-Accepted, 29th Dec., 1894
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
HARRY THEODORE BARNETT, M.I.E.E. 14, Narcissus Road West Hampstead
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide
in proportion to its weight.
an electric battery of great capacity
Electric batteries as at present made consist chiefly of two varieties, depolarizing
& non-depolarizing.
In the former class the hydrogen evolved at the negative element during the
action of the battery is removed by some oxygen-containing substance capable of
ready deoxidation under the influence of the electric current, such as nitric acid,
chromic acid, peroxide of manganese, etc.
In the latter class (represented by the Smee battery) the hydrogen formed at
the negative electrode is liberated mechanically & leaving the surface in bubbles
rises through the liquid & is lost in the air.
The advantage of high initial electro motive force possessed by the former type
is in most instances counterbalanced by the inconvenience of handling strong
depolarizers or by the inconstancy attending the weaker ones.
In all these batteries the solution in which the positive electrode is immersed' is
capable of removing the oxidised surface of the same which would otherwise by its
resistance interfere with the action of the battery, for instance with a positive
electrode of zinc, which is the metal most commonly employed, sulphuric acid
sal ammoniac or 'caustic soda 'solutions are commonly used, exceptions being those
batteries in which the solvent is liberated from the depolarizer, for instance a
Daniell battery which may be set up with a neutral solution for the reason that
sulphuric acid being liberated in the decomposition of the sulphate of copper which
forms the depolarizer.
In this my invention I employ air as a depolarizer & that the negative electrode
may readily obtain the oxygen, therefrom I form it partly or wholly of a substance
possessed of a considerable combining or occluding affinity for oxygen & a conductor
of electricity of porous texture. & cause the same to be practically situated wholly
in the air but with some considerable portion of its surface in contact with the
solution surrounding the positive electrode.
I prefer to employ a non-drying solution of a neutral deliquescent salt in contact
with the positive electrode so that there may be no local action.
Such a solution is conveniently chloride of zinc & water but other neutral salts
may be used. If desired glycerine, may be added to the solution.
In various forms of battery it is inconvenient to have an unabsorbed solution
I therefore prefer to employ in batteries made according to this invention an
absorbent for the said solution which is capable of retaining to itself a sufficiency
of the same to enable the electric current to go on at all times.
As many of the porous carbon electrodes which are capable of absorbing oxygen,
(for instance very porous carbon) are deficient in strength, I prefer to employ with
the said negative electrode a supporting diaphragm of some stronger porous
material to which it may be attached, for instance porous earthenware.
I prefer to make contact with the said negative electrode by means of a wire
bound round the same, which may also serve to hold it to the stronger porous
diaphragm.
1

page_text: As a plate or cylinder of oxidisable metal (as ordinarily used in batteries) soon
becomes coated with a layer of oxide if the solution is a neutral one, I prefer to
employ in this case a positive electrode of greatly extended surface.
This extension. of surface may be obtained by making the electrode in any form
or manner known for this purpose or I may employ the following method which
I have designed & prefer.
A number of flat rings of the positive metal are arranged in a mould alternately
with similar or slightly larger diameter rings of permeable material, then in the
centre orifice so formed is poured molten metal sufficiently hot to fuse a good
contact with the inner edges of the rings, the connection wire may be cast into the
molten core.
The function of the rings of permeable material is to maintain a ready contact
with the whole surface of the positive electrode.
The facility with which the most porous carbons obtain oxygen from the air is
none too great & I therefore prefer to employ a negative electrode that I have
designed which is in the form of a great number of filaments situated upon &
outstanding from a porous conducting support.
This form gives an enormous area exposed to the air & good electrical
conductivity.
I prefer to form these electrodes by carbonizing textile velvet-like fabrics.
To give a still greater affinity for oxygen to this carbon velvet I prefer to
impregnate it with any substance possessed of that property in a superlative degree,
for instance platinum.
I prefer to impregnate the same velvet-like fabric before carbonization so that
the carbonizing process may reduce the impregnating material into & in good
contact with the fibrous carbon.
Platinum may be so reduced from its chloride, the velvet being soaked in a
solution of this salt before carbonization.
Dated this 25th day of February 1894.
HARRY THEODORE BARNETT M.I.E.E. 14 Narcissus Road West Hampstead,
do hereby declare the nature of this 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 this invention is to provide an electric battery of great capacity in
proportion to its weight.
Electric batteries as at present made consist of two varieties, depolarizing &
non-depolarizing. In the former class the hydrogen evolved at the negative
element during the action of the battery is absorbed by some oxygen-containing
substance capable of ready deoxidation under the influence of the electric current,
such as for instance, nitric acid, chromic acid, peroxide of manganese, etc.
In some batteries of this type the negative element is to an extent reconstituted
by the partially reduced depolarizer being reoxidized by contact with the
atmosphere which is allowed access to some part of it for that purpose.
&
There is one depolarizer battery in which chlorine takes the place of oxygen
after removing the hydrogen from the negative element, unites with it & forms
bydrochloric acid which in turn serves as the zinc solvent.
In the last mentioned non-depolarizing class represented for instance by the
Smee battery, the hydrogen formed at the negative electrode is liberated

page_text: mechanically, & leaving the surface in bubbles rises through the liquid & so
escapes.
The advantage of a high initial E.M.F. possessed by the former class is in most
instances counterbalanced by the inconvenience of handling strong depolarizers
or by the great inconstancy of current attending the use of weaker ones.
In all these batteries the solution in which the positive electrode is immersed is
capable of removing the oxidised surface of the same which otherwise by its
mechanical resistance to the flow of liquid & by its electrical resistance would
interfere with the action of the battery, for instance, for a zinc positive electrode
sulphuric acid, sal ammoniac, or caustic alkali solutions are commonly used,
exceptions being those cells in which the solvent is liberated from the depolarizer,
as instance, the Daniell battery which may be set up with a neutral solution for the
reason that sulphuric acid is liberated in the decomposition of the sulphate of copper
which forms the depolarizer.
In this my invention I employ the oxygen of the air for the depolarizer & that
the negative electrode may readily obtain the same I form it partly or wholly of a
substance possessed of considerable affinity for oxygen which is at the same time a
conductor of electricity & of porous structure & cause the same to be practically
situated wholly in the air but with some considerable portion of its surface in
contact with the solution surrounding the positive electrode.
I prefer to employ a non drying solution of a neutral deliquescent salt in contact
with the positive electrode so that there may be no local action, such a solution is
conveniently of chloride of zinc but other salts may be used, if desired glycerine or
other non drying substances may be added to the liquid.
In various forms of batteries it is often inconvenient to have an unabsorbed
solution, I therefore prefer to employ in batteries made according to this invention
an absorbent for the said solution capable of retaining to itself sufficient of the same
to enable the electric action to go on at all times, paper, plaster of Paris, flour
paste, colloidal silica, kaolin, sand, etc. are substances which may be used as the
absorbent.
As many of the substances suitable for forming the negative electrodes from, are
deficient in mechanical strength I prefer to employ in conjunction with the said
negative electrode a supporting diaphragm of some stronger porous material to which
it may be attached, as for instance, porous earthenware.
As the plate, bar, or cylinder of oxidizable metal such as is ordinarily used for
the positive electrode soon becomes coated with a layer of oxide when working in
a neutral solution, when employing an electrolytic liquid of this class I prefer to
construct the positive electrode of greatly extended surface, this extension of
Burface may be obtained by shaping & making the electrode in any manner,
commonly adopted for that purpose but I prefer the following,
A number of thin flat rings of the positive electrode metal are arranged in a mould
alternately with somewhat similar flat rings of permeable material, such as paper
or textile fabric, then in the long centre cylindrical orifice so formed is poured
melted metal sufficiently hot to fuse a good contact with the inner edges of the
rings, the negative pole connection may be cast in with the fused core. The
function of the rings of permeable material is to maintain continued electrolytic
contact with the whole surface of the positive electrode.
The facility with which the most porous carbons obtain oxygen from the air is
none too great & therefore carbon being a convenient substance to employ for the
purpose I prefer a negative electrode which I have designed & which is in the form
of a great number of carbonaceous filaments situated upon & outstanding from a
porous carbonaceous conducting support.
This form gives an enormous area of negative electrode surface in intimate
contact with the air & the porosity of the conducting support allows of ready
electrolytic conduction to the whole of this exposed surface.
I prefer to form these electrodes by carbonizing textile velvet-like fabrics.
To give a still greater affinity for oxygen this carbon velvet may be impregnated

page_text: זיזי
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with any substance possessing that property, in some cases I prefer to impregnate
the said velvet-like fabric with the substance; possessing an affinity for oxygen, or
some substance from which such a substance. would be reduced by heat, before
carbonization so that the carbonizing process may reduce the impregnated material,
into & in good contact, with, the fibrous carbon."
A battery possessing the improvements before mentioned, of; great capacity &
subject to no appreciable deterioration when out of use may be made as follows. Take
deep pile, corduroy, cut it into portions about ten per cent. larger in each direction
than the required finished, size, immerse these portions in a weak; solution (1.oz. to
1 qt. of water) of bichloride of platinum, dry & afterwards carbonize between
carbon plates & packed in charcoal dust within a plumbago crucible, exposed for
some hours to a bright furnace heat, paste, with ordinary flour paste this carbonized
substance firmly round a porous jar of soft quality, round which has previously,
been coiled a fine platinum wire whose turns are about apart, & then heat the
whole in the crucible again as before.
After removing from the crucible the positive pole connection which may be of
silver or platinum wire is to be soldered to each turn of the spiral wire surrounding
the porous jar, the porous jar should then have its top for about an inch in depth
dipped repeatedly into very hot ozokerit wax or some other sealing substance &
should then be fixed in a protecting case of perforated (to allow access of air)
cardboard, ebonite, or other casing material.
The laminated zinc electrode (having been constructed according to the method
detailed herein to dimensions of diameter & length about " & 1" respectively less
than the internal diameter & length of the porous jar) is to be soaked in a solution of
chloride of zinc or chloride of calcium with or without the addition of glycerine, or
a mixture of them & after having beeu placed in the porous jar the intervening space,
is to be filled with a mixture of the said deliquescent solution with paper, sand, clay,
kaolin or other handy absorbent, this paste should coutain enough liquid to allow,
of its penetrating the porous jar & moistening the velvo-carbon upon it. A loose
cover should be slipped over the top of the cell, allowing the zinc electrode to be
removed & replaced when completely oxidized.
It should be distinctly understood that this description is only of one method of
constructing a cell containing my improvements.
.
Having now particularly ascertained & described the nature of my invention
I declare that what I claim is,
Claim I. In an electric battery a negative electrode consisting of a porous
electricity conducting substance partly or wholly possessing an affinity for oxygen
the same being situated wholly in the air but with some considerable portion of its
surface in contact with the solution surrounding the positive electrode, substantially
as described.
Claim II. In an electric battery the combination of a negative electrode
consisting of a porous electricity conducting substance partly or wholly possessing
an affinity for oxygen the same being situated wholly in the air but with some
considerable portion of its surface in contact with the solution surrounding the
positive electrode, with an electrolytic solution of a deliquescent neutral salt,
substantially as described.
Claim III. In an electric battery the combination of a negative electrode con
sisting of a porous electricity conducting substance partly or wholly possessing an
affinity for oxygen the same being situated wholly in the air but with some
considerable portion of its surface in contact with the solution of a deliquescent
neutral salt surrounding the positive electrode, & a porous absorbent saturated
with the said solution, substantially as & for the purpose described.
Claim IV. In an electric battery the combination of a negative electrode con-
sisting of a porous electricity conducting substance partly or wholly possessing an
affinity for oxygen the same being situated wholly in the air but with some
considerable portion of its surface in contact with the solution surrounding the

page_text: positive electrode, with an inert porous supporting diaphragm, substantially as &
for the purpose described.
.
Claim V. In an electric battery the combination of a negative electrode con-
sisting of a porous electricity conducting substance partly or wholly possessing an
affinity for oxygen the same being situated wholly in the air but with some
considerable portion of its surface in contact with the solution of a neutral
deliquescent salt surrounding the positive electrode, & a porous absorbent saturated
with the said solution together with a laminated positive electrode constructed
substantially as in the manner of the form, & for the purpose described.
Claim VI. In an electric battery the combination of a negative electrode of
carbonized velvet-like fabric situated wholly in the air but with a considerable
portion of its surface in contact with the solution surrounding the positive electrode,
with an inert porous supporting diaphragm, substantially as & for the purpose
described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1894.
HARRY THEODORE BARNETT.