IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Rosling Bennett of Glasgow in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Telegraph Engineer for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Rosling Bennett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1882.
ALFRED ROSLING BENNETT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Telegraph Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES."
This Invention has for its object the production of an improved cheap and
effective Voltaic Battery and is a further development of the Invention for which
Letters Patent have been granted to me the said Alfred Rosling Bennett No 302
A.D. 1882.
To form the negative portion of this improved Battery I use an Electrode of Iron,
Steel, Copper, Gold, Silver, Nickel, Cobalt, or any of the Platinum group of metals,
the shape of which is immaterial, with, or without, a packing of fragments of the
same metal placed in, or containing, a solution of Potassium Monoxide, Potassium
Hydroxide, Sodium Monoxido, or Sodium Hydroxide. These Monoxides, or
Hydroxides, may be used separately, or they may be mixed.-I also use a solution
of Permanganate of Potassium mixed with one or more of the foregoing solutions,
excepting those of Sodiuin Monoxide, or Sodium Hydroxide.
In place of packing the Electrodes in fragments of the same metal as stated in
the Provisional Specification of the aforesaid Letters Patent No 302 A.D. 1882, I
find that the electrodes may be packed with fragments of any of the metals
specified above, or with mixtures of the said metals.
To form the positive portion of the Battery I adopt the method described in the
Provisional Specification of my aforesaid Letters Patent

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Rosling Bennett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th October 1882.
ALFRED ROSLING BENNETT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Electrician IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES"
16
My said Invention has for its object the production of an improved cheap and
effective voltaic battery and it consists as follows :—
To form the negative portion of this improved battery I use an electrode which
may be of iron or steel, or of copper, or it may be an electrode of gold, silver, nickel,
cobalt, or of one of the platinumin group of metals.
The shape of the electrode is immaterial, as it may be in the form of a plate,
-strip,-bar,-or-cup-of-one of the above_named_metals and it is used alone or with a
packing of one of the above named-metals. other than itself, in fragments such as
borings, or filings. For example if the electrode is of iron which for practical
purpose by virtue of its being less costly than the other metals hereinbefore
mentioned, is the metal I prefer to employ, the packing may be of steel, copper,
gold, silver, nickel, cobalt, or one of the platinnm group of metals or any mixturo
of fragments of these metals may be used-as-the-packing instead of one of them
being so used.
The electrodo with or without its packing I place in a solution of Potassium
monoxide, or-Potassium-hydroxide, or a solution of Sodium monoxide or Sodium
hydroxide. These monoxides or hydroxides of Potassium or Sodium may be used
either alone or mixed together, that is to say, when mixed the monoxide and
hydroxide of Potassium may be mixed together, or the Monoxides and Hydroxide
of Sodium may be mixed together or the monoxides and hydroxides of both
Potassium and Sodium may be comminged in any proportional order. I also use a
solution of permanganate of Potassium mixed with either of the aforesaid solutions
excepting those consisting of or containing Sodium monoxide or hydroxide.-It is
to be understood that when using a solution of permanganate of Potash the packing,
if one is used, may be of the same metal as the electrode itself, or of the other
metals herein before mentioned.
When the electrode is in the form of a cup, or pot, it may contain the solution
used with it in lieu of being placed in the solution
The positive portion of my improved battery which is separated from the negative
by a partition of porous earthenware or other porous material is constructed after
the manner set forth in my Specification No 302 A.D. 1882.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or inay
be used or practically carried into effect I would observe in conclusion that what
1 consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :,
The improved voltaic battery wherein the negative portion is composed of an
electrode of one of the metals hereiu before set forth with or without a packing of
metal other than the metal of which the electrode is composed and immersed in or
containing a solution of the monoxides or hydroxides of Potassium and Sodium
either unmixed or mixed with or without the addition of a solution of permanganate
of Potassium with that of the monoxide or hydroxide of Potassium as set forth ;

page_text: and when permanganent of Potassium is used the electrode may be packed with
fragments of metal the same as itself, or of any of tho other metals hereinbefore
mentioned.
In Witness Whereof I the said Alfred Rosling Bennett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirteenth day of October in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
ALFRED ROSLING BENNETT, (L.S.)