Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
I, FLAVIEN POUDROUX, of 30, Boulevard St. Germain, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Professor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improved galvanic battery, which forms the subject of the present inven-
tion, consists of a central cylinder of carbon contained in a porous jar, a hollow
cylinder of zinc, contained in a porous jar, surrounding the first, and a hollow
cylinder of carbon surrounding the last mentioned porous jar and contained in a
glass vessel in which the whole apparatus is placed.
The central porous jar containing the carbon cylinder is filled with a depolarizing
liquid consisting of water containing two tenths of its weight of nitrate of potash,
one twentieth of its weight of per-oxide of manganese, three twentieths of its weight
of bichromate of soda and two twentieths of its weight of sulphuric acid.
The second porous jar containing the hollow cylinder of zinc is filled with an
exciting liquid consisting of water having dissolved in it three twentieths of its
weight of chlor-hydrate of ammonia, and two twentieths of its weight of nitrate
of potash.
The proportions mentioned may be varied more or less as may be found
advisable.
The outer glass vessel containing the hollow carbon cylinder contains another
depolarizing liquid consisting of a solution of bichromate of soda acidulated with
one tenth of its weight of sulphuric acid. Binding screws and conducting wires
are attached to the upper ends of the zinc and carbons.
The improved galvanic battery has the following advantages.
It is without smell and the materials employed are inoffensive. In each element
two distinct and constant currents are formed, which are utilized and give an
energy greater than has been hitherto obtained. The arrangement allows the
employment of a large surface of zinc in a vessel of small size and containing
little liquid. The materials employed for the exciting and depolarizing liquid are
cheap, a five or six candle lamp not costing more than fifteen centimes an hour.
Once prepared the battery will work for at least a hundred and eighty hours,
only requiring the liquid in the porous jar containing the hollow cylinder of zinc
to be renewed after about thirty hours work, which can be easily done as the zine
and the porous jars can be removed without disarranging the rest of the apparatus.
In open circuit the battery is not wasted, but recovers its energy, all the zincs and
carbons being raised out of the liquid by any convenient means. In the same
way the light may be regulated as desired from its full power to complete extinction
by the greater or less immersion of the carbons and zine in the liquid. The exciting
liquid being only slightly acid, the zinc when once amalgamated will last for a
considerable time. The battery being cheap, without smell, and inoffensive, and
giving a sufficient light, is well adapted for domestic purposes.
Dated this 21st day of February 1891.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: :
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
I, FLAVIEN POUDROUX, of 30, Boulevard St. Germain, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Professor, 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 and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
The chief object of this invention is to solve the long existing problem of a sub-
stitute for dynainos: in electric lighting by providing a cheap, inodorous, inoffensive
electric battery capable of supplying light enough for domestic uses.
To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts
and in the mixtures of ingredients and relative arrangements of solutions and
elements hereinafter set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying drawing, the figure represents a perspective view of a con-
centric battery embodying my invention, the table top on which it rests, and
duplicates, also placed severally on said table top, of the various interior parts of
the said battery.
A represents a carbon cylinder, which forms the centre of the battery and has
a wire a attached thereto; B a porous cell or partition surrounding the said cylinder
at a sufficient distance, C a hollow cylinder of zinc similarly surrounding the said cell
or partition and having a wire c attached thereto, D a porous vase or partition
in like manner surrounding the said hollow cylinder C; Ea hollow carbon cylinder
having a wire e attached thereto and in like manner surrounding the cell or par-
tition C and F the external glass vase or jar which similarly surrounds the carbon
cylinder E, and is provided with a bottom and contains the operative parts of the
battery.
The cylindrical elements C, E, are open at one side from top to bottom; but the
cylindrical cells or partitions B, D, are left with their walls solid and unbroken. All
of these interior concentric cylindrical parts are easily removeable.
The space between the carbon element A and the partition B contains a
depolarizing aqueous solution consisting of azotate of potash, binoxide of man-
ganese, bichromate of soda, and sulphuric acid in the proportions by weight in
the order named, of two-twentieths, one-twentieth, three-twentieths,. and two-
twentieths, of the water employed.
In the space immediately surrounding the zinc element C and within the cell.or
partition D, is a liquid excitant consisting of an aqueous solution consisting of
three parts by weight of chlorhydrate of ammonia and two of azotate of potash
to twenty parts of water employed. In the space surrounding the carbon cylinder E
is another depolarizing solution of bichromate of soda acidulated by one-tenth of
its weight of sulphuric acid. The proportions above given of course- need not be
precisely adhered to.
Besides the advantages first- above stated this battery creates in each element
two distinct and constant currents, which are utilized in giving an energy hitherto
unknown; also I am able to employ a large surface of zinc in a cell of moderate
capacity containing little liquid. The ingredients of the solutions are very cheap.
One charge of the battery will suffice to fit it for working at least one hundred
and eighty hours, except that one third only, that within the cell D, should-be
renewed every thirty hours. This is made the more easy by the construction of
the battery which allows both the elements and the partitions to be lifted out at
will without otherwise disturbing 'the apparatus.
The battery does not consume itself or wear its strength out when not in
use, the zinc and carbon elements being lifted out of the solutions under such
circumstances.
The exciting solution being not at all acid, the zinc will last a long time
after one coating with amalgam.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the 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, a carbon and zinc element having a solution between
them consisting of azotate of potash, binoxide of manganese, bichromate of soda,
and sulphuric acid in water in about the proportions stated, in combination with a
second carbon element having between it and the zinc element an exciting solu-
tion consisting of chlorhydrate of ammonia and azotate of potash in about the
proportions stated, and an outer inclosing cell or casing containing a second
depolarizing solution in contact with the said second carbon clement, substantially
as set forth.
2. In an electric battery a cylindrical hollow carbon element and a cylindrical
hollow zinc element, each having an opening which will allow liquid to pass from
the exterior thereof to the interior or the reverse, in combination with a central
carbon element, interposed porous partitions or cells, and an exterior casing, the
inner cell being provided with a depolarizing solution which consists of azotate of
potash, binoxide of manganese, bichromate of soda, and sulphuric acid in about
the proportions given, the said solution first coming in contact with the inner carbon
element, the second partition being provided with an exciting solution which first
comes in contact with the zinc element and the space between the outer vase or
casing, and the outer carbon element being provided with another depolarizing
solution, substantially as set forth.
3. In an electric battery, a concentrically arranged series of elements, the zinc
being in the middle, the same being provided with an outer and inner depolarizing
solution, and an interposed exciting solution, consisting of about three parts by
weight, of chlorhydrate of ammonia and two of azotate of potash to twenty parts
of water, the said solution being in immediate contact with the said zinc element,
and the said solutions having access to each other through the partitions and
elements, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of October 1891
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.