IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC APPAratus
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
-
Patent Agency, of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Ger-
many, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC APPAratus.”-
A communication from Josef Leiter, Manufacturer, residing at
Vienna, in the Empire of Austria.
Scaled the 2nd July 1875, and dated the 26th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th January 1875.
I, FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency,
of Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC APPA-
RATUS," a communication, to be as follows:-
:-
All batteries hitherto constructed, especially those which have to be
transported, have the disadvantage that when they were charged they
could not be hermetically closed, and that when the elements had to be
lifted out a complicated mechanism was necessary. If such batteries

page_text: were to be transported for some distance the several parts of them and
the acid had to be packed in separate vessels. Elements that remain
filled during the time when they are not employed consume metals and
acids uselessly, and are readily spoiled. All these disadvantages are
avoided with my apparatus.
This space holds three
In each cell there is a
I may use a box for 30 elements of the system Smee. This box is
made of hard caoutchouc. The upper part is divided into 30 cells; the
lower half serves for the reception of the acid.
times as much liquid as is needed for the cells.
tube, air-tight in the bottom, and it reaches nearly to the bottom of the
acid vessel. The openings of these tubes can be closed by screws.
Above the bottom of the cells the said tubes are perforated laterally
four times. I use a tube with a screw closing these openings and
another opened. Below the bottom of the cells, in one of the sides of
the acid vessel, there is a stop-cock, through which air can be blown.
If turned laterally it indicates also when the vessel is properly filled.
On the other hand, the liquid which has been used is discharged through
this cock. It serves also to entirely close the vessel when destined for
transportation.
I also use a box for clements with two acids. It is like that
above described, with the difference that there are two acid vessels
provided with the tubes. Each cell contains a porous wall of clay or
diaphragm, by which a cell is divided into two equal parts. From the
one of them the tube extends in the first, and from the other in the
second compartment of the acid vessel. Each of these compartments is
provided with a stop-cock. A connecting piece is provided with a
groove which corresponds to the thickness of the porous wall. When
the lower vessel has been filled through one of the cells as many elements
may be filled by blowing air into the acid vessel as have been opened
previously. The acid passes through the tubes in the cells, ascending to
the same height in each onc. After this the stop-cock is closed, where-
upon the liquid is retained in the cells.
In order to isolate the circulation of the current by the liquid of the
elements the tubes are also closed by screws. The air cock can then be
opened again, so that if necessary a further number of elements can be
charged; or in order to let the acid flow back by opening the screw.
all the cells are closed by the screw, and if the air cock is also closed,
If

page_text: the battery can easily be transported without spilling any acid. There
being a great surplus of acid in the lower vessel a constant ourrent can
be produced for some time. The precipitates formed fall down to the
bottom, and remain there until it is filled anew.
As the charging of the elements requires 2 to 4 minutes when executed
in this way this battery has a special value for medical, technical, and
experimental purposes. The battery box has a cover and handle. On
the cover there are as many openings as there are elements in the box.
The openings have two slits, through which the traverse pieces of a clamp
are put in. A pin is pushed towards the outside by a spiral spring. If
this clamp is turned round in the opening the pin presses by means
of the spring on the respective element. By this arrangement only
the small surfaces of the connection have to be cleansed from the
oxidation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANK
WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Agency, of
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Frank Wirth, Her special
licence that I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frank Wirth, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN ELECTRIC APPARATUS," a communication from Josef Leiter,
Manufacturer, a person resident at Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,

page_text: Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 3 is a
similar section on the line y, y, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a modification.
Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the keys.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.
•
A designates what is known as the "cup" of a battery, which I
prefer to make of hard caoutchouc, and B, C, are the compartments of
the cup formed by a horizontal partition D. The lower compartment C
serves to receive the acidulated liquid used in the battery, which liquid
is introduced to said compartment through a cock E located immediately
below the horizontal partition D. F designates pipes (one or more) that
form the avenue of communication between the two compartments B, C,
the pipes extending from the bottom of the upper compartment to near
the bottom of the lower onc. When liquid has been filled into the com-
partment C to about a level with the cock E and air is forced in through
the cock the pressure of the air on the liquid causes it to rise in the
pipes F, whence it flows into the compartment B, provided the stoppers
of the pipes are in an open condition. The mouths of the pipes F
respectively are bored out so as to form scats for stoppers G, which are
preferably made conical hollow, and with a transverse aperture a, which
latter, when the stoppers are turned in the proper direction, coincides
with one or more holes-formed in the seats of the stoppers (see Figure 3),
and thereby the stoppers are opened. When the stoppers G are in an
open condition, as just described, and the pressure of air in the com-
partment C is continued, the liquid flows in the compartment, B. until
it is properly filled. If the pressure of air is taken off and the
stoppers G are in an open condition the liquid returns to the lower com-
partment C, and by this means the battery is rendered suitable for
transportation, the liquid being not liable to spill or leak out, while it
does not consume the elements during this time. By turning the
aperture a of the stoppers away from the hole in their seats the flow of
the liquid is stopped, either to or from the compartment B. The
shanks G¹ of the stopper G rise to above the edge of the compart-
ment C, and have suitable finger pieces, so that access is had to them
and the stoppers can readily be opened or closed.
.

page_text: The stoppers may have various forms, as, for instance, that of a screw
or of an ordinary stop-cock, instead of that here shown. The cock E
serves to discharge the liquid from the compartment C, to do which the
cup is inverted and the cock turned so as to point downward. When
this cock is turned laterally it indicates also when the compartment C is
properly filled. The upper compartment B is subdivided into a series of
cells H, the partitions I of which serve to support the elements of the
battery, namely, through the medium of the tie pieces b, which together
with bolts c serve to connect a carbon and zinc plate J, K, or their
equivalent together, and which are fitted in recesses formed in the top
edge of the partitions in such a way that when adjusted in place the
elements are held immersed in the liquid of the cells. Elements also
are held against or near the side of the cellular compartments B by
means of bolts c and adjusting screws d parallel with the other
plates J, K, in order to mate the elements suspended on the outer side
of the outer partitions. It is obvious that these elements can be dis-
placed and taken out without the aid of any complicated mechanism.
To the edge of the compartment B is hinged or otherwise secured a lid L
having a suitable fastening device, and in which are formed a series of
holes N, to which are fitted the lower portions of telescopic keys M.
These keys are provided with one or more bits e, and the holes N with
corresponding branches, so that the keys can be inserted through the
holes, and when turned are securely held in place. Between the two
parts of the telescopic keys M is arranged a spring f, Figure 5, which
has a tendency to keep the lower part of the keys in contact with the
elements or with the tie pieces b when the lid is shut, as shown in
Figure 2. The upper end of the spring fcomes in contact with the
lining g of the hole that receives the wire, and by this means serves to
complete the circuit of the apparatus. A number of holes are made in
the lid corresponding to the number of clements used, and in either of
which the keys M may be inserted according to the number of elements
it is desired to bring into requisition.
In Figure 4 I have shown a modification of the compartment C, a
second horizontal partition D' being added, so as to form two compart-
ments C, C', adapted to receive different kinds of liquids, and in cach of
which alternate pipes F extends. Each of these compartments C, C³,
is provided with a suitable cock.
The advantages of my apparatus are annarent, and it may be remarked.

page_text: that the charging of the elements requires about two to four minutes,
wherefore my battery has a special value for medical, technical, and
experimental purposes.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. In a galvanic battery the combination of the cup A, its hori-
zontal partition D, one or more connecting pipes F, stoppers G, and
cock E, substantially as described.
Second. In combination with the partition I of the compartment B,
the tie pieces 6 supporting the elements of the battery, substantially as
described.
Third. The combination with the cup A of the lid L having the
holes N, and telescopic keys M having springs f, substantially as
described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
17
FRANK WIRTH. (L.S.)