IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF GENERATING AND STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Westphal of N° 22 Elsasser Strasse Berlin in the
German Empire, Railway Director for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE METHOD OF GENERATING AND STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THEREWITH
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Westphal at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th June 1882.
CARL WESTPHAL, of N° 22 Elsasser Strasse, Berlin, in the German Empire,
Railway Director IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF GENERATING AND STORING
ELECTRIC ENERGY AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THEREWITH
My invention has for its object to diminish the loss of energy occasioned by the
usual mode of converting heat into electric currents, which loss results greatly from
the application of a motor and a dynamo-electric machine as intermediate
carriers. The principle of my invention consists in producing from coals a
constant current of electricity by means of water gas and oxygen or atmospheric
air, which gases are applied for artificially producing on plates or electrodes the
same condition or state assumed by the latter during the electrical decomposition
of water. With regard to the processes and apparatus for producing a constant
current of water gas my invention consists, in superheating the steam required for
the production of water gas, by conducting it through coils of pipes arranged in
the fire bridge of the combustion space. Also in generating gas from successive
layers of coal by causing the heating gases to flow through pipes in a direction
contrary to the motion of the coal, collecting the gases formed in the different
layers by channels turned downward from which they are led off separately by
means of roof-shaped channels of refractory material. Also in removing the ashes
by allowing the same to fall on one side of a bucket wheel, which is turned by the
weight of the ashes and allows them to fall in proportion to the speed of the
wheel. Also in regulating the speed of the said wheel by means of an escapment
provided with a pendulum the speed of which can be altered by changing the
length. Also in making the length of the pendulum dependent on the position of

page_text: the stop-cock of the supply pipes for gas, air and steam, by means of a band or
strap carrying the weight of the pendulum, and conducted to pulley fixed on the
axle of the stop-cock, the turning of the cock causing the band to be rolled on the
pulley, thereby altering the length of the pendulum. Also in the combination of
this appliance with cocks whose aperture has such a shape that in turning the cock
the clear opening is altered in proportion to the number of oscillations of the
corresponding pendulum. Also in fixing or arresting the length of the pendulum
by means of a spring provided with a nose, behind which slides the edge of the
weight of the pendulum as soon as the length of the pendulum and with it the
position of the cocks has reached a given limit. With regard to the processes and
apparatus for producing electric currents by chemical means my invention consists:
In leading the gases down into the liquids by means of gas-scooping apparatus,
also in causing the gases to flow upward in suitable channels open towards the
bottom, also in allowing the gases to escape under water in the shape of bubbles
and to rise along suitable surfaces, also in pressing the gases through diaphragms
consisting either entirely of good conductors of electricity or having its surface
from which the bubbles issue, covered with a porous conducting material.
causing the gases to pass along porous diaphragms, over the porous conducting
surface of which the liquids are pouring down. Also in applying to the plates
pieces of coke, combs, sieves or brushes, or covering the electrodes with spongy
platinum and lead for the purpose of increasing the effect of the surfaces or sources
where the electro-motive force is generated. Also in the application for the same.
purpose of electrodes the surfaces of which are provided with hollows resembling
the cells of bee-hives. Also in using the appliances just described for the con-
struction of accumulators, the conducting surfaces, where oxygen is liberated by
the passage of the current being made of materials chemically indifferent against
oxygen, or whose chemical combination replaces the electro-motive action of the
oxygen; such materials are coal, platinum, gold, or (in the latter case) lead which
forms peroxyde of lead replacing the oxygen as in Faure's batteries. Also in
using the appliances above described for producing electric currents from
combustible gases such as hydrogen or carbonic oxide, and gases which entertain
combustion such as chlorine,
Also in

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Carl Westphal in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 29th December 1882.
CARL WESTPHAL of N° 22 Elsasser Strasse, Berlin in the German Empire,
Railway Director "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF GENERATING AND STORING
ELECTRIC EMERGY, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR OR CONNECTED THERE WITH."
The small percentage of useful effect obtained in converting the power stored
up in Coal into electricity by means of a motor and a dynamo-electric machine
renders it advisable to seek a way of avoiding the two intermediate machines
which must be regarded as carriers or bridges leading to the desired result. After
many experiments I have succeeded in producing electric currents from Coal, not,
it is true, directly from Coal in its solid state, but from some of its gaseous
compounds The principle of this invention consists in producing a constant
current of electricity by means of water gas or generator gas and oxygen or
atmospheric air, in a manner not hitherto employed by Grove or others, that is to
say, by using these Gases for artificially producing on plates the state assumed by
electrodes during the electrolytical decomposition of water, which state is the cause
of the production of polarization currents-To attain this object it is essential to
maintain the stream of gases produced always constant; and one should be able to
regulate the quantity of gas produced at any moment. The apparatus for
generating water Gas illustrated on the accompanying drawings, sheet I is also
provided with a mechanism by which the quantity of gas generated within a given
space of time can be regulated in order to maintain a constant current-My
improved generator consists of a box of fire-proof clay in which a series of pipes
and roof-shaped channels, also of fire proof clay, are arranged in the manner shown
by Figures 1 and 2-They are supported between the walls by partitions A A-
The box is filled to the top with ground anthracite coal. To diminish any loss of
heat the box is surrounded at a short distance from its walls by a casing and the
intervening space divided into sections 1-11, as shewn in the drawings-To
the front of the box is applied a gas furnace the fire-bridge F of which contains
a series of serpentine flues e. Gas is admitted from the holder G through the
channel c and apertures or nozzles a into the combustion chamber, while atmo-
spheric air enters through cocks h³ into the section 1, where it is highly heated
and also in the pipes a and ẞ, and finally it is conducted to the combustion
chamber through the section 2 and nozzles b where it meets the gas current The
products of combustion pass around the fire-bridge, highly heating the same and
proceed afterwards through clay pipes 7, 6 and e in the direction of the arrows
into the chamber R, whence they subsequently escape into the chimney---During
their passage, the gases heat the coal surrounding the pipes, whereby water
vapors are formed near the pipes e, which vapors are caught by the roof-
shaped channels and conducted out of the apparatus. A little deeper down, where
the heat is greater, hydro-carbon vapors are formed and carried out along the
channels 2, while the tubes y heat the coals to incandescence. At the same time
steam from the reservoir D is conducted into the section 3 through the cock h³ and
channels d and 6. During its passage through the serpentine flue of the fire-
bridge F the steam is superheated almost to the point of decomposition, in which
state it enters from the section 3 into the three superposed channels n' and in
passing through the coal, it arrives at the division 8, when it is conducted to the
gas-holder. During its passage through the incandescent coal, the steain is
decomposed, and the oxygen thus set free forms with the coal carbonic oxide.
One volume of steam produces in this manner one volume of hydrogen and one

page_text: volume of carbonic oxide-For regulating the quantity of Gas produced, the com-
bustion chamber as well as the sections 1 and 3 are divided into separate com-
partments by vertical partitions S, which compartments can be set out of action
one after the other by closing the corresponding cocks h¹. h. and h³.-The removal
of the ashes must at the same time be stopped to prevent unburnt materials from
falling into the ash-pit. The apparatus for removing the ashes illustrated by
Figure 1 and Figures 4 and 5 allows not only the setting of certain compartments
entirely out of action, but also the regulation of the quantity of gas produced in
every compartment. The ashes formed during the generation of the water-gas
slides down over channels and pipes n', na and B, falls on one side of the bucket
wheel Z and tends to turn the latter in one direction by its weight. The speed
of this motion, and therefore the quantity of the ashes removed, is however
controlled by an escapement in combination with a pendulum, so that the discharge
remains constant and depends only upon the length of the pendulum. The
pendulum is formed by a heavy weight M attached to a steel-band as shewn in
Figure 1 and in Figures 4 and 5 The latter passes through a slot of the shaft G and
then over a pulley H. mounted on the axle of a steam stop-valve The length
of the pendulum is made dependent on the position of the steam-valve and
consequently on the supply of steam-If now the clear opening of the valve is
made into such a shape that the sectional area of the passage varies with the
number of oscillations, and if the valves for the supply of gas and air are
constructed in the same manner, if, furthermore the positions of these valves are
made dependent on each-other by connecting rods in the manner shown in the
drawing, then the quantity of gas to be produced and the quantities of gaseous
fuel, steam and air necessary for this purpose may be regulated by setting one
cock or valve. In the same manner the working of the apparatus may be made
dependent on the position of the gas holder and consequently on the quantity of
electricity produced. The motion of the pendulum is transmitted in a well-known
manner upon the escapement by a forked rod M. The heat of the gases produced
is utilized for raising steam by conducting them through a worm of the steam
generator shown in the drawings. The hydro carbon produced may be used with
advantage for heating the gas generator. The apparatus represented in Figs 6, 7
and 8 is a modification of this water-gas-furnace, in the construction of which
pipes a, B, y, d, and roof-shaped channels E, 2, 71, 711 are once superposed
vertically over each other so as to form pit-shaped chambers in which also caking
coal may be transformed, while another time the pipes a, B. Y, 6, e and channels
,, ', are made of bricks in such a manner as to form a smooth pit wall
along which the coal can easily move downward. The conduits for the inlet and
egress of gas communicate by a number of small apertures with the interior of the
pit, which is clearly seen in the accompanying drawing. The current of water-
gas obtained by this generator is conducted to a gas-holder for regulating its
pressure and subsequently applied to the generation of electric currents.
effected, as already mentioned, by artificially producing and maintaining on con-
ducting plates the state which is assumed by the electrodes used for the electrical
decomposition of water. This state may be produced in the following different
ways:—
This is
First: The gases may be caught by metallic plates provided with cells, which
plates filled with gas, are led under water, thereby producing the state necessary
for generating an electric current.
Second. The gases may be caused to rise along channels which are immersed in
water at a small angle to the horizon, and with their openings turned downward,
whereby the required contact of the gas with the water and metal is maintained.
Third, The gases, exposed to a suitable pressure under water, may be pressed
through diaphragms lined with a conducting material, or through diaphragms
entirely composed of a porous conducting material, so that they emerge in the
shape of small bubbles and are at the same time in contact with the liquid and
with the metal.

page_text: Fourth; The gases may be caused to flow out of fine openings under water in
the shape of small bubbles, and the latter caused to rise along metallic plates
placed a trifle inclined to the vertical, thereby keeping the bubbles in contact with
the metal.
Fifth, The gas may also be conducted through porous pipes or chambers filled
with conducting material in form of grains or small pieces.
Sixth, Finally the gas may be caused to be absorbed by suitable liquids, and
these liquids charged with gas may then be conducted along electrodes consisting
of similar conducting material so that the gas likewise remains in close contact
with the liquid and the electrode.
Apparatus adapted to operate as described are represented on the accompanying
drawings and may be modified in various ways.
The apparatus represented by Figure 10 is composed of wooden boxes B, in
which are mounted pulleys A A and A' A' arranged in pairs and made out of
conducting material not attackable by the liquid used. A broad endless band of
Indiarubber passes over the upper and lower pulley of every pair, and on one side
of this band are attached a series of buckets a... which hold gas and are always in
electrical connection with the metallic pulleys. In the drawing, this connection is
established by riveting the buckets by means of leaden rivets to an endless strip of
lead c (see Figure 12) situated on the inside of the band b.
The upper pulleys are surmounted by hoods C, to which the gases to be used are
conducted by pipes or hose. If now the band b is moved in the direction of the
arrows, the gas buckets a... take up gas from underneath the hood C and carry it
into the liquid which fills the-box B up to about the level of the upper pulley A.
In the same manner a second endless band b' carries atmospheric air or oxygen
down into the liquid. The two systems of buckets are put in electrical connection
by a conducting wire, and a strong current is produced by the chemical com-
bination of the two gases, which current has a high electro-motive force and is
very constant. In order to maintain the distance between the two systems of
buckets, and consequently the internal resistance of the element constant, wooden
lugs d d are made to project from the walls of the box between which the sides of
the endless bands are guided. The quantity of gases to be taken up by the
buckets depends upon the ratio of the volumes in which the gases unite; with the
same diameters and sizes of buckets the pulleys A acquire a speed by means of tooth-
gearings which speed is in due proportion to these ratios. With the application
of gases which in turn evolve gaseous products, the discharge of the same must bo
provided for; and this is effected by leading the bands upwards at an inclined plane
and over the guide pulleys D. The gases rise along this plane without getting into
the hood C. Through the multiplication of such boxes and their proper distribution,
electric currents of a high electro-motive power and internal resistance, may readily
be generated.
As the seats of the electro motive force are appreciably those places where the
gas, water and metals come into contact, their augmentation may be effected by
providing the buckets with apertures like honey comb cells, or with combs,
brushes, cokebits or sieves, and covering these with spongy platinum or spongy
lead.
Figures 13 and 14 represent an apparatus constructed to meet the condition
of § 2.
In a wooden box are secured a row of gutters or ducts A A¹, slightly inclined
to the vertical and made of metal and the openings of which are placed downwards,
one edge being fixed somewhat higher than the other, as indicated in Figure 13.
Underneath each of these gutters or ducts of one row or consecutive series, gas
is led under pressure from the reservoir E through the pipes f provided with
cocks h. This gas then rises upwards along these gutters, and thus permits of the
formation of electric currents owing to its simultaneous contact with the metal of
the gutters or ducts and the fluid, and by the aid of the above mentioned filters,
such as coke, brushes, lead, platina sponge and sieves.

page_text: These currents can be conducted off from the gutters. The gaseous products
left behind, which will be carbonic acid when water gas or generator gas is
employed, and nitrogen when atmospheric air is used, rise through the
openings Kat the highest places of the gutters or ducts and assemble in
receivers G placed over the ducts whence, in case of the presence of combustible
gases they can be educted for further uses.
In order to every where equalize the quantity of gas to be led under the gutters
or ducts, the pipes fare provided underneath with small openings of which the
cross section or rather of which the number is in direct ratio with the height of
the water above them. Any excess of gas led under the gutters or ducts, escapes
over their shorter edge, but is at once caught up by the superposed gutter or duct,
and utilized for the generation of electric currents.
In Fig. 15 is shown a modification of this apparatus, in which the slowly rising
gutter is formed by a wire wound helically round a metal-cylinder. Through
minute openings underneath, the gas streams out in bubbles and is forced by the
screw-shaped wire to rise of its own accord in a helical line, in which manner the
prolonged contact of the gas with the metal cylinder and the fluid is effected.
A number of such cylinders arranged in vertical rows, placed in a vessel one, row
being fed with hydrogen and the other with nitrogen, permit of the generation of
currents of any desired intensity according to the volume of the vessel.
Figures 16 and 17 represent an apparatus in which are employed clay diaphragms.
A row of concentrically arranged.porous clay cells are hermetically sealed at both
ends by proper covers in such a manner that a number of circular cylindrical or
annular spaces are formed.
The spaces W are filled with dilute sulphuric acid and are kept filled with the
same through the pipes X. Through the pipe Y the spaces H are filled with
hydrogen through the connecting pipes y'y³ in the manner already indicated,
while through the pipe Z the spaces O are provided with oxygen. These
conducting walls of the cells which are in contact with the gases, are provided
with metallic weft, sieves or brushes, so that the gas, water and atmospheric air
come into contact at as many points at the same time as possible, but without
influencing the porosity of the wall. From the spaces W the fluid permeates
through the porous cells and drips down between the latter and the metallic weft.
In this manner the condition for the generation of the polarization current is
fulfilled. The fluid assembling in the gas-spaces is conducted into a water-
reservoir below, there placed for the purpose, through the pipes v. This reservoir
at the same time cuts off all communication between the gases and the atmospheric
air. The pipes 8 and t serve to afford egress to the useless gases, such as nitrogen
and carbonic acid, which may be in immediate process of generation or have been
already generated by the employment of atmospherio air.
As mentioned in § 3, the gases may be forced through the diaphragms the
metallic weft being fastened to those surfaces of the cells which are turned towards
the water.
Finally, in accordance with the method specified in 4 the gas under the water
may be made to stream out in the form of small bubbles, and rise along the walls
of the metal plate slightly off from the vertical which is at the same time provided
with inequalities, brushes, or coal bits.
The gas, which streams out in the form of bubbles underneath each electrode, is
forced to rise in zig zag owing to the inclined position of the plates, whereby they
are forced to remain constantly in contact with the electrode. The gases which
are still useful are caught over each electrode by the hoods G and conducted by
pipes g for further utilization.
If water gas is used, the two gases, hydrogen and carbonic oxide, may be separated
from each other either by centrifugal force or by forcing the mixture through a
porous diaphragm or also by causing the carbonic oxide gas to be absorbed by a
solution of chloride of copper in hydrochloric acid; in this case the gases may be
separately utilized for the generation of the current.

page_text: Or the gas escaping from the apparatus and which may still be utilized, may be
conducted through a purifier filled with lime-water to be separated from the
carbonic acid mixed with it, after which it may again be utilized for the generation
of currents.
Figs. 19. 20 and 21 represent further modifications in which the gases are
conducted through chambers O and H filled with small pieces of coke separated by
porous diaphragms such as parchment paper see Figs 20 and 21 or clay-plates see
fig. 19.
To render these diaphragms sufficiently conducting the parchment paper is
covered on both sides with felt sheets absorbing and retaining a sufficient quantity
of liquid.
For the same purpose the clay-plates are provided with longitudinal channels a,'
through which the liquid is conducted, and the latter by dropping out through the
pores permits the generation of the current which can be conducted outward by
means of inlaid copper-wire or coal-rods.
The clay-plates provided with channels a may be coated on both sides with coal.
by conducting through the said channels incandescent gases of combustion by
which the clay-plate is heated to incandescence, and subsequently
Conducting carburetted gases or vapors over the surface of these plates, whereby
said gases or vapors are decomposed and the carbon in separating settles on the
clay-plates in the shape of a porous cohesive layer in a similar way as graphite
settles on the walls of the gas retorts in the production of lighting gas which deposit
is well suited for the generation of electric currents from gases. Or the gas may
be made to permeate through a series of horizontal and parallel sieves, by which
means also the small bubbles are brought into intimate contact with the metal and
the fluid, and permit of the generation of electric currents.
All these apparatus can be readily used as accumulators when those conducting
planes or surfaces on which oxygen is generated by the passage of an electric
current, are constructed of a metal which is not affected by this gas, or the chemical
affinity of which replaces the electro-motive effect. Such materials are coal,
platinum, gold, or even lead, in which latter case peroxide of lead is formed which
replaces the oxygen, according to Planté, Faure and others.
On all these apparatus, small gasometers are provided over the places where
the gases escape, which collect the generated hydrogen and oxygen.
These so collected gases, in the generation of secondary electric currents, are then
brought into contact with the metallic surfaces and the fluids, in the manner already
specified.
For the purpose of accumulation in the apparatus shown in Fig. 10 the
bands bare given a motion in the direction opposite to that indicated by the
arrows.
In lieu of the water gas or generator gas, there may be used hydrogen, carbonic
oxide and, in fact, all combustible gases. Moreover, in lieu of the oxygen and
atmospheric air, all the gases which maintain combustion such as chlorine gas, may
be used.
For generating electric currents in this way such gases, vapors or liquids may
be chosen which at the same time produce useful compounds, for instance the
combination of sulphorous acid and atmospheric air producing sulphuric acid.
In this manner besides the electric current, another valuable product is obtained,
reducing the cost of the generation of the electric current to a minimum.
Instead of sulphuric acid, other valuable products may be obtained in the
same way.
CLAIMS.

page_text: 2. In apparatus for producing electric currents by chemical means :-
a. The process of conducting the gases downward into the liquids by means of
suitable gas-scooping appliances.
b. The process of causing the gases to rise in suitable channels or grooves directed
upward.
c, The process of causing the gases to escape under water and to rise along
suitable surfaces.
d. The process of pressing the gases through diaphragms consisting entirely of
conducting material, or provided with a porous coating along the surfaces from
which the gases escape.
e. The process of causing the gases to flow along porous diaphragms over
whose porous conducting surface trickle the liquids in passing through the said
diaphragms.
f. The process of conducting the gases through chambers which have porous
walls and are filled with conducting material in the shape of small pieces or
granules.
g. The process of causing the gases to be absorbed by suitable liquids and of
conducting these liquids charged with gas along suitable electrodes.
h. In the apparatus described the application of combs, sieves, brushes, particles
of coke and similar objects as a covering of the electrodes for the purpose of
increasing as much as possible the active or electro-motive parts.
i. For the same purpose the application of electrodes whose surfaces are provided
with cells analogous to those of honeycombs.
k. The application of the described apparatus as accumulators, substantially in
the manner described.
1. In apparatus as described the application of gases and vapours selected so as
to produce useful by-products by the generation of electric currents, in the manner
substantially as described.
m. In the process for producing electric currents from water-gas the separation or
splitting of the mixture by causing the carbonic oxide to be absorbed by a solution
of chloride of copper in muriatic acid and the utilization of this solution for the
generation of currents in the manner described
n. The recovery of the gases given off by apparatus as described by the absorption
of the carbonic acid in lime-water.
The whole substantially as described
In witness whereof I, the said Carl Westphal have hereunto set my hand and
seal this eleventh day of December A D 1882.
CARL WESTPHAL. (L.S.)