Improvements in Voltaic Cells.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
Improvements in Voltaic Cells.
I, RICHARD OTTO ALBERT HEINRICH, of 88 Ritterstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire
of Germany, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention is directed to improvements in voltaic cells of the H type, in
which liquid electrodes are utilized, and its objects are,
First, to provide a diaphragm or diaphragms between the liquid electrodes and
the electrolyte or battery solution, which shall permit of the liberation of any
air that may accumulate thereunder on the insertion of such diaphragm or
diaphragms in position in the cells:
Secondly, to provide means for maintaining the diaphragms permanently in
position between the liquid electrodes and electrolyte or battery solution.
Heretofore it has been custoniary in the construction of voltaic cells of the
type referred to, to separate the battery. solution from the liquid electrodes by
porous diaphragms of the same diameter as the internal diameters of the cells
themselves. It has been found in practice, however, that such diaphragms
retain air beneath them and also that they often become liberated and float or
swim in the battery solution, thereby practically defeating the object for which
they are designed.
This invention effectually overcomes these objectionable features and will
be fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawing, which is a part
sectional, part side elevational view of a well known form of voltaic cell of the
H type, the improvements being illustrated in connection therewith in sectional
view in one of the cells and in dotted lines in the other of said cells.
Referring to the drawing in detail, HH represent the individual cells of a
voltaic battery of the H type, said cells being connected together in the usual
manner by a transverse tube I. EE represent the liquid electrodes in the
bottom of said cells; WW the conductors of the battery extending through the
bottoms of the cells to the liquid electrodes; A represents the electrolyte or
battery solution.
My improvement consists in constructing the diaphragms which separate the
electrodes from the electrolyte or battery solution of two discs BC, either integral
with or otherwise secured to an escape or vent tube D extending upward axially
through each cell, said discs being both perforated, as shown, at KK; F being
the usual porous packing, such as asbestos, secured between the discs BC. The
lower disc C is preferably funnel-shaped, as shown, for the purpose of affording
greater facility for the escape of air on inserting the diaphragm in place.
On assembling the parts of a voltaic cell of the character indicated and pro-
vided with my improved form of diaphragm, the liquid electrodes EE, of the
usual materials, are inserted in the cells HH. after which the space between
the discs BC is packed with a porous-like material, such as asbestos, and the
two diaphragms are then inserted in place until the funnel-shaped discs C rest
just above their respective electrodes.

page_text: These funnel shaped discs, carrying the vent tubes D, are now pushed down in
the cells until they reach the liquid electrolyte E; the air contained in the
lower portion of the cells being at the same time driven out through the vent
tubes D. It will be obvious to all skilled in the art, that if the bottom of the
discs C were flat and unprovided with vents such as D, the air contained in the
bottom of the cell would when the discs were pushed down into the cell neces-
sarily have to escape through the asbestos packing F and so tend to render
such packing liable to allow the liquids A and E to communicate, a result to be
avoided. When all the air has been expelled from the bottom of the cells
which will be apparent from the fact that the liquid electrodes E, commence
to rise in the tubes D;-the upper portions of the cell are filled with the
electrolyte or battery solution A up to a point nearly equal with the top of the
said tubes D, as shewn in the drawing. A layer of melted paraffin wax P is now
poured into the cells in order to close the upper orifice of the tubes D and
when this wax has solidified I arrange thereon a piece of cork or other suitable
material Jadapted to protect said wax P from the action of a hot sealing
mixture S which serves to render the whole cell air tight.
It is apparent that the escape or vent tubes D, being secured at their upper
ends, in the manner described, will prevent, at all times, the upward movement
of the diaphragnis, thus always maintaining them in a fixed relation to the
electrodes EE.
This invention is not limited to the particular structure of diaphragm herein
shown and described for a voltaic cell with liquid electrodes, as it is obvious
that the general form or structure might be varied at will and still come within
the scope of the invention, so long as the diaphragm itself be provided with
means for affording an escape or vent for air accumulated thereunder, and also
so long as said diaphragm itself be provided with means for securely holding
it in place above the electrode, so that it cannot float or swim in the electrolyte
or battery solution.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. In a voltaic cell having liquid electrodes, a diaphragm provided with an
escape or vent tube, substantially as described.
2. In a voltaic cell having liquid electrodes, a diaphragm provided with
means for securing it in fixed relation to the electrolyte and the electrode,
substantially as described.
3. In a voltaic cell having liquid electrodes, a diaphragm consisting of per-
forated discs and porous material packed between them, in combination with
means extending from the discs to the top of the cell and additional means for
firmly securing said parts, substantially as described.
4. In a voltaic cell of the H type, a diaphragm consisting of a porous packing
and two discs secured to an escape or vent tube, in combination with means at
the top of the cell for securing and sealing said tube, substantially as described.
5. In a voltaic cell of the H type, a diaphragm consisting of two perforated
discs, the lower one being funnel-shaped, in combination with an escape or vent
tube securing said discs together and means near the top of the cell for sealing
and securing said vent tube, substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.