Improvements in Voltaic Cells or Batteries.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by EDWARD A. CLARK, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America.]
Improvements in Voltaic Cells or Batteries.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex 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:-
My invention relates to voltaic cells or batteries.
An important feature of my said invention consists in the application of the
electrolyte in the form of a powder enclosed between layers of paper or other
porous material so as to form a pad which is arranged between the copper and zinc
plates of the cell.
One advantage of my improved cell or battery consists in its portability and the
facility with which the used up electrolyte may be replaced by a new one it being
only necessary to remove one pad and replace it by another.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan of my said cell or battery and
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.
The cell or battery constructed according to my said invention comprises a plate
of copper a forming the positive pole of the cell and a plate of zinc & forming the
negative pole of the said cell.
Between the said copper and zinc plates is interposed a pad c consisting of two
or more layers of paper or other porous substance between which is arranged the
active material c¹, such as for example, sulphate of copper, which when moistened
with water or other suitable liquid will form the electrolyte and thereby start
voltaic action between the zinc and copper plates. The layers of paper or other
material are sewn or otherwise secured together as shown at 2 Figure 1 so as to
form a kind of bag for containing the sulphate of copper or the like. By making
the electrolyte in the form of a pad the same can be readily renewed when
required and is moreover very convenient for handling and transportation. Any
number of the said pads may be carried about to be used when required.
b
The copper plate a is provided near one edge with a binding post a¹ which
projects through suitable holes in the pad c and zinc plate 6 so as to enable a con-
ductor to be attached to the end thereof in any suitable manner, as for instance by
soldering or the like. The said binding post is moreover provided with an insulating
sleeve as at a² to prevent accidental connection being made between the two plates.
The zinc plate is also provided with a binding post to which a wire or conductor
may be attached in a similar manner to that above described for the binding post a¹.
Although I have shown my improved cell or battery as being rectangular in plan
it is obvious that the same may be made square, round or of any other convenient
shape to suit the purpose for which it is to be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First. A voltaic cell or battery wherein the electrolyte is arranged in the form
of a pad composed of two or more layers of paper or other porous material which
enclose sulphate of copper or other suitable substance substantially as, and for the
purpose specified.

page_text: Second. A voltaic cell consisting of a copper plate a a zinc plate b and a porous
pad c containing sulphate of copper or other suitable substance and enclosed
between the said copper and zinc plates which are provided with binding posts or
terminals for connecting with the wire or conductors, substantially as above
described.
Dated the 15th day of Doomba 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.