IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Watt, of Brompton, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY."
Sealed the 24th January 1853, and dated the 23rd November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Watt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd November 1852..
I, CHARLES WATT, of Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OBTAINING CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object two improvements in electric
apparatus.
First, improvements in galvanic batteries, which consist of com-
bining different metals or substances in succession in such manner,
that heat, such as that of steam or heated air, or otherwise, may be
applied at one end or part; and cold, or a lower temperature, by cold
air or otherwise, may be applied at the other end or part; thus dis-
pensing the fluids heretofore used, and avoiding the decomposition
of metal consequent thereon; such galvanic battery being, amongst
other uses, peculiarly applicable in obtaining electro magnets; and

page_text: from such and other electro magnets I obtain, by the aid of the
second part of my Invention, currents of magneto electricity, by
causing the armatures to have a compound movement applied
thereto, consisting of a rotatory motion and a reciprocating motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Charles Watt in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES WATT, of Brompton, in County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Charles Watt, Her
especial licence that I, the said Charles Watt, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Watt, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING CURRENTS OF ELECTRICITY,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Watt,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said p
'
11
I,
the said Charles Watt, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-

page_text: This Invention has for its object two improvements in electric
apparatus.
First, improvements in galvanic batteries, which consist of com-
bining different metals or substances in succession in such manner
that heat, such as that of steam heated or otherwise, or heated air,-
may be applied at one end or part; and cold (or lower temperature),
by cold air or otherwise, be applied at the other end or part; thus
dispensing with the fluids heretofore used, and avoiding the decom-
position of metal consequent thereon; such galvanic battery being,
amongst other uses, peculiarly applicable in obtaining electro
magnets; and from such and other electro magnets I obtain, by the
aid of the second part of my Invention, currents of magnetic
electricity, by causing the armatures to have a compound movement.
applied thereto, consisting of a rotatory motion and reciprocating
motion.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood:
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means
pursued by me. The two different metals I have used for the.
purpose are antimony and bismuth; but I do not confine myself
thereto, as other matters may be similarly employed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shows an end view in section of a battery constructed
or combined according to my Invention; and Figure 2, shows an edge'
view or plan of a series of plates combined together end to end..
The Drawing shows the parts about half size, and I prefer to arrange:
or combine the plates in rows of about one hundred pairs in each
row. The Drawing, Figure 1, shows seven rows. The electricity of
cach
may be used for separate purposes, or they may be combined and
used together for one purpose, according as quantity or intensity is
desired. The plates a, and b, of the different metals used I prefer
(when the materials employed will admit of it) to be cast together
at their ends, which is accomplished by casting one of the metals
into plates, and then by placing them in suitable moulds to cast
thereon similar plates of the other metal; and to facilitate this, the

page_text: ends of the plates first cast are to be rendered perfectly clean and
free from oxide or impurities, as is well understood, in order that
the other metal, when run thereon, may adhere thereto; and to en-
sure this result, I have found it desirable to coat the clean surfaces
with chloride of zinc, which will aid in getting the metals to adhere.
a, a, are the sides of the apparatus; b, b, bottoms thereof; c, c, are two
parts of two partitions connected to the bottoms b, b, and running
from end to end of the apparatus; the two ends of the apparatus
are closed similarly to the two sides a, a. On the upper edges of the
two partitions c, c, are placed vulcanized india rubber d, d; then
the combined series of plates A, are placed thereon as shewn; and,
in order to prevent the steam, heated air, or other fluid getting be-
tween the combined pairs of metals, there are packings of vulcanized
india rubber applied, as is shown at e, e, in Fig. 2; two plates c¹, c¹,
are then fixed from end to end of the apparatus, vulcanized india
rubber being applied to the edges as shewn at d, d, when another
row B, of combined plates, are to be placed in position, and then the
further plates c², c²; and then another row of plates C, and so on, till
the whole number of rows to be employed are combined as shewn
by the Drawing. The apparatus as shewn is arranged for using a
constant supply of currents of cold air in one compartment and
steam or heated air in the other, by the pipes shewn; but other fluids
may be employed. The number of rows of plates may be varied,
and the number of pairs in each row, and the sizes and shapes of
the plates may be varied, when using antimony and bismuth, and
arranged as above explained; and when at a temperature at one
end of about 400 of Fahrenheit and 32 of Fahrenheit at the other,
and arranged for intensity, I have found that ordinary. binary
compounds, such as chloride of sodium (common salt), may be de-
composed by about ten rows.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention.
Figure 3, shows an apparatus suitable for carrying out this part of
my Invention; a, is an axis turning in suitable bearings b, b, which
receives motion from any suitable first mover by an endless band acting
on the pulley c. On the axis a, is a pulley d, which, by means of an

page_text: endless band, gives motion to a pulley fixed on the axis e, which turns
in bearings at f, f, in which the axis e, is also caused to slide to and
fro, in order that the armatures g, fixed at the end of the axis e, which
act in front of an electro magnet (not shewn in the Drawing), which
may be produced by the battery above described, or by other form
of battery; h, h, are two rings or collars on the axis e; and i, is a lever
with a forked end partly embracing the axis e, between the collars
h, h. The lever i, is caused to move to and fro, by means of an
eccentric j, on the axis k, which receives motion from the axis a, by
bevilled toothed wheels as shown. By this mode of working
armatures, that is, by giving them a compound motion of rotation and
reciprocations, great advantage is derived, as the prejudicial effects
consequent on residual magnetism are materially reduced, and actual
contact between the armature and the magnet may with advantage
be obtained.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that
what I claim is, first, the mode herein described of combining parts
into a galvanic battery; and, secondly, Iclaim the giving to armatures
of electro magnets a rotatory and reciprocating action.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Watt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninteenth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
Witness,
FRED
CHARLES WATT. (L.S.)
HARRIS,
24, Southampton Buildings.