RATTERIS гор GENERATING ELECTRICITY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gregory George Skrivanow of Paris in the Republic of
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED
France Engineer for an Invention, of "
RATTERIS гор
GENERATING ELECTRICITY"
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION left by the said Gregory George Skrivanow
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th September 1882.
GREGORY GEORGE SKRIVANOW of Paris in the Republic of France Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND CONNECTED WITH BATTERIES FOR GENERATING
ELECTRICITY
"
The object of my Invention is to produce a "liquid "battery which is capable
of being regenerated. According to my Invention the battery is composed of one
or more plates usually consisting of a prism of retort carbon or agglomerated carbon
or graphite covered on all sides with pure chloride of silver newly precipitated
The carbon plate thus prepared is plunged into a vessel containing a solution of
hydrate of pottassium or hydrate of sodium. In the vicinity of each side of the
carbon is arranged the electrode that is decomposed by the electric action. It
consists of a plate of zinc preferably of the same superficial area as the carbon
The parts being thus arranged when the carbon is connected by a suitable
conductor to the zinc which is immersed in the same liquid the current begins
to pass
character
The chemical reactions which take place in this battery are of a multiple
When brought into contact with a solution of potash or Caustic soda
the newly precipitated chloride of silver covering the carbon passes partially into
the state of brown oxide of silver in consequence of which the carbon plate after
remaining a certain time in the exciting liquid becomes covered with a mixture of
chloride and oxide of silver
When the circuit is closed the silver becomes reduced to a metallic and spongy
condition and adheres to the surface of the carbon At the same time the zinc
enters the solution in the condition of chloride in potassic or sodaic combination
according to the alkali used and chloride of sodium or pottassium is formed

page_text: In order to avoid waste of silver the carbon is wrapped in a thin fabric of asbestos
of close texture
Under these conditions a powerful electric element is obtained possessing a high
electro motive power or tension which varies according to the degree of concentra-
tion of the alkaline solution. The internal resistance of this element is very
slight
When the element is exhausted or when the salt of silver has been completely
reduced to the metallic state the carbon plate with its asbestos envelope is immersed
in a chloriding bath for the purpose of converting the metallic silver on the surface
of the carbon to the condition of chloride and thus restore the original power of the
battery when the carbon thus treated is replaced
This alternate reduction of the silver during the operation of the battery and its
subsequent reconvertion into chloride in the bath may be indefinitely prolonged or
repeated there being no waste of metal
The same alkaline liquid serving as an excitant may generally be employed for
three or four successive reductions.
The bath employed for the reconversion into chloride is composed of nitric acid and
hydro chloric acid but any other bath having the same effect may be employed for
example bichromate of potash may be employed in place of the nitric acid
In practice care must be taken to wash the carbon with water before and after
each immersion in the bath and it will suffice to add hydrochloric acid occasionally
to the chloriding bath
In order to form a battery with these elements they must be connected in pairs
as in the case of ordinary electric batteries

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Gregory George Skrivanow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th March 1883.
GREGORY GEORGE SKRIVANOW of Paris in the Republic of France Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS
CONNECTED WITH BATTERIES FOR GENERATING
ELECTRICITY"
IN AND
The object of my Invention is to produce a battery the activity or power of
which is capable of being regenerated. According to my said Invention the battery
is composed as follows:-
A plate or disc of agglomerated carbon or carbon from gas retorts or graphite or
other suitable form of carbon is taken and covered on both sides with chloride of
silver to constitute the electro-negative element. The carbon plate or element thus
prepared is immersed in a solution of hydrate of potassium or of hydrate of sodium
marking from about 1.30 to about 1.45 Beaumé the quantity of hydrate amounting
on an average to from about 30 to 40 per cent of the weight of the water or solvent
the whole being at a temperature of about 15 degrees Centigrade. In proximity to
and preferably opposite each side of the carbon is arranged the electro-positive
element which is to be decomposed by electric action such element consisting of a
piece or plate of zinc which is immersed in the same bath or liquid as is the carbon
coated with chloride of silver. A battery thus constituted is capable when the
circuit is completed of supplying a constant and very powerful current of
electricity.
The superficial area of the electrodes and the space between them are determined
by the effect that it is desired to produce.
The chemical reactions which take place in this couple are of a multiple nature
for when the couple is immersed in a somewhat concentrated solution of hydrate of
potassium or sodium the chloride of silver on the carbon passes partially to the
condition of brown or black oxide so that after remaining some considerable time in
the exciting liquid the plate of carbon becomes covered with a mixture of argentic
chloride and oxide and argentous chloride is also found. On closing the circuit the
chloride of silver then becomes reduced to a spongy metallic state and adheres
slightly to the surface of the carbon whilst at the same time zinc passes into the
alkaline solution in the condition of a chloride and forms a soluble combination of
oxide of zinc with the alkali.
In order to avoid waste of silver the carbon is wrapped in or protected by
asbestos paper or cloth or is placed in a porous cell. A powerful couple is thus
obtained possessing a high electro motive force or tension which varies according
to the degree of concentration of the exciting solution and presents very little
internal resistance.
When the battery is exhausted and the salt of silver completely reduced to the
metallic state it will suffice to plunge the carbon together with its envelope (after
washing it in water) into a chloridising bath in order to restore the metallic silver
covering the surface of the carbon to the condition of chloride of Silver and thus
re invest the battery with its original power when the carbon element thus treated
is washed in water and replaced in the cell containing the exciting liquid. These
alternations of reduction of the chloride of silver during the working of the battery
and the subsequent reconversion into chloride in the bath may be repeated
indefinitely as they are effected without waste of metal.
The chloriding bath employed for reconversion into chloride as aforesaid is

page_text: composed of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid or chloride of sodium dissolved in a
small quantity of water. In using hydrochloric acid I have found the following
proportions to answer well. Nitric acid 100 parts hydrochloric acid 5 or 6 parts
and water 30 parts by weight, but I do not limit myself to these precise materials
and proportions as others which will effect the conversion into chloride may be a
employed for the same purpose, for example: a bath composed of chloro-chromate of
potassium and nitric or sulphuric acid forms an excellent bath for this purpose.
In order to obtain the active liquid for the battery the hydrate of potassium or
of sodium may be dissolved in glycerine and this alkaline solution may be employed
in place of the aqueous solution hereinbefore mentioned.
And in order that my Invention may be properly understood I have annexed
hereto Drawings in which I have illustrated as examples two forms which my
improved battery may take but I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the said forms..
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a single cell with vertical elements constituted
according to this invention and figure 2 is a section taken at right angles to the
section figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of a circular cell with horizontal elements and
Figure 4 is a plan of the same.
In the arrangement illustrated in figures 1 and 2, a carbon plate A is covered on
both sides with a coating B of chloride of Silver and outside this coating is an
envelope C of asbestos paper or cloth. The electro-negative element thus prepared
is immersed in an exciting liquid E composed of the solution of hydrate of potassium
or sodium hereinbefore described together with an electro-positive element G
consisting of a plate of zinc bent round so as to face both sides of the carbon
element A. The two elements and the liquid are contained in a cell or vessel H of
ebonite or other suitable material and when the circuit is completed through con-
ducting wires a b in the usual manner a constant current of considerable power
generated. According to the arrangement illustrated in the drawing the zinc plate
rests upon the bottom of the vessel and the carbon plate rests upon a piece of non-
conducting material laid on the bend of 'the zinc plate but it is evident that the
elements may be supported or suspended by any other convenient arrangement.
is
In the arrangement illustrated in figures 3 and 4 the cell is similar in principle
to that hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 and 2 but the plates or
'elements are in the form of discs and the exciting liquid in which they are
immersed is contained in a shallow vessel H. The negative element A in the form
of a flat disc is laid directly on the bottom of the vessel H and is covered on the
upper side with the chloride of silver B. A disc C of asbestos paper or cloth is laid
over the chloride of silver and a disc G of zinc is supported at a suitable distance
from the carbon by a ledge or recess formed in the sides of the vessel as shown at d
with its upper side below the surface of the liquid. Holes c may be formed in the
zinc plate to allow of the free circulation of the liquid. A convenient form of
battery is obtained by employing a series of these circular cells arranged one above
the other as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3 the elements being connected
together after the ordinary manner.
It will be understood that in any arrangement of battery according to my
Invention any number of cells may be used and connected up in quantity or
tension as desired.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
First The battery constructed or arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Second-In batteries for generating electricity the employment of a potassic or

page_text: sodaic caustic alkaline solution as the liquid or bath in which the negative and
positive elements are immersed the negative element being coated or covered with
chloride of Silver substantially as herein before described.
Third: In batteries for generating electricity the employment as the electro-
negative elements of retort or other carbon covered with chloride of Silver
substantially as herein before described.
Fourth: The regeneration of the battery as hereinbefore explained by treating
the herein before described electro negative element in a chloridising bath substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said Gregory George Skrivanow have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this seventeenth day of March One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
GREGORY GEORGE SKRIVANOW (L.S.)