IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC CELLS AND BATTERIES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lionel Weber, of No. 104, Ruc Royale Place
du Congrès, in the City of Brussels, Belgium, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC CELLS AND BATTERIES."
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC CELLS AND BATTERIES."
Sealed the 14th June 1870, and dated the 9th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lionel Weber at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th April 1870.
I, LIONEL WEBER, of No. 104, Rue Royale Place du Congrès, in the
City of Brussels, Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC CELLS AND BATTERIES," to be as
follows:-
For this purpose plumbago (graphite or black lead) is employed in the
construction of cells of galvanic batteries generally either for electrodes
or in powder or pieces as a reducing body in presence of oxides or in
certain oxygenated solutions, and the ordinary porous diaphragm is

page_text: dispensed with. The clectrodes of each cell are composed of plates or
discs or a plate and disc of calcined carbon and zinc. The cell is charged
with a mixture of equal parts of plumbago (graphite or black lead) and
peroxide of manganese. The exciting fluid employed is a saturated
solution of chloride of sodium or chloride of ammonium. A layer of
sawdust forms the insulating medium between the carbon and zinc poles.
Each galvanic cell is composed of a vessel of glass, porcelain, or other
material, the shape of which may be modified at will. The bottom of
the vessel is covered over with a layer of either of the above-mentioned
salts, upon which a second layer of sawdust mixed with the same salt is
laid; upon this sawdust a zinc disc, forming the zinc electrode, rests.
This disc has rising up from it a metal conducting rod surrounded with
an insulating material. The upper extemity of the rod terminates with
a metallic fastening which forms the coupling for the negative polc.
The zinc disc is surrounded and encompassed in a mixture of sawdust
and chloride of sodium or ammonium, and this forms an insulating
medium, upon which a plate of carbon forming the carbon pole is laid.
The upper extremity of the carbon plate protrudes from the top of the
containing jar or vessel and an inoxidizable clamp at the top of the
plate forms the coupling for the positive pole. A vertical tube for
receiving the exciting fluid also passes down from the top of the jar or
vessel down to the sawdust mixture. The top of this tube may be closed
by a cork. The space all around the carbon plate and above the sawdust
is filled in with a charge composed of a mixture in equal parts of
plumbago and peroxide of manganese. Finally, melted wax is poured
over the charge and round the projecting poles and tubes, and seals
hermetically the containing jar or vessel. A number of such galvanic
cells may be mounted in a box and formed into a battery, the partitions
by which the several cells are separated being lined with gutta percha or
other insulating and impermeable material. Other fluids and matters
generative of electricity may be used in cells of galvanic batteries con-
structed in the manner above described. A metallic jar or vessel coated
with a varnish may also be employed to serve in the double capacity of
receptacle and electrode.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Lionel Weber in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LIONEL
WEBER, of No. 104, Rue Royale Place du Congrés, in the City of Brussels,
Belgium, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Lionel Weber, Her special licence that I, the
said Lionel Weber, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Lionel Weber, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter 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 GALVANIC CELLS AND
BATTERIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Lionel
Weber, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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 I, the said Lionel Weber, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
For this purpose plumbago (graphite or black lead) is employed in the
construction of cells of galvanic batteries generally both as an electrode
and in powder or pieces as a reducing body in presence of oxides or in
certain oxygenated solutions, and the ordinary porous diaphragm is
dispensed with. The electrodes of each cell are composed of plates or
dises or a plate and disc of calcined carbon and zinc. The cell is charged
with a mixture of equal parts of plumbago (graphite or black lead) and

page_text: peroxide of manganese. The exciting fluid employed is a saturated
solution of chloride of sodium or chloride of ammonium. A layer of
sawdust forms the separating medium between the carbon and zinc poles.
Each galvanic cell is composed of a vessel of glass, porcelain, or other
material, the shape of which may be modified at will; the bottom of the
vessel is covered over with a layer of cither of the above-mentioned salts,
upon which a second layer of sawdust mixed with the same salt is laid;
upon this sawdust a zinc disc forming the zinc electrode rests; this
disc has rising up from it a metal conducting rod surrounded with an
insulating material; the upper extremity of the rod terminates with a
metallic fastening which forms the coupling for the negative pole; the
zinc disc is surrounded and encompassed in a mixture of sawdust and
chloride of sodium or ammonium, and this forms a separating medium
upon which a plate of carbon forming the carbon pole is laid; the upper
extremity of the carbon plate protrudes from the top of the containing
jar or vessel, and an inoxidizable clamp at the top of the plate forms the
coupling for the positive pole. A vertical tube for receiving the exciting
fluid also passes down from the top of the jar or vessel down to the saw-
dust mixture; the top of this tube may be closed by a cork. The space
all round the carbon plate and above the sawdust is filled in with a
charge composed of a mixture in equal parts of plumbago and peroxide
of manganese. Finally, melted wax is poured over the charge and round
the projecting poles and tube, and seals hermetically the containing jar
or vessel. A number of such galvanic cells may be mounted in a box
and formed into a battery, the partitions by which the several cells are
separated being lined with gutta percha or other insulating and imper-
meable material. Other fluids and matters generative of electricity may
be used in cells of galvanic batteries constructed in the manner above
described. A metallic jar or vessel coated with a varnish may also be
employed to serve in the double capacity of receptacle and electrode.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect I have in the Drawings hereunto annexed shewn a
galvanic cell constructed in the manner above described.
Figure 1 of the Drawings shews the galvanic cell in section; Figure 2
shews a perspective view of a number of such cells fitted into a case to
form a battery.
A is a vessel of glass, porcelain, or other suitable material; B, a layer
P

page_text: layer of sawdust mixed with the same salt; D, a disc of zinc having
rising up from it a metal conducting rod E surrounded with an insu-
lating material and terminated at its upper extremity with a screw
coupling F for the negative pole. The disc D is covered over with the
mixture of sawdust and chloride of sodium or ammonium, as shown.
G is the plate of carbon which at its upper end carries the screw coupling
for the positive pole; J is the tube passing down from the top of the jar
or vessel to the sawdust layer C. The exciting fluid is supplied through
this tube; K is a cork for closing the upper end of the tube J.
A sectional view in perspective is shown at Figure 3 of the vessel A,
zinc disc D, carbon plate G, and tube J. L represents the charge,
composed of a mixture of equal parts of plumbago and peroxide of
manganese, by which the space around the carbon plate is filled in; M is
a layer of wax covering over the top of the charge and hermetically
sealing the vessel A. In some cases in place of the charge L being
composed of a mixture of plumbago and peroxide of manganese a
mixture of plumbago and pounded coke may be employed.
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 general arrangement of the galvanic cell substantially as
herein described.
Second. The employment in a galvanic cell of a carbon plate
surrounded by a mixture of plumbago (graphite or black lead) and
peroxide of manganese.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lionel Weber, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
LIONEL WEBER. (L.S.)