Improvements in and connected with Primary Batteries.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1890
Comolete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 190-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Primary Batteries.
I, MARCEL SAPPEY of 4 Rue Traversière prolongée, Bilancourt, près, Paris,
France, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of any invention is:
1. To construct a primary battery with 3, 4, 5, 6 or more cells as occasion may
require, in which such cells and their internal porous pots or elements are respectively
supplied with exciting and depolarizing liquids from two reservoirs of comparatively
large capacity, the supply being automatically effected at pre-arranged intervals of
time by means of a clock and a system of switches, electro-magnets or solenoids and
a spring, electro, or other suitable motor in combination.
2. The automatic discharge of the exciting and depolarizing agents at the intervals
of time corresponding to the supply and by the same combination of means.
3. The method of connecting the cells and porous pots to their respective supply
pipes, also the means of insulating from, or cutting off electrical communication
between the batteries and the other parts of apparatus.
4. The method of connecting the elements one with another, whereby any of such
elements can be conveniently taken out changed, or replaced without interfering one
with the other, and also dispensing with the usual number of terminals.
Referring to the first and second part of my invention, I arrange say, a series of 12
cells side by side with two porous pots in each cell, said cells are pierced at the side
near the bottom to receive the branches of a pipe connected at one end to a general
supply pipe in communication with a small cistern, and at the opposite end to a tube
containing a valve, through which the contents at the proper time are exhausted or
emptied into a trough provided for the purpose.
The porous pots are connected to a similar system of branch and general supply
pipes but are placed underneath the cells and are inserted into the porous pots through
the bottoms of same, the whole of the connections being made tight by means of india
rubber washers and nuts. Above the small cisterns to which the general supply pipes
are connected, are two other cisterns, each containing a syphon, one cistern is of the
required capacity for filling the cells with exciting acid, and the other of a capacity
sufficient for filling the porous pots with depolarizing agent, each syphon cistern is in
communication, by an inlet valve, to the reservoirs containing the respective acids.
The automatic filling and discharging of the respective liquids or acids is effected in
the following manner.
Upon the front of the two reservoirs, or in any other convenient part of the apparatus,
I mount a clock having a flexible platinum or silver hand, covered, except the ends
with any suitable insulating material, and so arranged as to make one revolution
every 12 bours. Each end of the hand is at an equal distance from the central spindle,
upon which it is mounted and at intervals of 6 hours makes contact with a stop pin,
thereby closing an electrical circuit through an electro-magnet or solenoid and
releasing a paul, allowing the spring or electro-motor to work, thus turning a drum or
commutator to which it is connected.
At each end of the drum or commutator is a ratchet or cam wheel operating two
arms or levers each secured to a spindle which by means of suitable connecting rods
open in one case the supply valves for the exciting and depolarizing liquids to fill the
syphon cisterns and in the other case the exhaust valves of the cells and porous pots
for emptying some of the spent exciting and depolarizing liquids. The drum or
commutator is made of wood, upon which is fitted a brass sleeve with sections cut
therefrom at the proper intervals to effect the desired purpose, upon this drum 4 spring

page_text: contacts are arranged. As the commutator revolves under the action of the spring or
other motor two of said contacts meet the brass part, thereby closing an electrical
circuit through a solenoid placed upon the front of the clock, this solenoid depresses
an adjustable spring connected at one end to a pivotted arm, at the end of which is the
pin upon which the platinum hand rests. Under the action of the solenoid, the arm
and pin move away and break the circuit through the platinum hand. The motor
still continues to work owing to a second circuit through the electro magnet being
closed by means of one of the two previously mentioned spring contacts.
As soon as
the two spring contacts, owing to the continued rotation of the drum, are off the brass
part of same into the wood the second circuit is broken and the motor and with it the
drum is stopped but in such a position that the teeth or cams of the wheels before
mentioned by means of the connecting rods open the supply and exhaust valve to their
maximum. At this point the syphon cisterns are therefore filling and the cells and
porous pots are emptying. When the syphon cisterns are full, syphonic action takes
place, the contents of the cisterns are discharged into small balanced boxes depressing
them and making thereby electrical circuit through the other two spring contacts
which are still upon the brass part of the drum. One of these contacts is in connec-
tion with the balanced box, into which exciting liquid and the other in connection
with the box into which depolarizing liquid is discharged.
The motor is therefore
started by the closing of the 3rd and 4th circuits and continues to turn the drum until
these two spring contacts are upon wood when circuits being broken the motor stops
until in the course of time, the platinum hand of clock again makes contact with the
stop pin to start a similar series of operations. The levers controlling the valves are
also in their recesses allowing the inlet and exhaust valves to close. The batteries are
now empty and syphon cisterns full but syphonic action continues until the whole
contents of the syphon cisterns are emptied into the balanced boxes and receiving
cisterns, thence by the general supply and branch pipes to the batteries. As the cells
are double the capacity of the porous pots, it is only necessary to empty the former
once to twice of the latter, this is accomplished by one of the ratchet or cam wheels
having twice the number of teeth or cams of the other. From the foregoing it is
obvious that the filling and emptying is quite independent of anything that may take
place in the battery itself being simply controlled by time and not by any difference of
potential. I may, if desired, empty the batteries at less intervals of time. I accom-
plish this by providing additional hands or contacts to the clock.
According to the third part of my invention, I secure the pipes to the cells and
porous pots by inserting the screwed ends of the branch pipes through the openings
previously putting on an india rubber washer, and clamping tight on the inside by a
nut and another india rubber washer, and in order to perfectly insulate the battery
from other parts of the apparatus, I insert between the branch and supply pipes by
preference glass tubes made tight in stuffing boxes by india rubber washers and small
angled leaden rings compressed by screwed glands.
a
According to the fourth part of my invention, 1 attach to each side of the cells,
strip of lead with recesses in same at suitable intervals of space, into these recesses,
transverse strips of lead with the zinc elements rivetted thereto are inserted. The
carbons of each porous pot by means of a screw are connected to a strip of lead of
comb formation, so that the zinc elements are easily inserted between the projections
into the cells, without touching the carbon connections and vice versa.
Dated this 9th day of January 1890.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Marcel Sappey.

page_text: The battery proper (Figures 1, 3, and 4) is composed of any number of elements,
each formed of certain quantity of units. (The example shown has four elements each
composed of 3 units.)
A single unit consists of an ebonite vessel A (Figures 3, 6, and 7) enclosing two
porous pots a, a', each containing a sheaf of 7 carbon rods b.
The porous pots are not entirely cylindrical but are provided with rings at their
upper and lower parts to guard against the zincs sticking closely to the porous pots,
which would prevent the circulation of the exciting liquid.
The zines care placed at each side and mounted on a cross piece t which facilitates
their being put into position, and taken out, even during the working. The ebonite
vessels and the porous pots are filled with the exciting and the depolarizing liquids.
All the units of the same element are grouped in quantity and the elements are
connected together in tension and in quantity. For this purpose, in the same element,
the sheafs of carbons are attached to a single frame d, and the cross pieces t carrying
the zincs are hooked on to metallic bars e, e¹, at the side which also serve to connect the
different units of the same element to each other.
The distinctive character of this battery is that the units are of small size and that
their active or useful surface is very large, so that the battery can give a considerable
amount of work, as it utilizes economically all the liquids and the zines which it
contains.
The reduction of the units into small parts also gives the essential advantage, that
the accidental rupture of a carbon or of a zinc would not influence the amount of
electricity produced, and a zinc or a carbon may be taken out and replaced without
interfering with the working.
The features to which attention is desired to be called are therefore:
1. The sheaf of carbons b.
2. The arrangement for preventing the zincs c from sticking closely against the
vessels a.
3. Mounting the zincs in such a manner that they may be changed during the
working of the apparatus, rendering it very suitable for industrial purposes.

page_text: 2. DISTRIBUTION OF THE LIQUIDS.
This distribution is for the purpose of running off the spent exciting and
depolarising liquids and to replace them by an equal quantity of new liquid. The
liquids in question are contained in the reservoirs R and R' placed at the upper part
of the framework X (Figures 1 and 4) one for containing the exciting liquid and the
other, the depolarising liquid.
These liquids are measured by an apparatus (to be afterwards described) and are
emptied by it into collectors C and having respectively the branch conduits D, D¹
of each element of the battery.
The connection of the collectors C, C, and the conduits D, D₁, is effected by means
of a crystal or glass insulating tube f (Figures 5 and 6) firmly fixed by means of a
stuffing box p which ensures the perfect closing of the joint by the compression of an
india rubber on the said tube.
Each unit of the same element is connected to the conduits D, D¹, by means of
screw connections v corresponding to the ebonite vessels A and to the porous pots a, a¹,
on to which the screw connections are firmly fixed by a tightening bolt with an india
rubber ring to secure the joint. The connections on the porous pots are first secured
by screwing on to the ebonite vessel and then on to the porous cells, as in this case
the connections have to pass through both the vessel and the porous pot, so that two
joints require to be secured.
The screw connections of the porous cells of the same unit are connected by a
bridge D² on the conduit D'. The supply conduits for the liquids also serve for the
outflow as will be afterwards explained.
The new liquids to be introduced into the battery are measured by distributors
situated directly under the reservoirs R and R' (Figure 4).
Each distributor comprises: a valve s, a measuring receiver S, a syphon s¹,
pivotted or rocking trough 6, and a receiver B.
a
The valve s, directly connected to the liquid reservoir, is put into action at the
required moment by the motor mechanism; it allows a predetermined quantity
of liquid to flow into the measuring receiver S (lined with lead) in which is the
syphon 8.
The passage of the liquid from the reservoir into the receiver is effected in a
period of time dependent upon the height or level of the liquid in the reservoir. The
syphons which accomplishes this is of the form shown and it empties the measuring
receiver at the moment the liquid has reached its highest point.
The syphoned liquid, in falling, passes into the rocking trough 1, and from there
into receiver B which empties it in its turn into the collector which corresponds
with it.
The connection of the collectors and the receivers is made by means of an insulating
tube of glass or crystal f fixed by stuffing boxes p with india rubber washers.
In passing from S to B, the liquid has to flow, as explained, into the rocking
trough (Figures 4 and 12) which falls under the weight of the liquid, and
consequently raises its counter weight b².
The function of this rocking trough is to establish and maintain during the flow of
the liquid, an electrical contact at g (which will be again referred to) and it has a
hole at the bottom, so that no liquid will afterwards remain in the trough.
The liquids thus drawn off, measured, and emptied out, distribute themselves by
means of collectors and conduits to the different units of the battery, where they
establish their own levels.
When the liquids are exhausted after a certain number of hours working, they are
emptied away (also automatically, as will be afterwards explained) by means of the
same conduits and the same collectors. For this purpose, these latter have branch
pipes, with an insulating tube f of glass or crystal on the outlet valves S
and S³ put into action by the motor mechanism and regulator afterwards described.

page_text: conduits by the glass tubes : The measuring and the distribution of the liquids by
syphons.
The advantage of effecting the feed and the outflow by the same conduits consists
in that the rich or new liquids absorb, during the feed or renewal, the crystals which
may have formed in the said conduits and consequently the latter are not liable to
become choked.
3. MOTOR MECHANISM AND REGULATOR.
The motor mechanism and regulator are subdivided in two parts: one mechanical,
and the other electrical.
The mechanical part comprises: two clockwork movements M and N, a cam
drum G, and mechanism for actuating the valves s, s, and S1, S³.
The clockwork M which is a simple timepiece has only the hour hand which is formed
of a diametrical needle with flexible blades on each end, and coming in contact
alternately every six hours with a terminal m forming part of the armature of an
electro-magnet m¹ in the casing of the timepiece.
The clock work N is a spring motor and its purpose is simply to put the drum G in
motion. Its movement or works is put into or out of gear by the armature of an
electro-magnet n' acting on the break or rotating toothed wheel n connected to the
works by gearing.
The drum G is a cylinder of wood or insulating material, on which metallic plates
or contacts are placed corresponding with four rubbing surfaces mounted on the
flexible strips 1, 11, 12, 13.
At each end of the drum is a cam h, h', operating the levers i, i, keyed respectively
on the shafts or spindles j, j³, one for actuating the feed and outlet valves s and S¹
of the exiter, the other for actuating the feed and outlet valves s and S² of the
depolariser. For this purpose each shaft or spindle has two levers u and u¹ acting
directly on the valve rods in question: the feed lever u is adjustable as to length.
The cain for the exciter has two teeth, but the cam h¹ for the depolariser has four
teeth.
The mechanical part just described is completed by an electrical part, the current
for working it being derived from the battery itself when the liquids are changed,
that is to say, when the rich liquids replace the spent liquids.
One of the poles of the battery is connected by wires to the clockwork M, the
flexible strip 1, the rocking troughs, 61, and the electro-magnet m'; and the other
pole is connected by wires to the electro-magnet n' and the strip . Further, the
electro-magnet n' is connected to the needle or hand of the clock work M and to the
contact g of the rocking troughs.
In the ordinary state (the normal working of the battery) all the circuits thus
formed (five in number) are open, that is, exercising no effect on the motor mechanism
during the time the timepiece does not indicate the hour for changing the liquids.
It has been explained above that the surface of the elements of this battery was
sufficient to supply a certain number of amperes in a given time. The period chosen
in the example shown, is six hours, which explains why two flexible blades are placed
on the hour hand of the timepiece M. These blades therefore come in contact
successively with the terminal m at every six hours.
Whilst the needle is touching the terminal m and pressing against it in bending, it

page_text: closes the circuit which passes through the clockwork M, the terminal m and the
electro-magnet n'. The effect of this first circuit is to attract the electro-magnet 'n¹
and to liberate the fly or break n of the clockwork N which then begins to work.
This movement causes the drum G to act, which by one of its rubbing surfaces and
the strip 1, closes the circuit passing through the said strip, the drum, and the electro-
magnet n'. This second circuit in acting on the electro-magnet n', holds its armature
and ensures the working of the clockwork N, which through the cams h, h, acts on
the mechanism actuating the several feed and outlet valves of the liquids; during
this time the needle or hand is liberated as will be afterwards explained. The second
circuit is then opened or cut by leaving the rubbing contacts on the drum in such a
manner that the teeth or cams h h on the drum open the field and outlet valves to
their fullest extent by means of the levers i . The spent liquids then flow by the
conduits D, D', the collectors C, C³, the pipes f1, 2, and fall into the waste tanks F
and F during this time the fresh or rich liquids from the reservoirs R and R' flow
into the measuring receivers S, S. As soon as these are full, the syphons s, s¹, act
and empty the liquids into the rocking troughs 61, 61 and from thence into the
receivers B, B, and into the collectors U, C¹, which distribute them to the different
units of the battery.
At the moment the fresh liquids are emptied out, each overturned rocking trough
closes through its contact g, the circuit passing through the said contact 9, the two
spring contacts 12 13 which are still open, and the electro-magnet n².
These new closed circuits 3 and 4 act on the electro-magnet n¹ to put the drum in
motion again.
Directly the liquids have been changed, the motion of the drum requires to be
stopped. This stoppage is effected at the time the flexible contact strips leave the
rubbing surfaces of the drum.
The rocking troughs 6', 6', resuming their first position, opening the circuits 3
and 4 the armature of the electro-magnet having no more current, takes into or gears
with the break on the clockwork N.
Each rocking trough has its own circuit because the exciting liquid only requires
to be changed at every other renewal; this is also indicated by the number of teeth
on the cams h, h¹. Finally, the opening of the circuit 3 stops the flow of the exciter,
and the opening of circuit 4, that of the depolariser.
For liberating the needle or hand a fifth circuit passing through the electro-
magnet m' is closed by the strip of the drum G. The current produced attracts
the armature which carries the contact terminal m and the latter allows the needle
hand to pass.
In conclusion, I would observe that I do not confine myself either to the shape or
sizes of the battery, of which an example only has been given on the annexed
drawings. The battery may consist of a greater or less number of elements; and the
motor mechanism may be operated at an interval greater or less than that here given
viz. 6 hours. Also any suitable material may be employed for the constitutive parts
of the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The battery with automatic feed or renewal herein described in its entirety, and
specially :-
1. In batteries with automatic renewal, the arrangement of elements, each formed
of a number of units comprising: an ebonite vessel A, porous pots a, a, two sheafs
of carbons f, f, and four zines c, c, c, c, the porous pots a, a, having rings for pre-
venting contact with the zincs, said zincs being mounted in pairs on a cross piece t
for facilitating their removal from and replacement in the battery during its working,
the whole in the manner described with reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7, of the
annexed drawings.
2. In batteries with automatic renewal, feeding, and drawing off the exciting and

page_text: depolarising liquids to and from the various elements of the battery by means of
collectors and C¹ and conduits D and D¹ connected to one another by means of
insulating tubes of glass f, the conduits D and D¹ being attached to the vessels A and
porous pots a by means of screw connections and rubber washers, in the manner
and for the purpose indicated with reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the annexed
drawings.
3. In batteries with automatic renewal and withdrawal of the liquids, the com-
bination of the collectors C, C, and the conduits D, D', with the valves s, s, and S'¹, S²,
the latter connected to the collectors by pipes f¹, f2, with insulating tubes f of
glass, in the manner and for the purpose indicated with reference to the annexed
drawings.
4. In batteries with automatic renewal, the special arrangement of distributors of
fresh liquid, each comprising a feed valves, a measuring receiver S, a syphon s¹, a
rocking trough with its counterweight 62 and contact 9, and a receiver B, said
distributors acting in combination with the reservoirs R, R', the collectors C, C¹,
and the elements of the battery, in the manner and for the purpose indicated with
reference to the annexed drawings.
5. In batteries with automatic renewal, the arrangement of the clockwork move-
ments M and N, the former having a terminal contact m and an electro-magnet m²;
the latter a break wheel n and an electro-magnet n'; these two clock work mechanisms
serving to operate at stated intervals the motor and regulator mechanisms which open
the feed and the outlet valves when the liquids are to be changed, in the manner and
for the purpose indicated with reference to the annexed drawings.
6. In batteries with automatic renewal, the arrangement of mechanism for con-
trolling the feed and outlet valves, comprising a drum G with cams h, h', and two
shafts, provided with levers i, i, u, u, and u', u', said rotating drum acting in
combination with the clockwork N, in the manner and for the purpose indicated with
reference to Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the annexed drawings.
7. In batteries with automatic renewal, the combination of the drum with its con-
tact strips 1, 1, 12, 13, the electro-magnet m' of the timepiece M, the electro-magnet n¹
of the clockwork N and the contact g of the rocking troughs 6', 6', for forming
electric circuits actuating said motor and regulator mechanism, in the manner and
for the purpose indicated with reference to the annexed drawings.
8. The general arrangement of the battery with automatic renewal, comprising the
battery proper, the hydraulic distribution, the liquid measurers, the motor and
regulating mechanism claimed above, also the reservoirs R and R¹ and the waste
tanks F1 and F2 on a framework, as above described with reference to Figures 1, 2,
3 and 4 of the annexed drawings.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Marcel Sappey.