A New or Improved Secondary Element.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Secondary Element.
I, KARL EMIL BOETTCHER, Doctor of Medicine and Pensioned Chief
Regimental Physician 1st Class, of Leipzig, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Empire
of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is a new or improved secondary element which has
the advantage over accumulators of this kind hitherto known, of being more lasting
and capable of more extensive use.
For the purpose of electrolytically eliminating zinc from a solution of oxyde of
zinc in potash or soda lye, the zinc cathode is immersed, so as to leave but a small
top portion thereof uncovered, in the concentrated solution contained in an iron
vessel which is provided on the bottom with a layer of porous metallic copper.
Subsequently, with sufficient tension of current, zinc is deposited in large granular
crystals on the horizontal upper surface of the cathode which is protected from
contact with the liquid at the bottom surface, the free edge and along its vertical
current conductor by means of a coating of vulcanized caoutchouc or any other
non-conducting substance which is insusceptible to potash lye. The disengaged
potash is dissolved in the water and rises into the upper portion of the liquid, while
the oxygen separated at the positive pole combines with the copper, mentioned
above, to oxyde of copper.
The cathode after being charged is raised so far as to be close under the surface
of the potash solution and it can then be discharged at any time and at suitable
intervals in the known manner.
The principal purpose of the improvement is, to obtain zinc, not in a spongy
form separating from the cathode, but in a compact and adhesive shape, by
immersing the free surface of the cathode, when charging the element in a deeper
portion of the solution of oxyde of zinc and potash. This purpose however may
also be accomplished by attaching the cathode to the upper part of the side of the
vessel and effect the requisite immersion by giving the vessel a correspondingly
inclined position when charging the element.
The porous metallic copper above referred to is produced by heating pulverised
oxyde of copper with disoxidizing substances containing carbon. The whole
element, in order to attain the necessary separation of the liquid from the atmo-
spheric air, is either closed air-tight, or the liquid is covered with a substance
insusceptible to potash solution and not subject to decomposition or evaporation,
this substannce being also effectually separated from the air. The heavy carburets
of hydrogen contained in the residues of petroleum after distilation are very
suitable for this purpose.
The improved element has an electro-motoric power of 0.85 volt, is subject to
but minimal inner resistance and not to spontaneous destruction, but it can be
allowed to stand unaltered for any length of time at may be used at any suitable
intervals.
Dated this 18th dor of A nril 1800
HUELSER & Co.,
Attorneys.

page_text: A New or Improved Secondary Element.
I, KARL EMIL BOETTCHER, Doctor of Medicine and Pensioned Chief
Regimental Physician 1st Class, of Leipzig, in the Kingdom of Saxony, Empire
of Germany, 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:-
The object of this invention is a new or improved secondary element, which has
the advantage over accumulators of this kind hitherto known, of being more lasting
and capable of more extensive use.
Referring to the drawing hereunto annexed,
Fig. 1 shows the improved element with the cathode lowered.
Fig. 2 with the cathode raised.
Fig. 3 illustrates the cathode as raised in a straight standing vessel, and
Fig. 4 increase of immersion of the cathode by giving the vessel an inclined
position.
In order to electrolytically eliminate the zinc from a solution of oxide of zinc in
potash or soda lye, the zinc cathode a is immersed deep into the concentrated
solution as shewn in Fig. 1, whereupon, when the density of current is sufficient,
zinc is deposited in strong granular crystals on the horizontal upper surface of the
cathode. The latter is at its bottom surface, at its free rim and along its vertical
current supplyer c, protected by means of a cap b of vulcanised caoutchouc or any
other non-conducting substance insusceptible to potash lye from contact with the
liquid. The separated potash dissolves in the water and rises into the higher
regions of the liquid, while the oxygen disengaged at the rim combines to oxide of
copper d with the porous metallic copper fixed to the bottom of the vessel. After
charging, the cathode, as shewn in Fig. 2 is pulled up to close below the surface of
the potash solution. The discharge can now be effected in the known manner at
any suitable time and at convenient intervals.
The main purpose-viz. to bring the free cathode surface, when charging the
element, into a deeper region of the zinc oxide potash solution, in order to obtain
zinc not in spungy shape separating from the cathode, but compact and firmly
adhering, may, as shewn in Fig. 3 and 4, also be accomplished by giving the vessel
an inclined position, Fig. 4 to the side of the cathode which is so attached to one
side of the vessel as to reach, when the latter occupies to horizontal position, not
quite down to the middle of the vessel. Thereby the cathode, as is evident, is
likewise placed deeper into the solution. To discharge the element, it is returned
into its horizontal position Fig. 3.
The porous metallic copper is produced by heating pulverous oxide of copper
with disoxidizing carbonaceous substances. The whole element, for the purpose
of excluding as is required the atmospheric air from the liquid, is either closed
air-tight, or the liquid is covered with a substance insusceptible to potash solution
and not subject to decomposition and evaporation, and the said substance also
thoroughly separated from the air.
For this purpose are excellently adapted the heavy carburets of hydrogen in the
residues of petroleum after its distillation.
The improved element has an electro-motoric force of 0.85 volts, retains the same
for a long time when being discharged, has but little inner resistance and, in
contradistinction to all other accumulators of the present time, is not subject to
spontaneous corrosion, but may stand unaltered any length of time and be used at
any suitable intervals.

page_text: 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 :-
1.) A secondary element substantially as illustrated and described in the fore-
going Specification.
2.) In the element referred to in claim 1, for the purpose of electrolytically
separating the zinc from a solution of oxide of zinc and potash or soda, the lowering
of the zinc cathode a into a deeper region of the sufficiently concentrated solution,
substantially as illustrated and described.
3.) In the element referred to in claim 1, the mode of protecting the bottom
surface, the free rim, and the vertical branch c of the cathode from contact with
the liquid by the application of a non-conducting substance bunchangeable in potash
solution, substantially as set forth.
4.) The method of producing porous metallic copper for the purpose specified
substantially as described.
5.) In the element forming the subject of claim 1, the mode of separating the
liquid from the air by means of a liquid substance unchangeable in potash lye and
non-volatile at normal temperature, substantially as set forth.
Dated GIS TO uity of
mary T.
KARL EMIL BÖTTCHER.
By Huelser & Co.,
Temple Chambers, London, his Agents.