IMPROVE- MENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Charles Vincent Holmes, of Sussex Place, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, and Stephen Henry Emmens, of Argyll
Street in the County of Middlesex, Actuary for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Charles Vincent
Holmes and Stephen Henry Emmens at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 6th September 1882.
GEORGE CHARLES VINCENT HOLMES, of Sussex Place, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, and STEPHEN HENRY EMMENS, of Argyll Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Actuary, " IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES"
Our invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of the cells
and electrodes of galvanic batteries, whereby we propose to obtain a higher electro-
motive force and a stronger current than heretofore, by more convenient com-
binations of the elements, and improved construction of the electrodes; and these
improvements are in part improvements upon an invention of Stephen Henry
Emmens, the provisional Specification of which is numbered 4147 and dated
30 August 1882.
Our invention is capable of several modifications, which are as follows:
First. In place of the compressed peroxide of lead specified in the aforesaid
specification 414782 in relation to the fourth form of cell, we employ peroxide of
lead in powder or cakes, such powder or cakes being placed in the inner or outer
compartiment of the cell as specified, and being separated from the zinc or lead
electrode by any suitable porous pot or diaphragm.
Second. Our cell is of the ordinary Grove or Bunsen type, but we use a packing
of metallic peroxide or peroxides, such as peroxide of lead or peroxide of manganese,
or a mixture of the two, in place of the nitric acid as a dehydrogenising or, as it is
sometimes termed, depolarizing agent; that is to say, we pack the porous pot or
negative compartment of such cell with the peroxide in contact with the platinum
[Price 6d1

page_text: or carbon electrode. Alternatively we may make the porous pot itself of carbon,
and we may mix the dehydrogenising agent with some inert substance, such as
granulated or broken carbon.
Third. We use an outer cell of any suitable material, and an ordinary porous
pot as the inner compartment. The space around the porous pot we pack with
the dehydrogenising agent as aforesaid, and inside the pot we place a mass of wire,
granules or plates of zinc as the positive electrode. Alternatively the conditions
may be reversed, the porous pot containing the dehydrogenizing agent, and the
outer space being packed with the zinc.
Fourth. We surround the rods or plates of compressed or agglomerated peroxide
of lead, specified by S. H. Emmens in 414782 aforesaid, by coiled zinc wire, or by
rings or washers of zinc, the two electrodes being separated by strips of wood or
other suitable material.
Fifth. In place of any of the negative electrodes as aforesaid or in place of the
inner electrode as specified in relation to the fifth modification in Emmens
specification 414782 aforesaid, we employ rods, cells, or blocks of carbon or other
suitable porous and conducting material, permeated with any of the aforesaid
dehydrogenising agents, in the following manner. We first expose the rods, cells,
or blocks, either in a wet or dry state, and where desired, in vacuo, to the action
of the gaseous fluorhydride. Secondly, we impregnate them with a solution of some
salt of the metal to be employed by soaking, hydrostatic pressure, or exhaustion.
Thirdly, We decompose the absorbed solution by means of heat, electrolysis, or
chemical means. The two last named stages may be repeated as often as necessary.
The zinc electrodes herein before specified may alternatively be built up of layers
of perforated zinc sheet.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Charles Vincent Holmes and Stephen Henry Emmens.in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th March 1883.
GEORGE CHARLES VINCENT HOLMES, of Sussex Place, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, and STEPHEN HENRY EMMENS, of Argyll Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Actuary IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
Our invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of the cells
and electrodes of galvanic batteries, whether primary or secondary, whereby we
propose to obtain a higher electromotive force and a stronger current than
heretofore, by more convenient combinations of the elements, and improved con-
struction of the electrodes; and these improvements are in part improvements upon
an invention of Stephen Henry Emmens, the provisional Specification of which is
numbered 4147, and dated thirtieth August 1883.
And in order that our invention may be clearly understood we now proceed to
describe the same, and the manner in which it may be carried into effect, reference
being had to the drawings hereto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon.
Our invention is capable of several modifications, which are as follows:-
First In place of the compressed peroxide of lead specified in the aforesaid
specification 41471882 in relation to the fourth form of cell, we employ, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2, peroxide of lead in powder A or cakes B, placed as shown in the
inner compartment of the cell as specified, or of similar construction. The said
powder or cakes is contained in any suitable porous pot C, and thus separated from
the zinc or lead electrode D in the outer compartment of the cell; or the zinc and
peroxide of lead electrodes may be changed as to the position of their respective
compartments.
Second-Our cell, Figures 3 and 4, is of the ordinary Grove or Bunsen type,
that is with a positive electrode E of zinc in a solution of acid separated by a
porous diaphragm or pot F F' from a negative electrode of platinum or carbon G,
surrounded by a dehydrogenising or depolarizing agent. Instead of the con-
centrated nitric acid usually used in the above cells for the latter purpose, we use a
packing H, that is a compressed filling, composed of an admixture of metallic
peroxides, such as the peroxides of lead and of manganese. That is to say, we
pack the porous pot or negative compartment of such cell with the mixed
peroxides H in contact with the platinum or carbon electrodes G.
Alternatively we may make the porous pot itself F¹, Figure 4, of carbon, and we
may mix the dehydrogenising filling or packing of metallic peroxides, such as those
of lead or manganese, with some inert substance K, such as granulated or broken
carbon.
Third: We use an outer cell L of any suitable material, and an ordinary porous
pot M as the inner compartment, Figures 5 6 and 7. The space around the porous
pot N we pack with the mixed dehydrogenising agent as aforesaid, itself forming
one electrode, and inside the pot we place a mass of wire O Figure 5, granules or
scraps P Figure 6, or plates Q Figure 7, of zinc, as the other electrode, moistened
with a solution of sulphuric acid. In this way scraps or waste zinc may be utilized
for the zinc electrode.
Alternatively the conditions may be reversed, the porous pot containing the
dehydrogenising agent, and the outer space being packed with the zinc moistened
with a solution of sulphuric acid.
Fourth-As in Figures 8 and 9 we surround the rods or plates of compressed or
agglomerated peroxide of lead R, specified by Stephen Henry Emmens in regard to
·

page_text: Letters Patent Number 41471882 aforesaid, by coiled zinc wire S Figure 8, or
by washers or rings of zinc T Figure 9, the two electrodes being separated by
strips of wood t, or other suitable material.
Fifth-In place of any of the dehydrogenising electrodes as aforesaid, or in
place of the inner electrodes as specified in relation to the fifth modification in
Emmen's Specification 41471882 aforesaid, we employ as one electrode rods, cells,
or blocks of carbon V, Figure 10, or other suitable porous and conducting material,
permeated with any of the aforesaid dehydrogenising agents. The other electrodo W
may be conveniently zinc in a solution of sulphuric acid. The permeation is
effected in the following manner. We first expose the rods, cells, or blocks either
in a wet or dry state, and where desired in vacuo, to the action of gaseous
fluorhydride. Secondly we impregnate them with a solution of some salt of the
metal to be employed, either by soaking, hydrostatic pressure, or exhaustion.
Thirdly We decompose the absorbed solution by means of heat, electrolysis, or
chemical re-action. The two last named stages may be repeated as often as
necessary.
:-
The zinc electrodes hereinbefore specified may alternatively be built up of layers
of perforated zinc sheet as shown at D Figure 2, and E Figure 3. It is obvious
that our cells as specified may be employed in either primary or secondary
combinations.
And having described and ascertained the nature of our invention and the
manner in which the same may be carried into effect be it known that what we
consider novel and desire to protect by Letters Patent is :-
First. In a galvanic cell in primary or secondary circuits, the combination of
known elements of zinc or lead in alternative modifications of form as hereinafter
claimed in a solution of sulphuric acid, with an electrode of peroxide of lead in
powder or cakes separated by a porous diaphragm, substantially as described.
Second. In a galvanic cell in primary or secondary circuits, the combination of
known elements, as in claim 1, with a filling packed in a porous pot composed of an
admixture of the peroxides of lead and manganese in contact with the carbon or
platinum electrodes, substantially as described
Third. In a galvanic cell in primary or secondary circuits, the combination of
known elements as in claim 1, with carbon or other porous rods, cells, or
blocks, permeated with the said dehydrogenising peroxides of lead and manganese,
substantially as described.
Fourth. In a galvanic cell in primary or secondary circuits the combination of
the aforesaid dehydrogenising peroxides of lead and manganese, with an electrode
of zinc in a solution of sulphuric acid, in the form of wire, either in mass or coiled,
granules, scraps, or rings, separated from the other electrode by a porous pot or
insulated by wooden strips, substantially as described
In witness whereof we, the said George Charles Vincent Holmes and Stephen
Henry Emmens have hereunto set our haud and seals this fifth day of
March in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty-
than
GEORGE C. V. HOLMES (L.S.)
STEPHEN H. EMMENS
(L.S.)