IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC GAS-IGNITING APPARATUS PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVE- MENTS. ARE APPLICABLE TO BATTERIES FOR THE GENERATION OF ELECTRIC CURRENTS GENERALLY."
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John William Urquhart at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd March 1882.
JOHN WILLIAM URQUHART of Crouch Hill in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC GAS-IGNITING APPARATUS PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS. ARE APPLICABLE TO BATTERIES FOR THE GENERATION OF ELECTRIC
CURRENTS GENERALLY."
The gas-igniting apparatus constructed according to this invention consists
mainly of three parts, termed respectively the generator or battery; the intensifier,
and the discharger. These three parts are combined in one apparatus of a portable
shape or form by preference cylindrical and one in continuation of the other.
The battery or generator consists of a voltaic primary electric cell which I term
the graphite-silver cell. Two plates or cylinders, one of zinc and one of graphite
or carbon are employed as the positive and negative elements of the generator or
cell. The zinc is of the ordinary kind, freely amalgamated.
In order to enable the action of the generator to be sustained for any required
length of time when hermetically sealed I groove or otherwise extend the surface
of the graphite plate or cylinder, so as to enlarge it when space is an object or I
employ a plain surface only when space is not an object; and upon this surface I
lay a coating of a metallic salt in order to sustain the action of the cell. For the
purpose of obtaining a suitable metallic salt I employ a solution such as that of the
nitrate of silver or the sulphate of mercury and subject it to special treatment for
the purpose of obtaining what I term a carburetted combination of the metal for
application to the surface of the graphite, carbon being employed to increase the
electric conductivity of the metallic salt thereby enabling any thickness of layer to
be employed. In the case of employing the nitrate of silver, I mix or otherwise
combine therewith a proportion of finely divided carbon. I afterwards add
thereto a proportion of hydrochloric acid (or other chlorine compound or precipitating
agent) the result being a copious precipitate of what I term carburetted silver in
a chloric state. This mixture of silver and carbon is freed from moisture and
afterwards fused upon or otherwise applied to the surface of the graphite or negative
plate. The plates of graphite and zinc being placed in the containing vessel pure

page_text: The
water is placed in the cell and the electric action immediately commences.
electric power of the generator increases rapidly with the formation of chloride of
zinc, or a solution of this salt may, if preferred, be employed at the outset. The
generator arranged in this way does not evolve free gas, and for this reason may
be hermetically sealed for any length of time or until exhausted. Cells constructed
according to this part of my invention are also applicable to telegraphic and other
electrical purposes.
The intensifier consists of a combination of two helices of insulated copper wire
and a core of soft iron, which by preference is of an elliptical cross section. One of
the helices is employed for conveying the battery current and the other for
intensifying the force of the current by induction. This elliptical shape of core
allows of the core being distributed so as to the more fully engross the inductive power
of the generator, The elliptical inductor is provided with a circuit interrupter
which may consist of a spring capable of vibration. This spring is thrown into a
state of rapid vibration by means of a finger "push" or press-button, when the
action of the apparatus is required, or the interrupter may be otherwise actuated.
The discharger consists of a tube which may be telescopic where length is
required; it conveys the intensified current or discharge to its extremity where the
electric sparks evolved are caused to pass across the surface of a piece of ivory or
bone or other suitable substance.