Improvements in Thermo-electric Batteries.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvements in Thermo-electric Batteries.
We JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK of 9 Gracechurch Street in the City of London Civil
Engineer and RICHARD MESTERN of 18 Tunis Road Uxbridge Road in the County of
Middlesex Machinist 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 :—
This invention relates to that class of electrical apparatus known as thermo electric
piles or batteries and consists in constructing the thermo-electric elements in such a
manner that they are able to resist for long periods the action of the high heats to
which they are subjected without deterioration and reduction of their power as
generators of electricity; and also the method of combining and arranging such
elements with a furnace and combustion tube in which solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel
may be consumed for its direct conversion into
and light.
power
Fig. 1 represents a pair elements in which metallic strips or wires A A are cast
into Blocks B B of any suitable metal having a high melting point whose lower faces
are provided with recesses CC, their upper faces with projections ID and their sides
with steps EE on the upper of which is fitted a case F of any refractory non-
conducting material and on the lower step and securely attached to the block B is
fitted a metallic sheath enclosing for its entire length the refractory non-conducting
case F into which a cap or plug H of similar material is fitted. An aperture in the
cap or plug H permits the metallic strip or wire A to pass through it and by the
In coupling up
hole I the electro-positive metal or alloy J is poured into the case F.
the elements the metallic strip or wire A of the one element may be attacked by
means of a binding screw K to the metallic strip or wire A¹ of the next element or
if preferred the metallic strip or wire A may be extended in length and cast into the
electro-positive metal or alloy J of the next element as shewn at Fig. 2. By these
means any number of elements may be permanently connected and formed into a ring
or band of the same section as the combustion tube L thus bringing the negative and
positive poles of the ring or band into such a position as to permit their easy attach-
ment to the terminals of the battery. Any number of such rings or bands may be
superposed or arranged vertically around the combustion tube L when placed in a
horizontal position. "The spaces between each element and each ring or band is filled

page_text: with a suitable refractory non-conducting material in order to secure perfect
insulation.
Fig. 3 is a plan Fig. 4 an elevation Fig. 5 a vertical section and Fig. 6 a horizontal
section of a battery constructed in accordance with this invention.
The combustion tube L open at the top is connected at its lower end with a
chamber M which when solid fuel has to be consumed is provided with suitable fire
bars and a closely fitting door N at which the ashes are removed as found necessary.
The gaseous products of combustion pass up the tube L and in order to ensure their
perfect oxidation a supply of air is admitted by the orifices OO regulated on its entrance
by the valve P, the highly heated gases then pass down the space Q imparting their
heat to the lower faces of the blocks B B of the thermo-electric elements. The heat
thus absorbed by the blocks B B is by conduction conveyed to the electro-positive
metal or alloy J thereby bringing it to a more or less perfectly molten condition with
a consequent generation of an electric current which is conducted by the metallic
strips or wires A A through the series of elements in each ring or band. The gases
pass from the space Q into the chamber S thence through the flue T to the chimney
shaft. Solid fuel is supplied to the combustion tube L by the hopper U provided with
doors or covers at its inner and outer sides. When a liquid fuel or oil is used for the
production of the required heat, the oil is injected by the pipe V into the combustion
tube L which should then be filled with pieces of refractory material and which being
first heated the oil when injected is converted into a vapour and ignited passing up
the combustion tube L is by means of the air entering the orifices O perfectly
oxidized producing an intense heat. Gaseous fuel in like manner is supplied to the
combustion tube L by a similar but larger pipe V its perfect oxidation and combustion
taking place in the same manner. When first starting the battery and in order to
induce an up current in the chimney shaft the valve or damper Win the flue T is
'opened or a tube may be fitted in the opening of the hopper U and connected to the
chimney shaft the damper W may then be closed and the circuit of the heated gases
through the battery will be completed. The generation of the electric fluid being
proportionato to the relative difference between the temperatures of the electro-positive
metal or alloy J and the metallic strips or wires A A provision is made for a
continuous supply of cold air to pass over and through them down the outer casing X
which if desired may be connected by pipes to the outside of the building in which
the battery is placed. The air thus drawn into the casing X will maintain at a low
temperature the electro-negative metallic strips or wires A A and which in passing
through the chamber Y enters by the openings Z Z into the combustion tube L
supplying the necessary oxygen for the combustion of the fuel it contains. Upon the
outside of the casing X are attached sheets or plates d d of a suitable non-conducting
material upon which are connected the poles of the rings or bands of elements and
the terminals of the battery. A simple form of commutator may he fitted to the
sheets or plates dd by means of which the elements may be joined in either quantity
or intensity according to the purpose for which the battery is required. The various
parts of the battery are fixed and securely held together by means of plates screws and
tie bolts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be carried into effect we claim and therefore
desire to secure by the grant of Letters Patent
1st. The formation of thermo-electric elements in which the electro-positive metal
or alloy may safely be raised to a high degree of heat and the electro-negative metal
maintained at a low temperature substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth
and described.
2nd. The construction of thermo-electric elements and the method employed of
connecting them together, substantially as described.
3rd. The combined arrangement of the combustion tube J air supply orifices 00
and space Qaround which are placed the thermo-electric elements, substantially as
described and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 4th. In thermo-electric batteries the arrangement of the outer casing ✗ enclosing
the elements and through which a constant supply of cold air is drawn and conveyed
into the tube J for the combustion of the fnel, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
5th. The general construction and arrangement of the various parts and their
combination for the production of a thermo-electric battery substantially as described,
set forth, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of April 1889.
JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK.
RICHARD MESTERN.