Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1890-Accepted. 14th June. 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE CROSBY ELECTRIC COMPANY, of Judge
Buildings, Corner 5th Avenue and 16th Street, New York, United States of
America.]
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 :-
as
My invention relates especially to that class of electric batteries which are known
open circuit" batteries; and it consists in certain novel features, as hereinafter
fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more
effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.
The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all
conversant with such inatters from the following explanation.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of my improved battery, and
Figure 2 a sectional view showing a modification in the method of connecting the
conducting-wire.
Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different
figures of the drawing.
A represents the containing-jar, which is constructed of zinc and forms the negative
pole of the battery, one of the conducting-wires being attached in any suitable manner
thereto. The inner face of the jar is preferably amalgamated with mercury, as
shown at x.
In the bottom of the jar is disposed a hard rubber insulator b, upon which the
carbon pole B rests, said pole being preferably in the form of a pencil.
Surrounding the carbon pencil B at its top and bottom is a hard-rubber insulating
ring, d, the purpose of which is to prevent said pole from being accidentally brought
into contact with the jar A.
The jar is filled around the carbon B with a packing D, consisting of ordinary wool
or cotton waste or other spongy material especially prepared with the excitant in the
following manner : The wool waste is soaked for some hours in a strong solution of
sal-ammoniac, which is then squeezed out of it to carry off the greasy properties of
the wool, after which it is again soaked in the solution until thoroughly saturated,
when the crystals of the sal-ammoniac will adhere to the wool. The wool, while moist
and carrying with it all of the solution it will hold, after the manner of a sponge, is
then packed in the jar A around the carbon B. When the carbon pencil is formed, a
capf, is cast upon its upper end and a conducting-wire cast therein, said cap being
composed of a compound of tin and lead. The top of the jar and cap fare then
covered by an insulating-cap g, composed preferably, of linen prepared with paraffine
or similar substance.
The ordinary brass connector 7, may be employed for securing the conducting-wire
to the carbon pole, as shown in Figure 2; but I preferably make use of the cap f,
constructed as described, as the fumes arising from the excitant have little or no
effect upon it and polarization is thereby prevented.
The carbon-plate is very porous. When the brass-connector is secured directly
to the carbon-plate "the creeping-salts" from the muriate of amonia or other
excitant passes by capillary attraction through the carbon and corrodes the brass
thereby frequently insulating the carbon-pole.
The cap is composed of equal parts of tin and lead melted together. The top
of the carbon is indented and the molten tin and lead poured around it. The

page_text: brass is thus imbedded in the composition and is separated thereby from positive
contact with said carbon.
I find that the electro-motive force of the battery arranged as described is much
greater than in batteries of ordinary construction. Its. life. is also much longer,
and it can readily be renewed by moistening the packing D very slightly with
water or the solution described, sufficient moisture only being required to 'affect
the sal-ammoniac crystals on the wool.
r
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In an electric battery, the combination of a zinc containing jar, a carbon
pencil disposed within said jar and insulated therefrom by hard-rubber rings, and
a packing disposed around said pencil consisting of wool waste saturated with a
solution of sal-ammoniac, substantially as described.
Second. In an electric battery, the combination of a zinc-containing jar, a carbon
pencil disposed in said jar and insulated therefrom, a packing around said pencil
consisting of wool waste impregnated with sal-ammoniac, and a wire-connector. on
said pencil composed of lead and tin, substantially as described.
Third. In an electric battery, the combination of a zinc-containing jar amalga-
mated on its inner face, an insulator in the bottom of said jar, a carbon pencil
resting therein and provided with insulating-rings a wire connector on. said-pencil
'composed of lead and tin, an-excitant consisting of sal-ammoniac suspended in a
-spong-like material around said pencil, and an insulating-cap for said jar,. sub-
stantially as described:
Fourth. In an electric battery, the combination of the zinc-containing jar, A,
amalgamated at x, and provided with the insulator b, the pencil B, having the
insulating-rings d, the packing D, disposed around said pencil and composed of wool
waste saturated with sal-ammoniac, the wire-connector f, composed of a compound of
tin and lead, and the insulating cap g, all being arranged substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of March 1890.-
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.