AN: IMPROVED METHOD OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY
Year: 1883

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ETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M and
W Clark, of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of AN: IMPROVED METHOD OF
GENERATING ELECTRICITY communicated to him from abroad by Henri
Adolphe Archereau, of Paris, Franco
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
t
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th February 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY" [communicated to him
from abroad by Henri Adolphe Archereau, of Paris, France]
"
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This Invention relates to a method of generating electricity consisting in the
employment of bodies into whose mutual reactions enters only oxygen taken by
one of them from the atmospheric air, which oxygen is restored when expended, so
that the operation is continuous and consists shortly in fixing the oxygen of the
air in a substance susceptible of forming a liquid combination and then expending
this oxygen to produce electricity by the oxidation of a suitable substance
(generally carbon), and lastly reoxidising, by the oxygen of the air, the substance
which serves as the vehicle, and so on repeatedly.
is
I take different chemical substances having affinity for the oxygen of the air,
whereby it is caused to form chemical combinations which are liquid either in
the cold or hot. It is unnecessary to enumerate all the substances that may be
employed, and I will refer only to the principal ones and describe the method of
operation.
The liquids are of course very conductive of electricity and susceptible of giving
up a part or the whole of their oxygen as will be explained, I will describe four
examples of the method of carrying out the Invention, but it should be understood
that I do not limit myself to the employment of the substances mentioned.
(1.) I take binoxide of nitrogen and place it in a suitable..vessel in intimate

page_text: :
contact with atmospheric air and water in a finely divided state and agitate,
whereby nitric acid is formed which passes into a battery cell placed beneath a
kind of bell which prevents any emanations. The bell may contain either a single
cell or a series of cells, and any other equivalent receiver may be employed. This
cell in which I employ tin or antimony as the oxidizable element and carbon or
platinum as the indestructible element generates extraordinary quantities of
electricity, and yields binoxide of nitrogen (no nitrates being produced) with
which I am enabled to reproduce indefinitely fresh nitric acid at the expense of the
oxygen of the air which costs nothing.
Although tin and antimony only have been mentioned any equivalent which
does not form nitrates in contact with nitric acid but yields metallic acids and
binoxide of nitrogen may be used as well as all metals susceptible of forming
nitrates decomposable at temperatures low enough to yield nitrogen compounds
whereby nitric acid may always be obtained by taking the necessary elements from
the air and water.
The binoxide of tin is collected and serves for burning charcoal at same time
that it becomes revivified for use again in the battery in the metallic form. The
easy revivification and well known fusibility of the metal involves the expenditure
of but little heat and I am enabled by the means hereafter described to produce
electricity whilst the carbon is taking up the oxygen of the binoxide of tin which
is really only the oxygen of the air condensed by the nitrogen binoxide into the
state of nitric acid.
+
(2) I take potash or soda or a mixture of the two, or the carbonates of these or
other analogous bases and bring the same to igneous fusion. These oxides or salts
being placed in a copper vessel which is but slightly acted on by their contact I
immerse in the liquid the carbon to be oxidized in order to produce electricity.
The copper vessels are covered exteriorly by an envelope of sheet or cast iron &c
or a coating of a suitable material or composition to prevent the oxidation of the
metal by contact with the air. Care should be taken that the carbon is insulated
from the copper vessel which becomes one of the elements of the battery the carbon.
replacing the zinc of ordinary batteries and acting in a similar capacity in as much
as it becomes oxidized. But while fuel is burning in the ordinary way in a furnace
to maintain at a red heat the oxides and salts above mentioned the heat tends to
dissociate them, or does dissociate them in such inanner that the carbon immersed
in the liquid raised to igneous fusion sets free potassium and sodium and carbonic
oxide which burn by contact with the air at the surface of the liquid of the
battery, and even also in the midst of the liquid when compressed air is injected
therein
$
This air acts also by its oxygen on the immersed carbon and on the part not
immersed, thereby generating electricity and the beat necessary for the accomplish-
ment of the chemical reactions.
In this way the potash, soda, and even the carbonates become regenerated so as
to always furnish oxygen to the carbon conductor which is the electro positive
element of the new battery wherein an indefinite quantity of carbon may be burnt
since the metallic elements potassium and sodium can always take from the
air the oxygen to be given up to the carbon which is to be renewed as it is
consumed.
(3.) I melt chlorides and fluorides (for instance chloride of sodium) and add
sulphates, for example sulphate of zinc. When the whole has arrived at a state
of igneous fusion, the carbon conductor is introduced if not already placed therein.
The oxygen of the zinc oxide and that of the sulphuric acid oxidises the carbon
and the zinc passes into the state of sulphide, but at same time I introduce at a
sufficient pressure and by any suitable means, air into the midst of the liquid, and
the sulphide again becoming sulphate, is capable of furnishing fresh quantities of
-oxygen which it will be seen is always taken from the air which is the essential
feature of the Invention and constitutes its economical advantage, the expense
being hardly more than that of the carbon. At same time that the air again

page_text: converts the sulphide into sulphate by the action of its oxygen, a portion of the
latter gas acts on the carbon and renders the combustion more complete.
(4.) In the same way as I take the oxygen from sodium, potassium, the carbonic
acid of the carbonates, the sulphuric acid of the sulphate of oxide of zinc, I mix
with the igneous liquids above mentioned the binoxide of tin produced in the tin-
carbon-nitric acid battery, which becomes reduced by contact, of the carbon which
takes up its oxygen. Electricity again results from this action of the oxygen
which abandons the tin for the carbon. Any suitable metallic conductors or
appendages are employed for connecting together the elements of the battery in
series or for quantity and to conduct outside the furnace the electricity generated.
All sorts of carbon conductors may be used, for instance carbon agglomerated
and heated to the proper temperature to render it conductive. It is preferred that
soda and potash carbonated or not should generally enter into the composition
metallic conductors being inserted during or after manufacture.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th August 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of.. Patent. Agents.
AN IMPROVED METHOD OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY" A communication to me
from abroad by Henri Adolphe Archereau of Paris, France
«
This Invention relates to a method of producing electricity whereby about one
third of the theoretical heat of combustible matters may be converted into
electricity, and this by employing almost exclusively the oxygen of the air to
develop energy by its combination with the carbon &c of the combustible matter.
It has been found impossible to obtain any considerable amount of electricity by
the direct combustion of combustible matters by means of the oxygen of the air,
which is attributable to the difficulty if not impossibility of transmitting the
electricity owing to the low conductivity of the gases generated by the combustion
of the said matters.
By the following method however the enormous power capable of being
developed by combustible matters and the oxygen of the air may be utilized for
the production of electricity instead of being almost entirely given out in the form
of heat and light as at present.
The Invention therefore consists in a method of generating electricity by the
employment of bodies into whose mutual reactions enters only oxygen taken by
one of them from the atmospheric air, which oxygen is restored to it when
expended, so that the operation is continuous, and consists shortly in fixing the
oxygen of the air in a substance susceptible of forming a liquid combination and
then expending this oxygen to produce electricity by the oxidation of a suitable
substance (generally carbon), and lastly reoxidising by the oxygen of the air the
substance which serves as the vehicle, and so on repeatedly.
I take different chemical substances having affinity for the oxygen of the air,
hereby it is caused to form chemical combinations, which are liquid or are
capable of being liquefied either in the cold or hot.
И
It is unnecessary to enumerate all the substances that may be employed, and
I will refer only to the principal ones and describe the method of operation.
These liquids are of course very conductive of electricity and susceptible of
giving up a part or the whole of their oxygen as will be explained. I will describe
four examples of the method of carrying out the Invention, but it should be
understood that I do not limit myself to the employment of the substances
mentioned.
(1) take binoxide of nitrogen and place it in a suitable vessel in intimate
contact with atmospheric air and water in a finely divided state and agitate,
whereby nitric acid formed which passes into a battery cell placed beneath a
kind of bell which prevents any gaseous emanations. The bell may contain either
a single cell or a series of cells, and any other equivalent receiver may be employed
in lieu of a bell. This cell in which I employ tin or antimony as the oxidizable
element, and carbon or platinum as the indestructible element generates extra-
ordinary quantities of electricity, and yields binoxide of nitrogen (no nitrates being
produced) with which I am enabled to reproduce indefinitely fresh nitric acid at
the expense of the oxygen of the air which costs nothing.
Although tin and antimony only have been mentioned any equivalent material
which does not form nitrates in contact with nitric acid but yields metallic acids

page_text: and binoxide of nitrogen may be used as well as all metals susceptible of forming
nitrates decomposable at temperatures low enough to yield nitrogen compounds
wherewith nitric acid may always be formed by taking the necessary elements
from the air and water.
The binoxide of tin is collected and serves for burning carbon at same time that
it becomes revivified for use again in the battery in the metallic form. The easy
revivification and well known fusibility of the metal involves the expenditure of
but little heat and I am enabled by the means hereafter described to produce
electricity whilst the carbon is taking up the oxygen of the binoxide of tin which
is really only the oxygen of the air condensed by the nitrogen binoxide into the
state of nitric acid..
.
.
(2) I raise to igneous fusion potash or soda or a mixture of the two, or the
carbonates of these or other analogous bases. These oxides or salts being placed
in a copper vessel which is but slightly acted on by their contact I. immerse in the
liquid the carbon to be oxidized in order to produce electricity. The copper vessels
are covered exteriorly by an envelope of sheet or cast iron & or a coating of a
suitable material or composition to prevent the oxidation of the metal by contact
with the air. Care should be taken that the carbon which should be conductive,
is insulated from the copper vessel which becomes one of the elements of the
battery the carbon replacing the zinc of ordinary batteries and acting in a similar
capacity inasmuch as it becomes oxidized. But while fuel is burning in the
ordinary way in a furnace to maintain at a red heat the oxides and salts above
mentioned the heat tends to dissociate them, or does dissociate them in such
manner that the carbon immersed in the liquid raised to igneous fusion sets free
potassium and sodium and carbonic oxide which burn by contact with the air at
the surface of the liquid of the battery, and even also in the midst of the liquid
when compressed air is injected therein. This air acts also by its oxygen on the
immersed carbon and on the part not immersed, thereby generating electricity and
the heat necessary for the accomplishment of the chemical reactions. In this way
the potash, soda, and even the carbonates become regenerated so as to always
furnish oxgen [sic] to the carbon conductor which is the electro positive element of
the new battery wherein an indefinite quantity of carbon may be burnt since the
metallic elements potassium and sodium can always take from the air the oxygen
to be given up to the carbon which is to be renewed as it is consumed.
(3.) I melt chlorides or fluorides (for instance chloride of sodium) and add
sulphates, for example sulphate of zinc. When the whole has arrived at a state of
igneous fusion, the carbon conductor is introduced if not already placed therein.
The oxygen of the zinc oxide and that of the sulphuric acid oxidises the carbon
and the zinc becomes reduced to the state of sulphide, but at same time I inject.
air at a sufficient pressure and by any suitable means, into the midst of the liquid,
and the sulphide again becoming converted into sulphate, is capable of furnishing
fresh quantities of oxygen which it will be seen is always taken from the air
which is the essential feature of the Invention and constitutes its economical
advantage, the expense being hardly more than that of the carbon. At same time
that the air again converts the sulphide into sulphate by the action of its oxgen,
a portion of the latter gas acts on the carbon and renders the combustion more
complete.
(4). In the same way as I borrow the oxygen from sodium, potassium, the
carbonic acid of the carbonates, the sulphuric acid of the sulphate of oxide of zinc,
I mix with the igneous liquids above mentioned the binoxide of tin produced in
the tin-carbon-nitric acid battery which binoxide becomes reduced by contact of
the carbon which takes up its oxygen. Electricity again results from this action
of the oxygen which abandons the tin for the carbon. Any suitable metallic
conductors or appendages are employed for connecting together the elements of the
battery in series or for quantity and to conduct outside the furnace the electricity
generated.
All sorts of carbon conductors may be used, for instance carbon agglomerated

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"
and heated to the proper temperature to render it conductive. It is preferred that
soda and potash carbonated or not should generally enter into the composition,
.metallic conductors being inserted in holes made in the carbon during or after
manufacture.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
'hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is
1 The method of generating electricity consisting in fixing the oxygen of the
.air in a substance susceptible of forming a liquid combination at any temperature,
then expending this oxygen to produce electricity by the oxidation of a suitable
substance and afterwards reoxidising by the oxygen of the air, the substance which
serves as the vehicle for the oxygen, and so on repeatedly, substantially as
specified.
2nd The mode of generating electricity by mixing binoxide of nitrogen with air
tand water in a finely divided state so as to form nitric acid which is. used in
a closed battery cell containing tin or antimony or any other substance not forming
nitrates as the oxidizable element and carbon or platinum as the indestructiblo
element; the battery yielding binoxide of nitrogen from which nitric acid is
reproduced at the expense of the oxygen of the air, the binoxide of tin or other
compound formed being reduced all as specified..
3rd The mode of generating electricity by the combustion of carbon or other
equivalent substance in a bath of potash, soda or salt of potash or soda in a state of
igneous fusion with or without the injection of air oxygen or other gas,
substantially as specified
4th The mode of generating electricity by the employment of a bath of chlorides
or of fluorides in fusion, with the addition of a sulphate, in the presence of carbon
or other equivalent combustible or oxidisable substance; and of air injected whereby
the sulphide, reduced from the sulphate by the carbon is continually reoxidised
substantially as specified.
5th The mode of generating electricity by means of binoxide of tin mixed with.
the igneous liquids berein-mentioned, in such manner that the binoxide of tin is
reduced by contact with the carbon which takes up its oxygen substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty fifth day of August A.D. 1883.