Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
1, ALEXANDER SCHANSCHIEFF, of Gipsy Hill, in the County of Surrey, Electrician,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to charging the tubes with liquid and emptying them.
When I require a battery to work automatically until the zinc is consumed I use
carbon and zinc elements and as a single exciting liquid my mercurial sulphate
solution.
Each cell of the battery I provide with a small annex communicating with 'it near
the bottom by a passage of small area.
The several annex are similarly connected the one to the other and all with a small
system in which a supply of liquid is maintained at an uniform level by a float and
valve. Each cell I also provide with an overflow pipe. In the working of the battery
the density of the liquid is reduced and as it becomes exhausted it rises in the cell and
passes away by the overflow pipe. The place of the liquid so passing away is supplied
by fresh liquid from the annex. Thus the battery is kept constant. In electric
lighting I employ such a battery to charge in succession several secondary batteries
the contacts being changed automatically by a clock.
Sometimes I adopt a simpler arrangement. I place each successive cell at a some-
what lower level than the preceding and arrange them to overflow the one into the
other so that the liquid passes from cell to cell and finally escapes before it is wholly
exhausted for intermittent charging and discharging I employ the following
arrangement:-
The bottom of each cell is connected to the bottom of the next by a flexible pipe of
sufficient length to allow its middle to be raised above the level of the liquid in the
cells. A valve or an air orifice capable of being closed is provided on the top of the
bend of the tube. In order to fill the battery liquid is admitted or pumped into one
of the cells from a reservoir, and from this cell the liquid flows into the other cells
through the flexible pipes. When the battery has been charged the flexible pipes are
raised above the level of the liquid and may be conveniently retained in that position
by being hooked on to supporting books-the result is that the liquid in each cell is
now separated from the liquid in the others and no current can pass between the cells
through the liquid.
The battery is emptied in a similar manner, an opening being provided in one of
the cells for the purpose.
.
1000
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
I, ALEXANDER SCHANSCHIEFF, of Gipsy Hill in the County of Surrey, Electrician,
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:
The improvements relate to charging the tubes with liquid and emptying them.
When I require a battery to work automatically until the zine is consumed 1 use
preferably carbon and zinc elements and as a single exciting liquid my mercurial
sulphate solution as described in the Specifications of my patents No. 12378 of 1885
and 8832 of 1886.

page_text: Each cell of the battery I provide with a small annex communicating with it near
the bottom by a passage of small area.
The several annex' are similarly connected the one to the other and all with a small
cistern in which a supply of liquid is maintained at an uniform level by a float and
valve. Each cell I also provide with an overflow pipe. In the working of the battery
the density of the liquid is reduced and as it becomes exhausted it rises in the cell and
passes away by the overflow pipe. The place of the liquid so passing away is supplied
by fresh liquid from the annex. Thus the battery is kept constant. In electric
lighting I employ such a battery to charge in succession several secondary batteries
the contacts being changed automatically by a clock.
Sometimes I adopt a simpler arrangement. I place each successive cell at a some-
what lower level than the preceding and arrange them to overflow the one into the
other so that the liquid passes from cell to cell and finally escapes before it is wholly
exhausted.
For intermittent charging and discharging I employ the following arrangement:
The bottom of each cell is connected to the bottoin of the next by a flexible pipe of
sufficient length to allow its middle to be raised above the level of the liquid in the
cells. A valve or an air orifice capable of being closed is provided on the top of the
bend of the tube. In order to fill the battery liquid is admitted or pumped into one
of the cells from a reservoir, and from this cell the liquid flows into the other cells
through the flexible pipes. When the battery has been charged the flexible pipes are
raised above the level of the liquid and may be conveniently retained in that position
by being hooked on to supporting books-the result is that the liquid in each cell is
now separated from the liquid in the others and no current can pass between the cells
through the liquid.
The battery is emptied in a similar manner, an opening being provided in one of
the cells for the purpose.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a transverse section. Figure 2 is a longitudinal section and Figure 3
is a horizontal section of a portion of a battery in which the cells are fed from a
cistern through very small apertures.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a battery in which the cells are placed in progres-
sively descending steps and the liquor is passed from one to another.
Figure 5 is a perspective elevation of a battery in which the cells are connected
by flexible tubes for simultaneous filling and emptying.
Figure 6 is a plan and Figure 7 is an elevation partly in section of automatic
apparatus which I employ in charging secondary batteries.
In figures 1, 2 and 3, a, a, a, are the battery cells, b, b, b, are the annexes with
which the said cells communicato by minute passages a¹ a¹. bare similar passages
by which the annexes are connected the one with the other. The passages
and are so small that the liquid in one cell is nearly if not completely insulated
electrically from that in the others. c is a cistern to which the liquid to supply
the cells is admitted by a ball cock and maintained at a constant level. One of
the battery cells may communicate directly with the cistern which then serves as
its annex. Each cell has an outlet just above the level at which the liquid is
maintained in the cistern. When the liquid becomes lighter with use it rises in
the cell and overflows drop by drop into a suitable receiver and fresh liquor enters
from the annex.
ee are the carbons in the battery cells, they are fixed to a cover f and remain
constantly immersed in the liquor. 9 9 are the zines; these are passed through
slits in the cover and are connected with counter-balance weights as is shown so
that when the battery is not in use the zines may be lifted out of the liquid.
The zincs are shown in a partly raised position by dotted lines in Figure 2.

page_text: Whilst at work the bars rest upon supports h h at the bottom of the cells. ii are
apertures for emptying the cells, they are corked up when the battery is at work.
In Figure 4k are the battery cells placed in steps one below the other. In
these cells the battery elements are arranged as above described or in any convenient
manner. The exciting liquid is admitted continuously to the uppermost cell and it
overflows from it by a pipe into the cell below, which being thus fed similarly
overflows by a pipe into the next cell and so on. The partially spent liquor
overflows from the lowest cell.
In Figure 5 it is not intended that the supply of liquid should be continuous
but the cells are all filled simultaneously and when by working the liquid is
exhausted the cells are simultaneously emptied.
ll are the cells and m m are india rubber pipes which connect them together
near the bottom. n is a supply cistern connected with the first cell by the pipe o
and p is a draw off cock upon the last cell in the series. When the connecting
pipes m are in the positions indicated by the full lines in the figure liquid poured
into the cistern n will pass into and fill to the same level all the cells. When
this has been done the pipes m can be lifted on to the hooks y as indicated by
the dotted lines and then all communication between the liquid in one cell and
another is cut off. Each pipe m has a small perforation in it at m' which permits
air to enter so that when the pipe is raised the liquid in it descends to the level
of the liquid in the cells. Such a perforation however will not permiit liquid to
escape when the pipes are hanging downwards.
When I desire to employ these primary batteries to charge secondary batteries
I make the arrangements indicated by the figures 6 & 7.
r is a mercury trough permanently connected with one terminal of the primary
battery; the other terminal is permanently connected with the corresponding
terminal of each of the secondary batteries to be charged. The other terminals of
the secondary batteries are connected with the mercury cups sss each to each.
ttt are levers mounted on an axis t¹. Each lever carries a dipping piece t² which
can be made to enter the mercury and establish electrical communication between
the mercury in the vessels and 's and so to couple with the primary battery the
secondary battery to which the lever corresponds.
t³ ³ are weights which when left free keep the dipping pieces out of the mercury.
u is an axis turned by clock-work at any convenient speed; it has upon it
cams u¹. The cams operate to lift the weighted end of the levors one at a time
and so the secondary batteries are coupled with the primary in rotation and are
kept coupled for any prearranged time; this is regulated by the form of the cam and
the speed at which the axis is caused to rotate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A battery substantially as described in respect to Figures 1, 2 and 3 in
which the cells are continuously supplied from a cistern through minute orifices
whilst the partially spent liquor is continuously withdrawn.
2. A battery substantially as described in respect to Figure 4 in which the cells are
arranged in steps and the liquor is supplied continuously to the uppermost cell and
descends from cell to cell.
3. A battery substantially as described in respect to Figure 5 in which by the aid
of flexible pipes the cells can be connected at pleasure so that liquid may pass from
cell to cell; and again disconnected so as to stop all communication between the liquid
in one cell and that in another.
Dated this 19th dox of Than 1200