Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 20th Apr., 1889
We HECTOR LAHOUSSE and Co. and CHARLES COLLE of the said firm both of Lille
in the Republic of France Engineers do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved two liquid battery in which a novel liquid is
employed to act on the zinc in the porous vessel with a view of obtaining by the aid
of improved arrangements of the parts situated externally to the said porous vessel a
very constant current of great power at a relatively-low.cost.
A battery according to this invention is made with an external vessel of a material ·
proof against the action of the concentrated nitric acid which it contains and enclosing
a porous vessel containing a special liquid for acting on the zinc. The space between
the two vessels is filled with granular carbon packed around an electrode of retort
carbon forming the positive pole the whole being covered by a layer of pitch or other
suitable material through which, the porous vessel the carbons and two glass tubes
project one of the said tubes being employed for introducing the concentrated nitric
acid whilst the air escapes by the other tube. After this operation both the tubes are
sealed to prevent any escape of hypo nitric vapours.
The action on the zinc is obtained by means of a solution composed of about
35 parts by weight (say 35 grammes) of bisulphate of mercury and 35 parts by
weight (35 grammes) of concentrated nitric acid in about 1000 parts by weight
(one litre) of water. In preparing this solution the bisulphate is mixed with
300 parts (30 centilitres) of water in the first instance shaking or agitating it until
the solution is of the colour of yolk of eggs and then continuing the agitation
while the nitric acid is being poured in and until the liquid becomes clear.
The solution thus prepared is poured into the porous vessel in the interior of
which the zinc is afterwards placed being allowed to rest upon a collar of porcelain
or other inoxidisable material which also acts as a cover for the said porous
vessel.

page_text: The battery thus constituted is used in the same way as an ordinary battery
over which it possesses the following advantages namely:-
1. The current is very regular and even.
2. The zinc is equally acted on at all points is consumed very slowly and with
great regularity and never requires taking out of the liquid.
3. The residues are zinc salts and free mercury which are useful or saleable
products.
4. The battery requires but little attention to keep it in working order.
5. Owing to the small proportion of the salt of mercury employed in one charge
and also owing to the long duration of each charge the working expense is very low
especially when the value of the residues is taken into account.
In fact in general terms a battery according to this invention is economical powerful
constant and regular and demands very little care.
Dated this 18th day of June 1888.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.

page_text: We HECTOR LAHOUSSE and Co. and CHARLES COLLÉ of the said Firm both of Lille
in the Republic of France Engineers 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 an improved two liquid battery in which a novel liquid is
employed to act on the zinc in the porous vessel with a view of obtaining by the aid
of improved arrangements of the parts situated externally to the said porous vessel a
very constant current of great power at a relatively low cost.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood we shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the annexed
sheet of drawings the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a battery according to this
Invention in vertical section. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same Figure 3 is a
plan Figure 4 represents a perspective view shewing the arrangement of the top of
the battery and Figure 5 represents a cell or element with two Carbons for a large
battery.
The battery according to this Invention is made with an external vessel D of a
material proof against the action of the concentrated Nitric Acid which it contains
and enclosing a porous vessel B containing a special liquid for acting on the zinc C.
The space between the two vessels is filled with granular Carbon D₁ packed around
an electrode E of retort Carbon forming the positive pole the whole being covered by
a layer of pitch H or other suitable material through which the porous vessel the
Carbons and two glass tubes F F project. The tube F is employed for introducing
the concentrated nitric Acid whilst the air escapes by the tube F¹. After this
operation both the tubes are hermetically sealed to prevent any escape of hyponitric
vapours.
The action on the zinc is obtained by means of a solution composed of about
35 parts by weight (say 35 Grammes) of bisulphate of mercury and 35 parts by
weight (35 Grammes) of concentrated Nitric Acid in about 1000 parts by weight
(one litre) of water. In preparing this solution the bisulphate must be mixed with
300 parts (30 centilitres) of water in the first instance shaking or agitating it until
the solution is of the colour of yolk of eggs and then continuing the agitation while
the nitric Acid is being poured in and until the liquid becomes clear.
The solution thus prepared is poured into the porous vessel in the interior of
which the zinc is afterwards placed being allowed to rest upon a Collar G of
porcelain or other inoxidizable material which also acts as a cover for the said
porous vessel.
The battery thus constituted is used in the same way as an ordinary battery over
which it possesses the following advantages namely.
1. The current is very regular and not liable to sudden accessions of force-The
intensity of the current is about 2 volts and the quantity from about 6 to 7 amperes
for a minimum period of action of about 60 hours.

page_text: 2. The zinc is equally acted on at all points is consumed very slowly and with great
regularity and never requires taking out of the liquid.
3. The residues are zinc salts and free mercury. These products are valuable and
may be collected either for the purpose of being regenerated or for sale. In either
case their commercial value is an important set off against the cost of working the
battery.
4. The battery requires but little attention to keep it in working order compared to
a Leclanche battery for example.
5. Owing to the small proportion of the salt of mercury employed in one charge
and also owing to the long duration of each charge the working expense is very low
especially when the value of the residues is taken into account.
In fact in general terms a battery according to this Invention is economical
powerful constant and regular and demands very little care. We do not limit
ourselves to the precise forms proportions or materials illustrated by way of example
in the accompanying drawings and the proportions of the ingredients employed may
evidently be varied according to circumstances without affecting the principle of the
invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of this Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
First A two liquid battery wherein a solution of bisulphate of mercury and con-
centrated nitric Acid in suitable proportion in water as herein before set forth is
employed to act on a zinc in a porous vessel and in which granular retort carbon is
employed in combination with the ordinary carbons being immersed in nitric acid with
the object of increasing the acting surface and at the same time facilitating the
employment of a pitch or other like seal substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Second-The combinations and arrangements of parts and materials constituting
the improvements in electric batteries as hereinbefore described.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
Agents.