IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC OR GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Figatner, of Milan, in the Kingdom of
Italy, Electrician, at present residing at Finsbury Square, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC OR
GALVANIC BATTERIES."
Sealed the 16th July 1872, and dated the 25th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Figatner at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th May 1872.
I, HENRY FIGATNER, of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy, Electrician,
at present residing at Finsbury Square, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC
OR GALVANIC BATTERIES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to improvements in voltaic piles or galvanic
batteries for obtaining constant and continued currents of electricity with
very little waste of zinc. For this purpose according to my Invention
I employ all kinds of liquid and solid substances derived from the animal
kingdom as the exciting elements of voltaic piles or galvanic batteries for
producing electric currents. A sheet of zinc coupled with one of copper

page_text: or calcined coal provided with " reophores" for forming a voltaic pile
or galvanic battery in accordance with the first part of my improve-
ments is immersed in a bath containing the fecal matters of water-
closets or the excrements of animals, or in urine, blood, milk, gall, or in
guano of all kinds, or other similar substances derived from the animal
kingdom (such substances being rendered liquid or semi-liquid by com-
bining them with urine if required). By this means a constant and
continued current of electricity is produced, lasting as long as any
moisture remains in the exciting medium or matters employed with
very little waste or destructive action of the metals employed in forming
the voltaic pile or galvanic battery. When the liquid portion of the
contents of the cell or cells of a voltaic pile or galvanic battery of this
character is evaporated more urine must be added, by which means the
force of the electric current will be reinstated. Thus by retaining in
the Bunsen pile the two elements, zinc and coal, without the porous
trough, and substituting for the acidulated water and azotic acid, a bath
consisting of either of the above mentioned liquid matters, a voltaic pile
or galvanic battery will be produced in accordance with my Invention,
which I term "Figatner's system."
According to the second part of my improvements I form a voltaic
pile or galvanic battery by means of a sheet of zinc by preference of
about one-eighth of an inch in thickness, covered by preference with a
thick coat of varnish (or otherwise protected) except at the edges or
lateral parts, which coupled with a sheet of copper or calcined coal is
immersed in the corrosive liquid or liquids employed, by which an
electric current will be induced, and owing to the very small amount of
surface of the zinc exposed to the action of the exciting liquid or
element a very slight corrosive action only takes place thereon although
the intensity of the electric current thus produced is the same or there-
about as that produced by a sheet of zinc unprotected by varnish.
According to another part of my improvements in forming a voltaic
pile or galvanic battery in place of the porous porcelain troughs at
present employed in the Bunsen, Daniel, and other batteries, I substitute
similar troughs, cells, or chambers made with lime, hydraulic or other
suitable cements which are porous or sufficiently solid, being less
expensive than the former.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Figatner in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
FIGATNER, of Milan, in the Kingdom of Italy, Electrician, at present
residing at Finsbury Square, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Henry Figatner, Her special licence that I,
the said Henry Figatner, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Henry Figatner, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC OR
Galvanic BatterIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Figatner, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Figatner, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
-
This Invention relates, first, to improvements in voltaic piles or
galvanic batteries for obtaining constant and continued currents of
electricity with very little waste of zinc. For this purpose according to
my Invention I employ all kinds of liquid and solid substances derived
from the animal kingdom as the exciting clements of voltaic piles or
galvanic batteries for producing electric currents. A sheet of zinc

page_text: coupled with one of copper or calcined coal or carbon provided with
reophores for forming a voltaic pile or galvanic battery in accordance
with the first part of my improvements is immersed in a bath containing
the focal matters of waterclosets or the excrements of animals, or in
urine, blood, milk, gall, or in guano of all kinds, or other similar
substances derived from the animal kingdom (such substances being
rendered liquid or semi-liquid by combining them with urine if
required). By this means a constant and continued current of electricity
is produced lasting as long as any moisture remains in the exciting
medium or matters employed with very little waste or destructive action
of the metals employed in forming the voltaic pile or galvanic battery.
When the liquid portion of the contents of the cell or cells of a voltaic
pile or galvanic battery of this character is evaporated more urine must
be added by which means the force of the electric current will be
reinstated. Thus by retaining in the Bunsen pile the two elements
zinc and calcined coal or carbon without the porous trough, and
substituting for the acidulated water and azotic acid a bath consisting
of either of the above mentioned liquid matters, a voltaic pile or
galvanic battery will be produced in accordance with my Invention,
which I term "Figatner's" system.
According to the second part of my improvements I form a voltaio
pile or galvanic battery by means of a sheet of zinc of about one-eighth
of an inch in thickness covered with a thick coat of varnish except at
the edges or lateral part, which coupled with a sheet of copper, carbon,
or calcined coal is immersed in the corrosive liquid or liquids employed,
by which elements an electric current will be produced, and owing to
the very small amount of surface of the zinc exposed to the action of
the exciting liquid or element a very slight corrosive action only takes
place on the zinc, although the intensity of the electric current thus
produced is the same or thereabouts as that produced by a sheet of zinc
unprotected by varnish.
According to another part of my improvements in forming a voltaic
pile or galvanic battery in place of the porous porcelain troughs at
present employed in the Bunsen, Daniel, and other batteries, I substitute
therefor other troughs, cell, or chambers made with lime, chalk,
hydraulic, or other suitable cements which are porous or sufficiently
solid, being less expensive than the former,

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner
of carrying the same into practice, what I claim is,—
First. The use and application of focal matters obtained from water-
closets and elsewhere, or the excrements of animals, guano of different
kinds (rendered fluid or semi-fluid by mixing urine therewith), blood,
milk, gall, urine, or other animal matters to form the bath or exciting
medium for producing the electric currents of voltaic piles or batteries,
substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly. I claim the protection (with varnish or other suitable
coating) of the surfaces of the zinc plates employed in forming voltaic
piles or galvanic batteries, the edges only of the zinc plates being
exposed to the action of the corrosive fluids or substances employed for
inducing electric currents, substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly. I claim the formation of the troughs or cells of voltaic piles
or galvanic batteries with lime, chalk, hydraulic or other suitable porous
cement in place of porous porcelain, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Figatner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.