Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept
T
1808
Complete Specification Left. 5th June, 1899-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 5th June, 1899-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
I, HENRY BLUMENBERG, Jr., residing at Corner of. White Plains Road, and.
De Milt Avenue, Wakefield, in the Borough of Bronx, in the County and State
of New York, United States of America, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Electric batteries have heretofore been constructed with a zinc element and
with a carbon or lead positive element and per oxide of lead or other metallic
per oxide. It has however been recognized that although the solution of dilute
sulphuric acid would, for a while, give excellent results, yet eventually the
zinc plate would be dissolved in it, and hydrogen gas would be liberated, which
would react in time on the lead peroxide and reduce it, causing thereby a
large waste, and in addition to this, a lead sulphate would form by the action
of the sulphuric acid and substantially render the battery cell useless.
I have found that by using a solution of either aluminium ter-sulphate, or
aluminium ter-sulphate with sulphates of the metals of the alkalies or alkaline
earths, that the destructive action would be reduced to a minimum; and also
the sulphating of the lead per-oxide would be prevented.
In the present improvements, the acid radicals of the solution being in a
state of combination with either the aluminium oxide or the alkali could not
act as a free acid radical would in contact with the zinc or the peroxide, and
while the present improvements are especially available in connection with
per-oxide of lead in the battery, the said improvements are available with other
peroxides, such as per-oxide of manganese.
In carrying out my improvements with a primary battery, a positive element
such as carbon or lead, is employed, and a negative or zinc element. Thes
may be of any desired shape or character, and the battery or electrolytic liquid
consists of a solution of aluminium ter-sulphate, or of an aluminium ter-sulphate
and a sulphate of the metals of the alkalies or alkaline earths; and this
electrolytic liquid is of but little, resistance in the battery, and the necessary
action and reaction are obtained without the risk heretofore arising when a
dilute sulphuric acid is employed.
In a secondary battery, I make use of an electrolytic liquid containing bi-
sulphate of potassium, sodium, or ammonia, in combination with ter-sulphate
of aluminium, whereby the injury to the plates is prevented, because with
zinc and lead plates, while the battery is discharging, a double sulphate of
zinc is formed, while in charging the battery the zinc is deposited on the zinc
pole and the lead is per-oxidised, the action being the reverse in charging the
battery from what it is when the battery is discharging.
It will also be understood that the greater the proportion of sulphate salt
in the electrolytic liquid, the less will be the resistance of the battery, and the
reverse; and I also find that after the water has taken up in solution as much
of the ter-sulphate of aluminium as possible, it will also take up a bi-sulphate

page_text: of either potassium, sodium, or ammonia, thereby reducing the resistance of
the battery and also lessening the risk of injury to the positive or negative
elements of the battery.
Dated this 13th day of September 1898.
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
I, HENRY BLUMenberg, Jr., residing at Corner of White Plains Road, and
De Milt Avenue, Wakefield, in the Borough of Bronx, in the County and State
of New York, United States of America, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
Batteries have heretofore been constructed with a zinc element and with a
carbon or lead positive element and per-oxide of lead or other metallic per-
oxide, but it has been recognized that the solution of dilute sulphuric acid
would, for a while, give excellent results, but in which eventually the zinc
plate would be dissolved and hydrogen gas would be liberated, which would
react in time on the lead per-oxide and reduce it, causing thereby a large waste,
and in addition to this, a lead sulphate would form by the action of the sulphuric
acid and substantially render the battery cell useless.
I have found that by using a solution of either aluminum ter-sulphate, or
aluminum ter-sulphate with sulphates of the metals of the alkalies or alkaline
earths, that the destructive action would be reduced to a minimum; and also
the sulphating of the lead per-oxide would be prevented.
In the present improvement, the acid radicals of the solution, being in a
state of combination with either the aluminum, or the alkali metal or alkaline
earth metals that can be substituted therefor, could not act as would a free acid
radical in contact with the zinc or the per-oxide, and while the present improve-
ment is especially available in connection with per-oxide of lead in the battery,
the said improvement is available with other per-oxides, such as per-oxide of
manganese.
In carrying out my improvement with a primary battery, the positive element,
such as carbon or lead, is employed, and a negative or zinc element. These
may be of any desired shape or character, and the battery or electrolytic liquid
consists of a solution of aluminum ter-sulphate, or of an aluminum ter-sulphate
and a sulphate of the metals of the alkalies or alkaline earths, in about the
proportion of an equal quantity of each, and this electrolytic liquid is of but
little resistance in the battery, and the necessary action and re-action are obtained
without the risk heretofore arising when a dilute sulphuric acid is employed.
In a secondary battery, I make use of an electrolytic liquid containing bi-
sulphate of potassium, sodium, or ammonia, in combination with ter-sulphate
of aluminum, in about the proportion of an equal quantity of each, whereby the
injury to the plates is prevented, because with zinc and lead plates, while the
battery is discharging, a double sulphate of zinc is formed, while in charging
the battery the zinc is deposited on the zinc pole and the lead is per-oxidized,
the action being the reverse in charging the battery from what it is when the
battery is discharging.

page_text: It will also be understood that the greater the proportion of sulphate salt
in the electrolytic liquid, the less will be the resistance of the battery, and the
reverse; and I also find that after the water has taken up in solution as much
of the ter-sulphate of aluminum as possible, it will also take up a bi-sulphate
of either potassium, sodium, or ammonia, thereby reducing the resistance of
the battery and also lessening the risk of injury to the positive or negative
elements of the battery.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what
I claim is
First: In a battery containing two elements of different polarity, an electro-
lytic solution containing ter-sulphate of aluminum, substantially as set forth.
Second: In a battery the combination with the positive and negative elements,
of an electrolytic liquid containing an aluminum ter-sulphate, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Third: In a battery containing two elements of different polarity, an
electrolytic solution containing ter-sulphate of aluminum and bi-sulphate of an
alkali or alkaline earth, such as potassium sodium or ammonia, substantially as
specified.
Fourth The primary battery containing positive and negative elements and
a metallic per-oxide, an electrolytic liquid containing aluminum ter-sulphate
and a sulphate of a metal of the alkalies or alkaline earths, in about the pro-
portion of an equal quantity of each, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of June 1899.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5A, Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.