IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES, APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC LIGHTING, TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas James Howell, of Grove Cottages, The Grove,
South Lambeth, London in the County of Surrey, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES, APPLICABLE TO ELECTRIC LIGHTING,
TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas James Howell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th December 1882.
THOMAS JAMES HOWELL, of Grove Cottages, The Grove, South Lambeth, London,
in the County of Surrey, "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES, APPLICABLE
TO ELECTRIC LIGHTING, TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES
"
I propose to use in a Galvanic Battery a porous pot made of pure Carbon
(Charcoal), of manganese and Carbon, plumbago and Carbon, or of any other suitable
Carbons found most expedient in the course of manufacture, and placed within an
earthenware or any suitable insulating vessel.
This carbon porous pot is to play the part in a Galvanic battery both of the
Carbon Electrode and the ordinary earthenware porous pot or plate combined.
This Carbon pot may be made Circular, square or oblong, or of any form found in
practice preferable and with or without a tube up vertically in the centre, or at the
sides, for the passage of an insulated wire running from the zinc pole of the
battery.
I find Batteries to answer well in which my Carbon porous pot rests, or is
suspended, by means of a flange, lip or other support upon the top of an outer
vessel at some distance from the bottom; and in the chamber thus formed between
the carbon pot and the bottom of the outer vessel, I place a plate of zinc and an
insulated wire passing therefrom, either through a tube running up inside of the
carbon pot, or passing through the flange, lip or suspender at top of same.
I may
however rest my carbon pot upon the bottom of the outer vessel, supporting the
zinc plate vertically between the Carbon pot and outer vessel by any suitable
means. Within the carbon pot I place, say Nitric acid and water, in about the pro-
portion of 1/4 of Nitric Acid to 3/4ths of water (or Vice-Versa) also a small quantity
قطع

page_text: of Fluoric Acid, and in the outer compartment or vessel, say one part of Sulphuric
Acid to nine parts of water, together with a small quantity of free Mercury (quick-
silver) for the purpose of keeping up the Amalgamation of the zinc electrode; or in
lieu thereof, I place within the carbon pot Bi-Chromate of Potass, dilute Sulphuric
Acid and broken Carbon, together with fluoric acid and water-In the outer vessel
with the zinc I put water and free Mercury-Again, within the Carbon pot I can
use broken carbon, peroxide of manganese, dilute sulphuric acid, and fluoric acid;
and in the outer vessel, with the zinc, water and free mercury.
Any equivalents of these Chemicals may be used as required in proportion to
the size of the Carbon pot and outer vessel, and any one or part of the Chemicals
before named may be added when the Batteries are found to be weakening.
Amongst the advantages of my improved battery are, that it gives great electro-
motive force, and it offers a very low resistance because of the zinc and carbon
electrodes working direct with each other, also that the action of the other elements
is materially incited or strengthened by the presence of fluoric acid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas James Howell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th June 1883.
THOMAS JAMES HOWELL, of Grove Cottages, The Grove, South Lambeth, London
in the County of Surrey, "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES APPLICABLE
TO ELECTRIC LIGHTING TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES
"
My Invention relates particularly to the use in a Galvanic Battery of a porous
pot made of pure carbon (charcoal) of Manganese and Carbon, Plumbago and
Carbon, or of any other Carbons found most expedient in the course of manu-
facture, and placed within an earthenware or any suitable insulating vessel.
This Carbon porous pot is to play the part in a Galvanic Battery both of the
Carbon electrode and the ordinary earthenware porous pot or plate combined. It
may be made circular, square, oblong, or of any form found in practice preferable,
and with or without a tube up vertically in the centre, or at the sides, for the
passage of an insulated wire running from the zinc pole of the battery.
I find batteries to answer well in which my Carbon porous pot rests, or is
suspended, by means of a flange, lip or other support, upon the top of an outer
vessel at some distance from the bottom, and in the chamber thus formed between
the Carbon pot and the bottom of the outer vessel, I place a plate of zinc and an
insulated wire passing therefrom, either through a tube running up inside of the
Carbon pot, or passing through the flange, lip or suspender at top of same.
I may
however rest my Carbon pot upon the bottom of the outer vessel, supporting the
zinc plate vertically between the Carbon pot and outer vessel by any suitable
means.
Within the Carbon pot I place say Nitric Acid and Water, in about the proportion
of one fourth of Nitric Acid to three fourths of water (or vice-versa), also a small
quantity, say from one half of an ounce to an ounce of Fluoric Acid to every six
ounces of Nitric Acid; and in the outer compartment or vessel, say one part of
Sulphuric acid to nine parts of water, together with a small quantity of free
Mercury (Quicksilver) for the purpose of keeping up the amalgamation of the zinc
electrode; or in lieu of the above I place within the Carbon pot Bi-chromate of
Potass, dilute Sulphuric Acid and broken Carbon, together with Fluoric Acid and
water (in the proportions of about from four to eight ounces of Bi-chromate of Potass,
an equal quantity of Sulphuric Acid, from half an ounce to an ounce of Fluoric
Acid and say from three pints to half a gallon of water); and in the outer vessel
with the zinc I put water and free Mercury.
Or I may put within the Carbon pot, broken Carbon and Peroxide of Manganese,
in about equal proportions, dilute Sulphuric Acid from four to eight ounces, and
from half an ounce to an ounce of Fluoric Acid in say from three pints to half a
gallon of water; and in the outer vessel with the zinc, water and free Mercury.
I may also use Chloride of zinc in connection with the zinc plate, and place the
Bi-chromate of Potass in the outer vessel instead of within the Carbon porous pot
as above described.
I would also have it understood that any equivalents of these Chemicals may
be used as required in proportion to the size of the Carbon pot and outer vessel,
and that any one or part of the chemicals before named may be added when the
Batteries are found to be weakening.
Amongst the advantages of my improved Battery are, great electro-motive force
and a very low resistance because of the zinc and Carbon electrodes working direct
with each other, also that the action of the other elements is materially incited or
strengthened by the presence of Fluoric Acid,
-

page_text: Having now described and ascertained the Nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is or may be performed
I Claim as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent :—
Firstly In a Galvanic Battery, the use of a Carbon porous pot substantially as
herein before described.
Secondly In a Galvanic Battery formed substantially as herein before described,
the use of Fluoric Acid as and for the purpose set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Thomas James Howell have hereunto set my
hand and Seal this Twentieth day of June in the year of Our Lord One
thousand Eight hundred and Eighty three.
THOMAS JAME
TIT
(L.B.)