Improvements in and relating to Primary- Batteries.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, '16th 'Apr."1895
*Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
.Improvements in and relating to Primary- Batteries.
We, WALTER ROWBOTHAM, Electrical Engineer, HYMEN LEVETUS Manu-
facturing Jeweller and SARAH ISABELLE LEVETUS Widow, all of 47' Vittoria
Street Birmingham in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
We construct our cell in the following manner-Using an outer cell either
round, rectangular or of other suitable shape, and constructed of any suitable
material but preferably of enamelled iron, left unenamelled in parts as hereinafter
described, we divide it vertically into two compartments, the partition being of
the same material as the cell. In the said partition we drill one or more holes
near the top and also near the bottom. In the interior of one of the two com-
partments we place a porous cell or two porous slabs of suitable material, preferably
using porous rubber or porous ebonite for this purpose, and in the porous cell, or
in the space between the two porous slabs, we place our carbons. In the two outer
spaces between the sides of the porous cell or porous slabs, and the outer side
walls of the compartment (which walls may be made removeable, and in the casc
of the cell being constructed of enamelled iron, are left unenamelled on the insides)
we place plates of iron, or iron filings,' scrap, or turnings, preferably using. the
latter. Sometimes we perforate the outer walls or bottom or both of this com-
partment of the cell to permit the spent solution to-drain off. In the other
compartment of the cell, which, if of iron, is enamelled all over, we place our
solution which we compose of bichromate or dichromate of soda and sulphuric
acid and water. Other acids may be used but preferably we use, sulphuric acid.
Dated this Eleventh day of April 1895
· WALTER ROWBOTHAM.
HYMEN LEVETUS.
SARAH
ISABELLE LEVETUS.
Improvements in and relating to Primary Batteries.
We, WALTER ROWBOTHAM, Electrical Engineer, HYMEN LEVETUS, Manu-
facturing Jeweller, and SARAH ISABELLE LEVETUS, Widow; all of 47 Vittoria
Street, Birmingham, in the- County of Warwick, 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 more particularly to single-fluid primary batteries and
has for its chief object to so construct the batteries that a circulation of the
exciting fluid can be obtained for the purpose of reducing polarization. We
also employ a specially prepared exciting fluid for the battery as hereinafter
set forth.
According to our invention the main body of the exciting fluid is separated from
the exciting fluid within the active portion of the cell by a non-porous partition
provided with apertures near its upper and lower ends. Each cell is thus divided
[PQ77

page_text: into two compartments. One of these compartments is divided longitudinally into
three sub-compartments by means of a porous cell or by two slabs of porous
material such as porous rubber or porous ebonite. The inner sub-compartment
contains the carbon element or elements and the outer sub-compartments the iron
elements, which latter may be in the form of plates, filings, turnings or the like.
The aforesaid apertures in the non-porous partition above mentioned communicate
with the sub-compartment containing the carbon element or elements. Perforations
are also formed in the cell at suitable places for enabling the spent solution to drain
away from the sub-compartments containing the iron elements.
In order that our said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect we will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings which illustrate a primary cell constructed according to
our invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation;
Figure 2 a plan ;
Figure 3 a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 1. 1 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 a horizontal section taken on the line 2. 2 of Figure 3 and
Figure 5 a vertical cross-section taken on the line 3, 3 of Figure 3 as seen from
the left.
A is the vessel containing the iron and carbon elements. This vessel is divided
into two main compartments by a partitiou a. a a are stabs of porous material
dividing one of the aforesaid compartments into three sub-compartments. B, B, are
the iron elements which are here shewn in the form of turnings; and CC are the
carbon elements.
We prefer to make the vessel A of enamelled iron with removable side
plates AA. The surfaces of these plates are left unenamelled where they come
in contact with the iron turnings B so that they serve as current collectors, and
near their lower edges they are formed with a series of perforations A³ A³ for the
spent solution to drain from the iron. In order to facilitate the removal of the
aforesaid plates A' we form the cell with grooved projections A³ A³ which act as
guides and support the plates when they are in position.
The before mentioned partition a is formed with apertures a near its upper end
and similar apertures a near its lower end all of which open into the sub-
compartment containing the carbon elements C. These carbon elements are in
the form of rods and are connected together at their upper ends by means of a
metal current collecting plate C¹ preferably of copper or brass.
Instead of forming the drainage perforations A in the side plates A¹ near the
lower edges thereof they may be formed near their upper edges; or they may be
formed in the bottom of the sub-compartments containing the iron elements.
The solution we employ with our battery when iron is employed as one of
the elements and carbon as the 'other, consists of bichromate or dichromate of
soda, sulphuric acid, and water, which are mixed together in about the following
proportions,

page_text: In addition to this continuous circulation of the solution within the sub-
compartment containing the carbon elements and the compartment A, the
solution percolating the porous slabs a gradually finds its way through the iron
turnings B and drains through the perforations A'. In order to keep up the supply
of solution means may be provided for constantly supplying the compartment A
with fresh solution coming from a reservoir.
The above described cell may be multiplied in any convenient manner to form
a battery.
If preferred the position of the elements may be reversed, that is to say the
carbon elements may be located in the outer sub-compartments and the iron
elements in the inner sub-compartment. The apertures a¹ a³ in the partition a
would then open into the outer sub-compartments. This construction is not
however so convenient as that already described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. A primary battery in which the main body of the exciting fluid is separated
from the exciting fluid within the active portion of the cell by a non-porous
partition having near its upper and lower ends circulation openings that com-
municate with the carbon element compartment substantially as described and for
the purpose specified.
2. A single fluid primary cell provided with circulation apertures in a non-
porous partition and with drainage holes, the said circulation apertures com-
municating with the carbon element compartment and the said drainage holes
with the metal element compartment substaùtially as described and for the purposes
specified.
3. The construction of the outer vessel of enamelled iron with detachable sides
which are unenamelled where they come into contact with the metal elements
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
4. In a single fluid primary cell or battery in which the elements employed
are of iron and carbon, the use of an exciting fluid consisting of bichromate or
dichromate of soda, sulphuric acid and water in about the proportions specified.
5. The improved primary cell substantially as herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawings and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.