Year: 1898

page_text: I, WALTER ROWBOTHAM, of 75, Bethune Road, Stamford Hill, London, N.W.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in batteries of the kind described in my
Specification No. 2378 of 1897, capable of giving a large and constant output at a
low cost per unit, and has for its object to facilitate the supply of exciting fluid
from cell to cell.
My invention consists in joining the exciting fluid compartments each to the
next lower in the series by means of a syphon like tube, the syphon like tube
being arranged so that the liquid passes over from the one cell to the other,
intermissions being caused by bubbles of the gases. These bubbles of gases
separate the one compartment from the other electrically.
In carrying my invention into effect according to one modification, I arrange a
number of cells together in series and in steps. Each cell is divided into two com-
partments, one the active, containing anodes (preferably of iron) and water, and
the other, the depolarising compartment, which is gas tight, containing the
cathodes and active solution. The cells are connected to each other, each com-
partment to its counterpart, by pipes. The anode compartments are connected
by pipes so arranged that the liquid passing from one cell to the other drops
through an air space, but the cathode compartments containing the active solu-
tion are connected by syphon like tubes each to each. These coin-
partments are so arranged that the active solution fills them, and
stands at a level in the syphon like tube. When the cells are filled
at first the supply is such that the active solution flows continuously
from cell to cell by the syphon tubes. When the circuit is made, gases are set
free, and these rise into the syphon tube, and displace the liquid in the syphon
tube to some extent, making the flow intermittent, that is, a plug of liquid
following a plug or space of gas, and so on, as the active solution passes from
one cell to another. These plugs or spaces of gas serve to electrically separate
the compartments. I provide as before on the bottom cell of the series à con-
trolling exit syphon tube which governs the maximum pressure that can exist in
the active compartments of the cells.
Dated 18 th day of July 1995.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
coltot timti DELICIA BLOr
Improvements in Primary Batteries.
I, WALTER ROWBOTHAM, of 75, Bethune Road, Stamford Hill, London, N.W.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
[Price 8d.]

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in batteries of the kind described in my
Specification No. 2378 of 1897, capable of giving a large and constant output at a
low cost per unit, and has for its object to facilitate the supply of exciting fluid
from cell to cell.
My invention consists in joining the exciting fluid compartments each to the
next lower in the series by means of a syphon-like tube, the syphon like tube
being arranged so that the liquid passes over from one cell to the other,
intermissions being caused by bubbles of the gases. These bubbles of gases
separate the one compartment from the other, electrically.
In carrying my invention into effect, I arrange a number of cells
together in series and in steps. Each cell is divided into two com-
partments, one the active, containing anodes (preferably of iron) and water, and
the other, the depolarising compartment, which is gas tight, containing the
cathodes and active solution. The cells are connected to each other, each com-
partment to its counterpart, by pipes. The anode compartments are connected
by pipes so arranged that the liquid passing from one cell to the other drops
through an air space, but the cathode compartments containing the active solu-
tion are connected by syphon like tubes each to each. These com-
partments are SO arranged that the active solution fills them, and
stands at a level in the syphon like tube. When the cells are filled
at first the supply is such that the active solution flows continuously
from cell to cell by the syphon tubes. When the circuit is made, gases are set
free, and these rise into the syphon tube, and displace the liquid in the syphon
tube to some extent, making the flow intermittent, that is, a plug of liquid
following a plug or space of gas, and so on, as the active solution passes from
one cell to another. These plugs or spaces of gas serve to electrically separate
the compartments. I provide as before on the bottom cell of the series a con-
trolling exit syphon tube which governs the maximum pressure that can exist in
the active compartments of the cells.
Referring to the accompanying drawing which shows a diagrammatic sectional
elevation of a step by step arrangement of cells according to one method of
carrying out my invention, A, A are the cathode compartments which communicate
with the inside of porous tubes containing the cathodes as described in my
Specification No. 2378/97. These compartments contain the depolarising or
exciting liquid and which connect each to cach by the syphon like tubes C. The
depolarising liquid is supplied from a reservoir by way of a pipe H and regulat-
ing tap H
When it is desired to fill the cells the tap H₁ is opened and the
liquid rises in the top cell of the series until it overflows by the first syphon
tube C into the next cell. When this cell is filled the liquid again overflows
by way of the syphon tube C into the adjacent cell. and thus the action is con-
tinued throughout the series until all the cells are full, the flow through the
syphon tubes C being continuous. The flow inside the cell takes place by dis-
placement of the liquid from the spaces A¹ round the bottom of the partitions B
into spaces A. The supply from the reservoir is maintained so as to keep the
cells always full. When the electrical circuit is made so as to put the battery in
action the gases set free rise into the syphon tubes C, displace the liquid therein
to some extent and cause the flow through these tubes to become intermittent,
that is, the stream of liquid becomes broken up into plugs or spaces of gas with
intervening plugs of liquid, a plug of liquid following a plug of gas, as the active
solution passes from one cell to the other. These plugs or spaces of gas thus
prevent short circuiting of the cells by electrically separating the compart-
ments A. The bottom cell of the series is provided with a controlling exit
syphon tube D which governs the maximum pressure that can exist in the active
compartments of the cells.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. In electric batteries, connecting a series of cells by tubes enabling the flow
of liquid to take place from cell to cell, while maintaining electrical insulation
between the cells substantially as described.
2. In primary batteries a syphon tube substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.
Dated this 29th day of March 1899.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street, Manchester,
Agents.