IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Highton, M.A., of Putney, in the County
of Surrey, for the Invention of
BATTERIES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC
Scaled the 10th October 1872, and dated the 30th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Highton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th May 1872.
I, HENRY HIGHTON, M.A., of Putney, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANIC BATTERIES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce greater constancy and
endurance conjoined with power in a galvanic battery. For this purpose
I use as negative a plate of carbon packed with broken carbon freely
exposed to the air (or with a mixture of carbon and peroxide of man-
ganese) placed in a solution of a soluble salt of copper (by preference the
sulphate) with a salt of ammonia (by preference the chloride). With
this I use a positive of zinc in a solution of a salt of ammonia separated

page_text: from the negative by a porous diaphragm. I find that the cupro-
ammoniacal salt formed by the working of the battery readily absorbs
oxygen from the atmosphere or from the peroxide of manganese, and
so sustains the strength of the battery; or for the same purpose I use as
negative a plate of carbon or lead packed with broken carbon freely
exposed to the air (or with a mixture of carbon and peroxide of man-
ganese) placed in a dilute acid (by preference sulphuric acid). With
this I use a positive of zinc in dilute acid (by preference sulphuric acid).
If a plate of carbon (not lead) be used the liquid in which the positive
metal is placed may be a neutral salt, as of potash, soda, or ammonia.
In the liquid I prefer to mix a small quantity of a soluble salt of
mercury (by preference the bi-sulphate) which secures that the surface of
the zinc should be kept amalgamated, and also assists in the general
action of the battery by reason of the deposited mercury absorbing
oxygen on the surface of the negative from the air or the peroxide.
Instead of zinc iron may be used, but then the bi-sulphate of mercury
must be omitted.
I find it also advantageous to use for the negative carbon (or
platinum) packed in a mixture of sulphur and peroxide of manganese,
to which I prefer adding broken pieces of carbon. I find the best liquid
in the negative part of the cell is a dilute acid (by preference sulphuric),
and in the positive part a neutral salt of soda or potash (by preference
common salt), in which I prefer to place a small quantity of bi-sulphate
of mercury if zinc be used as the positive metal.
Copper may be used as negative instead of platinum or carbon, but
is not so powerful. In these combinations it is best to use precipitated
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Highton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
HIGHTON, M.A., of Putney, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our

page_text: 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 Highton, Her special license that I, the
said Henry Highton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Henry Highton, my executors, administrators, 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 GALVANIC BATTERIES,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Highton, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Highton, 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 :-
The object of this Invention is to produce greater constancy and
endurance conjoined with power in a galvanic battery. For this purpose
I use as negative a plate of carbon packed with broken carbon freely
exposed to the air, or with a mixture of carbon and peroxide of man-
ganese placed in a solution of a soluble salt of copper (by preference the
sulphate) with a salt of ammonia (by preference the chloride). With
this I use a positive of zinc in a solution of a salt of ammonia separated
from the negative by a porous diaphragm.
I find that the cupro-
ammoniacal salt formed by the working of the battery readily absorbs
oxygen from the atmosphere or from the peroxide of manganese, and so
sustains the strength of the battery. I prefer the following arrange-
ment: I place the carbon plate in a cell of porous earthenware, and
pack around it very coarsely powdered or granulated coke mixed with
peroxide of manganese in equal parts; this cell is charged with a
solution of chloride of ammonium, in which crystals of sulphate of
copper are dissolved. Outside the porous cell is a plate of zinc, bent by
preference to a cylindrical form so as to surround the porous cell, and

page_text: the whole is contained in an outer vessel filled with a solution of chloride
of ammonium.
The coke and peroxide of manganese in the porous cell may with
advantage rise two or three inches above the level of the liquid in
the cell.
5
In place of a salt of copper a soluble salt of mercury or of tin, or
both, may be used to separate oxygen from peroxide of manganese.
I use by preference the bi-chloride of mercury or tin, or the mixed
bi-chlorides of mercury and tin; and when employing these salts I
prefer to substitute the chloride of sodium or of potassium for the 1
chloride of ammonium.
According to another part of my Invention I use as negative a plate
of carbon or lead packed with broken carbon freely exposed to the air
(or with a mixture of carbon and peroxide of manganese) placed in a
dilute acid (by preference sulphuric acid). With this I use a positive 1
of zinc in dilute acid (by preference sulphuric acid). In this arrange-
ment a porous cell is not required, but the packing of broken carbon or
coke with or without peroxide of manganese may be retained around the
plate by means of a bag of woollen or other fabric not destroyed by
acids.
According to another part of my Invention I employ a carbon or lead
electrode immersed in sulphuric acid contained in a porous cell, and
packed as already described with carbon or carbon together with oxide
of manganese. In combination therewith I use a positive electrode of
zinc immersed in a solution of caustic potash or soda, or a salt of potash,
soda, or ammonia, by preference common salt.
In the liquid I prefer to mix a small quantity of a soluble salt of
mercury (by preference the bi-chloride or bi-sulphate), which secures
that the surface of the zinc should be kept amalgamated, and also
assists in the general action of the battery by reason of the deposited
mercury absorbing oxygen on the surface of the negativo from the air
or the peroxide.
Instead of zinc iron may be used, but then the salt of mercury should
be omitted. The negative electrode in this case should be carbon.
According to another part of my Invention I use for the negative
carbon (or platinum) packed in a mixture of sulphur and peroxide of

page_text: manganese, say, in equal parts by measure, to which I prefer adding
broken pieces of carbon. I find the best liquid in the negative part of
the cell is a dilute acid (by preference sulphuric), and in the positive
part a solution of caustic potash or soda, or of a neutral salt of soda or
potash (by preference common salt), in which I prefer to place a small
quantity of a salt of mercury; if zinc be used as the positive metal,
copper may be used as negative instead of platinum or carbon, but is
not so powerful. In these combinations it is best to use precipitated
sulphur.
Battery cells arranged in the manner above set forth may be coupled
together in series of any desired number of cells, and a little chromic
acid or solution of a bi-chromate may with advantage be added to the
negative part of each cell.
Where a rapid and constant flow of electricity is required a mixture of
nitric and chromic acids may be used. The nitrous fumes are entirely
absorbed by the chromic acid.
I claim the construction of galvanic batteries substantially according
to any or either of the several methods herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Highton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
H HIGHTON (TS)
Where a rapid and constant flow of electricity is required a mixture of
nitric and chromic acids may be used. The nitrous fumes are entirely
absorbed by the chromic acid.
I claim the construction of galvanic batteries substantially according
to any or either of the several methods herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Highton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.