Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Philip Hathaway, of the City and State
of New York, United States of America, Counsellor at Law), and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
In constructing my improved battery I use zinc for the positive element and
chloride of silver for the negative element: I construct the zinc or positive element
of the battery in the form of a tube closed at one end and open at the other. This
tube may be of any required size but preferentially, and for ordinary purposes, such
as for use with an electric hell, I make it about 2 inches long and g inch inside
diameter. In the upper or open end of the inside of such tube I form grooves for the
purpose of engaging with the cement which forms the seal of the battery and
rendering such seal more secure. The negative element of the battery I construct in
the form of a chloride of silver rod having a deeply indented or corrugated surface
for the purpose of presenting the largest possible surface of chloride of silver to the
action of the excitant, and also of bringing the projecting parts of the surface of such
rod as near as possible to the internal surface of the zinc tube, so as to reduce the
internal resistance of the battery, while at the same time in consequence of the deep
recesses formed in the surface of the rod sufficient space is obtained for a proper
amount of excitant. I form this chloride of silver rod by casting the chloride of silver
in a mould around a central axis of silver wire, which wire acts as the conductor or
electrode of the negative element. This central wire or axis is made longer than the
zinc tube so that when placed therein the upper end of the wire projects and forms a
suitable electrode for such negative element. In casting this rod I take especial care
that this wire shall project from the lower end of the chloride of silver so as to form
a conducting pole for the electrical current. Such projection should be at least
of an inch.
Before placing the central wire in the mould I attach to such wire in any suitable
way pieces of fine silver wire, or silver foil or gauze formed with slits at the edges in
such a way as that the ends of such wires, silver foil, or gauze, shall impinge on or
fold over against the inner surface of the mould; when the chloride of silver is cast
in the mould these projecting ends will fold over and be impacted on the surface of
the melted chloride of silver and complete electrical connection will be established
throughout every part of the chloride of silver rod, and its electrical conductivity be
thereby very largely increased. I then take the zinc tube and place at the bottom
of it a washer of the same diameter as the inside of such tube, made of hard
rubber, glass or other suitable insulating material, having first affixed to the upper
surface of such washer a disc of silver foil of such a size as to extend to a distance of
about of an inch from the circumference of such washer. I then place in the tube
any suitable fluid excitant thickened with any suitable thickening material, using
preferentially an albuminous or gelatinous material for this purpose, till such excitant
is in a viscous or semi-fluid condition; the quantity of such excitant is regulated so
as to reach exactly to the top of the chloride of silver when inserted therein. I then
slip over the lower end of the chloride of silver rod a small rubber ring to prevent the
possibility of contact between the chloride of silver and the zinc and to ensure such
rod remaining in the centre of the zinc tube, and I cover the upper part of the
central wire or axis of such rod with tight fitting rubber tubing to within a short
distance of its upper end. In some cases I place over such rubber tubing a second
piece of rubber tubing of such size as to fit closely around the first rubber. I then

page_text: plunge the chloride of silver rod centrally into the excitant so that the projecting
lower pole of the central wire or axis of the rod shall rest on the centre of the silver
foil disc and make electrical contact therewith. I then take another similar washer of
the exact internal diameter of the zinc tube with a similar silver foil disc attached to
the underside of such washer, and having made a small hole in the centre of such
washer, I slip it over the rubber covered wire with the silver foil disc downwards in
such a manner as that the silver foil disc shall rest on the top of the chloride of silver.
This upper washer will then fit snugly against the inner circumference of the zinc
tube and the upper end of the silver wire or axis will project through the centre of
such washer. I then drop a small quantity of melted paraffin on the washer so as to
form a film or thin layer over its upper surface for the purpose of preventing any
contact between the excitant and the cement seal next described, and I finally fill the
remainder of the zine tube with Portland cement in a semi-liquid state or with such
other similar cement as when set hard will permit the hydrogen gas evolved in the
working of the battery to pass through it but will be impervious to the passage of
liquids. When such cement is set or dried into a hard mass the battery is complete.
It will be found that a battery thus constructed will possess the least possible
internal resistance, will be perfectly dry, and will not be liable to burst as is the
case with close sealed chloride of silver batteries. In my battery the hydrogen gas
escapes freely, partly through the pores of the cement and partly by compressing the
rubber tubing, such tubing acting as an elastic vent for such gas, while at the same
time the liquid or semi-liquid excitant is effectually prevented either from escaping or
evaporating.
In the drawings forming part of this Specification,
Fig. 1, is a plan of the chloride of silver rod in which A is the chloride of silver,
B the central wire or axis, and C the silver foil or gauze; bis the rubber
tubing.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 at a, a, shewing the silver foil (in position,
and its mode of attachment to the wire B before it is placed in the mould.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the zinc tube or receiving vessel Z showing the
battery complete, in which A is the chloride of silver, the central wire the silver
foil attached thereto, the rubber tubing, D, D', the lower and upper washers having
silver foil dises d, d', attached or affixed thereto. E a thin layer or film of paraffin on
the upper side of the upper washer D¹, F the cement seal superimposed on the
washer D, G, G, grooves cut in the upper portion of the zinc tube for the purpose of
securely holding the cement seal, H the excitant and I the rubber ring placed on the
end of the chloride of silver rod A.
Fig. 4 shows the forms in which the chloride of silver rod A may be cast so as to
form deep indentations or corrugations on its surface for the purpose specified.
Figs. 5 and 6 show the method of connecting the battery with the line wires of an
electrical circuit in which O is a cylindrical slot or chamber formed for the reception
of the battery. P is a rigid moveable metallic base closing the lower end of the
chamber and in permanent electrical connection with one of the line wires of an
electrical circuit; Q is a metallic spring in permanent electrical connection with the
other line wire of an electrical circuit, and R is the battery held firmly by the pressure
of the spring between such spring and the base P in such a manner as that the zinc
electrode is in electrical contact with P and the silver electrode is in electrical contact
with Q. The base P is pivoted at one end so as to admit of the ready insertion and
withdrawal of the battery and is furnished with a catch or fastening at the other end.
In this method of connecting a battery the circuit is completed or broken by an
ordinary circuit closer placed at any point of the circuit.
Fig. 7 shows another method of connecting the battery in which the battery R is
placed in the slot or chamber O loosely between two spring contact points S and T so
as to he normally out of electrical contact with the other elements, forming the
electrical circuit. In this method of connection the circuit is closed by the impact of
a push button against one of such contact springs thereby pushing the battery forward
until each electrode comes into electrical contact with one of the contact points S

page_text: and T; in this case one of such springs is made moveable as S so as to permit the
ready insertion of the battery in the chambers O and the withdrawal of the battery
therefrom.
When desired a wire can be permanently attached to the zinc tube Z and the
battery can be connected by wires in the ordinary way
I desire it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
described and shown in the accompanying drawings, as many variations or modifica-
tions may be made therein without in any way departing from the principles of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. In a chloride of silver battery the use of a chloride of silver rod with a central
wire or conductor forming the electrode of the negative element of such battery, and
having attached to such wire the silver foil or other metallic connections in the shape
of fine silver wires or silver gauze, such foil or other connections being so constructed as
to fold over at their points when placed in the mould and to be impacted on the surface
of the chloride of silver when the same is cast in the mould for the purpose of affording
complete electrical communication between the surface and the interior portions of the
rod substantially as described.
2. In a chloride of silver battery the use of a chloride of silver rod formed with an
indented or corrugated surface for the purposes specified and as described and
shown.
3. In a chloride of silver battery the use of the washers D, D', having silver foil
discs d, d', affixed thereto for the purposes hereinbefore described and specified.
4. In a chloride of silver battery the use of the rubber tubing fitting closely to the
electrode or conducting wire of the negative element of such battery for the purpose
of insulating such conducting wire and also for the purpose of facilitating the escape
of the gas generated by the working of the battery as hereinbefore described and
specified.
5. In a galvanic battery the use of a seal formed of Portland cement, or other
similar cement pervious to hydrogen gas but impervious to water or other liquid
superimposed upon a washer as described for the purpose of confining the excitant.
6. In a galvanic battery the use of a compound seal formed of a closely fitting
washer, a film or layer of paraffin placed over such washer and a layer of Portland
cement or other similar substance pervious to hydrogen gas but impervious to water
or other liquid superimposed on such washer.
7. In a chloride of silver battery the combination of a zinc vessel containing the
negative element, the exciting medium, and the seal for confining such exciting
medium, and also forming the positive element and its electrode, with a cement seal
pervious to hydrogen gas but impervious to water or other liquid superimposed upon
a non-conducting washer substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
8. In a chloride of silver battery the combination of a zinc electrode forming the
receiving vessel for the other parts of the battery, a chloride of silver rod, and a
compound seal formed of a close fitting non-conducting washer, a film or layer of
paraffin or other similar non-conducting plastic substance for preventing contact of the
excitant with the cement, and a superimposed layer of Portland or other similar hard
porous cement.
9. In a chloride of silver battery the combination of a zinc vessel forming the
negative electrode of the battery and also holding the other elements of the battery, a
chloride of silver rod furnished with silver foil or other internal metallic communi-
cations with the conducting wire of such rod and a seal composed of Portland
cement or other similar cement pervious to gas but impervious to water or other
liquid as described and for the purposes specified.
10. In a galvanic battery the method as described of placing a sealed dry battery
loosely between two metallic contact points, one or both of such contact points being

page_text: in the form of a spring, in such a manner as to be normally out of contact with the
other elements of the circuit, and closing the electrical circuit when required by impact
on a spring contact point thereby bringing such of the electrodes of such battery into
electrical connection with its corresponding contact point as described.
11. The hereinbefore described method of placing a dry sealed battery tightly
between two metallic contact points, one of such contact points being in the form of a
spring and the other in the form of a rigid moveable metallic base, in manner and for
the purposes specified.
12. In an electrical apparatus the combination of a chloride of silver battery having
an electrode at each end, a moveable metallic base or support of such battery perma-
nently connected with one of the line wires forming the electrical circuit, such base
being so arranged as to be in contact with one electrode of the battery, and a metallic
spring contact point permanently connected with the other line wire of the circuit and
so arranged as to be in contact with the other electrode of the battery.
Dated this 25th day of August 1800.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.