Means for Producing suitable Acid or Salt Solutions for Feeding Electric Batteries.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 16th May, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Means for Producing suitable Acid or Salt Solutions for Feeding
Electric Batteries.
I, SALLY ELOESSER, of Wallnertheater, Berlin, in the German Empire, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates firstly to an apparatus for the production of acid or salt
solutions suitable for feeding primary or secondary batteries. It is placed between
the battery to be fed and the water supply, a concentrated acid, or salt mixture, being
automatically mixed therein with water, the dilute acid then passing out through a
main pipe and branch pipes into the several divisions of the elements of the battery.
This apparatus consists of three vessels, say A, B, C, made of glass or other
substance not attackable by acid. The vessel A serves as a reservoir for the concen-
trated acid or salt mixture. It is furnished with a pipe like extension which proceeds
downwards from the bottom thereof and packed with india rubber passes through the
neck of and into vessel B nearly to the bottom of the same.
The third vessel is in
connection with B by a pipe. A pipe packed with an india rubber stopper dips into
and nearly to the bottom of the acid vessel A; it is fitted with an air cock by the
adjustment of which the supply of air to the vessel A may be wholly stopped so that
no acid can pass out of A into B or so regulated that air is supplied in very small
quantity only, in the manner, that for every air bubble entering the acid vessel A a
drop of acid passes out at the bottom of its pipe like extension into vessel B where
it becomes mixed with inflowing water, the dilute acid then passing by a pipe into
the vessel C which is charged with pieces of coke or pumice stone for the purpose of
effecting a thorough mixing of the acid and water. The acid solution thus prepared
then passes by a pipe, fitted with a cock, to a pipe or pipes arranged over the several
elements of the battery into which it drips, the used solution at the same time being
discharged from the battery in the same measure.
Secondly to an electro magnetic interrupting apparatus in connection with the
automatic mixing apparatus. It has for object to set the mixing apparatus in operation
immediately upon transmission of the battery current and to stop its operation when
such transmission is interrupted. For this purpose 'the aforesaid air pipe (fitted with
air cock) dipping into acid vessel A is in communication through a flexible tube with
a glass tube fixed in an iron pipe or core placed and movable within a solenoid inter-
calated in the circuit of the elements of the battery. The lower end of the glass tube
which projects from the iron core may dip into quicksilver placed underneath it. As
already described the mixing apparatus operates pneumatically by supply of air to acid
vessel A through air pipe. So soon as the air cock is more or less opened, acid will
tend to pass from the acid vessel A into the mixing vessel B but when the current is
interrupted will be prevented doing so by reason of the shutting off of the glass
tube and consequently the air by the quicksilver. Upon closing the circuit of the
elements the solenoid is magnetic and attracts the iron core together with the glass
tube into the hollow centre of the same, consequently the end of the glass tube is set in
free communication with the outside air which may pass through air pipe into acid
vessel A.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Means for Producing suitable Acid or Salt Solutions for Feeding
Electric Batteries.
I, SALLY ELOESSER of Wallnertheater, Berlin, in the German Empire, Merchant,
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 to an apparatus for automatically feeding electric batteries
with fresh acid or salt solution in the same measure as the used liquid is discharged
from the same.
The apparatus is placed between the battery to be fed and the water
supply in such a way that after pouring a concentrated acid or salt mixture into the
apparatus the same is mixed with water coming in at the bottom part thereof, the acid
or salt mixture so diluted passing through a main pipe and branch pipes into the
several divisions of the elements of the battery.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus of this invention,
Figs. 2 and 3 respectively a longitudinal section and a cross section of an electrical
battery in connection therewith, and Figs. 4 and 5 shew modified forms of the
apparatus which comprises three distinct vessels A, B, C, made of. glass or other
suitable substance not attackable by acid. The vessel A serves as a receptacle for the
concentrated acid or salt mixture. It is furnished with a pipe like extension a
proceeding downwards nearly to the bottom of vessel B. The vessels B and C are in
connection with each other by a piper. Water is supplied to vessel B by a pipe w near
the bottom. The acid vessel A is sealed at top by an india rubber stopper through
which is passed a pipe reaching to near the bottom of the same. The pipe is fitted
with a cock H by which the admission of air may be either entirely prevented so that
no acid can pass out by pipe a or so regulated that for each air bubble admitted into
the acid vessel A a drop of acid passes out at the bottom of its pipe like extension a into
vessel B. Instead of applying the air cock Hover the vessel A it may be applied
between the vessels A and B thus rendering it more convenient to recharge A when it
has become empty, by shutting off the cock without it being necessary to interrupt the
supply of water during the time so employed. This alternative position of the cock is
shewn in Fig. 1. The water entering the apparatus through pipe w mixes with the
acid supplied in drops from vessel A and the liquid thus composed then passes through
pipe into vessel C charged with pieces of coke or pumice stone by which a more
intimate mixing of the acid with the water is effected. The acid solution in its now
thoroughly prepared state then passes from the vessel C through pipe R provided with
cock H¹ to the pipe connection arranged over the several elements of the battery into
which it trickles whilst the used solution flows upward from the bottom of the element
container K (Fig. 3) through channel a into longitudinal gütter T whence it is dis-
charged from the apparatus.
For using a firm or solid salt instead of a concentrated salt solution the apparatus
is modified as shewn in Fig. 4, the vessel B being open at top and A containing the
salt placed over or suspended in it, having a number of perforations at or near the
bottom. The salt is dissolved in the measure that water is supplied by pipe w and the
concentrated solution falls to the bottom of B, mixes with the entering water, and then
undergoes treatment similar to that described with reference to Fig. 1. In this case
the degree of concentration of the salt solution is regulated by the vessel A being
made to project more or less into B. The pipe is arranged in such a way that when
the water supply from pipe w ceases, the salt solution in B nevertheless flows away to
such an extent that the solution remaining behind does not come into contact with the
salt contained in 'A.
2°
In the modification shewn in Fig. 5 the concentrated acid or salt solution passing
from the vessel A through pipe a is mixed with water supplied through pipe w.

page_text: 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 :
An automatically acting apparatus for the production of suitable acid or salt
solutions for feeding primary or secondary electrical batteries, comprising a vessel A
from which the acid or salt solution passes to a separate mixing vessel B supplied with
water and in the mixed state is carried by pipe connections to the elements with a
governed proportion of the ingredients from B direct, or after passing through a
second mixing vessel C substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 16th day of May 1889
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.