Improvements in Electrolytic Vessels for Primary and Secondary. Batteries or Accumulators, and other Processes of Electrolytic Decomposition and Electrolytic Action, such as for the Extrac- tion of Metals from their Ores, Electro-depositions, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrolytic Vessels for Primary and Secondary.
Batteries or Accumulators, and other Processes of Electrolytic
Decomposition and Electrolytic Action, such as for the Extrac-
tion of Metals from their Ores, Electro-depositions, and the like.
I, Dr. PAUL SCHOOP, of 14 Weinbergstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland, Electro
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It has been found that in order to obtain uniform results and the greatest possible
regularity of electrolytic processes, it is essential to maintain the fluid electrolyte
at a practically constant composition. According to my present invention I effect
this by bringing about a definite flow or circulation of the liquid from the top to
the bottom and thence to the top again.
For this purpose, according to the arrangement which. I prefer to employ, I
produce by any suitable means a recurring lateral motion to the upper layer of
liquid relatively to the vessel whereby a portion thereof, being raised by the
undulating motion imparted thereto above the general level, is made to pass into the
opening of a channel or channels formed at the side of the vessel and leading down
to and communicating with the bottom thereof, so that the increased head of
liquid thus produced in such channel will cause the bottom portion of the liquid
therein to be forced into the main body of the liquid at the bottom of the vessel.
This operation being repeated at intervals, it will be seen that the liquid at
the top of the vessel will gradually descend in the said channel to the bottom of
the vessel, aud will thus cause the liquid there situated to ascend to the top
again.
This action may be produced in various ways, and the said channels may be
variously arranged. Thus according to one arrangement I provide a vertical
passage at the one side only of the electrolytic vessel, and from the upper end
of this passage a slightly inclined shield extends over the surface of the liquid
to the other side of the vessel where an aperture is left, so that on causing the
liquid to rise momentarily at such aperture it will flow over the top of the
shield and down the lateral passage. Such rising of the liquid may be produced
either by momentarily canting the vessel over to that side, or, if the vessel is
moving along horizontally, as in the case of an accumulator battery on a tramway
car, the retardation or stopping of the motion of the vessel will cause the
liquid by its inertia to flow in a wave to such aperture; or again, by periodically
plunging some object to a greater or less extent into the liquid, its level will be
raised to a corresponding extent.
According to another arrangement, a channel is formed on each side of the vessel
without the before mentioned shield, the upper orifices of the channels being raised
a certain height above the liquid level so that by a canting motion of the vessel to
either side or by the stopping of the lateral motion of the vessel in either direction,
the liquid will be caused to rise on the one side or the other and to flow over into
the channel. In this case the orifices of the channels may be provided with small
cylindrical or spherical valves floating on the liquid and bearing against a seat in
the channel so as to prevent the liquid at the top of the channel from splashing
back into the top of the vessel.
According to another arrangement when the vessel is of a cylindrical form, a
number of passages may be formed all round the vessel, so that in whatever
direction this is canted or is moved laterally, the liquid will always flow over into
ong or other of the Dassaves.

page_text: In all the above arrangements the necessary motion of the vessel whether by
canting or by moving laterally, may be imparted either artificially, by hand or
otherwise, or automatically, as in the case of an accumulator battery on a tramway
car as above described, or a battery in a boat, where the rocking or the undu-
latory motion of the boat in the water produces the described motion of the
liquid. When the rocking motion is to be produced mechanically, this may be
effected by placing one or more of the vessels on a base that is mounted on pivots
at the middle and is capable of being canted over to either side to a slight extent
limited by stops, so that by so periodically canting the plate with the vessels over
from the one side to the other, the above described action will be obtained.
Dated this 8th day of December 1893.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrolytic Vessels for Primary and Secondary
Batteries or Accumulators, and other Processes of Electrolytic
Decomposition and Electrolytic Action, such as for the Extrac-
tion of Metals from their Ores, Electro-depositions, and the like.
I, Dr. PAUL SCHOOP, of 14^ Weinbergstrasse, Zurich, Switzerland, Electro-
Chemist, 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 :-
It has been found that in order to obtain uniform results and the greatest possible
regularity of electrolytic processes, it is essential to maintain the fluid electrolyte
at a practically constant composition. According to my present invention I effect
this by bringing about a flow or circulation of the liquid in a definite direction
throughout the vessel, such as from the top to the bottom and thence to the top
again.
•
For this purpose, according to the arrangement which I prefer to employ, I
produce by any suitable means a recurring lateral motion to the upper layer of
liquid relatively to the vessel, whereby a portion thereof, being raised by the
undulating or splashing motion imparted thereto above the general level, is made
to pass into the opening of a channel or channels formed at the side or sides of the
vessel and leading down to and communicating with the bottom thereof, so that
the increased head of liquid thus produced in such channel will cause the bottom
portion of the liquid therein to be forced into the main body of the liquid at the
bottom of the.vessel.
This operation being repeated at intervals, it will be seen that the whole of
the liquid at the top of the vessel will be made to gradually descend in the said
channel to the bottom of the vessel, and will thus cause the liquid there situated to
ascend to the top again.
This action may be produced in various ways, and the said channels may be
variously arranged as will be presently more particularly described.
I will describe by way of example some of the various arrangements whereby
my said invention may be carried into effect, for which purpose I will refer to the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 shews a vertical section and Fig. 2 a plan of one arrangement for effecting
the circulation by the first above described means wherein there is provided a
vertical passage at one end of the vessel only.
Fig. 3 shews a vertical section and Fig. 4 a plan of an arrangement with a
passage at each end of the vessel.
Fig. 5 and 6 shew respectively a vertical section and a plan of a circular vessel
having passages formed all round it.

page_text: Fig. 7 shews a diagram view of a number of vessels arranged on a trembling
support.
In Figs. 1 and 2 the electrolytic vessel A has formed at one end thereof a vertical
passage B, open to the body of liquid at bottom, while at top it has a shield C
extending across to near the other end, slightly above the level of the electrolyte D
so as to leave an opening E at that end. Thus on the vessel being slightly tipped.
to the right hand side or assuming the vessel to be travelling in the direction of the
arrow Fig. 2, if it be more or less suddenly stopped or retarded, as in the case of
an accumulator battery on a tram car, then the upper layer of liquid will dash
against the right hand side of the vessel and part thereof will rise through the
opening E and flowing down the slightly inclined shield C, will enter the passage B.
The column of liquid in this passage being thus increased in height, a portion of
the liquid in the lower part thereof will be caused to pass through the opening b
into the main body of the liquid in the vessel, and thus it will be seen that by a
repetition of the above described operations the whole of the liquid in the upper
part of the vessel will by degrees be made to pass down the passage B to the lower
part of the vessel while the liquid in such lower part will gradually ascend to the
upper part. The arrangement shewn at Figs. 3 and 4 only differs from that just
described in that the passages B B are provided at each end of the vessel, so that
the above described action will take place in whatever direction the vessel travels -
or is tipped. In this case the shield C is dispensed with, and to prevent the liquid
from splashing back from either passage into the body of the vessel, the passages are
provided with small floating ball or cylinder valves F of paraffin or other suitable
material not acted upon by the electrolyte, seating upon a seat F formed in the
passage. Figs. 5 and 6 shew a cylindrical vessel A having passages B all round
it, so that in whatever direction the vessel moves or is tipped, the above described
action will take place.
Fig. 7 shews a number of vessels A constructed as at Figs. 3 and 4 arranged
upon a support G which is carried on pivots H at its middle so as to be capable of
being tilted at intervals into alternately oppositely inclined positions as shewn in
full and dotted lines, thus causing the outer layer of liquid in each vessel to flow
alternately into one or other of the end passages.
The tipping may take place either uninterruptedly or at certain intervals of time,
and may be effected either by hand or automatically by suitable mechanism.
When the vessels are situated in a boat, such as in the case of a vessel carrying
accumulator batteries for propelling it by electrical energy, the undulating or
rocking motion of the vessel will be sufficient for setting up the above described
circulation of the electrolyte.
According to another modification, instead of tipping the electrolytic vessel as
described, I alternately immerse into and withdraw from the upper layer of the
liquid, a body of suitable neutral material, so as to cause the liquid level to
alternately rise above the top edge of the passages and overflow into these.
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 an electrolytic vessel the method of effecting a circulation of the liquid
electrolyte by causing a portion of the upper layer of the electrolyte to pass
periodically into a lateral channel through which it is conducted into the bottom
part of the vessel, substantially as herein described.
2. Constructing electrolytic vessels adapted to contain a liquid electrolyte with
one or more passages extending from the upper part of the vessel to the lower part
thereof and communicating therewith at both ends and serving to receive periodi-
cally at the upper end a portion of the upper layer of the electrolyte substantially
as and for the purpose described.
3. In an electrolytic vessel adapted to contain a liquid electrolyte, a passage or
passages extending from the upper part to the lower part and communicating

page_text: therewith at both ends and a valve seat and valve in the said passage adapted to
float on the electrolyte and serving to close the said passage against an upward
flow of the electrolyte therein, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 27th day of August 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for Applicant.