IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES FOR TELEGRAPHIC, TELEPHONIC, AND OTHER PURPOSES "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gregoire Skrivanoff of Paris, France now temporarily
of Anerly Grove, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES FOR TELEGRAPHIC, TELEPHONIC,
AND OTHER PURPOSES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gregoire Skrivanoff at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st January 1882.
GREGOIRE SKRIVANOFF, of Paris, France, now temporarily of Anerly Grove in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES
FOR TELEGRAPHIC, TELEPHONIC, AND OTHER PURPOSES."
The new electrical battery which forms the object of this Invention belongs to
the category of what are called dry batteries, it has the advantage, over those in
use, of furnishing a constant and energetic current and having at the same time
a very small volume, which qualifies it for all the applications of ordinary
batteries and also for use where existing batteries could not be introduced.
This battery consists of three elementary parts;-viz., a plato of retort charcoal,
agglomerated charcoal, or any other conducting substance which cannot be attacked
by acids; a plate of zinc carefully amalgamated; and an exciting paste applied to
the charcoal.
It is the use and composition of this paste which chiefly constitute the novel and
distinctive character of my Invention. The composition of the paste is as
follows;
Chloro-mercurate of ammonium Hg Cl' NH* Cl
Chloride of sodium Na Cl
-
Parts by weight.
-
10
-
3
In order to prepare the chloro-mercurate of ammonium it is necessary to boil
for three hours in a porcelain capsule a concentrated solution of pure chloride of
of the night) until the formation of

page_text: powder is added a slightly acid solution of chloride of zinc shewing 50° until the
formation of a consistent paste, which is carefully triturated in a porcelain mortar
with the proportion of chloride of sodium before indicated. This paste may then
be moulded into cakes or blocks of any desired form and size.
The plate of charcoal previously treated with paraffine, is covered with a cake
or block of the exciting paste, having generally a thickness of from 1 to 3 milli-
metres (01 to 12 of an inch English measure) and being of the same shape and
nearly the same size as the zinc. On this cake or block is applied from five to
ten thicknesses of Berzelius' Swedish filtering paper soaked in a solution of chlorido
of zinc at 50° and chloride of sodium mixed in equal parts by weight. The edges
of the paper are made to adhere to the charcoal by means of paraffine or in any
other suitable manner. The other chloro-mercurates of ammonium or whito
precipitates of mercury included in the general formula m Hg Cl³ + n NH' CL
(m, n being positive whole or fractional numbers) can be used in the preparation
of the exciting paste and the uso of them for this purpose is included in my
Invention.
By applying the zinc to the charcoal prepared in the manner already described
a very constant electro-motive element is formed. The difference of potential is
about 1.5 volt. The interior resistance of the element is very weak.
The chemical actions which take place in the element are various. There is one
however which dominates, and that is the decomposition by the zinc of the chloro-
mercurate of ammonium, with the formation of double chloride of zinc, ammonium,
and a small quantity of oxychloride of zinc.
The froe mercury returns partly on to the charcoal and partly on to the zinc
under the form of amalgam. The chloride of sodium which enters into the com-
position of the paste plays the part of a chloridizing agent and prevents the
production of protochloride of mercury (mercurous chloride):
The battery can be constructed and arranged in different ways according to the
various applications for which it is required.
For some telegraphic purposes each element is formed of a charcoal tube into
which is introduced a rod of zinc, the annular space between the charcoal and the
zinc being filled with the exciting paste. These elements may be joined in tension
or in quantity.
In an arrangement adapted for telegraphic telephonic and medical purposes the
charcoal and the zinc are in the form of plates and are arranged in a suitable
oblong box or casing.
According to another arrangement forming a double battery, a doublo plate of
charcoal is covered with the exciting paste on both faces against which are
applied two plates of zinc the whole being contained in a box or casing of suitable
forin.
For electric bell apparatus the battery may be made with a hemispherical
cover and worked by a button in the usual way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Gregoire Skrivanoff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st July 1882.
GRÉGOIRE SKRIVANOFF, of Paris, France, now temporarily of Anerly Grove in
the County of Surrey Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES
FOR TELEGRAPHIC, TELEPHONIC, AND OTHER PURPOSES "
The electrical battery which forms the object of this Invention belongs to the
category of so called "dry" batteries; it has the advantage, over those heretofore
constructed, of being capable of furnishing a constant and energetic current and
having at the same timo a very. small volume, which qualifies it for all the applica-
tions of ordinary batteries and also for use where existing batteries could not be
employed.
This battery consists of three clementary parts, viz. A plate of retort-charcoal,
agglomerated charcoal, carbon, or other conducting substance which cannot be
attacked by acids; a plate of zinc carefully amalgamated; and an exciting paste
applied to the charcoal or carbon.
It is the use and composition of this paste which chiefly constitute the novel
and distinctive character of my said Invention. The composition of the paste is
as follows ;-
Chloro-mercurate of ammonium Hg. Cl.² N.H* Cl.
Chloride of sodium Na. CI.
-
0
10 parts by weight.
3 parts by weight.
In order to prepare the chloro-mercurate of ammonium it is necessary to boil
for three hours in a porcelain capsulo a concentrated solution of pure chloride of
ammonium with oxide of mercury (a quarter of the weight) until the formation of
a greyish white precipitate. This precipitate is placed upon a percolator and
washed in plenty of water, dried, moulded and coarsely pounded. A perfectly
defined salt is thus obtained, durable, unimpaired by the action of either moist or
dry air, and easily preserved. To this powder is added a slightly acid solution of
chloride of zinc at, say 50° Beaumé until the formation of a consistent paste, which
is carefully triturated in a porcelain mortar with the proportion of chloride of
sodium before indicated. This paste may then be moulded into cakes or blocks
of any desired form and size.
The plate of charcoal or carbon, previously treated with paraffine, is covered
with a cake or block of the exciting paste, having generally a thickness of from 1
to 3 millimetres (04 to 12 of an inch English measure), and being of the same
shape and nearly the same size as the zinc. On this cake or block is applied from
five to ten thicknesses of Berzelius' Swedish filtering paper or of asbestos soaked
in a solution of chloride of zinc at 50° Beaumé and chloride of sodium mixed in
equal parts by weight, which solution may, if desired contain a small quantity of
glycerine. The edges of the paper aro' made to adhere to the charcoal either by
means of paraffine or in any suitable manner. The other chloro-mercurates of
ammonium or white precipitates of mercury included in the general formula m
Hg. Cl. + NH Cl. (mn being positive whole or fractional numbers) can be
used in the preparation of the exciting paste, and the use of them for this purpose
is included in my said Invention.
By applying the zinc to the charcoal or carbon prepared in the manner already
described a very constant electro-motive element is formed. The difference of
potential is about 1.5 volt. The interior resistance of the element is very weak.
The chemical actions which take place in the element are various. There is one,
however, which dominates, and that is the decomposition by the zinc, of the chloro-

page_text: mercurate of ammonium, with the formation of double chloride of zinc, ammonium,
and a small quantity of oxy-chloride of zinc.
The free mercury returns partly on to the charcoal or carbon and partly on to
the zinc in the form of amalgam. The chloride of sodium which enters into the
composition of the paste plays the part of a chloridizing agent and prevents the 5
production of protochloride of mercury (mercurous chloride).
The battery can be constructed and arranged in different ways according to the
various applications for which it is required. By way of example I have repre-
sented in the Drawing four of these arrangements.
Figure 1 shews the arrangement of the battery for some telegraphic purposes. 1
Each element is formed of a charcoal or carbon tube C into which is introduced
a rod of zinc Z; the annular space between the charcoal and the zinc is filled with
the exciting paste. A number of these elements may be joined in tension or in
quantity.
Figures 2 and 3 shew in section and plan an arrangement adapted for telegraphic, 1
telephonic and medical purposes; the charcoal and the zinc are in the form of plates
and are arranged in a suitable oblong box or casing.
Figure 4 shews an arrangement forming a double battery; the double plate of
charcoal or carbon C is covered with the exciting paste on both faces, against which
are applied the two plates of zinc Z, Z, the whole being contained in a box or
casing of suitable form.
Figures 5 and 6 show, in section and plan, the battery made in the ordinary
form, with a hemispherical cover provided with a push-knob, for electric bell
apparatus.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing :
the same I wish-it understood that I claim,
First. The exciting paste composed of chloro-mercurate of ammonium and
chloride of sodium substantially, as, and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The said paste, in the form of a plate or block, placed between the zinc
and the carbon, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The covering for the paste, consisting of a layer or layers of filtering
paper or asbestos sonked in a solution of chloride of zinc and chloride of sodium
with or without glycerine, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The different forms of the improved battery, composed of the charcoal
or carbon, the zinc, and the paste, substantially as set forth, and shewn in the
accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof I the said Gregoire Skrivanoff have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty eighth day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.