A NEW OB IMPROVED ELECTRIC AND STORAGE BATTERY
Year: 1885

page_text: I, GEORGE JONES ATKINS, of Ruskin Road, Tottenham in 'the County of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for A NEW OB
IMPROVED ELECTRIC AND STORAGE BATTERY to be as follows:-
My invention relates more especially to what are known as storage batteries or
accumulators, but it is also applicable more or less to primary batteries, and
consists in the employment of carbon for both the positive and negative elements
with any suitable electrolyte. The carbon intended to form the positive element
may be separated from that intended to form the negative element by means of a
porous partition or other suitable or usual means. The carbon may be used in a
more or less divided form, or shaped into plates, rods, or otherwise according to
circumstances. I find that when a storage battery éonstructed of carbon elements
in this way is subjected to the action of a primary battery or of a dynamo
machine, or other source of electricity the current from such source is absorbed or
stored up in the carbon elements and is retained therein so as to be available for
use for any desired purpose. When an electric cell is formed of the two carbon
elements and charged with electricity as above explained it may be converted into
a primary battery by supplying suitable gases to the positive and negative
elements or poles.

page_text: A New or Improved Electric and Storage Battery.
I, GEORGE JONES ATKINS of Ruskin Road, Tottenham, in the County of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my said invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement -
My invention relates more especially to what are known as storage batteries or
accumulators, but it is also applicable more or less to primary batteries, and
consists in the employment of carbon for both the positive and negative elements
with any suitable electrolyte such as dilute sulphuric, hydrochloric, or nitric acid
for example, or, when large quantity current is required, solutions of metallic
salts, or the metals themselves to form the metallic salts, may be employed. The
carbon intended to form the positive element may be separated from that intended
to form the negative element, by means of a porous partition, or other suitable or
The carbon may be used in a more or less divided form with a
carbon or other suitable conductor inserted amongst the pieces, or it may be shaped
into plates, rods, or otherwise, according to circumstances. The carbons intended
to form a couple may be placed in a simple cell with a single electrolyte, or as
above mentioned each may be placed in separate cells separated from each other
by a porous partition, one kind of electrolyte, as dilute sulphuric acid for example,
being placed in one cell, and a different kind of electrolyte, as the solution of a
metallic salt for example, in the other.
usual means.
I find that when a storage battery constructed in this way is subjected to the
action of a primary battery, or of a dynamo machine, or other source of electricity,
the current from such source decomposes the electrolyte and deposits or stores up
certain of its constituents in the pores of the carbon elements, thereby forming a
charged storage battery ready to generate a current of electricity available for any
desired purpose.
When the poles of this storage battery are coupled so as to form
a secondary battery, the constituents which were deposited in the pores of the
carbon elements during the process of charging the battery, are redissolved and a
current of electricity is produced by the recombination. When this recombination
is complete, the battery is exhausted and can be recharged again by means of a
primary battery, or by, a dynamo machine as before.
In charging this storage battery, there appears to occur, besides the electrolytic
action above described and which is somewhat similar to that which takes place in
the ordinary lead secondary battery, a storage or absorption of the gases generated
by the electrolytic action in a nascent condition into the pores of the carbons;
this causes a discharge of the solution from the pores of the carbon, and a
consequent rise of its level in the cells, which is useful in two ways, firstly, by
keeping the solution in motion or circulation, and secondly, by indicating when
the cell is charged; and similarly as the battery discharges itself, the solution
re-enters the pores of the carbon, its level falls in the cells and thereby indicates
when the battery is exhausted. These gases, in recombining during the discharge
of the battery, add their electromotive force to that of the other constituents of
the cell, and thereby add to the power of the battery.

page_text: These batteries, when once formed, do not require to be taken to pieces like the
ordinary lead batteries, but can be charged and discharged by merely making the
necessary connections; they are lighter, and give a larger electro motive force than
the ordinary lead batteries; and as they contain a smaller quantity of solution,
there is less chance of spilling, and they are therefore more portable.
A secondary battery may be formed with carbon elements of the kind above
described by placing one carbon of each couple in one kind of electrolyte, and the
other carbon of each couple in another kind of electrolyte, the two electrolytes being
kept separate by means of porous partitions in the manner well understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
The new or improved electric and storage battery composed of carbon elements
or conductors and electrolytes arranged and combined as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 7th day of September 1886.
G. J. ATKINS.
Per W. H. Beck, Agent.
G. J. ATKINS.
Per W. H. Beck, Agent.