IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street in the City of London Fellow
of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES to be as follows:-
In electric batteries in which the oxygen goes to the zinc pole and the hydrogen:
to the carbon pole, if a depolarizer or a body capable of yielding its oxygen is in
contact with the carbon pole, the battery can work.
The improved battery which forms the subject of the present invention comprises
essentially the following parts:-
1. A vessel of metal, wood, earthenware, glass or other suitable material forming
the positive pole with a plate of carbon covered with oxide of lead, or an
agglomerate of oxide of lead, or simply a layer of oxide of lead; wlien however
the vessel is non-metallic there will be in the bottom thereof a metallic plate
serving as the pole and having a rod which emerges out of the liquid.
2. A plate of amalgamated zinc forming the negative pole.
3. As the exciting liquid, a basic solution at 30° Baumé, or an acid solution
which will not dissolve the different oxides of lead."
This battery, with elements of amalgamated zinc and oxide of lead, or carbon
with oxide of lead can act either as a primary battery or as a secondary battery or
accumulator and be employed for telegraphic or telephonic purposes, incandescent
electric lighting, bells, electro-surgical instruments and other purposes.
I will proceed to describe the several parts of the improved battery when formed
of a metallic vessel and having agglomerate of oxide of lead as a depolarizer.
The zinc plate is insulated or kept from contact with the metallic vessel by any
suitable means such as suspension supports &c; one convenient way is to rest it
upon porcelain supports below while one end of it which is bent downwards dips
in a wooden trough or reservoir. The plate of agglomerate of oxide of lead acting
as a depolarizer communicates with the metallic case which forms the positive
pole. When the circuit is closed the water is decomposed, the oxygen goes to the
zinc plate and produces oxide of zinc which forms a salt with the liquid and is.
dissolved. The hydrogen on the other hand goes to the oxide of lead is reduced.
and recombines with the oxygen yielded by the depolarizer. The reduced lead is,

page_text: precipitated upon the metallic bottom. If the solution is acid and the vessel is of
metal or even of wood I cover it internally with a watertight lining of sheet lead
or other suitable material.
When carbon (gas carbon or carbon from retorts) is employed it is placed at the
bottom of the vessel and communicates with it, this being metallic to form the b
positive pole; or if the vessel is not metallic a leaden rod connected to the carbon
should emerge from the liquid. The carbon is covered with.a layer of an oxide of
lead which forms a depolarizer and is capable of being reduced under the influence
of the current and of yielding its oxygen which then combines with the hydrogen
with which the carbon is impregnated.
In order to render the depolarization more rapid gas carbon agglomerated with
binoxide or peroxide of lead can be advantageously substituted for tho superficial
layer of oxide of lead. The zinc plate having been placed in the manner before
described its bent end dips into a porous or non-porous reservoir or a reservoir of
parchment paper containing excess mercury and a little bichromate of potass
(chromic acid) to maintain the zinc in a perfect state of amalgamation. The other
end of the zinc plate can be connected to a copper rod soldered or rivetted and
perfectly amalgamated a few centimetres below the place where it should make
contact; the negativo pole is at the end of this rod or plate. But as the contact
of two metals, copper and zinc, rivetted to each other, always forms a couple the
local curront of which is in the reverse direction to the current of the battery and
constitutes a resistance it is better not to rivet the copper plate or rod to the
zine, but leaving it free, to make the contact in the mercury in which it dips.
If it is desired to double the surface, and therefore the intensity of the
battery, I can place above the zinc plate a second plate or piece of depolarizing
carbon separated by a suitable insulator such for example as a sheet of paper. The
second carbon plate will be joined to the first by a lead wire or to the vessel itself
if this is metallic.
•
As the exciting liquid I employ water acidulated with sulphuric acid or with
other suitable acid in proper proportion.
Salts of lead put into an alkaline bath and submitted to the action of an electric
current of sufficient strength are deposited in the form of reduced lead at the
negative pole and in the form of oxide at the positive. If therefore in a heated
alkaline bath (plumbate of soda) I put a salt of lead and I send an electric current
through the bath, by having a piece of lead as the cathode and a carbon plate as the
anode the oxide of lead will be deposited on the carbon in variable layers according
to the strength of the current and the oxide will vary its nature according to the
temperature of the bath. I thus prepare my carbon plate, varying the thickness
of the layer of oxide according to the work to be obtained from the battery. My
battery is therefore reduced to a carbon plate covered with oxide on all sides, an
insulator (the porcelain supports and trough), a zinc plate dipping at one end in
mercury, a second insulator, and finally a second carbon plate covered with oxide
like the first. To one of the ends of each of the carbon plates I apply melted load
which in cooling perfectly fits upon the end of the carbon plate and forms a body
therewith. This lead is terminated by a raised part which emerges from the liquid
in the form of a rod and this is the positive pole.
When the carbon plate is removed from the electrolytic bath, it must be at once
dipped in a solution of sulphuric acid diluted to a tenth in order to remove all
trace of soda, then to wash it in water-as much as possible without exposing it
to the air. These two washing operations having been finished, the plate must be
rapidly dried before a brisk fire and immediately afterwards dipped in glucose
heated so as to render it more liquid, or in some other suitable material so as to
completely separate it from contact with the air by means of a material insoluble
in acidulated water liko glucose and moreover a good conductor of electricity.
Glucose presents this advantage that applied hot and then well drained and
therefore in a thin coat it forms a sort of varnish which dries almost completely
and which absolutely shuts off the oxidized plato of carbon from contact with the
1

page_text: air. If this precaution be omitted the carbonic acid of the atmosphere will quickly
produce in the oxide carbonated particles which in contact with the sulphuric acid
will allow the carbonic acid to escape in the form of bubbles, thus rapidly causing
the disaggregation of the oxide and its fall to the bottom of the vessel.
In cases where an agglomerate of retort carbon and various oxides of lead cannot
be conveniently obtained it may with advantage be replaced by a quantity more or
less great of plumbago or graphite forming without any pressure a sort of concrete
with the grains of peroxide or oxide of lead in such manner as to allow the current
to traverse this concrete in the same way as it traverses the agglomerate of carbon
or oxide. I can also proceed in the following manner :-I moisten with nitric acid
of commerce pulverized oxido or peroxide of lead in such manner that the nitric
acid is almost completely absorbed ; thon I add a suitable quantity of mercury and
briskly agitate this sort of paste. The paste becomes a groyish color, is gradually
heated, and completely dried. It can be employed in the same manner as the
oxide enveloped in a concrete of plumbago or graphite.
For the employment of these Intter methods I use by preference a glass vessel of
square or round form the bottom of which is covered with a sheet of lead on which
is placed oxide of lead prepared according to one or other of these two methods.
This sheet of lead extends up one side of the vessel and over the edge; the contact
pieco is placed astride over the edge thus covered by the sheet of lead; it is there
that the positive pole of the outer circuit is situated. On the oxide of lead prepared
by one of the two methods I place a porcelain reservoir containing mercury; in this
reservoir is the end of the zinc rod which therefore has no possible contact with
the oxide; at the end of this zinc rod is the negative pole of the outer circuit.
As the liquid I employ in this battery a solution of sulphuric acid reduced to a
tenth or any other suitable acid.
In order to forin secondary batteries either with positive and negative plates of
lead or with oxidized plates of carbon, and negative plates of lead or with oxidized
plates of carbon and negative plates of zinc, I employ for the purpose of separating
the plates a board about 1 Centimetre thick; this board is in the form of a comb
by preference rectangular and is made of wood, fibre, celluloid, ebonite or other
suitable material. In the teeth of this comb the lead, carbon or zinc plates are
placed; the comb may be arranged vertically or horizontally. The spacing for
receiving the plates is of such width as to fit the plates the thickness of which
varies from one to 5 millimetres and upwards. The teeth of the comb have a
thickness corresponding with the separation which it is wished to give to the plates.
The back of the comb has about two centimetres fullness, and insulates from the
bottom of the box the plates which rest on this full part when the comb is placed
horizontally; this allows all detritus and impurities to be deposited at the bottom
of the box itself and avoids any contact of the detritus and impurities with the
accumulator plates. I place a comb at each end of the apparatus the back or full
part being below, and three or four supplementary combs according to the length
of the apparatus. These combs with the plates forin a whole which can be instantly
removed from the vessel containing the liquid; when thus removed the backs of the
combs allow of the apparatus being placed anywhere without any special precaution
and to be returned as one body to the vessel. The outside teeth of the comb
insulate the plates from the sides of the box.
The characteristic features of this invention are:-The employment in electrical
batteries of various oxides of lead as a solid depolarizer in the presence of acidulated
water or of various acid or basic solutions; the method of insuring by a permanent
contact with mercury the perfect amalgamation of the zinc of a battery so as to
avoid local actions and to allow the battery to work only with a closed circuit ;
the addition of traces of chromic acid with the object of facilitating the main-
tenance of the perfect amalgamation; the reservoir of mercury (whether a
porous or non-porous vase or a vessel of parchment paper) in which the reduced
zinc is condensed when by a current in the reverse direction the battery is
regenerated by re-oxidizing the reduced lead and reducing the oxidized zinc (this

page_text: revivification is easier in this battery than in others on account of the mercury
reservoir); the employment of agglomerates of oxide of lead as a solid depolarizer
of batteries in the presence of various acid or basic solutions; the employment of
carbon plates on which has been previously deposited a layer of oxide or peroxide
of lead for a like purpose; the employment of a deposit of metallic oxide or
peroxide and specially oxide or peroxide of lead on the surface of carbon so as to
form a depolarizing plate in acid or basic liquids for primary and secondary
batteries; the employinent of a coating of glucose or other suitable material to
prevent carbonatation by the atmosphero or any other action which would cause
the oxide to become detached and fall to the bottom of the vessel; the employment
without pressure of graphite, plumbago or other suitable material to form a concrete
with oxide or peroxide of lead for giving passage to the electric current; the
employment of nitric acid in the presence of mercury and of oxide or peroxide of
lead in order to insure the free passage of the current through the oxide of lead;
the employment in place of carbon, agglomerated or not, of a sheet of lead covered
with a concrete or amalgam of oxide of lead on which the positive pole is fixed
and the employment of a mercury vessel; lastly the comb for insulating or
separating accumulator plates from each other and from the liquid vessel and
constituting one body easily handled.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN of 169 Fleet Street in the City of London, Fellow
of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In electric batteries the oxygen goes to the zinc pole and the hydrogen to the
carbon polo; if a depolarizer or a body capable of yielding its oxygen is in contact
with the carbon pole the battery can work. The improved battery which forms
the subject of the present invention is applicable to two very distinct purposes,
1st Telegraphy, telephony and similar uses; 2nd Light, power and similar uses.
The battery for telegraphy, telephony &c is represented in Figure 1 and is in the
form of a Leclanché battery. The vessel A generally made of glass receives the
porous vessel B. This is prepared by placing in the centre a carbon plate or
block C connected to a contact E and surrounded with a mixture of about
300 grammes of waste from electrical accumulators with lead base (peroxide of
lead) in grains or preferably in powder and 150 grammes of carbon after which the
top of the vessel is cemented. The zinc Z is zinc alloyed with mercury (about
12 per cent) and dips in a small trough D containing mercury. The exciting
liquid is a solution of sulphuric acid diluted to about a twentieth, or a solution of
bisulphate of soda, potass or other suitable bisulphate.
The battery for lighting &c is shown in Figures 2 and 3 and comprises essentially
the following parts. A vessel A' of metal, wood earthenware, glass or other
suitable material forming the positive pole with the addition of a plate of carbon C₁
covered with a layer of accumulator wasto with load base or with peroxide of lead
mixed with graphite without pressure or with a plate of lead peroxidised as herein-
after described, the wholo being in the bottom of the vessel and connected with it.
When the vessel A¹ is not metallic or lined with lead there will usually be placed
in the bottom a metallic plate generally lead serving as the positive pole and
having a rod which emerges out of the liquid. A plate of zinc Z' alloyed with.
mercury in suitable proportions (about 12 per cent) constitutes the negativo pole
and dips either at the bottom or at other suitable part in a mercury reservoir H.
In this reservoir dips a copper plate I terminated by a contact E². The plates C¹
and Z are separated by insulators G. As the exciting liquid, I employ an acid
solution which will not dissolve the different oxides of lead. The oxides of lead
which I employ as the depolarizer aro or arise from the waste of accumulators.
By the waste of accumulators, I mean the loss of about 250 grammes per electric
horse hour (furnished at the discharge) which occurs with Fauro-Sellon-Volckmar
or analogous accumulators in which the positive plate is formed by a sort of
honeycomb of lead in which is inserted without prossuro a paste of minium or
litharge. This waste is much richer in oxygen than binoxide of lead of commerce,
loses much less in washing with pure nitric acid and appears to have for chemical
symbol Pb O or Pb Os, while binoxide of lead is Pb Os and minium Pb³ O³

page_text: The oxygenated reactions which take place in the accumulators are still too little
known to allow of this increase of oxygen being explained.
The improved battery with elements of alloyed zine dipping in a reservoir of
mercury and accumulator waste (or peroxide of lead) or with a plate of peroxidised
lead or with carbon or a lead plate covered with a layer of accumulator waste
mixed with graphite without pressure, will act either as a primary battery or as
a secondary battery or accumulator and can be employed for telegraphic or tele-
phonic purposes, incandescent or are electric lighting, electric bells, electro surgical
instruments and other purposes.
When the circuit is closed the water is decomposed, the oxygen goes to the zinc
and produces oxide of zinc which forms a salt with tho liquid and is dissolved.
The hydrogen on the other hand goes to the oxide of lead (carbon pole) is reduced
and recombines with the oxygen yielded by the depolarizer. The reduced lead
remains in the pores of the carbon or is precipitated upon the metallic bottom.
The solution being acid and the vessel A¹ of metal or even of wood I cover it
internally with a watertight lining A2 of sheet lead or other suitable metal
The plate C is formed of a sheet of lead of suitable thickness and size or of a
plate of carbon or other suitable material on which is deposited one of various
oxides of lead obtained as hereinafter described and forming a depolarizer and
capable of being reduced under the influence of the current, that is to say, of
yielding its oxygen which then combines with the hydrogen. The sheet of lead
or other material covered with electrolytically peroxidized lead placed at C' at the
bottom of the vessel communicates with the vessel if it is metallic to form with it
the positive pole; if the vessel is not metallic a rod of lead connected to the carbon
emerges out of the liquid. The zinc plate Z having been placed at a variable
distance from the depolarizer and being supported by the insulators G, its bent end
dips into a porous or non-porous reservoir H, or a reservoir of wood or parchment
paper containing mercury in excess and a little bichromate of potass (chromic acid)
to facilitate the action of the mercury. The other end of the zinc plate Z¹ can be
connected to a copper rod soldered or rivetted and perfectly amalgainated a few
centimetres above the place where it should make contact; the negative pole is at
the end of this rod or plate. But as the contact of two metals, rivetted or soldered
to each other (copper and zinc with solder) always forms a couple the local current
of which is in the reverse direction to the current of the battery and constitutes
a resistance, it is better not to rivet or solder the copper plate or rod to the zinc,
but leaving it free, to make the contact in the mercury in which it dips.
If it is desired to double the surface and therefore the intensity of the battery,
I can place above the zinc plate Z' a second plate C³ of a suitable material covered
with electrolytically peroxidized lead (separated by a suitable insulator) or a carbon
plate covered with accumulator waste mixed with graphite without pressure. This
second plate will be joined to the first by a lead wire or to the vessel itself if this
is metallic as seen in Figures 2, and 3, but it is separated from the neighbouring
zinc Z¹ by a sheet of parchmentized paper F or by small insulators.
As the exciting liquid I employ water acidulated with sulphuric acid or with
other suitable acid in proper proportion.
The improved battery shown in Figures 2 and 3 is therefore reduced to a plate
of lead peroxidized on all its faces, four insulators (more or less), a plate of alloyed
aine dipping at one end in mercury, a second set of insulators, and lastly a second
plate of lead peroxidized like the first. The two lead plates can be completed by
a raised part which emerges out of the liquid in the form of a rod on which is
formed the positive pole El (of the external circuit). The zinc Z¹ constitutes as
usual the negative pole of the external circuit.
I prepare the plates of peroxidized lead as follows:-In a cast iron pot of
Buitable dimensions I make a saturated bath of soda or potass and I keep this bath
in ebullition. I throw into this liquid accumulator waste or some oxide of lead.
Taking an electric current of sufficient tension and intensity I place the negative

page_text: pole of the current on the pot and the positive pole on the plate to be peroxidized
which I suspend in the middle of the pot in the boiling solution. On causing the
current to pass there will be at the negative polo, that is to say on the sides of the
pot, reduced lead, and at the positive pole, that is to say, on the sheet of lead
suspended in the pot, the peroxide of lead will be deposited in variable layers
according to the tension and intensity of the current and the oxide will vary ifs
nature according to the temperature of the bath. I thus prepare my lead plate;
varying the thickness of the layer of oxide according to the work to be obtained
from the battery. I can make a similar deposit of peroxido or oxides of lead upon
a plate of carbon or other suitable support. The nature of the lead oxide will
vary according to the temperaturo of the bath.
When the lead plate covered with oxide in sufficient quantity is removed from
the bath, it must be at once dipped in a solution of sulphuric acid diluted to a
tenth in order to remove all trace of soda, then to wash it in water-as much as
possible without exposing it to the air. These two washing operations having
been finished, the plate must be rapidly dried before a brisk fire and then if all the
soda has been reduced and turned into soluble sulphate it is preserved from any
alteration which the carbonic acid of the atmosphere might produce. If this
precaution were omitted the carbonic acid of the atmosphere would quickly produce
in the oxide carbonated particles which in contact with the sulphuric acid would
allow the carbonic acid to escape in the form of bubbles, thus rapidly causing the
disaggregation of the oxide and its fall to the bottom of the vessel. The waste of
accumulators can also be utilized by mixing it without pressure with graphite in
small grains. If put on a carbon plate they form a depolarizer which is less
energetic but very constant. It is to be understood that there is no pressure and
no adherence between the carbon plate and the mixture of graphite and accumulator
waste. The arrangement of the mercury vessel H in which the plato or rod of
zinc Z¹ alloyed with mercury dips is important. Owing to this arrangement I can
employ an acid solution as the exciting liquid, the mercury (in which the rod dips)
creeping up the rod between the metal and the liquid, the result is that a molecule
of dissolved zinc is replaced by a molecule of mercury and the zinc is not attacked
by the acid when the circuit of the battery is open. This arrangement is
applicable with all oxides whether of load, manganese or others and in both primary
and secondary batteries.
In order to form with the aid of the chemical reaction above described secondary
batteries either with positive and negative plates of lead or with plates of lead or
carbon covered with electrolytic peroxide of lead and negative plates of zinc
I employ for the purpose of separating the plates a board about one "centimetre
thick and represented in Figure 4; this board is in the form of a comb, by
preference rectangular, and is made of wood, fibre, celluloid ebonite or other
suitable material. In the teeth of this comb the lead, carbon or zinc plates are
placed the comb may be arranged vertically or horizontally. The spacing for
receiving the plates is of such width as to fit the plates the thickness of which
varies from one to five millimetres and upwards. The teeth Q of the comb have a
thickness corresponding with the separation which it is wished to give to the plates.
The back P of the comb has about two centimetres fullness and insulates from the
bottom of the box the plates which rest on this full part when the comb is placed
horizontally; this allows all detritus and impurities to be deposited at the bottom
of the box itself and avoids any contact of the detritus and impurities with the
accumulator plates. I place a comb at each end of the apparatus the back or full
part being below, and three or four supplementary combs according to the length
of the apparatus. These combs with the plates form a whole which can be instantly
removed from the vessel containing the liquid; when thus removed the backs of
the combs allow of the apparatus being placed anywhere without any special
precaution and to be returned as one body to the vessel. The outside teeth of the
comb insulate the plates from the sides of the box.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that what
I claim, in respect of electrical batteries, is
1. The employment of the waste of accumulators with lead base to form a
primary or secondary battery with an acid liquid as described..
2. The employment for primary or secondary batteries of the waste of accumu-
lators with lead base in presence of a mixturo of graphite without pressure the
said mixture being employed either on a carbon plate or on the interior of a porous
vessel and in the presence of a single acid or basic exciting liquid as described.
3. The employment for primary or secondary batteries of peroxide of lead
deposited electrolytically on a plate of lead or other suitable support in presence of
a single acid exciting liquid, this deposit of lead oxide in a layer of variable thick-
ness being obtained by means of a current of suitable tension and intensity in a
basic bath carried to ebullition there being not only a deposit of peroxide but also
a great alteration of the lead, as described,
4. In batteries with lead or other oxidos and with an acid solution as the exciting
liquid, the employment of zinc alloyed with mercury dipping at one part of its
surface in a mercury reservoir as described whatever be the uaturo and form of
the battery and the composition of the depolarizing oxide.
5. The addition of traces of chromic acid in the form of bichromato of potass as
described in order to facilitate the action of the mercury.
6. The mercury reservoir as described by means of which the battery can be
revivified by a current in the inversé direction the positive pole being connected
to the carbon pole of the battery and the negative pole to the body of the
mercury.
7. The direct formation on the lead plate of a layer of peroxide of lead of
variable thickness by means of a current of suitable tension and intensity in
a basic bath carried to ebullition and holding salts of lead in solution, as
described.
8. The direct formation of a layer of peroxide of lead on carbon or other
suitable support in the manner referred to in clanu 7, as described.
9. The admixture without pressure, liquid or agglutinant of graphite or other
suitable material with waste of accumulators in powder or grains so as to facilitate
the passage of the current as described.
10. With an acid solution and a rod of zinc dipping in a mercury vessel, the
employment of oxide of lead in either of the forms of battery shown in the annexed
drawings.
11. The employment of a comb as described for insulating the plates of
secondary batteries from each other and from their box..
Dated this 4th day of March 1885.

page_text: FIG.4.
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