IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES a
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
BATTERIES a communication to me from abroad by Ida C Himmer (wife of
Vitalis Himmer), of the city, county, and State of New York, United States
of America
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES A communication to me
from abroad by Ida C. Himmer (wife of Vitalis Himmer), of the city, county, and
state of New York, United States of America.
"
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
organization of various parts of a galvanic battery; and it particularly relates to
the class of batteries in which carbon plates are employed as the electro-negative
element, a zinc-rod or plate as the electro-positive element, and a solution of
sal-ammoniac or chloride of ammonia is employed as the excitant.
The object of the invention is to construct a battery of this character employing
more than one carbon plate or rod, in such a manner that the plates may be placed
in electrical connection with each other and with the terminal of an external
circuit in such a manner as to avoid all corrosion of the parts of the battery; and
also to provide means for preserving the amalgamation of the zinc element of the
battery.
The invention consists in supporting an annular series of carbon rods within a
suitable jar or cell, and in securing an electrical connection between the several
rods thus supported by means of one or more connecting plates of the same
material. One of the carbon rods is provided with a metallic or conducting cup
or thimble which fits over the top of the same and is secured thereto by means of
suitable metallic pins. The zinc electrode extends between the rods and through
the annular connecting plates and carries at its lower extremity a suitable cup or
CD 231

page_text: thimble for containing a quantity of mercury. This cup may be provided with a
lid of cork or other suitable material which will not be acted upon by the exciting
agent of the battery and by means of this cover the cup may be attached to the
zinc. Suitable apertures are formed through this cover for permitting the mercury
to escape from the cup and amalgamate with the surface of the zinc electrode. 5
The cup may however be open and held in the proper position at the lower end of
the zinc.by being fitted tightly between the lower ends of the carbon rods.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Patent Office on the 24th June
1884.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL BATTERIES (A communication from
abroad by Ida C Himmer (wife of Vitalis Himmer) of the city, county, and state
of New York United States of America)
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
organization of various parts of a galvanic battery; and it particularly relates to
the class of batteries in which carbon plates are employed as the electro-negative
element, a zinc rod or plate as the electro-positive element, and a solution of
sal-ammoniac or chloride of ammonia is employed as the excitant.
The object of the invention is to construct a battery of this character employing
more than one carbon plate or rod, in such a manner that the plates may be placed
in electrical connection with each other, and with the terminal of an external
circuit in such a manner as to avoid all corrosion of the parts of the battery; and
also to provide means for preserving the amalgamation of the zinc element of the
battery.
The invention consists in supporting an annular series of carbon rods within a
suitable jar or cell, and in securing an electrical connection between the several rods
thus supported by means of one or more connecting plates of the same material.
One of the carbon rods is provided with a metallic or conducting cup or thimble
which fits over the top of the same, and is secured thereto by means of suitable
metallic pins.
The zinc electrode extends between the rods and through the
annular connecting plates, and carries at its lower extremity a suitable cup or
thimble for containing a quantity of mercury. This cup may be provided with a
lid of cork or other suitable material which will not be acted upon by the exciting
agent of the battery, and by means of this cover the cup may be attached to the
zinc. Suitable apertures are formed through this cover for permitting the mercury
to escape from the cup, and amalgamate with the surface of the zinc electrode.
The cup may however be open, and held in the proper position at the lower end of
the zinc by being fitted tightly between the lower ends of the carbon rods.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates my invention Fig 1 is a plan
view of a battery embodying the invention, and Fig 2 is a vertical cross section of
the same.

page_text: Referring to the drawing, A¹ A² etcetera represent a series of carbon rods together
constituting a single element of the battery, and B represents a zinc rod constituting
the other element of the same. The object of employing several rods A instead of
one plate is to expose as great a surface of the element as practicable to the fluid,
C represents a suitable non conducting jar or cell for containing the plates A and B
and a liquid excitant shown at D and preferably consisting of a solution of
chloride of ammonia. The carbon rods A are rigidly supported from a cover E
which may be of carbon or of non conducting material, such as porcelain. They
are in electrical connection with each other through one or more carbon rings or
annular plates a¹, a³. Each of the rings a is preferably constructed with a central
aperture c' through which the zinc electrode B extends, and a series of equi distant
circular apertures c³ for receiving the respective carbon rods A. It is preferable to
locate one of the rings a' for instance, at a point about midway between the upper
and lower extremities of the rods, and the second ring a² when two are employed,
a short distance beneath the ring a¹ and both rings are preferably beneath the
surface of the liquid excitant for the purpose of obtaining a more perfect électrical
connection. The rings are securely held in their proper positions by means of
elastic bands f embracing the rods A, or by other suitable means.
At the upper extremity of one of the carbon rods A' is secured a thimble G, by
means of which a reliable electrical connection may be made therewith. The
thimble G is preferably moulded into the proper form to fit over the top of the
carbon rod A¹ and it is secured thereto by means of platinum or other suitable
pins g extending through the metal, and into the rod. Extending vertically
through the upper portion of the thimble G is a binding post h, carrying at its
inner extremity a platinum or other suitable pin h¹ which pin enters the top of the
rod A¹. By means of the metallic thimble G and the connecting pin h¹ a reliable
electrical connection is secured with the carbon plate A¹, and through the rings a,
with all the rods in series. For the purpose however of providing better against
any interruption between the connections of the various rods A, it is preferable in
some instances to connect one of the rods A' for instance which is opposite the
rod A' with the latter by means of a conducting wire preferably of platinum.
The lower extremity of the ziuc electrode B extends into a cup 6 of glass
porcelain or other suitable material for containing a quantity of mercury. The
cup b is constructed with indentations b¹ into which the rods A fit, and by the
pressure of these rods it is held in position. A raised seat 6' is preferably formed.
upon the bottom of the jar C for better holding the cup b in position. The lower
ends of the rods A encircle this seat.
Instead of constructing the thimble G of conducting material, a non conducting
cap may be employed in some instances for supporting the binding post, and the
latter connected with the carbon rod by means of suitable platinum wire
connections.
The
As before mentioned it may be found desirable in some instances to construct the
cover or support E of carbon instead of non-conducting material. The zino
electrode B should then be insulated therefrom in any suitable manner.
annular plates a may or may not be employed in connection with such a cover.
By thus constructing the support of the same material as the rods A, no chemical
action will take place between the parts, and corrosion will be avoided.
Having thus described the nature of this invention, and the manner in which it
is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The combination, substantially as herein before set forth, with a series of
separate carbon-plates or rods of one or more carbon rings or plates in contact
with each of said rods, and a zinc electrode extending through said rings or plates.
2nd. The combination substantially as herein before set forth of a series of carbon
rods or plates constituting a battery element, one or more separate rings or annular
plates of the same material electrically connecting said rods or plates, at a point
below the surface of the exciting fluid, and a non conducting jar cover forming a
support for said rods or plates.

page_text: 3rd. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of an annular series
of carbon rods, constituting a battery element, one or more carbon rings supported
within said series, and in electrical contact with each of said rods, a zinc electrode
extending through said carbon ring, and a mercury reservoir supported at the lower
extremity of said zinc electrode.
4th. The combination substantially as herein before set forth, of annular series of
carbon rods, constituting a battery element, a jar cover forming a support for said
rods, one or more carbon rings beneath the surface of the exciting fluid, and
electrically connecting said rods, a conducting thimble or cap united with the
upper extremity of one of said rods, and means substantially such as described for
securing an electric conductor to said thimble.
5th. The combination, substantially as herein before set forth, of a containing jar,
a zinc electrode, a non conducting mercury reservoir supported at the lower
extremity of said electrode, and a raised seat at the bottom of said jar for said
reservoir.
6th. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the carbon
rods A, A, etcetera, the carbon plates or rings a¹, and a², the electrode B, the
cup b, and the seat b².
In witness whereof, I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty ninth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.