Improvements relating to Thermo-electric Batteries, and to Apparatus for Use in. the. Manufacture of the same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left; 18th June, 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Thermo-electric Batteries, and to
Apparatus for Use in. the. Manufacture of the same.
-
I, JEAN BAPTISTE CHARLES DION, of 79 Rue des Martyrs, Paris, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to thermo-electric batteries and to apparatus for use in the
manufacture of the same.
In order that the principle of my invention may be properly understood I have
represented it by way of example in the accompanying drawing together with the
apparatus by which it may be realized.
In this drawing,
Figure represents a general arrangement of my improved thermo-electric
battery, the outer casing being shown in section.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the battery on the line 1-2.
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a mould serving to constitute the elements
of my thermo-electric battery.
Figure 5 represents a perspective view of a support designed to hold the moulds
at the moment of the casting.
Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the cover for these moulds.
Figure 8 is a plan of the same.
Figure 9 is a transverse section on the line 3-4.
In these several figures similar letters of reference designate corresponding
parts.
This thermo-electric battery is constituted as follows:
The ash-box a is provided with a door enabling the ashes to be removed, and
with an aperture 6 for the admission of the air necessary for the combustion, which
is regulated by means of a valve b¹ fixed to the extremity of a lever l adapted. to
Oscillate upon the pivot l'.
My apparatus carries a thermometer indicating the temperature of the furnace.
From the two extremities of this thermometer extend two wires, one passing
directly to one of the poles of a battery n and the other passing to the other pole
after traversing an electromagnet m.
The mercury of the thermometer is always in contact with the wire which
terminates in the lower part of the thermometer and at a certain temperature of
the furnace this mercury rises such a height that it will touch the extremity of the
wire which terminates in the upper part of the thermometer. In this case the
circuit is closed and as the current passes through the electromagnet the extremity
of the lever is attracted, causing the valve b' to close the aperture b. When the
temperature is thus lowered, the current ceases to flow, the valve falls back under
the action of its weight and uncovers the aperture b.
The oscillation of the lever is limited by a stop o.
By this means the temperature is automatically kept constant.
Above the ash box a is the furnace c provided at its lower part with a circular
support d upon which rest the elements e arranged in the form of superposed crowns
or in the form of a spiral round the furnace c
This furnace e carries at its under part a disc pierced with holes a through

page_text: which a current of air passes which draws the emanations, which may be produced
in consequence of too much heating of the sheet metal of the elements, to the
interior and neutralizes them.
The disc
supports a crown upon which the cover i is placed.
A casing k protects the elements e from exterior contact and serves at the same
time as a chamber for the circulation of the outer air designed for rapidly cooling
the extremity of the elements.
The elements are obtained by the aid of moulds (Figure 4) made of two
parts fitted one upon the other to form the cavity into which the molten
metal designed to constitute the element is cast.
In each of the parts is provided an incision, and these two incisions form the
slot when the two parts are united.
This slot enables the plates p designed to connect the elements with each other
to be put in their place. These plates are made of metal and have the same
height as the slot, which latter must be sufficiently wide for receiving two
plates.
P
Each plate passes from one mould through the slot and into the next mould
through the slot in the latter.
These plates are bent and their extremities are placed and bent so as to be well
secured in the element e, as shown in Figures 3 and 6.
The straight part of each plate pis arranged in the cavity r along the side of the
mould (Figure 6).
This arrangement permits of a very great number of elements being placed
round the furnace.
When the cavities are to be filled with a molten metal to constitute the
elements e the moulds are placed upon the ledges of the support v.
This support carries at its two extremities two abutments one of which v¹
carries a handle ², while the other ³, is traversed by a screw » having a
milled knob. By means of this screw the moulds are pressed against each other
(Figures 5 and 6).
Then the metallic plates p are placed in the interior of the moulds, being passed
through the slot r, whereupon the cover made of two parts is put on these
moulds.
These two parts of the cover being juxtaposed constitute a kind of funnel
at the lower part of which are provided the orifices (Figures 78 and 9).
which are at such distances from each other as to coincide with the cavities r of
each mould.
As the molten metal is poured into the funnel it passes through the orifices -
and spreads in the moulds."
The elements e thus united by the plates p are arranged round the furnace c.
The crowns constituted in this manner are connected with each other by
metallic plates so as to form a circuit from the highest to the lowest, the arrange-
ment being such that all the crowns will be connected for quantity or for tension
according to requirements.
Each crown is insulated from the others by the interposition of asbestos discs s
sunk into a suitable cement which covers about one-half of the elements e in order
to insulate them. The other extremity of the elements is free in order that a
current of air passed through the casing k may cool this outer portion of the
elements while the inner extremity of these same elements is heated to the highest
degree.
The elements e are composed of 100 parts of antimony and from 50 to 70 parts
of zinc to which I add a small quantity of tungsten and arsenical cobalt.
The tungsten renders the element stronger, that is to say less liable to breakage,
and permits of a very good electrical production to be obtained, which is further
augmented by the addition of arsenical cobalt.
It will be understood that I may vary the forms, dimensions, details and materials

page_text: 1
of my thermo-electric battery without departing from the principle or scope of my
said invention.
Dated this 16th day of September 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Thermo-electric Batteries, and to
Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of the same.
I, JEAN BAPTISTE CHARLES DION, of 79 Rue des Martyrs Paris, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to thermo-electric batteries and to apparatus for use in
the manufacture of the same.
In order that the principle of my invention may be properly understood I have
represented it by way of example in the drawing left with my Provisional
Specification together with the apparatus by which it may be realized.
Figure 1 represents a general arrangement of my improved therino-electric
battery, the outer casing being shown in section.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the battery on the line 1-2 of Figure, 2.
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a mould serving to constitute the elements
of my thermo-electric battery.
Figure 5 represents a perspective view of a support designed to hold the moulds
at the moment of the casting.
Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the cover for these moulds.
Figure 8 is a plan of the same.
Figure 9 is a transverse section on the line 3—4.
*
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in these several figures
of the drawings.
This thermo-electric battery is constituted as follows.
The ash-box a is provided with a door enabling the ashes to be removed, and
with an aperture for the admission of the air necessary for the combustion,
which is regulated by means of a valve fixed to the extremity of a lever
adapted to oscillate upon the pivot l'.
My apparatus carries a thermometer t indicating the temperature of the furnace.
From the two extremities of this thermometer extend two wires, one, passing
directly to one of the poles of a battery n and the other passing to the other pole
after traversing an electro-magnet m.
The mercury of the thermometer is always in contact with the wire which
terminates in the lower part of the thermometer and at a certain temperature of
the furnace this mercury rises such a height that it will touch the extremity, of
the wire which terminates in the upper part of the thermometer. In this case the
circuit is closed and as the current passes through the electromagnet the extremity
of the lever is attracted, causing the valve to close the aperture 6. When
the temperature is thus lowered, the current ceases to flow, the valve falls back
under the action of its weight and uncovers the aperture b.
The oscillation of the lever is limited by a stop o.
By this means the temperature is automatically kept constant.,
Above the ash box a is the furnace e provided at its lower part with a circular

page_text: support d upon which rest the elements e arranged in the form of superposed
crowns or in the form of a spiral round the furnace c.
This furnace c carries at its upper part a disc f pierced with holes g through
which a current of air passes which draws the emanations, which may be produced
in consequence of too much heating of the sheet metal of the elements, to the
interior and neutralizes them.
The disc supports a crown h upon which the cover i is placed.
A casing protects the elements e from exterior contact and serves at the
same time as a chamber for the circulation of the outer air designed for rapidly
cooling the extremity of the elements.
The elements are obtained by the aid of moulds (Figure 4) made of two
parts fitted one upon the other to form the cavity rinto which the molten
metal designed to constitute the element is cast.
In each of the parts is provided an incision, and these two incisions form
the slot when the two parts are united.
R.
This slot enables the plates p designed to connect the elements with each
other to be put in their place. These plates are made of metal and have the
same height as the slot, which latter must be sufficiently wide for receiving two
plates.
Each plate p passes from one mould through the slot and into the next mould
through the slot in the latter.
These plates are bent and their extremities are placed and bent so as to be well
secured in the element e, as shown in Figures 3 and 6.
The straight part of each plate p is arranged in the cavity along the side of
the mould (Figure 6).
This arrangement permits of a very great number of elements being placed
round the furnace.
When the cavities are to be filled with a molten metal to constitute the
elements e the moulds are placed upon the ledges u of the support v.
This support v carries at its two extremities two abutments v 3 one of which, v
carries a handle, while the other, v³, is traversed by a screw having a milled
knob. By means of this screw the moulds are pressed against each other
(Figures 5 and 6).
Then the metallic plates p are placed in the interior of the moulds, being passed
through the slot, whereupon the cover made of two parts is put on these
moulds.
These two parts of the cover being juxtaposed constitute a kind of funnel & at
the lower part of which are provided the orifices (Figures 7, 8 and 9) which are
at such distances from each other as to coincide with the cavities r of each mould.
As the molten metal is poured into the funnel x it passes through the orifices
and spreads in the moulds.
The elements e thus united by the plates p are arranged round the furnace c.
The crowns constituted in this manner are connected with each other by metallic
plates so as to form a circuit from the highest to the lowest, the arrangement being
such that all the crowns will be connected for quantity or for tension according to
requirements.
Each crown is insulated from the others by the interposition of asbestos discs &
sunk into a suitable cement which covers about one-half of the elements e in
order to insulate them. The other extremity of the elements is free in order
that a current of air passed through the casing k may cool this outer portion of
the elements while the inner extremity of these same elements is heated to the
highest degree.
The elements e are composed of 100 parts of antimony and from 50 to 70 parts
of zinc to which I add a small quantity of tungsten and arsenide of cobalt.
The tungsten renders the element stronger, that is to say, less liable to breakage,
and permits of a very good electrical production to be obtained, which is further
augmented by the addition of arsenical cobalt.

page_text: It will be understood that I may vary the forms, dimensions, details and
materials of my thermo-electric battery without departing from the principle or
scope of my said invention.
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 [
claim is:
:-
First. A system of thermo-electric battery consisting of a series of elements.
composed of antimony, zinc and a small quantity of tungsten, and arsenical cobalt,.
obtained by casting the metal in fusion into moulds arranged as specified, these
elements being connected with each other by metallic strips and placed in super-
posed crowns or in spirals round a furnace, the temperature of which is kept
constant in au automatic manner.
Second. In the system of thermo-electric battery claimed above, the device.
enabling a constant temperature to be automatically maintained, constituted by a
thermometer arranged in such a manner that the mercury arriving at a certain
height closes a circuit, the current then passes through an electromagnet, the latter
attracts the extremity of a lever which actuates an obturator regulating the
arrival of air in the furnace.
Third. The process of manufacture of the elements constituting the thermo--
electric battery system claimed above.
Dated this 18th day of June 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..