Improvements in Thermo Electric Generators.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 20th Apr., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Thermo Electric Generators.
I, HARRY BARRINGER Cox, of Hartford, in the County of Hartford, and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, Electrician, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in thermo electric generators.
The object of the invention is to provide a practical, economical and commercially
successful thermo electric generator.
The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations
of parts more fully and particularly described hereinafter and pointed out in the
claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
:-
Figure 1, is a vertical central section of the thermo electric generator constructed
in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2. is a detail perspective view of one of the sections of the generator.
Figure 3, is a detail perspective view showing the method of electrically
connecting the rings of couples making up the pile.
Figure 4, a cross sectional view through the generator showing the same
built up of longitudinal sections, instead of ring shaped sections as shown in
Fig. 1.
In the drawings, a, is a suitable support as a bracket, having the horizontal
radiating arms, and a central opening for the gas burner b. This bracket supports
the thermo electric generator and the gas burner furnishes the heat.
However I do not wish to limit myself to any peculiar supports, nor to any
peculiar means for supplying heat.
The generator is here shown in the form of a hollow cylinder, formed of sections,
either ring shaped as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and resting one on the other,
or longitudinal or sector shaped sections as shown in the last figure of the
drawings.
However I do not wish to specifically limit my invention to the generator
built up of sections, although I claim such a device because of its material
advantages.
Each section of the generator is formed of the series of rings of thermo couples.
These rings are placed one on the other with interposed strips of insulating
material and the poles or electrically opposite ends of each ring are arranged
opposite each other and insulated from each other so that the opposite ends of all
the rings are arranged one below the other, that is the large and small elements
are in the same vertical planes respectively.
The electrically similar poles of the rings are provided with the tail pieces d,
each consisting of a connecting strip secured to the outer end of the end large
thermo couple element c, of each ring, and bent inwardly to form a sort of hook.
The electrical opposite ends or poles of the rings are provided with head pieces e,
each formed by bending the thin metal end of the end small element f, of each ring
60 as to extend upwardly and have its free end bent down into the space between the
tail piece d, and the couple element of the ring above.
It will thus be seen that each bead piece is electrically connected with the tail
piece of the ring immediately above so that at the lower end of the thermo pile the
tail piece will form one pole of the pile while at the opposite end of the pile a head
piece will form the opposite pole of the pile.

page_text: The circuit thus passes spirally up through the generator by passing around each.
ring and from its end to the opposite end of the ring above and so on. The head
and tail pieces mentioned can be suitably brazed or otherwise electrically connected
and it should be noted that this electrical .connection between the rings and parts
of the generator are arranged within the circles of the rings and between the end
thermo elements.
I do not limit myself to the peculiar way described of electrically connecting
the rings as they can be connected in any suitable manner as in series or in
multiple.
After the rings or series of couples making up a thermo pile have been properly
arranged, connected and clamped together they are coated and covered exteriorly
and internally with a suitable plastic refractory material as clay, cement, or the
like so that a solid mass is formed entirely enclosing and hiding the thermo couples
and their connections. This mass is then baked or otherwise baked so as to become
hard and rigid.
The opposite take off wires 2-3, of the thermo electrical pile are insulated and
brought out through said refractory material body.
This thermo pile thus coated is then provided with an exterior sheet metal
jacket i, by intimately uniting the sheet metal with the refractory coating by
means of cement or the like.
The two take off wires pass out through flanged openings in the metal jacket.
The metal jacket projects beyond the ends of the complete thermo pile as
shown.
Where a thermo generator is formed in sections, each section, whether it be a
transverse or longitudinal section, is formed complete within itself with a refractory
material body or coating and a metal jacket with the take off wires of the section
projecting through the jacket.
Thus a complete generator can be built up of these sections by suitably securing
the metal jackets of the sections together at their meeting edges and by electrically
coupling the various sections together.
Although I do not limit myself to the generator built up of sections, yet great
advantages are attained by such a structure as the sections or the complete pile can
be made complete to standards and sold separately so that if any section of a
generator is injured it can be removed and a new one inserted.
The cylindrical thermo electrical pile can be provided with a suitable exterior
water jacket, preferably composed of the cylindrical casing m, surrounding the
pile and forming the outer wall of the water space, the inner wall of which is
formed by the outer face of the cylindrical pile. Heads m', close the ends of this
water space and are secured to the ends of the cylindrical thermo pile, preferably
by having circular bevelled flanges n, around their open centres fitting within and
brazed or otherwise secured to the projecting edges of the metal jacket around the
thermo electric pile so as to form water tight joints o.
Suitable water inlet and outlets are provided for the water space around the
generator.
The electrical take off wires are conducted through tubes p, passing through the
water space and out through the bottom head thereof and the take off wires are
connected to suitable posts on the bracket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A thermo electric generator coated with refractory material to form a hard
rigid mass, entirely covering and closing the thermo couples, and the internal
eonnections between said couples, and entirely enclosed within said covering, and a
sheet metal jacket surrounding the covering.
2. A thermo electric generator built up of removeable interchangeable sections,
the sections electrically connected, each section built up of series of thermo

page_text: couples covered and held within a body of hard refractory material, having a
sheet metal covering on its outer side and internal electrical connections between
the series of couples entirely within said body of refractory material, substantially
as described.
3. As an article of manufacture, a thermo electric pile having its series of couples
covered and enclosed by a hard refractory body with the electrical connections
within said body and the take off connections extending through the same, and the
metal covering, substantially as described.
4. The thermo electric generator built up of interchangeable sections secured
together by a surrounding metal jacket, each section being suitably coated and
provided with its own metal jacket, the jackets of the various sections being
united.
5. The herein described mode of making thermo electric generators which
consists in forming a thermo electric pile, then enclosing the pile with refractory
material, and hardening the same, and then wrapping the refractory material with
sheet metal, and cementing or otherwise securing the same intimately thereto,
substantially as described.
6. The thermo electric pile having a metallic jacket cemented or otherwise
intimately secured around the same, substantially as described.
7. The thermo electric pile having the sheet metal jacket projecting beyond the
ends of the pile, substantially as described.
8. The thermo electric pile having the exterior sheet metal jacket projecting
beyond the ends of the pile, the heads having the rims fitting in said projecting
edges of the jacket, and a casing surrounding said heads to form the water jacket,
substantially as described.
9. A thermo electric pile built up of sections of thermo couples and provided
with an exterior covering, the sections being electrically connected in circuit by
internal electrical connections within said coating and the wall of the pile, substan-
tially as described.
10. The thermo electric pile having the exterior coating, the metallic jacket,
the end heads surrounded by a casing to form a water space, the tubes extending
through said jacket, water space and a head, and the insulated take off wires
extending from the poles of the pile and through said tubes, substantially as
described.
11. A thermo electric pile built up of a series of separate rings, each ring
composed of thermo couples of large and small members, the large end members of
each ring located one above the other, one end member having a conducting tail
piece and the other end member of each ring baving the elongated head piece
electrically connected with the tail piece of the next adjoining ring, substantially
as described.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.