Electrical Energy.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 16th Sept., 1887.
Electrical Energy.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
:
My invention relates to apparatus for converting Heat Energy into Electrical
Energy and consists first, in the use of mercury in combination with precipitated or
pulverized metal as an element in said apparatus; and, second, in the construction
and arrangement of said apparatus as hereinafter more particularly set forth.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1, is a vertical section on the line
Fig. 2 is a plan view with a portion of the cover broken away to show the interior.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.
of Fig. 2:
In an apparatus for converting Heat Energy into Electrical Energy, hitherto
invented by me, I employ an electrode of tin, a liquid consisting of a chromic chloride
solution and an electrode preferably of carbon. This cell yields substantially no
current when at normal temperature, but when heat is applied a current is set up the
strength of which augments until a certain maximum temperature below that of boiling
water is reached. Chlorine liberated from the liquid then energetically attacks the tin
and leaves the chromium, so forming stannous chloride. On the cooling of the cell
however to a certain lower temperature, the chlorine releases the tin, again combines
with the chromium and the tin is precipitated in a fine powder. The tin element may
be originally introduced as a solid mass of metal, or as a powder; but, as appears
from the foregoing, it ultimately reaches a pulverized state.
I have found by experiment, that, inasmuch as the tin element as a concrete body,
so to speak, forms itself, it very advantageous to provide a means whereby all its
particles, normally not cohesive, will be electrically connected or welded together by a

page_text: conducting material which will not be attacked by the liquid in the cell. The mass
of pulverized metal is thus rendered more homogeneous as a whole, and more uniformly
acted upon by the liquid. Such a material is mercury, which I place so that it will
receive and collect the precipitated tin particles and amalgamate them together. This
it does as fast as it receives the particles by reason of its own mobility. So also, it
amalgamates the tin in the common sense of the term as employed in connection with
galvanic batteries; that is, it prevents local action &c., between the tin particles. The
mercury which is not attacked by the chromic chloride liquid may be disposed in a
trough or tray, or placed in the bottom of the containing vessel of the cell, or
otherwise arranged in any suitable manner to enable it to collect the precipitated
metal.
A is the containing vessel. B. is the cover. C is an outer vessel for holding water,
which is heated in any convenient way, as by the lamp shown. Within the vessel A
may be formed ears or projections D, upon which rest the trays E. Said trays may
be made of any suitable non-conducting material, such as glass or rubber. Each tray
contains mercury F and to the lower portion of each tray may be secured a plate of
carbon G, which plate may be covered by a partition of porous insulating material,
as H, in order to prevent possible contact of the precipitated metal and carbon.
not essential that the carbon plate H should be fastened to the lower side of the tray;
nor is it material that said carbon plate when placed above the mercury in the tray
next below, should be protected by the porous partition. I prefer however the
arrangement above described. The carbon is omitted in the lowest tray E which rests
upon the bottom of the vessel A.
It is
The vessel A contains chromic chloride liquid which circulates freely around the
trays. The several carbons are electrically connected in any suitable way, as by the
wire I, to the binding post 2. The mercury in the several trays is also connected in
any suitable way, as by the wire J and branches K, to the binding post 1. Each
carbon plate above the several trays forms a couple with the tin amalgam in the tray
below. There may be any desired number of trays E, in the vessel A: and into the
mercury in said trays, the tin is precipitated in the manner already described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
Foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In an apparatus for converting heat energy into electrical energy, substantially
as set forth, a metal element in comminuted form, combined with mercury.
2. In an apparatus for converting heat energy into electrical energy, substantially
as set forth, a liquid from which metal is precipitated and mercury placed to receive
said precipitate.
3. In an apparatus for converting heat energy into electrical energy, substantially
as set forth, a liquid containing chromic chloride, a carbon element and an element of
tin combined with mercury.
4. In an apparatus for converting heat energy into electrical energy, substantially
as set forth, the combination of the vessel A. containing chromic chloride liquid, and
supported therein, the tray E containing mercury and tin amalgam, carbon plate G
and circuit connections.