Improvements in Gas Batteries.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Batteries.
HARRY THEODORE BARNETT M.I.E.E. 53 Victoria Street S.W. do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is for the purpose of providing an improved electric battery the
electrodes of which are rendered active, or oppositely polarized, by gases in contact
with them which gases in combining are the source of energy in the battery.
To obtain the maximum effect from such a battery it is necessary to have the
substance of the gas polarized electrode arranged so that it has a great surface in
contact with the gas, that the whole of this exposed material is in good.electrical
contact with the terminal of the cell & in good electrolytic contact with the liquid
communication between the electrodes, & also that the said material shall in every
part allow an easy diffusion of gas.
The best form of electrode hitherto used for this purpose consisted of pulverent
material through which the gas was forced-at the best the surface of such an
electrode was not very great, the electrical contact between granule & granule &
'the terminals of the cell was very defective & the resistance opposed to the flow
of the gas very considerable & irregular.
I construct the gas polarized electrode in the form of a number of short
outstanding electricity conducting filaments situated upon & in good electrical
contact with a suitable electricity conducting support.
This form gives a maximum surface & conductivity with a small & regular
resistance to gaseous diffusion.
I prefer to construct this my improved form of electrode by carbonizing some
suitable velvet-like fabric. I may treat the said electrode with any substance
capable of increasing its occluding power for the gas in which it is to work.
I prefer when constructing the electrode by the above mentioned carbonization
method to treat it first with some substance which after carbonization will leave-
(thoroughly impregnating every fibre of the material) some substance capable of
increasing its occluding power for the gas in which it is to work.
Dated this Fifth day of December.
1, HARRY THEodore BarnetT, M.I.E.E., of 53 Victoria Street, Westminster,
in the County of London, 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 :-
The electrodes of electric gas batteries are usually inert and incapable of
producing an electric current, but are oppositely polarized and rendered active by
gases in contact with and partly absorbed by them, the combination of the said gases
which takes place when the electric circuit is closed being the source of energy in

page_text: the battery. Such a' battery' has usually been made with electrodes of spongy
platinum, and recently such a battery under high hydrostatic pressure has exhibited
a considerable storage capacity. The gases liberated in charging the said battery
are absorbed by the spongy platinum and subsequently liberated to combine during
the discharge of the battery. To obtain the maximum effect from a gas battery
(Dor acting as a storage battery in the manner immediately above described, but
with gases supplied from an external source), it is necessary, to so arrange the
substance of the gas-polarized electrode, that it has a great surface in contact with
the gas that the whole of the material constituting this great surface is in good
through electrical contact with the terminal of the cell and in good electrolytic
contact with the liquid separating the oppositely polarised electrodes, and also that
the said substance shill allow a ready access of the gas to every part. The best
form of electrodes hitherto used for this purpose' consists of pulverulent material
through which the gas is forced, but at the best the surface of such an electrode
was not very great; and the through electrical contatt to the terminal of the cell
(from granule to granule) was defective, the resistance opposed to the 'flow or
diffusion of the gas was considerable and irregular, and. the electrolytic contact
(from granule to granule) was also imperfect. To avoid these defects, I construct
electrodes for gas polarisation, so that they have the form of an immense number
bf short outstanding electricity conducting filaments situated upon and in good
electrical contact with a suitable electrical conducting support. The electrical
conducting support may be either upon the opposed or the. free (gas) side of the
electrodes it upon the opposed side, it must be of a porous nature, so as to allow
free electrolytic contact through it. This form of electrode gives a maximum
surface and uninterrupted electrical conductivity between every portion of its surface
and the terminal; it offers a small and uniform resistance to gaseous diffusion, and
the electrolytic contact film over and through every filament is continuous. I may
impregnate the said electrodes with: any substance capable of increasing 'the
occluding power for the gases in which they are to work. If the electrodes are
formed of carbon, I prefer to reduce this impregnating substance from a suitable
compound during the process of carbonisation of the electrode, as by this means
the impregnation is effected cheaply and thoroughly. I prefer to produce my
improved electrodd by carbonising some suitable velvet-like fabric.
"'
'A gast battery containing the various improvements embodied in the present
invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing and may be constructed as
follows: A piece of corduroy is.dipped in a solution of platinum bichloride and
'dried, it is then placed in a crucible and packed in with charcoal dust, the whole is
then 'strongly' heated in a suitable furnace, after which it is unpacked and 'the
carbonised corduroy unrolled ready for the next operation. A porous jar A is now
obtained and its surface covered from the bottom to within one inch of the top
with the carbonised corduroy B by fastening the same upon it with ordinary flour
paste. Another piece of carbonised corduroy D must be similarly pasted upon the
interior of the pot, and its upper edges turned over, so that they cover the outer
surface of the pot for a quarter of an inch from the top. The pot thus prepared
is placed in a crucible, packed with charcoal dust and then heated in the same way
as the corduroy alone was, for the purpose of carbonising the flour paste with which
the said corduroy is attached 10. the poraus jar. The jar thus prepared is now
provided at its lower and its upper extremity with a leaden cap C, C applied by
crsting it on to the jar, and serving to provide contact with the outer and inner
carbon coating B, D of the jar. The current furnished by the battery may be
carried from the said caps by terminals Eror attached wires. The upper cap C is
pierced and provided with a pipe joint F, by means of which gas may be introduced
to the interior of the jar.
The jar and the electrodes having been moistened with some 'electricity conducting
liquid.and the interior having been provided with a suitable gas-say hydrogen-
t the action of the battery is as follows: The carbon upon the outside of the jar
occludes oxygen from the air, being assisted in 'this by the spongy platinum" with

page_text: which the said carbon is impregnated, and the carbon upon the inside of the jar
occludes hydrogen in the same manner. If now the electric circuit is closed, the
oxygen and hydrogen form water, and an electric current is generated in proportion
to the quantity of gases thus combined.
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
1. A gas battery having filamentary electrodes arranged and adapted to operate.
substantially as described.
2. In a gas battery, an electrode consisting of numerous short outstanding
filaments situated upon and in good electrical contact with a suitable electricity
conducting support, substantially as described.
3. In a gas battery, an electrode consisting of numerous short outstanding
filaments situated upon and in good electrical contact with a suitable electricity
conducting support, the said electrode being impregnated with a substance adapted
to increase the occluding power of the electrode for the gas in which it is to work,
substantially as described.
4. In a gas battery, a carbonaceous electrode produced by the carbonisation of a
suitable velvety fabric, substantially as described.
5. In a gas battery, a carbonaceous electrode produced by the carbonisation of a
suitable velvety fabric and simultaneous impregnation (by reduction during carbon-
isation) with a substance capable of increasing its occluding power for the gas in
which it is to work, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of August 1895.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.