Year: 1885

page_text: I, JAMES TARBOTTON ARMSTRONG, of 31 Aldermanbury, in the City of London,
Analytical and Consulting Chemist and Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of
his said invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to cheapen the cost of the elements, or of some
of the elements, of electrical batteries; and which invention relates to electrical
batteries generally, as well as to my improved batteries described in my previous
Specification N° 687885.
Instead of using two zinc plates or equivalent plates or bars of other materials,
I substitute for one of such plates another metal such as iron, or I use two different
kinds of metal, instead of using similar metal in both compartments, and thereby
obtain equal or greater electrical power with reduced cost.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Certain Elements for Electrical Batteries.
I JAMES TARBOTTON ARMSTRONG of 31 Aldermanbury in the City of London
Analytical and Consulting Chemist and Electrician do hereby declare the nature
of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to cheapen the cost of the elements or of some
of the elements of electrical Batteries, by making them more effective in their
working; and my invention is applicable to electrical batteries generally, as well
as to the improved Batteries described in my previous Specification N° 68788.
Instead of using two zinc plates or equivalent plates or bars of other materials,
I substitute for one of such plates another metal such as iron, or I use two different
kinds of metal, instead of using similar metal in both compartments, and thereby
obtain equal or greater electrical power with reduced cost.
In carrying out my invention I make use of different kinds of metals and
metallic alloys laminated plates of dissimilar metals, both pure and alloyed and
other combinations of dissimilar metals, rolled, cast, or otherwise manufactured
into plates or bars.
In forming ordinary zinc plates I add a small amount of alloy, such as silver tin
or lead and it is of importance to make the amount of alloy proportionate to the
size of the battery.
By thus adding a small per centage of silver tin or lead, or other alloy to zinc,
the plate is greatly improved, and its working is rendered more continuous and
regular, and therefore economical.
I may here mention that, by analysing the sources of the production of
commercial zinc, I have succeeded in finding some zincs containing proportions of
these alloys which are suitable or partially suitable to the before mentioned
purposes.
The choice of the metals forming the plates, as well as the selection of the alloy
to be added to the metal under treatment, depend upon the chemical affinities of
the metals relatively to each other, and to their powers of resistance and behaviour
when exposed to the action of the exciting liquids.
It will be understood that I do not confine myself to any particular kind of
metals, or of metals and alloys, as these may be very much varied; but I prefer
those which are cheap, continuous in action, and which I can in many cases obtain
as waste or by-products.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In electrical batteries, the use of plates or bars, formed of dissimilar metals
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.

page_text: 2. In electrical batteries the use of laminated plates or bars formed of dissimilar
metals substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. In electrical batteries, the use of plates or bars formed of metallic alloys
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
4. The general arrangements and combinations of metals and alloys, or of some
two or more of them, together constituting my improvements in certain elements
for electrical batteries, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.