IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING APPLIANCES OF GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1884

page_text: We, STEPHEN HENRY EMMENS of 8 Argyll St. Regent St. in the County of
Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, and THE UNITED PATENTS CORPORATION Limited
of 27 Cheapside in the City of London do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING APPLIANCES
OF GALVANIC BATTERIES to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to construct and work galvanic batteries upon a
system admitting of economical manufacture and simplicity in working and being
highly efficient from an electrical point of view.
Each cell of our batteries is preferably of a rectangular form and may be made
separately or as a compartment of a vessel divided by partitions into two or more
cells. In each cell we place one or more porous pots of a form conformable to that
of the cell and resting either on the bottom of the cell or on one or more chocks so
as to admit of free circulation of the outer fluid. The porous pots are covered by
lids with sides sufficiently deep to form a water seal in the outer fluid when the
cell is charged, and thus we prevent the escape of noxious fumes when a fume-
emitting-dehydrogenising fluid is used in the porous pots. We furthermore provide
the lids with discharge tubes or nozzles for causing the fumes to pass off in any
required direction. The tops of the lids are extended lengthwise so as to rest in
notches made in the sides of the containing cells. The negative electrodes consist
of plates of carbon or other suitable material and they or their poles are carried
through the lids. The positive electrodes consist of plates of zinc or other suitable
material and are provided with hooks or clips which hang on strips of metal affixed
to the sides of the lids and in electrical connection with each other.
.
The positive terminals we make in the shape of small cups which we partly fill
with mercury or amalgam and the connections between the different cells of a
battery we effect by means of spring clips of brass attached to copper strips
carrying a projecting stud at the other end, the clips being pressed down over the
hooks of the positive electrodes and the stud dipping into the cups of the positive
terminals. Excellent contact is thus ensured and can be made or broken without
the trouble of screwing and unscrewing nuts as is the case with cells of ordinary
construction.

page_text: On one side of the outer cells the notches for holding the lids are carried
completely through the side and are bevelled downwards within. They thus form
BO many spouts for the discharge of the outer fluid by tilting the cll. As a
convenient method of directing and collecting this flow we employ a trough having
one of its sides extended and grooved at intervals corresponding with the partitions
or transverse walls of the cells, and carrying a discharge pipe at any convenient
position. This trough is held in place against the upper edge of the cells which are
then tilted forward and the liquid being unable by reason of the extended side of
the trough to escape over the edge of the cells issues through the notches into the
trough and thence by way of the discharge pipe into any collecting vessel.
We STEPHEN HENRY EMMENS of 8 Argyll Street, Regent Street, in the
County of Middlesex Electrical Engineer, and THE UNITED PATENTS CORPORATION
Limited, of 27 Cheapside, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature
of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING
APPLIANCES OF GALVANIC BATTERIES, 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 our invention is to construct and work galvanic batteries upon a
system admitting of economical manufacture and simplicity in working and being
highly efficient from an electrical point of view.
Each cell of our batteries is preferably of a rectangular form and may be made
separately or as a compartment of a vessel divided by partitions into two or more
cells. In each cell we place one or more porous pots of a form conformable to that
of the cell and resting either on the bottom of the cell or on one or more chocks so
as to admit of free circulation of the outer fluid. The porous pots are covered by
lids with sides sufficiently deep to form a water-seal in the outer fluid when the
cell is charged, and thus we prevent the escape of noxious fumes when a fume-
emitting dehydrogenising fluid is used in the porous pots. We furthermore provide
the lids with discharge tubes or nozzles for causing the fumes to pass off in any
required direction. The tops of the lids are extended lengthwise so as to rest in
notches made in the sides of the containing cells or on the sides themselves.
The negative electrodes consist of plates of carbon or other suitable material and
they or their poles are carried through the lids. The positive electrodes consist of
plates of zinc or other suitable material and are provided with hooks or clips which
hang on strips of metal affixed to the sides of the lids and in electrical connection
with each other.
The positive terminals we make in the shape of small cups which we partly fill
with mercury or amalgam and the connections between the different cells of a
battery we effect by means of spring clips of brass attached to copper strips carrying

page_text: a projecting stud at the other end, the clips being pressed down over the looks of
the positive electrodes and the studs dipping into the cups of the positive terminals.
Excellent contact is then ensured and can be made or broken without the trouble
of screwing and unscrewing nuts as is the case with cells of ordinary construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The combination in a galvanic cell of a water-seal lid to close in the negative
compartment substantially as specified.
2. The combination in a galvanic cell of clip or hook attachments for the positive
electrodes substantially as specified.
3. The combination in a galvanic cell of positive terminals in the form of cups
containing mercury and connections in the form of spring clips and pins
substantially as specified.
D
C
1
2 T
.