IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES as follows:-s in galvanic batteries.
Year: 1885

page_text: We ALFRED RENÉ UPWARD Electrical Engineer of No 10 Talgarth Road West
Kensington and CHARLES WILLIAM PRIDHAM, Physician of N° 62 Hogarth Road,
Cromwell Road Kensington both in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare
the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in galvanic batteries.
» to be
In our former Specification No 15567 in the year 1884 we have described
galvanic batteries in which the negative elements or it may be both elements are
in contact with gaseous chlorine.
According to our present invention we construct our gas batteries in the
following manner.
Each battery cell consists of an outer and an inner vessel, the latter is porous
and both vessels may be of earthenware. On either side of the porous vessel we
introduce into the outer vessel a carbon or negative element and the void space
around it and between the two vessels we fill with broken and moistened carbon.
We introduce into the space on one side a pipe preferably of glass passing down
nearly to the bottom and on the other side a pipe dipping down a short distance
only-We then apply pitch or other like cementing material to seal in the space
between the two vessels at the top but leaving the inner porous vessel open at the
top. When the battery is at work chlorine gas is admitted to the space to
circulate amongst the broken carbon entering by one pipe and passing on by the
other.
The porous vessel receives the positive element within it-this element is
usually zinc but iron may be employed. The positive element is simply immersed
in water or liquid which the porous vessel contains. The water or liquid in the
working of the battery becomes impregnated with chlorine which finds its way.
through the sides of the porous vessel as also does the acid which results from the
depolarization of the negative element by the union of hydrogen with chlorine.
The access of free chlorine to the positive electrode much increases the electro
motive force of the cell.
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page_text: In connection with this and similar gas batteries we employ electric governors.
When the difference of potential between the two leads with which the battery is
connected is less than it is desired to maintain the governor further opens the gas.
valve and admits more gas to the battery cells, on the other hand when the
potential rises higher than is required the governor partially closes the gas valve
and so uniformity is maintained.
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ЧООР
Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
We ALFRED RENÉ UPWARD Electrical Engineer of N° 10 Talgarth Road, West
Kensington and CHARLES WILLIAM PRIDHAM Physician of N° 62 Hogarth Road
Cromwell Road Kensington both 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 :-
This invention has for its object improvements in galvanic batteries.
In our former specification N° 15567 in the year 1884 we have described
galvanic batteries in which the negative elements or it may be both elements are
in contact with gaseous chlorine.
According to our present invention we construct our gas batteries in the
following manner.
I
;
Each battery cell consists of an outer and an inner vessel, the latter is porous
and both vessels may be of earthenware. On either side of the porous vessel we
introduce into the outer vessel a carbon or negative element and the void space
around it and between the two vessels we fill with broken and moistened carbon.
We lead a pipe into the space on one side nearly at the bottom and on the other
side another pipe nearly at the top. We apply pitch or other like cementing.
material to seal in the space between the two vessels at the top but leaving the
inner porous vessel open at the top. When the battery is at work chlorine gas is
admitted to the space to circulate amongst the broken carbon entering by one pipe.
and passing on by the other.
The porous vessel receives the positive element within it-this element is usually
zinc but iron may be employed.. The positive element is simply in water or liquid
which the porous vessel contains.:
360
In order that our said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed, v..

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and Figure 2 is a plan of our battery cell.
a is the outer vessel, it may be of glazed earthenware. bb are inner vessels of
unglazed earthenware. ccc are three carbon slabs which are placed in the outer
vessel one on either side of each of the porous vessels b b. The remaining space
between the vessels a and b is then packed with carbon broken to a size to pass
through a sieve with 10 holes to the linear inch. This carbon is thoroughly
moistened with a solution of chloride of zinc before it is put into its place.
Chloride of zinc being a deliquescent salt it keeps the carbons permanently
moist.
Near the bottom of the cell but above the water level is a socket a¹ to receive a
pipe to lead the gas into the cell.
At a is a similar socket to receive a pipe to conduct the gas forward to the
next cell,
Preferably we make the connections in the following manner:-we screw a short
length of lead pipe with pitch as a cement into each of the sockets a¹a¹and we
use a glass pipe to couple the upper part of one cell with the lower part of the next
making the joint between the short lead pipes and the glass with india rubber
connectors.
e represents cement which is now applied to seal the top of the vessel a and to
close the space between the upper edges of the vessels a and b. The cement which
we prefer to employ consists of a mixture of equal parts of marine glue and pitch.
The melted composition is poured into the cell which it is required to seal. The
surfaces to which the cement is required to adhere should be quite dry and rough.
The joint is finished by carefully remelting the surface of the cement with a blow
pipe flame or in other convenient manner. The vessels bb are left open at the top
and each receives a zinc element f. When the battery is at work the cells b are
filled around the zinc with a solution of chloride of zinc specific gravity 1.2 is
preferred; this is about the point of maximum conductivity for a solution of
chloride of zinc.
If water only were placed in the porous vessels the result would be that chloride
of zinc would at once be formed and the zinc being immersed in this solution
direct action of the chlorine on the zinc would be prevented.
The resistance however of the battery would for a time be high until a sufficiency
of chloride of zinc had been produced to increase adequately the conductivity of
the liquid.
It is thus advisable to employ chloride of zinc solution in charging the battery.
We make the connections between the elements of the battery with ordinary
clamps we prefer to insert a strip of platinum foil between the carbon element
and the surfaces of the clamp-thereby we avoid corrosion at the contact points.
Sometimes we make the carbon connection by the aid of mercury. We then
drill a hole in the carbon introduce mercury into it and dip the conductor into the
mercury.
g is a stop cock to draw off any liquid which may accumulate in the vessels a.
The cells are coupled together in the usual way to form a battery with any
required number of elements.
The gas connections may be so made that gas admitted at one end of the battery
may travel continuously forward from cell to cell until it reaches the other end of
the battery. Or if the cells be numerous the connections may be so made that gas
may enter the battery at several different points. The chlorine gas for use in the
battery may be prepared in any convenient way and it may be stored in a com-
pressed state. The gas for immediate use is drawn from a gas holder.
At the outlet from each battery we provide a suction apparatus. Such an
apparatus as is employed in chemical laboratories to facilitate filtration and in
which air is withdrawn by the operation of water descending a pipe under the

page_text: influence of a head and of gravity is suitable. Or an asperator working with a
steam jet may be employed.
The gas thus drawn into the battery cells operates electrolytically; the chloride
of zinc in the porous cell is decomposed, it yields chlorine to the zinc element and
this chlorine is replaced by gaseous chlorine.
Local action on the zinc is thus avoided and at the same time the full electro-
motive force due to zinc-burning in free chlorine is obtained.
For a battery which is maintained continuously or very frequently in action
porous vessels of great porosity are used; and all that the battery will require to
keep it in action until the zines are completely eaten away will be the supply of
chlorine gas; the supply of water from time to time to the porous vessels, and the
drawing off from the cells from time to time by the stop cocks g of the liquid which
finds its way through the porous vessels. The chloride of zinc which is formed is
got rid of in this way.
".
i
The supply of water to the battery cells should be adjusted to maintain the
chloride of zinc solution at about its maximum conductivity say from 1·2 to 1·4.
We may arrange :this as follows:-
!
A long water pipe runs the whole length of the battery and small taps are fitted
in it over each porous vessel and every porous vessel is provided with a funnel tube
passing to the bottom the taps are approximately adjusted to drip at required rate
to keep the specific gravity of the solution at the point named.
For a battery which is only occasionally used we employ harder and less porous
cells bb and thereby we lessen the quantity of water added and of liquid to be
drawn off.
For the purpose of electric lighting we use these battery cells in sufficient
number connected in parallel arc with a secondary battery. The number of
secondary cells requisite will be one half the number of the primary cells.
In this way the light may be continuously exhibited and maintained uniform
even when the supply of chlorine gas is intermittent.
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.) A battery cell in which a zinc element is immersed in a solution of chloride
of zinc separated by a porous diaphragm from a carbon element around which
chlorine gas circulates; whereby the chloride of zinc around the zinc element
operating electrolytically, local action is avoided whilst at the same time the full
electro motive force due to zine burning in free chlorine is obtained.
(2.) A battery cell consisting of the parts a b c e f g substantially as described.