New or Improved Portable Galvanic Battery.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Portable Galvanic Battery.
I, PETER STIENS, of Charlottenberg near Berlin in the Kingdom of Prussia and
German Empire, Electrical Engineer, 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 relates to an hermetically closed galvanic battery in which a
constant current may be developed, by maintaining the electrolyte or solution in
uninterrupted motion and thus preventing crystallisation and the accumulation of
the gases produced.
A battery constructed according to these improvements as hereinafter described,
may be used, (1) In closed rooms without risk of injury to the health of the
inmates; and, (2) In moving structures such as navigable vessels and railway trains
and under other unfavourable conditions since the electrolyte cannot be spilled.
The cost of maintaining the battery in order will also be found to be low, and much
less than that of other batteries in ordinary use.
1 will particularly describe my said invention and in what manner the same may
be carried into effect with reference to the accompanying drawings, in each of the
figures of which similar parts or details are denoted by similar letters of reference.
In the drawings-
Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of one of the batteries having
three tiers of cells;
Figure 2 a vertical cross section through the upper tier and supply vessel;
Figure 3 an elevation of the automatic vessel;
Figure 4a horizontal section through the battery; and,
Figure 5 a vertical transverse section through one of the cells of the battery.
The supply vessel A is arranged on the top shelf of the apparatus and
contains the supply of the electrolyte for feeding the several cells constituting
the battery. This vessel is provided with three openings o o' and 2 of which
one, o, serves for communication through the pump and tube R with the vessel H
which will be hereinafter described. The aperture or air outlet o¹ is in com-
munication through the tube N, with the atmosphere, and the outlet o communi-
cates with the feeding tube a. This feeding tube a is carried to the lowest
part of the apparatus where it terminates in a loop consisting of the parts a'
and a one of which, a², encloses a glass tube of small diameter drawn to a
point whereby the passage is choked. Beyond the point of junction of the
tubes a and a there are a number of branch tubes a3 at a and a which are
fitted with pinch-cocks and the three latter of which serve to lead the electrolyte
from the cells to the storage vessel H. The several tiers of cells are supplied
with the electrolyte through the tube a² which conducts it first and alone to
the upper tier. The lower tiers are supplied by the overflow from the upper
tier. The tubes as a and a³ respectively lead to the three tiers of cells where
These tubes
they each divide or bifurcate, forming the two side tubes bb.
convey the electrolyte to the cells which are arranged in two parallel rows in
each tier. Each cell is provided with an air tight cover to which the usual
terminals for the electrodes are fixed. The electrodes consist of two parallel
carbon plates between which is arranged the zinc element as indicated by
Figure 5. The holders are constructed so that the electrodes may be brought
as closely together as practicable. The electrolyte being thus contained in
perfectly closed vessels cannot be spilled. Very near to the bottom of each cell,
on the side nearer to the side tube b there is constructed an outlet c which

page_text: communicates through a short indiarubber tube with the side tube b. These
side tubes are connected at their further ends by means of indiarubber tubes
at d d to a tube opening into the automatic collecting vessel B. One of the
connecting tubes d is furnished with a branch i. This arrangement is the same
in each of the tiers or series of cells. Near to the upper end of each cell is
an outlet y connected by a short piece of tubing to the bifurcated tube opening
directly at both ends of the fork by means of the connecting tubes into the
automatic collecting vessel B and at the bend into the air through the tube C.
The vessel B (which is shewn separately in elevation by Figure 3) is closed,
and is supported on the arm or scale pan K of the lever D the other end of
which carries the counter-weight Q. The arm K terminates in the returned
part m which presses upon the indiarubber tube and thus acts on occasion as
a pinch-cock. In the closed cover of the vessel B there is an outlet which
communicates through the tube with the atmosphere.
The indiarubber tube i leads from the upper to the next lower tier where it
communicates with the feeding tubes which serve the several cells in the lower
tier in which the arrangement is precisely similar to that in the upper one.
From the lowest tier, the indiarubber tube i leads to the storage vessel H which
is perfectly closed and communicates through the suction pipe R and the pump with
the vessel A at the top of the apparatus.
The electrolyte or battery solution is preferred to be an eight per cent. solution
of commercial sulphuric acid with one and a half per cent. of bichromate of potash.
When the battery is to be put into operation, the pinch-cock 72 on the india-
rubber tube a is closed as well as the similar pinch-cocks on the tubes a as a
so that the fluid can flow through the tubes a a¹ and a³ and the side tubes
into the cells of the upper tier. These cells are thus gradually filled, and also
the automatic collecting vessel B on that tier. But this vessel will be filled
more slowly than the cells owing to the tube h being choked with a glass liner.
which contracts the passage. As soon as the cells are filled to the outlets g,
the solution passes thereout through branch tubes into the side tubes, and
thence through the connecting tubes into the automatic collecting vessel which
is thereby rapidly filled. When a certain quantity of the electrolyte has thus
flowed into the vessel B the counter-weight is overbalanced, and the arm K of
the lever is pressed down and the part m is withdrawn from the tube i which
is thereby opened. The liquid in B will now flow through the tube i to the
side pipes in the lower tier from whence the cells in that tier are filled.
As soon as the vessel B is emptied, the counterweight again comes into action,
the arm K is lifted, and the part m again closes the tube i.
The cells are now
again filled together with the vessel B and the cycle is repeated.
In the second tier the fluid passes in the same way as already described for the
upper tier, the cells are filled, the fluid passes to the vessel B and thence to the lower
tier.
From this tier the fluid flows into the storage vessel H whence it is returned
to the supply vessel A by means of a small pumping apparatus P. In this manner,
the circulation of the fluid is completed and the regulation of the battery is effected.
During the rise of the fluid in the cells, the air contained therein, and the gases
evolved, are forced through the branch tubes 7 into the side tubes whence they pass
into the air tube C, and to the atmosphere at N. When the level of the fluid falls
in the cells, the air re-enters by the same way.
Owing to the constant rise and fall of the level of the fluid in the cells, the liquid
is kept in motion and the formation of crystals is prevented, whilst the polarisation
of the elements is avoided by the constant removal of the gases. Consequently the
battery is constant and may be kept at work for a long time without loss of pressure,
whilst its effectiveness is greatly increased.
To enable the operator to control the flow of the fluid to the cells, the choked
passage of the tube a² as already described, is utilised. If the pinch-cock q¹ is
closed and the pinch-cock be opened, the liquid must pass through the branch a³.
The choking tube in this branch is chosen of such a size that it will pass a determined

page_text: quantity of the fluid in a given time, and the pressure of the current may thus to a
large extent be regulated by inserting a larger or smaller choking tube.
If it be desired to effect a quick emptying of the cells the pinch-cocks and q
are closed, and the pinch-cocks on the tubes as a and a³ are opened. The liquid
then runs off freely into the storage vessel H and can be changed by pumping it
out by means of the pump P, a pinch-cock or tap r on the pump delivery pipe R
having first been closed.
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 I
claim is,
1. An automatic galvanic battery, constructed arranged and operating sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In an automatic galvanic battery, the combination and arrangement with a
balanced vessel B of the storage vessel H and a supply vessel A situated above the
cells, from which the electrolyte flows to the cells, and, when a certain height has
been reached, fills the vessel B which intermittently empties itself automatically
into a lower tier of cells and finally into the vessel H, together with a pumping
apparatus connecting tubes and pinch-cocks, substantially as herein before described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In an automatic galvanic battery such as that hereinbefore described, an air
tube communicating with the cells and constructed and arranged substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
4. In an automatic galvanic battery having closed cells, the admission of air to.
the cells substantially as and by the means and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 2nd day of March A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEIS,
Agent for the Applicant.