AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE VOLTAIC BATTERIES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Murdoch, of 7, Staple Inn, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE VOLTAIC BATTERIES."-A com-
Sealed the 7th June 1853, and dated the 12th March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Murdoch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th March 1853.
I, JANES MURDOCH, of 7, Staple Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE VOLTAIC BATTERIES," communi-
cated to me by a foreigner residing abroad, to be as follows:-
The Invention refers to voltaic batteries constructed as chains, and
consists in so shaping the pieces or plates of metal which form the
galvanic elements, that they shall serve, at the same time, to connect
one battery or link with the next, without needing any soldering or
eyelets or hinges. On a cylinder of soft wood are fixed one plate or

page_text: slip of zinc, and one plate or slip of copper, so that the two opposite
sides of the wood are sheathed with the zinc, and the two other opposite
sides with the copper; and that the edges of the metals are close to
ench other, but without contact.
The intermediate part of the slips or plates, which is bent, the zinc
over one end of the wooden cylinder, and the copper over the other end,
stands off from the wood, and is shaped so as to allow the opposite
metal of the next link to be passed through the opening, thereby forming
the connection between the links.
When such a chain battery is dipped a moment into acid, and taken
out, suflicient fluid is retained between the two metals of the same
clement, when they are close to each other, and is likewise taken up by
the wood separating the metals, to produce a galvanic effect.
Figs. 1, and 2, represent the mode of construction; and
Fig. 3, shows a slight modification in the form of the link.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Murdoch, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 12th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES MURDOCH, of 7, Staple Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Iler Reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Murdoch, Her special licence that I,
the said James Murdoch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Murdoch, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the, Channel Islands,

page_text: and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
PORTABLE VOLTAIC BATTERIES," communicated by a foreigner residing
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Murdoch, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the aforesaid proviso,
I have ascertained and set forth the nature of the aforesaid Invention,
in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon.
The improved construction of portable voltaic batteries refers to that
class of batteries known as "chain batteries," and consists in forming
each link of two bent strips of dissimilar metals, say copper and zinc,
applied to opposite sides of a cylinder, or a quadrilateral piece of soft
wood or other suitable porous material, and the bent portion of the
metals projecting at opposite ends of the porous material, sufficiently to
allow the copper strip of one link to pass through the zinc strip of the
next link, so as to connect one link with another without any inter-
mediate connection, as rings, hinges, &c.
Figures 1, and 2, represent one arrangement of a battery of this de-
scription; Figure 1, being a cross section, and Figure 2, a side view, of
several links connected together. a, a, are cylinders of soft wood, on
each of which is fastened, by pinning, a bent strip of copper b, b, so as
to enclose two sides of the cylinder, and form a loop or bow 6', project-
ing beyond one end of the cylinder; a bent strip of zinc c, is in like
manner attached to each cylinder, so as to enclose the other two sides
of the cylinder, and form a loop or bow c¹, projecting from the opposite
end of the cylinder. In putting the chains together, the strip of copper
of one link is passed through the strip of zinc of the next, and then
pinned to its cylinder, and the several links are thus connected together
by the bent strips of metal constituting the elements of the battery
without any intermediate piece or joint.

page_text: Figures 3, and 4, show a similar arrangement, excepting that quadri-
lateral pieces of wood arc substituted for cylinders; a, being the pieces
of wood; b, b, the bent strips of copper; b', 6', the projecting bows or
loops; c, c, the bent strips of zinc; and c', c', the projecting bows or
loops.
In each of these arrangements the edges of the opposite metals in
cach link should be brought as near to each other as may be without
actual contact, and in order to increase the extent of tho opposed
metallic surfaces, the edges of the strips may be made serrated, as
shewn in Figure 5. When batteries of this construction are dipped
for a moment into vinegar, and then taken out, sufficient fluid is rc-
tained between the two metals in each link or element, and is also
absorbed by the wood separating the metals, to produce a galvanic effect
for a considerable space of time.
I claim, as constituting the said Invention, the forming the elements
or links of "chain" voltaic batteries of two bent strips of different
metals attached to and nearly enclosing the sides of a piece of suitable
absorbent material, the several links or elements being connected with
each other by passing a loop or bow of one link through the loop or
bow of the opposite metal in the next link, without any intermediate
connecting piece.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Murdoch, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JAMES MURDOCH.
(L.S.)
Witness, E. C. COLE.