IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Reid, of University Street, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GALVANIC BATTERIES."
Sealed the 26th January 1855, and dated the 31st October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Reid at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st October 1854.
I, WILLIAM REID, of University Street, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GALVANIC BATTERIES" to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the application of glass when manufacturing
troughs for galvanic batteries, and where many cells are made in one trough,
by several partitions or divisions; and the improvements consist in forming
such a trough and the several partitions of one piece of glass, by moulding the
same by pressure in moulds; and in order to protect such troughs from injury,
they are cased on the outside with gutta percha, wood, coir, matting, or other
tough material.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Reid in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
REID, of University Street, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Reid, Her special licence that I, the said William Reid, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Reid, 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,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
GALVANIC BATTERIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Reid, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Reid, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof (that is to say):-
.This Invention has for its object the application of glass when manufacturing
troughs for galvanic batteries, and where many cells are made in one trough,
by several partitions or divisions; and the improvements consist in forming
such a trough and the several partitions of one piece of glass, by moulding
the same by pressure in moulds; and in order to protect such troughs from
injury, they are cased on the outside with gutta percha, wood, coir, matting,
or other tough material.
Invention, I will proceed to
Heretofore when: using' glass
Having thus stated the nature of my said
describe the manner of performing the same.
cells for the making up of a galvanic battery, it has been usual to employ
several separate cells of glass, placed or retained together in a trough or frame
of wood, but it is inconvenient thus to construct galvanic batteries where

page_text: numerous cells are required. And I would remark that I am aware that two
cells of glass have before been made divided by one partition of glass; I do
not therefore claim the making of two glass cells of one piece of glass. My
improvements consist of making glass troughs divided by several partitions
into several cells, and all formed of one piece of glass; for which purpose I
employ dies or moulds, one part of each pair of dies or moulds being made
with three or more rams or forcers, according as three or more cells are
required to be made in the same trough of glass. Thus, supposing: I desire to
make a glass trough divided into six pairs of cells, that is, with twelve cells; I
construct metal dies, one of which consists of a strong trough of iron or
suitable metal, of dimensions corresponding with the external dimensions of
the intended glass trough, the sides and ends being made to incline slightly
inwards, to facilitate the delivery of the glass trough made therein; and I prefer
that the bottom of this mould or, die should be separate, but capable of being
fixed by straps and keys, or otherwise, to the upper part of the mould; and
I use with such trough mould a cover, hinged or otherwise attached at one
side of the trough mould, and capable of being fixed down by straps and keys,
or otherwise. Through this cover there are as many openings as there are
rams or forcers to the upper die: The rams or forcers are each of the size of
the interior of a cell, and they are at a distance apart equal to the thickness
of the intended partitions of glass. These rams or forcers are fixed to or
formed with an upper plate or die. These moulds or dies are first to be
heated, and such a quantity of glass in a fluid state is to be placed in the
lower die or mould as will, together with the rams of the upper die, fill
the trough or lower die. The glass in a melted state having been placed in
the lower die or mould, the cover is to be shut and fixed. The upper die or
mould is to be pressed down, so that the rams or forcers may pass through
the openings in the cover, and descend into and cause the fluid glass to
fill those portions of the interior of the lower mould which are not filled
by the rams or forcers. I have selected, as an example, a glass trough
divided into six pairs of cells by eleven glass partitions; but I would state that
in making glass troughs with other numbers of cells than twelve; dies or
moulds of similar construction are to be employed, they differing only in
dimensions and the number of rams or forcers which the upper or forcing
die is to have thereto. The forms or shapes of the rams or forcers may
be varied.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
manufacture of glass troughs divided by two or more partitions into three or

page_text: more cells, the several partitions being made; as herein described, of one piece
of glass with the other parts of the trough..
In witness whereof, I, the said William Reid, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
B. GOBEY,
4, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn.
W. REID:
(L.S:)