IMPROVE- MENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES AND ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THEM
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES ENRIGHT-Electrician of 34 Netherwood Road-Kensington in the
County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES AND ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THEM,
to be as follows:-
The defects in the cells of primary Batteries which it is the object of my
invention to remedy are (1) Polarization (2) high internal resistance and (3) the
rapid (uneconomical) transformation of the more oxidizable metal into salts.
My improvements are applicable to any cell whether one fluid or otherwise and
consists in gradually and continuously removing the fluids at the rate or nearly
the rate at which they deteriorate and of gradually supplying fresh and active
fluids at approximately the same rate. This gradual replacement tends towards
depolarization in two distinct ways (a) It keeps the fluids whether depolarizing or
exciting always efficient (b) it sets up movements in the depolarizing fluids which
tend to expel the disengaged hydrogen and so tends to prevent polarization It
also enables me to reduce the resistance of cells, for since the fluids are removed as
they deteriorate a great quantity (thickness) of fluid between the plates will not
be necessary.
The means by which I effect this continuous removal and supply is as follows-
I take a Bichromate battery as an example A cistern is filled with the mixture of
Bichromate of Potassium and Sulphuric acid. It may be filled by a pipe from a
central station (from which many batteries may be fed) or otherwise. From this
cistern pipes carry the bichromate mixture to the different cells These pipes
debouch into the cells at the most suitable points for producing a disturbance of
the fluids in them and they are governed by floats in the cells so that an overflow
of the latter cannot occur. From the cells pipes proceed and carry away the
fluids at a regulated rate. The points from which the exit pipes originate are
also selected with a view towards furthering the disturbance aforesaid The used
Bichromate mixture drops into a waste tank from which it may flow back to the
central station where it may be transformed by chemical processes into Bichromate
of potassium or other useful material A similar arrangement is made for a second
fluid if two fluids cells be used.

page_text: For the purpose of preventing the destruction of the Zinc plate when that
element is used I embed it in Mercury I also perforate it or corrugate it or both
This ensures constant amalgamation and also-the corrugation at least-lessens the
resistance. In order to effect this constant amalgamation I arrange my cells so
that the larger surfaces of the Zinc plates may be horizontal or nearly so. The
carbon or other plate opposed to it need not but may be parallel to it. The cells
may be piled in in groups one upon another or otherwise suitably arranged.
Sometimes the circulation of fluids may take place through a group of cells-
passing from one to another then to a third etc.-instead of through only one cell
before it falls into the waste tank.

page_text: I JAMES ENRIGHT of 34 Netherwood Road Kensington in the County of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANIC BATTERIES AND ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THEM and in
رو
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The defects in the cells of primary batteries which it is the object of my
invention to remedy are (1) polarization, (2) high internal resistance and (3) the
rapid (uneconomical) transformation of the more oxidizable metal into salts.
My improvements are applicable to any cell whether one fluid or otherwise and
consists in gradually and continuously removing the fluids at the rate or nearly
the rate at which they deteriorate and of gradually supplying fresh and active
fluids at approximately the same rate. This gradual replacement tends towards
depolarization in two distinct ways (a) it keeps the fluids whether depolarizing or
exciting always efficient, (b) it sets up movements in the depolarizing fluids which
tend to expel the disengaged hydrogen and so tends to prevent polarization. It
also enables me to reduce the resistance of cells for since the fluids are removed
as they deteriorate a great quantity (thickness) of fluid between the plates will
not be necessary.
The means by which I effect this continuous removal and supply is as follows:-
I take a bichromate battery as an example. A cistern is filled with the mixture
of bichromate of potassium and sulphuric acid. It may be filled by a pipe from a
central station (from which many batteries may be fed) or otherwise. From this
These pipes
cistern pipes carry the bichromate, mixture to the different cells.
debouche into the cells at the most suitable points for producing a disturbance of
the fluids in them and they are governed by floats in the cells so that an overflow
of the latter cannot occur. From the cells pipes proceed and carry away the fluids
at a regulated rate. The points from which the exit pipes originate are also
selected with a view towards furthering the disturbance aforesaid. The used
bichromate mixture drops into a waste tank from which it may flow back to the
central station where it may be transformed by chemical processes into bichromate
of potassium or other useful material. A similar arrangement is made for a second
fluid if two fluid cells be used.
For the purpose of preventing the destruction of the zinc plate when that
element is used I embed it in mercury I also perforate it or corrugate it or
both. This ensures constant amalgamation and also the corrugation at least
lessens the resistance. In order to effect this constant amalgamation I arrange
my cells so that the larger surfaces of the zinc plates may be horizontal or
nearly so. The carbon or other plates opposed to them need not but may be
parallel to them. The cells may be piled in.groups one upon another or otherwise
suitably arranged. Sometimes the circulation of fluids may take place through a
group of cells-passing from one to another then to a third etc.-instead of through
only one cell before it falls into the waste tank.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a single fluid battery cell constructed in
accordance with my invention.

page_text: upwards from it to be connected with the carbon of the next cell. The trough a
contains sufficient mercury to almost cover the horizontal plate b. c is the carbon
plate. c is a lug of the same material efficiently connected with the plate c, in it
a strip of metal is embedded which serves to connect the plate with the zinc of the
next cell. In some cases the cells may be coupled carbon to carbon and zinc to
zinc for quantity. d d are strips of paraffined wood between the zinc and carbon,
and above the carbon plate; these strips are securely fixed to both plates it may
be by wooden pins or otherwise so as to connect the plates mechanically but
not electrically. A wooden bar e with metal rings upon it is fixed to the upper
bars d, to afford a ready means for lifting the elements b and c out of the trough a
when the battery is not required for use."
Figure 2 indicates the arrangements for assembling cells such as above described
to form a battery.
I arrange them in four or other number of tiers one over the other and with
three or other number of cells in each tier. The cells in each tier are connected
by short pipes f so that the liquid may flow from one to the other as is seen in
Figure 3. The end cell of each tier is made somewhat wider than the others to
receive a ball float governing an admission valve.
The
In Figure 2 represents a cistern of paraffined wood or earthenware and
provided with shelves; on these shelves I place a solid mixture of bichromate of
potash and sulphuric acid such as is commonly prepared for use in batteries. The
cistern is supplied with water from a main by an ordinary ball cock; the float
should however be of glass. In this cistern the materials dissolve to form a
concentrated solution. The solution is drawn from the cistern into the upper tier
of battery cells by a ball cock constructed of materials which will not be injured
by the liquid. The last cell of the upper tier of cells has an outlet at a short
distance above the bottom controlled by a ball cock the float of which rests on the
liquor in the cell below. So throughout the series the lower cells are supplied
from the cells above and the uppermost tier of cells is supplied from the
cistern. The lower cells may be supplied in part from the cistern direct.
outlet from the bottom tier of cells may be by a tap adjusted to allow a slow
but sufficient flow but preferably I employ a flap valve in connection with the
armature of an electro magnet le as indicated in Figure 2. No liquid escapes
until the electro magnet attracting its armature lifts the valve. The main current
of the battery I cause to pass through a coil in the vicinity of a magnet bar
supported on a vertical pivot. I so arrange that the coil repels the magnet. As
the current falls off the magnet returns towards the coil until a metallic finger
upon it enters a bead or a small pool of mercury. The parts are so connected that
on this taking place an electric current from the main or from a subsidiary battery
flows in the coils of the magnet k. The valve then opens and spent liquor is drawn
off. This goes on until the current of the main battery increases sufficiently to
again open the circuit of the magnet k. The quantity drawn off is supplied from the
cells above and ultimately from the cistern g. In place of regulating the draw off by
the influence of the current upon a magnet bar, it may be regulated by passing the
current or a portion of it through a coil offering a considerable resistance. The
heat so developed is caused to expand air and so to give motion to a mercury
column and thus open the circuit of the magnet k. in Figure 2 represents a
plug which when the clements are lifted out of the cells is turned to prevent the
loss of liquid. I prefer to suspend all the elements from a wooden frame so that
they may be all taken out of the cells simultaneously and I connect this frame
with the plug so that the two may move together. The frame bearing the tiers
may be counter-poised and by a rod or rope the lifting may be effected at a distance
from the battery.
Figure 4 is a section of a two fluid battery cell constructed according to my
Invention. a is the outer trough preferably of paraffined wood, b is the zinc plate
and c the carbon as before. Here the carbon plate rests on the bottom of the
trough and separated from it by slips of wood is a porous earthenware trough d

page_text: The trough & contains sufficient mercury to nearly cover the zinc plate b. The
fluids to be used in this battery may be nitric acid or bichromate of potash or a
mixture of them (as a depolarizing fluid) in the trough a and dilute sulphuric acid
or sulphate of zinc or of soda as an exciting fluid in the porous trough d. These
cells when assembled into a battery are automatically supplied with fluid and the
fluid is drawn off as already described. The system is however duplicated each
fluid having its separate supply valves controlled by floats. The final outlet may
be by passages controlled by stop cocks adjusted to deliver suitable quantities.
The delivery by the stopcock inay be continuous or intermittent being in the
latter case controlled automatically in accordance with the flow of the current as
already described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
First. A battery cell in which the positive and negative elements are fitted the
one to the other so that they may be together lifted from the trough or containing
vessel and in which the zinc element is a plate lying flat on the bottom of a trough
or containing vessel and almost submerged beneath the surface of mercury
substantially as described.
Second. A two fluid battery cell in which both containing vessels are of the tray
form and in which the zinc element lies flat in the uppermost or porous tray and
almost submerged beneath the surface of mercury substantially as described.
Third. A battery cell in which the zinc element lies horizontally on the bottom
of the trough or containing vessel and in which during the operation of the battery
fluid is continuously or at frequent intervals automatically admitted or withdrawn
thereby keeping the fluid in motion and reducing the tendency to polarization
substantially as described.
Fourth. A battery in which the cells are so combined that liquid supplied from
a cistern can flow from cell to cell and be drawn off continuously or otherwise by
a suitably controlled outlet, the supply being regulated by valves and floats
substantially as described.
Fifth. A battery maintained approximately constant by the regulation of the
supply of fresh liquid and removal of the exhausted liquid by a valve automatically
opened when the battery becomes weak substantially as described.
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