Improvements in Thermo-electric Batteries.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 5th Mar., 1883
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Sept., 1888
Improvements in Thermo-electric Batteries.
We, Louis CHARLES EMILE LEBIEZ, and PAUL LOUIS VERCHÈRE, of 11, Rue de
Maistre Paris, in the French Republic, Electricians, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates:
Irstly to a thermo-electric battery, of which the negative poles are composed of
nickel, and the positive of an alloy of zinc and antimony, of cadinium and antimony, or
of other metals applicable to the positive elements of this class of apparatus.
2ndly to the construction and arrangement of the electrodes.
In thermo-electric couples hitherto known, of which the positive element contained
antimony or other analogous metals, the current is obtained by the direct action of
heat on the soldered joint, which produced oxydation of the electrodes and consequently
rapid deterioration of the battery.
Various means have been suggested of overcoming this difficulty and, among others,
the indirect heating of the joint through an intermediate body (such as copper) which
transmitted its heat to the couple.
From an electrical point of view, it is advantageous to heat the negative to the highest
possible temperature (even superior to that of the alloy), and our invention has for its
object to permit direct heating without deterioration of the contact which, in our
arrangement, is substituted for the soldered joint.

page_text: Our nickel negative formed of a cylindrical, oval or prismatic bar, traverses the
positive throughout its length and projects therefrom on both sides to a given extent.
The negative is insulated from the positive, both calorically and electrically, by means
of an asbestos sheath with the exception of a short length at the end, which is exposed
to the action of the flame.
In the casting of the elements, the positive alloy grips the negative over the parts
which are not insulated by the asbestos, thus securing an efficient contact which, under
the action of the heat becomes still more perfect through the expansion of the metals
without the intervention of any solder.
When the battery is composed of several elements coupled in intensity, the non-heated
extremity of the negative is connected with the positive of the following element by
solder or other suitable means.
The form, dimensions and general details of construction of the battery may be varied
at will.
TL ih
CM 1000
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Thermo-electric Batteries.
We, LOUIS CHARLES EMILE LEBIEZ, and PAUL LOUIS VERCHERE, of 11, Rue de
Maistre, Paris, in the French Republic, Electricians, 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 :-
Our Invention relates:
1rstly to a thermo-electric battery of which the negative poles are composed of
nickel, and the positive of an alloy of zinc and antimony, of cadmium and antimony,
or of other metals applicable to the positive elements of this class of apparatus.
2ndly to the construction and arrangement of the electrodes.
In thermo-electric couples hitherto known, of which the positive clemont contained
antimony or other analogous metals, the current is obtained by the direct action of
heat on the soldered joint, which produced oxydation of the electrodes and consequently
rapid deterioration of the battery.
Various means have been suggested for overcoming this difficulty and, among others,
the indirect heating of the joint through an intermediate body (such as copper) which
transmitted its heat to the couple.
From an electrical point of view, it is advantageous to heat the negative to the
highest possible temperature (even superior to that of the alloy), and our invention
has for object to permit direct heating without deterioration of the contact which,
in our arrangement, is substituted for the soldered joint.
Our nickel negative formed of a cylindrical, oval or prismatic bar, traverses the
positive throughout its length and projects therefrom on both sides to a given extent.
The negative is insulated from the positive, both calorically and electrically, by means
of an asbestos sheath with the exception of a short length at the end which is exposed
the action of the flame.
In the casting of the elements, the positive alloy grips the negative over the parts
which are not insulated by the asbestos, thus securing an efficient contact which, under
the action of the heat becomes still more perfect through the expansion of the inetals
without the intervention of any solder.
The accompanying drawing represents in section on a large scale a couple composed
as above, in which a. is the positive metal or alloy, b. the negative bar or rod of nickel,
c. the asbestos insulating sheath of the same extending from c. to x., the remaining
portion 2. of the positive metal being in direct contact with the negative. To provide
for possible rupture of one or more of the positives, the binding wire by which the
asbestos sheath is bound to the nickel bar should be so arranged as to form in this
event an auxiliary conductor which, by maintaining the passage of the current,
limits the injurious effects of the accident to the simple suppression of the damaged
element.
d. indicates the burner, and e. f. are the positive and negative conductors connected
with the outer extremities of both elements.

page_text: When the battery is composed of several elements coupled in intensity, the non heated
extremity of the negative is connected with the positive of the following element by
solder or other suitable means.
The form, dimensions and general details of construction of the battery may be varied
at will.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
Firstly. In thermo-electric batteries, a negative element composed of nickel, in
conjunction with a positive composed of zinc and antimony, cadmium and antimony, or
any other appropriate metal or alloy, substantially as above specified.
Secondly. In thermo-electric batteries, the mode of constructing the couples, which
permits of heating the negative elements to any required degree without submitting to
the action of the burner the points of contact of the two electrodes, which latter are
thus heated by conduction, substantially as herein set forth and shewn in the accom-
panying drawing.
Thirdly. In thermo-electric batteries of this or analogous description, the
arrangement of binding wires on the negative insulators, in such a manner as to
maintain the flow of the current in the event of rupture of one or more of the positive
elements, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated the 7th day of August 1888.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Associate Agent.