IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO GALVANIC BATTERIES "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Oliphant, of Kingsland Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Ebenezer Banton Burr, of Walthamstow in the County of Essex,
and James William Hyde Ray Gowan, of Copthall Buildings in the City
of London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
GALVANIC BATTERIES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Oliphant, Ebenezer
Banton Burr and James William Hyde Ray Gowan at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 16th June 1883.
JOSEPH OLIPHANT, of Kingsland Road, in the County of Middlesex, EBENEZER
BANTON BURR, of Walthamstow in the County of Essex, and JAMES WILLIAM
HYDE RAY GOWAN, of Copthall Buildings, in the City of London. * IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO GALVANIC BATTERIES
"1
Our invention has for its object to provide improved means whereby the liquids
in galvanic batteries comprising a series of cells may be constantly circulated
through the said cells, so that each cell may be maintained at a uniform strength
and whereby we obviate the necessity for testing the strength of the liquids
contained in each cell
For this purpose we combine with the series of cells, forming a battery, two or
inore pumps worked by an electro-motor or other suitable means and so arranged
that they will draw the liquids from the last cell or pair of cells of the series and
deliver them into tanks or reservoirs so placed that the liquids will flow therefrom
into the first cell or pair of cells of the series. And we connect the cells by means
of pipes as hereinafter set forth.
Or we may draw the liquids from the tanks and deliver them into the last cell
or pair of cells of the series, the liquids in this case flowing from the first cell or
pair of cells into the tanks.
In carrying our invention into practice the outer cells and the inner or porous
cells are made of any suitable and well known material; and the elements
employed may be of any suitable description and connected by conductors in the
ordinary manner.

page_text: We connect the outer cells by pipes which enter the said cells about one inch
from the top. Each of these pipes at one end extends nearly to the bottom of the
cell. The porous or inner cells are also connected by pipes which enter the said
cells about one inch from the top and each of which extends at one end nearly to
the bottom of the cell. By extending the said pipes at one end nearly to the
bottom of the cells, we ensure the proper circulation of the liquids therein and the
maintenance of the said cells at a uniform strength. We also provide a pipe
leading from the last outer cell of the series to a pump which delivers into a
tank or reservoir, and another pipe lending from the last porous cell of the series to
a pump which delivers into another tank or reservoir. Other pipes are provided
leading from each of the said tanks or reservoirs into the first outer cell of the
series, and into the first porous cell of the series respectively. When an electro-
motor is used we prefer to place it, together with the pumps actuated thereby,
upon the top of the said tanks.
The electro-motor can, if desired, be worked by one or more pairs of the said
cells.
The tanks and the cells are filled with the requisite liquids. The motor being
then set in motion by the current from the cells connected therewith, works the
pumps and draws the liquids from the last pair of cells of the series. The liquids
in the next pair of cells flow through the pipes into the last pair of cells and so on,
each pair of cells being supplied from the preceding pair, and the liquids in the
whole series of cells tending to maintain a constant level. The liquids pumped
into the tanks enter the first pair of cells by the action of gravity, and a continuous
circulation of the said liquids is thus obtained through the entire series of cells.
We usually fit a gauge of any suitable and well known construction to each of the
aforesaid tanks to show the strength of the liquids therein, and indicate when the
addition of acid or other material is necessary. The acid or other material is
added to the liquids in the tanks until they are of the proper strength. By these
means we obviate the necessity for testing each cell separately.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Oliphant, Ebenezer Banton Burr and James William
Hyde Ray Gowan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th December
1883.
JOSEPH OLIPHANT, of Kingsland Road, in the County of Middlesex, EBENEZER
BANTON BURR, of Walthamstow, in the County of Essex and JAMES WILLIAM
HYDE RAY GOWAN, of Copthall Buildings, in the City of London, IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO GALVANIC BATTERIES
"
Our invention has for its object to provide improved means whereby the liquid
or liquids in a galvanic battery comprising a series or group of cells, may be
continuously circulated in or through the said cells, so that the said liquid or
liquids may be kept at a uniform strength.
Moreover by our invention we obviate the necessity for testing the liquid in each
cell separately.
According to our said invention we combine, with the series or group of cells
forming the battery, suitable pipes for connecting the said cells with each other
and with a pump or pumps or other suitable means for maintaining a continuous
circulation of the liquids in and through the said cells. The said pump or pumps
may be operated by an electric or other suitable motor. These pumps are either
arranged so that they will draw the desired liquids from suitable tanks or
reservoirs and deliver them into the first pair of cells of the group, the said liquids
flowing from the last pair of cells into the said tanks. Or they are arranged so
that they will draw the liquids from the last pair of cells of the group and deliver
them into the said tanks or reservoirs, which, in this case, are so placed that the
liquids will flow therefrom into the first pair of cells.
In the accompanying drawing we have shewn a two-fluid battery with our
improvements applied thereto.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the said battery
Figure 2 is a plan of the same
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, drawn to an enlarged scale, of two pairs of
cells, illustrating the mode of connecting the said cells by pipes.
a a are the exterior cells and b b are the interior or porous cells. These cells are
made of any suitable and well known material. c, c are the electrodes contained in
the exterior cells, and d, d are the electrodes contained in the interior or porous
cells. ee are the conductors connecting the said electrodes. ff are pipes
connecting the exterior cells and g, g are pipes connecting the interior or porous
cells. Each of these pipes enters one cell about an inch from the top and extends
nearly to the bottom of the adjacent cell, as clearly shown in Figure 3. By
extending the said pipes in this manner we ensure the proper circulation of the
liquids in the cells and the maintenance of the same at a uniform strength, the
liquid entering at the upper part of each cell and flowing out at the lower part
thereof. h is a pipe leading from the tank i to the pump h³, and h³ is a pipe
leading from the said pump to the first exterior cell of the group. j is a pipe
leading from the tank k to the pump j³, and is a pipe leading from the said pump
to the first porous cell of the group. is a pipe leading from the last outer cell of
the group into the tank or reservoir i, and m is a pipe leading from the last porous
cell of the group into the tank or reservoir k. n is the motor for actuating the
pumps
The electric motor can, if desired, be supplied with electricity from one or more
pairs of the said cells.

page_text: The
The tanks i and k., and the cells a and b, are filled with the requisite liquids.
The motor, being then set in motion, actuates the pumps and draws the liquids
from the tanks and delivers them into the first pair of cells of the group.
liquids from the first pair of cells flow through the pipes and g successively into
all the pairs of cells, and from the last pair of cells into the tanks, each pair of
cells being supplied from the preceding pair, and the liquids in the whole group of
cells tending to maintain a constant level, a continuous circulation of the said
liquids through all the cells is thus obtained.
We usually fit a gauge of any suitable and well known description to each of
the aforesaid tanks to show the strength of the liquids therein, and to indicate when
the addition of acid or other material is necessary. The acid or other material is
added, when required, to the liquids in the tanks until they are of the proper
strength. By these means we obviate the necessity for testing or feeding each cell
separately.
Having thus fully described our said invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we wish it understood that we do not claim broadly or irrespectively of
our improvements as above specified the continuous circulation of the liquids in a
galvanic battery, but we claim :-
A galvanic battery comprising a series or group of cells provided with pipes
connecting the said cells with each other and with one or more pumps and tanks
or other suitable means for maintaining a continuous circulation of the liquid or
liquids, as, and for the purpose, above specified.
In witness whereof I the said Ebenezer Banton Burr for myself and on behalf
of the said Joseph Oliphant and James William Hyde Ray Gowan have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Fourteenth day of December in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three
TRENEZER RANTON DZIRD
ܠܘܫ