AN IMPROVED FRICTIONAL ELECTRIC BATTERY
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Gardner, of the Firm of Robertson,
Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
FRICTIONAL ELECTRIC BATTERY." -A communication from abroad by
George M. Mowbray, of North Adams, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America.
Sealed the 6th December 1875, and dated the 10th June 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Gardner at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th June 1875.
I, HENRY GARDNER, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
FRICTIONAL ELECTRIC BATTERY," to be as follows:-
-
The nature of this Invention relates to portable electric machines
used for blasting, firing mines, torpedoes, and lighting gas, and the
improvements mado arc,—

page_text: capable of absorbing moisture from the atmosphere packed in a
permeable envelope with a frictional electric machine in a water-
tight case.
Fifthly. In an oscillating cylinder independent of the condenser,
which is stationary, composed of two discs, each having a slot cut out
of its periphery for about 60 degrees carrying two semi-cylindrical
sheets of hard rubber, there being affixed to one of these the rubbing
cushion and its conducting knob, to the other a knob projecting through
it, this oscillating cylinder admitting of a determinate limited motion
from the rotation of the exciting surface, the range of oscillation being
determined by the collecting rod which is stationary, and passes through
the slots of the disc serving a triple purpose, viz., first, isolating the
condenser from the rubber collector and lead wires, when it receives
a thirty degree reverse motion; second, discharging the battery through
the leading and return wires when this reverse motion is continued
to 60 degrees of a circle; and third, conducting the charge from the
rubber and from the exciting surface to the condenser by a forward
motion of 60 degrees.
Sixthly. In a graduated test gauge with sliding or moveable standard,
and connections for terminal wires.
Seventhly. In a hard rubber shaft of a frictional electric machine
with sunken socket for crank.
Eighthly. In the elastic wire connections between the knobs moving
and the fixed knobs of a frictional electric machine for the purpose of
cushioning violent movement.
And, Ninthly. In the combination of a rotating exciting surface an
independent oscillating frame carrying a rubber and connecting knobs,
with a stationary collector, and a stationary condenser.
0
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
GARDNER, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166,
Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Gardner, Her special license
that I, the said Henry Gardner, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Gardner, 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
İslands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED FRICTIONAL
ELECTRIC BATTERY,” "communicated to me from abroad by George M.
Mowbray, of North Adams, in the State of Massachusetts, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Gardner, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said Henry Gardner, 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 communicated to me relates to portable electric
machines used for blasting, firing mines, torpedoes, and for lighting gas,
and the improvements are,-
Firstly. A better relative arrangement of the several parts securing
in less space a higher potential and greater quantity of clectricity.
Secondly. A cheap and simple accumulator capable of being readily
'repaired in case of perforation by overcharge.
Thirdly. A modification of the rubbing surface, whereby deterioration
of the exciting surface is prevented.
Fourthly. A neutralizing of the damaging influence of a damp atmo-
sphere, heretofore so disturbing in these machines.

page_text: Fifthly. A device which cuts off both collector and rubber from the
accumulator the instant a charge has been accumulated, before discharging
same, thus obviating loss by dissipation from the collecting points and
rubber.
And, Sixthly. A test gauge by which the operator can determine
beforehand and with precision the number of mines the machine is
capable of firing by any given number of turns of the crank, and thus
be assured of the efficiency of the machine for the work required.
For the sake of brevity I propose in this Specification to describe my
improvements as applied to a cylinder machine, but any one skilled in
the art can adapt them to either a plate or a spherical exciting surface
by simply conforming the shapes of the various parts to that form of
exciting surface he may prefer.
The apparatus may be divided into five principal parts, commencing
outside and proceeding toward the centre. These are,—
First. A water-tight inclosing case mounted with the test gauge,
carrying handle, standard rests, and lined with a drying pad or cushion.
Second. A stationary cylindrical frame consisting of the accumulator,
in two parts, a collector, and two insulating hollow rods containing the
discharging sockets.
Third. An oscillating frame carrying the rubber and the charging
and discharging devices.
Fourth. An exciting surface, and in this Specification a cylinder of
hard rubber will be described.
Fifth. A prime mover or arbor with crank.
The Drawings to illustrate this Invention are five in number, viz.,
Figure 1, longitudinal section; Figure 2, cross section; Figure 3, plan
of the discs, d, d'; Figure 4, plan of the discs f, f¹; Figure 5, test
gauge. Similar letters apply to similar parts in each Figure.
A, case with handle and standards; B, head resting on a shoulder cut
in staves; C, bottom mounted with test gauge and discharging socket ;
D, one of two twin semi-cylindrical accumulators; E, the other twin
semi-cylindrical accumulator; d, d', two discs, Figure 3, on whose
periphery the accumulators D and E being fixed form the stationary
cylindrical frame (or part 2) of the apparatus; F, the rubber or cushion

page_text: with silk flap; a, vulcanite shield carrying the rubber F and the metal
projections R and U, Figure 2; a³, vulcanite shield carrying the metal
projections R¹, R³, and U¹; ƒ,ƒ¹, two discs, Figure 4, on whose periphery
the vulcanite shields a, a', are fixed. A recess is cut in the rim of these
discs occupying sixty degrees of their circumference to limit their
movement. G, the collector held between discs d, d¹; I, hard rubber
exciting cylinder with closed or partially closed ends attached to the
arbor; J, arbor or prime mover made of hard rubber. This supports or
serves as a bearing for the oscillating discs f. f', and bears itself on the
discs d, d¹. K, metal square crank socket inserted in arbor; L, brass
bearing for arbor, screwed into head B confines the packing ring M
against disc d'; M, soft vulcanized rubber packing ring; Q, metal pro-
jection connecting concave of the dielectric D; Q', metal projection to
concave of dielectric E; R, metal projection on shield a connecting the
rubber F with the dielectric of accumulator D; R¹, R², metal knobs on
and through shield a' connecting G to E; U, metal projection in com-
munication with R; U', metal projection in communication with R²;
V, exsiccating cushion packed with quickline and mica scales; W, hollow
tubular discharge sockets to receive mine wire; X, hollow tubular
discharge sockets to receive mine wire; Y, retaining ring for head of
inclosing case, with an elastic rubber hollow tube beneath to render
joint water-tight.
The case for a cylinder machine may be constructed like a powder
keg. In order however to get at the apparatus within readily, either
for cleaning or repair, the head B of the keg A, Figure 1, rests on a
shoulder turned out of the staves, and is fitted with a packing box L to
receive the prime mover or arbor J packed with a soft rubber ring M
to render it water-tight. In the head of the arbor Ja square metal
socket K is sunk to receive the crank. Keyed or pinned on to the
arbor J is the exciting surface or cylinder I, and outside of this cylinder
and surrounding it is another cylindrical frame built up of the two
discs ff, which oscillate on the arbor J and support the two semi-
cylindrical shells a, a¹.
Shield a carries the rubbing cushion F, and connected thereto and
with each other are the metal projections R and U. The other shield a¹
carries the two knobs R¹ and R' united through the shield a¹, and form
a path for the electricity from the collector G while accumulating to the
concave side of the dielectric E by communicating with the knob Q¹.

page_text: Outside of the oscillating cylindrical frame just described is a third
cylinder which is stationary, being composed of the two twin accumu-
lators D and E by fastening these on to the peripheries of the two discs
d and d¹, which are further held in place by the collector G and by two
hard rubber rods, which pass out and through flush with the bottom C
of the keg A. These rods are bored about half-way down their length
so as to receive metal wires, which have hollow terminal sockets to
receive the leading and return wires to and from the mine and connect
them with the apparatus. I term these discharge sockets W and X.
The arbor or prime mover has three bearings on discs d and d³ respectively
and on and through the stuffing box I, and in its turn the prime
mover serves as a central bearing for the discs fand f¹ to oscillate
upon.
The hard rubber rods which contain the discharging sockets and the
brass wire running within same about half-way down, are filed away so
as to expose the brass wire within, so that when these bared portions of
the brass wire are touched by the knobs R and R³, they serve to dis-
charge the accumulators as follows:-From D on its concave side knobs
Q, U, R, and W, open a path for the + E of the rubbing cushion, and
from E on its concave side knobs Q', U', R2, and X, open a path for
- E from the collector to the mine wires respectively. The concave
side of the diclectric D (assumed in this Specification to receive + E) is
in metallic connection of the convex surface of the dielectric E, and
becomes charged with electricity of the same sign, viz., Ewhile
vice versa, the concave side of the dielectric E charged with E is in
like manner in metallic connection with the convex surface of the
dielectric D, which necessarily therefore becomes charged with
Thus the concave surface of each accumulator presents to the concave
surface of the other an opposite sign of electricity, and this arrangement
arrests dissipation of electricity from what is termed by electricians
creeping," so that I am enabled to accumulate electricity of a higher
potential than would otherwise be possible with the same limits of space
and area, and has never heretofore been applied in frictional electric
machines.
-
-
E.
The accumulators (condenser or Leyden jar) consist each of them of a
semi-cylindrical inner dielectric, being a thin sheet of hard rubber armed
with a metal conducting surface on each side of less area than the
dielectric itself, and a protecting or insulating sheet of either hard

page_text: air anhydrous. I prefer for this purpose a mixture of fresh burnt quick-
lime and dry mica scales. These last being dry and feathery allow
space for the increase of bulk, as the lime slakes without the risk of
bursting the envelope. By this device the atmosphere within the case.
is rendered and maintained perfectly suited for exciting, collecting, and
storing the electricity developed independent of the state of the weather
outside the case.
The Rubber. I construct my rubbing cushion so as to present to the
exciting or rubber surface of the cylinder plate or sphere two distinct
rubbing surfaces (exclusive of the silk flap introduced by Dr. Nooth, in
1774), the onc an oiled silk or resinous surface to receive the amalgam, the
other a filamentous felted or velvety surface free from amalgam, or nearly
so, and next to this follows the protecting silk flap extending almost
to the collector. As the exciting surface moves forward, first, passing
over or under the amalgam surface electricity is developed, and next as
it passes under the filamentous surface the loose particles or amalgam
dust are detained, all specks and conducting streaks adherent to the
exciting surface are removed, and the charged electric surface goes
forward beneath the flap clean and polished anew at each revolution.
Graduated Test Gauge.-Outside the case at the end farthest from
the crank I attach a gauge made of hard rubber, into which are inserted
at intervals, say, of one-twelfth of an inch from cach other, a row of
metallic points or pin heads. At one extremity of this graduated scale
of points is a fixed standard of metal, with an eye to receive one of the
terminals from one of the discharge sockets. At the other extremity
of the row of points is a moveable standard of metal with an eye to
receive the other terminal wire from the other discharge socket. This
latter standard moves in a groove or slotted tube along or over the
points connecting with them as it is passed along. By connecting wires
from the discharging sockets to these standards, and regarding each
interval between the points as representing the interval or solution of
continuity of each exploder, the operator can determine before firing
his mine the efficiency of his machine by noting the number of turns
requisite to fire any number of intervals on this graduated scale.
Mode of Operating the Battery.-Assuming that the machine has just
been discharged by a reverse movement of the crank, now in order to
recharge, turn the crank in the direction of the hands of a watch ono
sixth of a revolution or sixty degrees. The friction between cylinder

page_text: -
-
and rubbing cushion moves the rubber forward until the end of the slot
in the discs f, f¹, strikes against the collector rod G.
This brings
the position of the various knobs as shown in Figure 2, viz.:-The
rubber knob R abuts on the dielectric knob Q, the collector knob R' on
the concave of shield a¹ abuts on the collector knob G, the knob R³ on
the convex of shield a' abuts on the dielectric knob Q¹. By continuing
the revolutions + E from rubber F passes via knobs R and Q to the con-
cave side of dielectric D, and this being in permanent connection with
the convex surface of dielectric E necessarily it follows that these two
surfaces are being charged with + E. Simultaneously E passes from
the collector G via the collector knobs R¹, R³, to the dielectric knob Q¹,
charging the concave surface of dielectric E and the convex surface of
dielectric D, since these two surfaces are in permanent connection
with E. When a sufficient charge of electricity has been accumulated
on the several surfaces a slight reverse movement of thirty degrees only
of the crank by the friction of the cylinder against the rubber moves the
rubber frame and shields a, a', backward, the effect being that knob R on
shield a leaves knob Q on the rubber side, and on the collector side R¹
leaves the collector; R³ leaves dielectric knob Q, so that the accumulators
are now left charged, and insulated, and ready to fire. A slight reversal
thirty degrees farther of the crank carries knob u on the rubber side
to Q, and knob R to discharge socket W, opening a path from the
surfaces of the dielectrics charged with + E, or rubber side to W.
Simultaneously knob U' on the collector side has moved up to the fixed
knob Q of the dielectric E, and knob R² in permanent connection
with U¹ passes up to the discharging socket ✗, thus opening a path
from the dielectrics that are charged with -E from the collector side
to the discharge socket X. Assuming that the terminals of the wires
in sockets W and ✗ are within striking distance discharge ensues with
a loud snap.
The Arbor or Prime Mover.-In all portable batteries used for blasting
heretofore made the arbor is of metal, and when the charge is raised to
a high potential on effecting discharge a severe shock passes through
the operator's body. I remedy this by constructing my arbor of
vulcanite, sinking a square metal socket to receive the crank, and
fitting a ferrule of brass around to strengthen the part that passes
through the stuffing box. This enables me to confine the arbor flush
with the head of the case, and thereby protect the same from injury.

page_text: Lastly. Elastic wires connect knobs U and R, and similarly knobs
U and R. These serve to cushion the shock if an operator discharges
the battery violently, reversing the crank.
What I claim as the Invention and desire to secure by the above part
recited Letters patent is,—
Firstly. The arrangement of a frictional exciting surface between two
curved-diclectrics, both of these curved dielectrics having on each
surface respectively metal armatures with sufficient marginal insulation
to form a condenser, the inside surface of one of them so situated during
excitation as to receive electricity from the rubber, while the inside
surface of the other curved dielectric simultaneously receives electricity
from the collector, and withal the inner surface or armature of each one
being in connection with the outer surface or armature of the other, as
described.
Secondly. The accumulator or Leyden jar of any preferred shape,
built up of sheet hard rubber and metal plates insulated from external
influence by other sheets of hard rubber and enveloped in pure sheet
rubber, as described.
Thirdly. An electric rubbing cushion formed of two distinct surfaces,
the one resinous, to receive the amalgam and excite electricity, the other
filamentous, felted, or velvety, to cleanse and polish the exciting surface
with the usual oiled or varnished silk flap, as described.
Fourthly. The combination of an exsiccator composed of a material
capable of absorbing moisture from the atmosphere packed in a per-
meable envelope with a frictional electric machine in a water-tight case,
as described.
Fifthly. The oscillating cylinder independent of the condenser, which
is stationary, composed of two discs, each having a slot cut out of its
periphery for about sixty degrees, carrying two semi-cylindrical sheets
of hard rubber, there being affixed to one of these the rubbing cushion
and its conducting knob, to the other a knob projecting through it; this
oscillating cylinder admitting of a determinate limited motion from the
rotation of the exciting surface, the range of oscillation being determined
by the collecting rod, which is stationary and passes through the slots.
5 of the discs, serving a triple purpose, viz.:-First, isolating the condenser
from the rubber, collector, and lead wires, when it receives a thirty

page_text: degree reverse motion; second, discharging the battery through the
leading and return wires when this reverse motion is continued to sixty
degrees of a circle; and, third, conducting the charge from the rubber
and from the exciting surface to the condenser by a forward motion of
sixty degrees, as described.
Sixthly. The graduated test gauge with sliding or movable standard
and connections for terminal wires, as described and for the purposes
set forth.
Seventhly. The hard rubber shaft of a frictional electric machine
with sunken socket for crank, as described and for the purposes set
forth.
Eighthly. The elastic wire connections between the knobs moving and
the fixed knobs of a frictional electric machine for the purpose of
cushioning violent movement, as described.
Ninthly. The combination of a rotating exciting surface, an indepen-
dent oscillating frame carrying a rubber, and connecting knobs with a
stationary collector and a stationary condenser, all enclosed in a water-
tight case or keg, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Gardner, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-five.
11זוז
חזוTTT