An Improved Primary Electric Battery.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
An Improved Primary Electric Battery.
A communication by JEAN PIERRE FONTAINE, of 36 bis Rue Ballu, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Doctor of Medicine.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., Agent for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer,
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:-
This invention has for its object the application to electric batteries by means
of different porous vessels, of improved combinations of substances which re-act
one upon the other under such conditions that their electric actions jointly or
combined result in producing what may be called a double excitation and yield a
voltage superior to those hitherto obtained.
It is well known that the Becquerel battery is constituted of two solutions,
the one acid (nitric acid) and the other alkaline (potash), re-acting one on the
other through a porous vessel. The electricity produced by this re-action is
taken to the external circuit by two strips of platinum, one immersed in the
acid and the other in the alkaline solution.
After numerous experiments, it has been found preferable to replace the
strip of platinum immersed in the potash by zinc, the oxidation of the zinc
coming to the aid of the re-action of the nitric acid on the potash. On the
other hand, the strip of platinum immersed in the nitric acid is replaced by
carbon.
In consequence of modifications which by this invention have been introduced
in the Becquerel battery I have been able to obtain a tension of 2.55 volts. by
utilising nitric acid of 36° Beaumé. Hitherto not more than 2.20 volts. have
been obtained. Instead of nitric acid at 36° Beaumé, a mixture of nitric and
sulphuric acids diluted with water in the proportion of four volumes of nitric
acid at 36°, one volume of sulphuric acid and five volumes of water may be
employed.
With this mixture the voltage obtained is only 2.35 volts., nevertheless the
result must still be considered as very good.
It has also been found that the double excitation was not peculiar to the
combination of zinc, potash and nitric acid, but that it could also be realised
by replacing under the same conditions as hereinbefore the soda solution by a
solution of chloride of sodium of 30%. This second combination with the
object of producing the double excitation yields two volts. with nitric acid at 30°
Beaumé and 1.80 volts. with the mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids diluted
in water.
In the first combination of zinc, soda, and nitric acid or a mixture of nitric

page_text: and sulphuric acids diluted in water, oxidation of the zinc finishes by forming
zincate of soda, the hydrogen arising from this re-action being absorbed by a
fraction of the oxygen of the nitric acid. On the other hand the unreduced
nitric acid and the sulphuric acid re-act on the soda to form nitrate and sulphate
of soda.
In the second combination of zinc, chloride of sodium, and a mixture of
nitric and sulphuric acids diluted in water; there is also a formation of nitrate
and sulphate of soda with a release of chlorine which attacks the zinc and forms
chloride of zinc. Another fraction of the chlorine combines with the hydrogen
arising from the decomposition of the water and produces hydrochloric acid,
and the remainder escapes mixed with the nitrous vapours arising from the
reduction of a certain quantity of nitric acid by the hydrogen unabsorbed by
the chlorine. Without being able to affirm the exactness of these re-actions,
it is believed that the explanation of them is correct. The proportions in
which the mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids is diluted with water may also
be increased whilst still preserving a very good return.
The arrangements which are now adopted in this invention for making use
under the best possible conditions of the effects herein before recited will now
be described.
In the accompanying drawings, a vertical section is shown through the centre
of this improved battery. This section is divided into two parts by a line X X
so as to show on one side one arrangement and on the other side a modification
of the same arrangement.
This double excitation battery comprises: --
1st. An external vessel 1 of glass or other suitable substance..
2nd. A piece of zinc immersed in the external liquid, which may be a
solution of soda, potash or chloride of sodium. This zinc is shown as having
the form of a sleeve 2 and it is suspended from the lid or cover by means of
screwed rods 3 of copper having terminal nuts. These rods are carefully coated
with indiarubber, or a mixture of indiarubber and paraffin not only along all
their length but also at their point of attachment to the zinc. For certain
purposes the formation of the piece of zinc as a tube is not advisable, and it is
preferable to substitute therefor simple plates or rods of zinc.
3rd. A porous vessel. This porous vessel having to be interposed between
an acid solution and an alkaline solution, must therefore have a composite
wall, the porous substance most suitable for acids, (that is to say, glazed earthen-
ware) not being always the "best" when exposed to alkaline lyes which attack it
and rapidly destroy it.
:
The wall of the porous vessel is composed from the outside to the inside, first
of a cardboard piece 4 rolled or wrapped with fabric 5 and in contact with the
soda solution, and then a layer of porous earthenware 6.or porous carbon. This
second part of the vessel is in contact with the acid. Its filtering action on
this liquid is usefully added to the same action of the cardboard on the alkaline
lye for regulating and moderating the chemical actions of the battery, which
would be far too active if a single vessel of cardboard and canvas were utilised.
The earthenware or carbon also at the same time imparts rigidity to that part
of the vessel which otherwise would be liable to become deformed under handling,
particularly in the case of large batteries. In case carbon is employed in pre-
ference to earthenware it may serve at the same time as one electrode. The
arrangement which has just been described is shown on the left hand side of
the line XX.
The porous vessel thus formed is also suitable for the combination of chloride
of sodium and nitric acid. For little batteries the porous earthenware vessel
must be comparatively very small, and in view of the difficulty of making an
earthenware vessel having walls sufficiently thin, it may be replaced by a
diaphragm of hardened cardboard, ebonite, celluloid or other suitable material.
This diaphragm which is shown at 7 on the right hand of the line X X is
5

page_text: perforated with holes greater or less in size and more or less numerous according
to the intensity which it is desired to have in the chemical action.
4th. A carbon which may be either a simple plate 8 as shown on the left
of the line X X, or a hollow cylinder 9 as shown on the right of the line X X.
This latter is prolonged to the outside of the vessel in the form of a shank 10
on which the terminal is fixed for taking the positive pole of the current.
cylinder is bored with holes 11 or has four slots 12 at 90° in its lower part.
The
5th. A grating, the form of which is in proportion to the size of the elements
and the form of carbon employed. This grating is placed above the compart-
ment containing the nitric acid, and is filled with naphthalene having for its
object to absorb the nitrate or chlorine vapours.
In the case of the cylindrical carbon and large batteries, the grating is of
porcelain and rests with its edges on the mouth of the porous vessel. In
little batteries the size of the grating is limited on the one hand by the upper
part of the carbon cylinder itself, and on the other hand by a ring 13 of carbon
or of any other suitable insulating material (celluloid, hardened cardboard,
ivorine or the like) surrounding the cylindrical carbon and resting on a rod
or cross pin 14 traversing the carbon at its upper part. The external surface
of the ring 13 is entirely in contact with the porous vessel. Its internal surface
is in communication with the external wall of the cylindrical carbon only by
its lower portion. The upper portion of the ring is constituted by a very thin
wall which allows consequently a vacancy between it and the carbon, and it is
this vacancy which forms one of the compartments of the grating in the present
instance, the other being formed by the inner part of the carbon cylinder 9
above the pins 14.
In case the carbon is a simple plate, the grating has the same arrangement in
the large and the small batteries. It is entirely formed of the ring 15 which
is in contact with the porous vessel along all its external surface, and which
rests with its lower edge on one, two or three rods or cross pins according to
the width of the plate and of the ring. These cross pins fixed on the body of
the carbon form the bottom of the grating, its cavity being formed on the other
hand by the space limited by the internal wall of the ring.
The arrangements herein before described have among other advantages that
of rendering these batteries easily transportable, the substances utilised for
absorbing the nitrous vapours preventing the liquid in the interior of the porous
vessel from being spilled. In order to prevent the soda in the external vessel
escaping in consequence of shakings or the inclination of the battery, a thin
layer of linseed which renders the surface of the liquid stationary is placed on
the surface.
6th. A lid or cover 16 of hardened cardboard or of iron coated with a mixture
of guttapercha and paraffin. The lid 16 is provided with a flange which fits
close to the internal wall of the glass vessel and gives a more perfect tightness,
which is also increased by the addition of a ring or flange of indiarubber 17
which engages over the periphery of the lid and the rim or bead which terminates
the upper edge of the glass vessel. 18 is a base or support of ebonite or other
suitable material, on which the bottom of the porous vessel rests.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. as communicated
declare that what I claim ist:-
to me by my foreign correspondent,
1. A double fluid primary battery in which the active elements consist on
the one hand of zinc and of soda lye and on the other hand of nitric acid sub-
stantially as herein before set forth.
2. In a battery having active elements such as described, a porous vessel
formed of cardboard and fabric wound together and sustained internally by a
wall of rigid material permeable by the acid solution, substantially as described.
3. In a battery such as described, the addition above the compartment con-

page_text: taining nitric acid of a perforated receptacle containing naphthalene for absorb-
ing the nitrous vapours, substantially as described.
4. In a battery such as described, the addition above the soda lye of a layer
of linseed for the purpose of rendering the surface of the soda lye stationary,
substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of December 1800