Improvements in or relating to Electrolytic Electrical Meters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Electrolytic Electrical Meters.
I, CHARLES ORME BASTIAN, of SA, Manchester Square, London, Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in or relating to electrolytic
electrical meters and is as follows:-
In a case or enclosure I arrange a vessel suitable for holding an electrolyte
advantageously a long glass tube vertically arranged the bottom end of which
tube is closed and inside said tube at or near the bottom I arrange two
electrodes advantageously mounted in a small glass frame which latter. may be
provided with arms or stays extending therefrom towards or against the inside
wall of the tube and adapted to be affixed or secured thereto by any suitable means
or in any suitable manner.
Platinum wires or conductors are led to the exterior of the vessel from said
electrodes through openings in the wall of the vessel and said wires are sealed
up in said wall in any suitable manner to make a permanent water-tight joint.
To these platinum wires copper wires can be joined and led to the terminals
of the meter and at each such joint I find it advantageous to encase same with
gutta-percha or Chatterton's compound or equivalent so as to strengthen and
secure same on and to the glass tube or vessel aforesaid.
The top end of the vessel is or may be plugged or is partially closed in by
any suitable cap or covering with a valve or other sufficient opening there-
through to permit the escape of gases from said vessel while all outlets or
openings through the said enclosing case are or may be protected by wire gauze
or explosion taking place
or equivalent to prevent the possibility of firing back
inside the case from any exterior ignition.
"
The index scale or indicator is separately mounted close to or against the
tube advantageously in the form of a vertically slotted plate-through which
slot the vertical side wall of the tube protrudes one or both legs or columns
of said slotted plate bearing the index markings or graduations thereon of any
suitable character or style.
This slotted or other suitable index scale or indicator is made of any suitable
material such for instance as aluminium and may be so arranged and mounted
as to be adjustable vertically with respect to the said glass tube-the object
of such adjustment being to render it possible for the properly authorized person
when setting the meter to raise or lower said index so as to exactly register
zero with the top of the column of liquid (electrolyte) in said vessel and thus
save the trouble and difficulty which would otherwise be caused in bringing
said column to exactly register with a fixed zero mark.
In order to calibrate or correctly place the markings on the index scale or
indicator according to my present invention I proceed as follows:--
I first place so much electrolyte in the said glass tube or vessel as to fill same

page_text: up to a bottom mark on the index scale aforesaid and then I proceed to further
mark the latter as follows.
I measure off a given quantity of the liquid (water) to be used and which
according to well-known laws will be decomposed by the passage of a known
and predetermined quantity of electricity and then add same to the electrolyte
already in the aforesaid glass tube or vessel and I then mark on the index
scale the height of the column of liquid after such addition, and then I add
successive measured quantities of water and mark the height of the column of
electrolyte after each such addition until the top of the scale (i.c. zero) is reached;
and the space between each two such markings is respectively and accurately
sub-divided as desired so that in the event of any slight variation or irregularity
in the bore or capacity of the vessel at any particular point or points thereof
this would not produce any (appreciable) error in the meter.
The index scale would be numbered or marked with any suitable signs or
symbols to indicate the quantity of electricity which would pass through the
meter before the column of electrolyte will be lowered to any such point or
mark respectively.
Thus the meter can be and is calibrated in a very simple and reliable manner
and moreover same is effected without the necessity of passing any current
through the meter when so calibrating.
It will be obvious that instead of using one glass tube as aforesaid-my fore-
going invention may be carried into practice with an electrolytic meter having
two or more glass tubes or other vessels in liquid communication with one
another.
'
A little oil advantageously paraffin may be put on the top of the electrolyte
to prevent evaporation-said electrolyte being advantageously acidulated.
By passing the whole of the current to be measured through a meter con-
structed and operating according to the above-described invention--thereby a
very correct and direct reading can be obtained at all times of the exact amount
of current which has passed since the last setting of the meter.
1000
Improvements in or relating to Electrolytic Electrical Meters.
I, CHARLES ORME BASTIAN, of 8A, Manchester Square, London, Electrical
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 relates to electrolytic electrical meters and has for its object
to improve such meters in various respects and facilitate and simplify and
consequently cheapen the production thereof.
And in order that my present invention may be easily understood and readily
carried into practice I will proceed to fully describe same with reference to the
drawings hereunto annexed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a front view of an electrolytic electrical meter according to the
present invention with the hinged front or door "open
to show the arrange-
iment and construction of the parts inside the case.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2–2 Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 3-3 Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional part view on line 4-4 Fig. 2.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views in elevation of the vessel for holding the electrolyte
with the electrodes arranged and mounted therein and the wires or conductors
connected or led to said electrodes in various modified ways-all as hereinafter
explained.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.
a is the casing or enclosing wall and a the hinged front or door adapted to
be firmly locked or secured so as to prevent access to the interior of said casing
or to the meter mechanism within said cases except by duly authorised persons
provided with the proper means for gaining access thereto.
bis tube or vessel adapted to receive and hold therein the electrolyte such
vessel being advantageously of clear glass or glass partly clear and partly other-
wise i.e. clear in that part through which the height of the column of electrolyte
is seen.
This vessel is mounted or supported in any suitable manner in the casing a
-for instance by the bottom end resting on the platform a¹ in said casing
while a strap or collar a² encircles and holds the upper part of said tube b.
The top of said tube is closed with a plug or stopper such as c and such stopper
is provided with a bent tube d passing therethrough as shown in Figs. 1 and 3
(and in Fig. 6) to permit the gases produced by electrolysis to freely escape from
said tube while preventing the liquid from being lost through spraying and
also if desired I may employ oil (advantageously paraffin) which will float on
the top of the electrolyte and which will thus prevent evaporation of the elec-
trolyte while at same time will permit the gases produced by electrolysis to
readily pass up out of the electrolyte and thus escape through the bent tube d
(or b) to the atmosphere.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 7-there is no bent tube through
the plug but instead thereof a bent tube b is formed or arranged through the
side of the tube and near the top thereof as shown this tube 6* serving the double
purpose of outlet for the gases and filling orifice.
e is the index scale or indicator having a prolonged slot e¹ therein through
which slot e the tube b and column of electrolyte therein can be observed
and this slot e¹ may advantageously be of such a width and the top and bottom
ends of the plate e be so bent or formed that the vertical side wall of the tube b
will protrude through such slot e¹.
One or both sides or columns of said slotted plate bear the index markings
or graduations f thereon-these latter being of any suitable character or style.
This slotted or other suitable index scale or indicator e (only one-half or one
side of which may be used if desired) is made of any suitable material such for
instance as aluminium and is advantageously so arranged and mounted as to
be adjustable vertically with respect to the glass tube b such vertical adjustment
being permitted within certain limits in any suitable manner such as by forming
short vertical slots e² in the top and bottom portions of the plate e through
which slots pass fixed studs pins or screws e³ which latter permit the plate e
to be freely moved up and down within the limits of the said slots e2 while a
thumb screw or pinching screw e passes through the 4th slot and by tighten-
is in the desired position thereby
ing up said pinching screw e when the scale
the latter is fixed and maintained in such position-the object of such adiust-
ment being to render it possible for the properly authorised person when setting
the meter (i.e. re-filling the vessel b with electrolyte) to raise or lower said
index so as to register the line f* (that is zero) on said index with the top of
the column of liquid (electrolyte) a in said vessel and thus save the trouble and
difficulty which would otherwise be caused (when re-filling) in bringing said
column of liquid a to exactly register with the zero mark on a fixed scale.

page_text: In order to calibrate or correctly place the markings on the index scale or
indicator according to my present invention I proceed as follows:-
I first place so much of the liquid to be decomposed in the said glass tube or
vessel bas to fill same up to the bottom and limit mark ft on the adjustable
index scale e aforesaid and then I proceed to further mark the latter as follows:-
I measure off a given quantity of the liquid to be decomposed the amount of
which according to well-known laws or formule will be decomposed by the
passage therethrough of a known and predetermined quantity of electricity and
then add same to the electrolyte already in the aforesaid glass tube or vessel b
and I then make the next mark f2 on the index scale to correspond with the
height of the column of liquid a after such addition, and then I add successive
measured quantities of liquid and mark the height of the column of electrolyte
after each such addition until the top of the scale f* (i.e. zero) is reached; and
the space between each two such markings is respectively and accurately sub-
divided as desired so that in the event of any slight variation or irregularit
in the bore or capacity of the vessel at any particular point or points thereof
this would not produce any (appreciable) error in the meter having its index
thus calibrated.
The index scale would be numbered or marked with any suitable signs or
symbols to indicate the quantity of electricity which would pass through the
meter before the column of electrolyte will be lowered to any such point or
mark respectively.
Thus the meter can be calibrated in a very simple and reliable manner and
moreover same is effected without the necessity of passing any current through
the meter when so calibrating.
The improved construction of the electrodes for use in electrolytic meters is
as follows:-
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4-I form an open frame advantageously a rectan-
gular frame as shown of glass or equivalent and suitable insulating material
(glass being a very advantageous material for this purpose) this frame g being
advantageously provided with a central vertical bar g (see Fig. 4) to prevent
the coming in contact of thin sheets of platinum which are laid flat (and
advantageously in parallel planes) upon the opposite sides of said frame g g¹ (see
Figs. 2 and 3).
These platinum sheets h are mounted or secured to the glass frame in any
suitable manner advantageously by means of glass beads h₁ (or when the frame
is of other material than glass then these beads are of corresponding or other
suitable material) such glass beads being put on in a molten state so as to adhere
to the glass frame where it touches same and overlap and hold the edge of the
platinum sheet to which latter it also adheres.
These platinum sheets h are less in height than the frame see Figs. 3 and 4
so as to permit the gases (formed by electrolysis between said sheets ) to readily
escape from between said platinum sheets.
The circuit wires or conductors are led to these platinum electrodes in any
suitable manner.
In the case illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4-where the conductors are led through
the side wall of the vessel b-a platinum wire is welded or otherwise suitably
connected to each said electrode and each such platinum wire o o² is coated with
molten glass (of a suitable character such as is known as "platinum glass") at
or about the point where same will pass through the openings or nipples a
provided in the glass tube and these wires othus prepared having been
placed in position respectively in said nipples a glass seal is now made so as to
hermetically seal up the opening through each said nipple and thereby form
a liquid-tight glass seal.
Means may be provided to support the wires o¹ o exterior of the tube 6 for
instance a material capable of being moulded on said wires (such as gutta percha)

page_text: may be employed to form an outer nipple or coating ; whence the wires o¹
are led to the terminals pl p2 of the meter.
The glass frame g rests by means of a leg g* on the inside of the bottom
of the tube b while said frame and electrodes thereon are prevented from lateral
movement or held sufficiently steady by means of the platinum wires o ².
Referring now to Figs. 5, 6 and 7-the conductor wires are led to the elec-
trodes from the upper end of the vessel b; in Fig. 5 the glass frame g g being
formed with two tubes 2 and g³ connected thereto down which tubes 2 g³ the
conductor wires o 2 are respectively led and pass out of said tubes g2 g at the
lower end thereof at which point each wire o and 2 respectively is sealed as
before described so as to be liquid-tight at said point and these said conductor
wires o o2 are connected to the electrodes as before described or in any suitable
manner.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 both wires o o² are led down a single
tube any suitable means being provided to prevent the wires coming into
electrical contact within said tube and at the lowermost part of said tube g
the wires oo pass out therefrom (advantageously through liquid-tight glass
seals as before described) and thence are connected to the electrodes of the
frame g g as before or in any other suitable manner.
In Fig. the frame g g is carried on a single solid rod g by which such
frame gg can be removed and in this arrangement the conductor wires o 02
would be immersed in the electrolyte in said tube b and in this case same would
be of a material (such as platinum) not acted on by the acid in the electrolyte.
gis supporting leg which may be used at the bottom end of each frame.
It will be obvious that instead of using one glass tube as aforesaid--my fore-
going invention may be carried into practice with an electrolytic meter having
two or more glass tubes or other vessels in liquid communication with one
another.
The electrolyte is advantageously acidulated water.
By passing the whole of the current to be measured-or a known part thereof
--through a meter constructed and operating according to the above-described
invention thereby a very correct and direct reading can be obtained at all times
of the exact amount of current which has passed since the last setting of the
meter.
If desired I may construct electrodes according to my present invention with
more than two sheets of platinum for instance I may arrange three sheets of
platinum on a double glass frame the middle sheet connected to one pole and
the two outer sheets connected to the other pole.
my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In an electrolytic electrical meter the combination with the vessel for hold-
ing the electrolyte of an openwork frame of insulating material within said
vessel, thin sheets of platinum or equivalent material mounted upon opposite
sides of said frame and held against contact and means for securing said sheets
to said frame.
2. The combination in and with an electrolytic electrical meter of a glass
frame or openwork support with thin sheets or surfaces of platinum or equi-
valent material mounted opposite one another on said frame so that said sheets
cannot come in contact, means for securing said sheets to said frame and platinum
wires connected to said platinum sheets and also connected to the circuit wires
substantially as described.
3. The combination in and with an electrolytic electrical meter of a glass frame
or openwork support with thin sheets or surfaces of platinum or equivalent
material mounted opposite one another on said frame and secured thereto so
that said sheets cannot come in contact with each other; two conductor wires

page_text: held out of electrical contact with one another and connected respectively to the
circuit wires and to the platinum sheets, supports for said wires and hermetic
seals retaining said wires in said supports within the meter.
4. The combination in an electrolytic electrical meter of a glass frame or
openwork support with thin sheets or surfaces of platinum or equivalent material
mounted opposite one another on said frame so that said sheets cannot come
in contact and means to attach said sheets to said frame and a glass leg on the
bottom of said glass frame substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
set forth.
5. In an electrolytic electrical meter the combination with the vessel for hold-
ing the electrolyte of an openwork frame of insulating material within said
vessel thin sheets of platinum or equivalent material mounted upon opposite
sides of said frame and held against contact, means for securing said sheets to
said frame a removable closure for said vessel and a bent tube entering said
vessel and opening close beneath said closure substantially as described.
6. The combination in an electrolytic electrical meter of a glass frame or
openwork support with thin sheets or surfaces of platinum or equivalent material
mounted opposite one another on said frame so that said sheets cannot come in
contact and means to attach said sheets to said frame platinum wires connected
to said platinum sheets and a glass seal on each said wire where same passes
through the wall of the glass vessel holding the electrolyte substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
7. The combination in an electrolytic electrical meter of a glass frame or open-
work support with thin sheets or surfaces of platinum or equivalent material
mounted opposite one another on said frame so that said sheets cannot come in
contact and means to attach said sheets to said frame two vertically extending
glass tubes connected to said glass frame and a conductor wire in each said glass
tube and passing out therefrom and respectively connected with the circuit wires
and the said platinum sheets substantially as and for the purposes herein before
set forth.
8. The combination in an electrolytic electrical meter of a glass frame or open-
work support with thin sheets or surfaces of platinum or equivalent material
mounted opposite one another on said frame so that said sheets cannot come in
contact and means to attach said sheets to said frame a single vertically extend-
ing glass tube connected to said glass frame and two conductor wires in said
single tube and passing out therefrom said two wires being held out of elec-
trical contact with one another and respectively connected to the circuit wires
and the platinum sheets substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set
forth.
9. The combination in an electrolytic electrical meter of a glass frame or open-
work support with thin sheets or surfaces of platinum or equivalent material
mounted opposite one another on said frame so that said sheets cannot come in
contact and means to attach said sheets to said frame a single vertically extend-
ing glass rod connected to said glass frame and conductor wires outside of said
rod said wires being held out of actual contact with one another and respectively
connected to the circuit wires and to the platinum sheets substantially as and
for the purposes herein before set forth.
10. The combination with a vertically disposed vessel for holding the clec-
trolyte in an electrolytic electrical meter-of an adjustable index scale or indi-
cator and means to adjust same with respect to the said vessel containing the
column of electrolyte "substantially as and for the purposes herein before set
forth.
11. The herein-described method of calibrating an electrolytic electrical meter
which consists in filling the vessel for holding the electrolyte with liquid up to
the bottom and limit mark already placed on the index scale or indicator and
then adding into said vessel a predetermined measured quantity of the liquid
which will be decomposed by the passage therethrough of a known quantity of

page_text: electric current and then marking said index scale or indicator with the next
mark coinciding with the now increased height of the column of liquid and
then adding similar successive measured quantities of liquid and marking the
index scale or indicator to correspond to the altered height of the column
of liquid after each such addition until the top (or thereabouts) of the index
scale or indicator is reached at which point same may be marked zero substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
Dated this 1st day of December 1898.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, WV.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.