An Electrical Battery.
Year: 1888

page_text: Late of Application, 8th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan.. 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 12th Feb.,
188
An Electrical Battery.
I, NORCLIFFE GEORGE THOMPSON of 4 Queen Victoria Street, London E.C.,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a novel principle of generating electric current in a
primary battery or cell, whereby constancy of action may be obtained. I can
construct my cell in any of the usual forms employing zinc for my positive & active
agent and carbon in combination with metal for my negative. I do not bind myself
will be
to any kind of metal, providing it is electro positive to the carbon but copper
most usually employed.
my carbon
The carbon I use will generally be crushed retort carbon which will be packed in
with & interspersed between the metal in the negative vessel, but I may use solid
block plates or cylinders of carbon & metal so long as they are contiguous to each
other, either outside or inside the liquid. The metal employed for the negative vessel
may be in any form, such as, wire, wire gauze, granulated particles, turnings
filings &c. The liquid I use will be a solution of one of the following, Chloride of
Ammonia (Salammoniac) common salt, Hydrochloric acid, or chloride of Antimony,
but I usually employ a solution of Salammoniac, or Hydrochloric acid. My zinc will
be generally placed in a porous pot which I hero call the positive vessel, &
in an outer negative vessel containing the porous pot, but it is immaterial whether
the porous pot be the positive or the negative vessel, in other words the carbon &
metal may be placed inside the porous pot, & the zinc outside if desirable. I do not
always construct my cell with a porous pot, I sometimes pack my carbon & metal
outside or inside a porous carbon tube or vessel, but any porous or open diaphram
may form the division between the two vessels. In cases where I use carbon and
metal in the solid form I need not have any diaphram. The special feature in my
invention is the combination of carbon & metal as negatives in a chloride solution,
whereby a chloride of that metal is formed. This chloride which will most generally
te a chloride of copper, possesses the property of depolarization & takes the place of
the strong oxydizing solutions generally employed for this purpose. The chloride
.

page_text: when performing its function of depolarization, is reduced & deposited as pure
copper, which again is ready to be regenerated into a chloride-The reducing action
only takes place when current is flowing in the external circuit, but regeneration may
take place whether the cell be at rest or at work, & it is possible to proportion these
properties so that regeneration shall keep pace with reduction & thereby produce a
continuous & constant current. Another noticeable feature of my invention is the
employment of a conducting coil distributed throughout the crushed carbon in the
negative vessel, whereby considerable reduction in the internal resistance is effected.
Dated this 5th day of March 1888.

page_text: I, N. G. THOMPSON of 7 Westminster Chambers Victoria Street, London S.W.
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 a novel principle of generating electric current, in a
primary battery or cell, and its object is to maintain the strength of the depolarizing
liquid by a secondary action in the cell itself. I can construct my cell in any of the
usual forms employing zinc for my positive and active agent, and carbon in
combination with metal for my negative.
I do not bind myself to any kind of metal, providing it is electro positive to the
carbon and electro negative to the active agent, but copper will be most usually
employed. The carbon I use will generally be crushed retort carbon which will be
packed in with and interspersed between the metal in the negative vessel, but I may
use solid blocks, plates, cylinders or other forms of carbon with the metal, so long as
the metal & carbon are contiguous to each other, either outside or inside the liquid.
The metal employed for the negative agent in combination with the carbon may
be in any form such as wire, wire gauze, granulated particles, turning filings &c.
The liquid I use will be a solution of one of the following,-Chloride of Ammonia
(Salanimoniac), Common Salt, Hydrochloric Acid, or Chloride of Antimony, but
I usually employ a solution of salammoniac, or Hydrochloric acid.
The active agent or zinc of my cell will generally be placed in a porous pot which
I here call the positive vessel and the carbon & metal combined in an outer negative
vessel containing the porous pot; but it is immaterial whether the porous pot be the
positive or negative vessel, and I may in some cases place the carbon & metal
combination inside the porous pot and the zinc outside. I do not always construct
my cell with a porous pot; I sometimes pack my carbon outside or inside, a porous
or perforated carbon tube or vessel, but any porous or open diaphragm may serve as
a division between the two vessels. In cases where I use carbon and metal in the
solid form I need not have any diaphragms.
The special feature in my invention is the combination of carbon and metal as
negatives in a chloride solution, & the manner whereby a chloride of that metal is formed.
The chloride formed by reason of the above combination will most generally be a
chloride of copper. In strong chloridizing solutions such as Hydrochloric acid, the
regenerative action takes place chiefly under the liquid, whereas with weaker
solutions such as salammoniac the production of the chloride takes place chiefly on
the surface by reason of the air contributing to such action.
When the external circuit is closed and the cell brought into action; the chloride
of copper or other metal held in suspension, parts with its chlorine, which enters
into combination with the Hydrogen adhering to the negative agents, copper being
deposited; but as soon as this action is completed, regeneration is effected by the

page_text: •
unexpended portion of the chloride solution taking up the deposited copper &
reforming a chloride of that metal which is ready for effecting the same depolarizing
action. Hence it will be seen that with strong chloridizing solutions the regeneration
is powerfully effected under the liquid, whereas with weaker solutions, the production
of the metal chloride is rapid on the surface, compared with the feeble regeneration,
that takes place under the liquid.
Another noticeable feature of my invention is the employment of a distributed
conductor or coil in those cells in which a weak chloridizing solution is used. This
conductor is distributed throughout the crushed carbon, and not being seriously
effected by the regenerative action by reason of the weakness of the chloridizing
solution, it tends to reduce the total resistance of the negative agent, and also to the
maintenance of a uniform current.
In describing the chemical action set up in my cell I do so for the purpose of
elucidating the nature of the consecutive changes that take place and also in the
belief that they are the principal causes but I do not wish to bind myself to the
exact nature of such actions but rather to the construction described by virtue of
which chemical changes do take place & are productive of compounds conductive to
polarization.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:―
1-Employing carbon in combination with a metal as a negative agent in a voltaic
cell, the metal being electro positive to carbon and subject to the action of chlorine
as specially described; so that a chloride of that metal is continuously being formed,
for the purposes set forth and in the manner specified.
2-The use of a distributed conductor throughout the crushed carbon for the
purposes set forth and as substantially described.