A NEW ELECTRIC PILE TO BE USED IN TELEGRAPHY, LOCOMOTION, AND ELECTRICAL LIGHTING
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ernest Verdeau, of Bordeaux, Department of the
.
Gironde, in the Republic of France (Merchant), for the Invention
of "A NEW ELECTRIC PILE TO BE USED IN TELEGRAPHY, LOCOMOTION,
AND ELECTRICAL LIGHTING."
Sealed the 29th May 1874, and dated the 2nd December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ernest Verdeau at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd December 1873.
I, ERNEST VERDEAU, of Bordeaux, Department of the Gironde, in the
Republic of France, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "A NEW ELECTRIC PILE TO BE USED IN TELEGRAPHY,
LOCOMOTION, AND ELECTRICAL LIGHTING," to be as follows:-

page_text: a spiral form, the diameter of which may be increased or decreased at
pleasure, and which may be of various forms, round or flat.
2°. Into the glass vessel containing the iron worm is poured hydro-
chloric acid up to the height of the worm.
I would here observe that to obtain quantities of electricity for scien-
tific bodies azotic acid should be put into the porous vessel, the electric
light could thus be produced at half price by the use of iron.
3°. An ordinary porous vessel surrounded by the worm placed in the
middle of the glass vessel.
4° A retort coal conductor of electricity in the porous vessel. The
liquid mentioned in No. 2 is poured into the porous vessel.
The novelty of my Invention is based on the use of iron and of hydro-
chloric acid, and not on the size or pattern of the pile, because I obtain
a greater tension and regularity of current. To destroy the small
quantity of gas disengaged from the hydrochloric acid I pour in about
a quart of urine for every ten quarts of hydrochloric acid, and this is
sufficient to destroy the smoke.
The main question solved by my Invention is the enormous economy
given by the use of hydrochloric acid, the cost of which is less than
1d. per lb. Moreover I obtain an economy of say 60 per cent. by using
iron instead of zinc.
The adoption of my Invention renders the use of azotic acid quite
unnecessary for telegraphic purposes. The hydrochloric acid may be
poured without any particular care into the two vessels, but to prevent
evaporation, especially when using azotic acid, it is desirable to pour into
the two vessels a small quantity of oil of any kind, or of urine, or pre-
ferably to place therein a piece of crystal or of marble. These two
latter substances totally preventing evaporation..
I would observe in conclusion that my new pile is applicable to
telegraphy, locomotion, electrical lighting, and various other purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ernest Verdeau in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
VERDEAU, of Bordeaux, Department of the Gironde, in the Republic of
France (Merchant), send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Ernest Verdeau, Her special
licence that I, the said Ernest Verdeau, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ernest Verdeau, 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 Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW ELECTRIC
PILE TO BE USED IN TELEGRAPHY, LOCOMOTION, AND ELECTRICAL LIGHTING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ernest Verdeau, 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 Ernest Verdeau, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :―
९
[
The object of my Invention is to provide a cheap and efficient pile
applicable to telegraphy, locomotion, electrical lighting, and the various
other purposes to which ordinary piles are applied, by the use of iron
and hydrochloric acid.

page_text: T. A glass vessel as in ordinary pies and a worm or from wire and
a spiral form, the diameter of which may be increased or decreased at
pleasure, and which may be of various forms.
2°. Into the glass vessel containing the iron worm I pour hydro-
chloric acid up to the height of the worm.
3°. An ordinary porous vessel surrounded by the worm placed in the
middle of the glass vessel.
4°. A retort coal conductor of electricity in the porous vessel.
I would here observe that to obtain quantities of electricity for
scientific bodies azotic acid should be placed in the porous vessel. The
electric light could then be produced at half price by the use of
iron:
The novelty of my Invention is based on the use of iron and of hydro-
chloric acid, and not on the size or pattern of the pile, and I obtain a 1
greater degree of tension and more regularity of current than in
ordinary piles. To destroy the small quantity of gas disengaged from
the hydrochloric acid I pour in about a quart of urine for every ten
quarts of hydrochloric acid, and this is sufficient to destroy the
smoke.
The economy of my pile is very great, as hydrochloric acid costs less
than a penny a pound, and the iron gives a saving of sixty per cent. as
compared with zinc.
'
2
The adoption of my Invention renders the use of azotic acid quite
unnecessary for telegraphic purposes. The hydrochloric acid may be a
poured into the two vessels without any particular care; but to prevent:
evaporation, especially when using azotic acid, it is desirable to pour into
the two vessels a small quantity of any kind of oil or of urine, or pre-
ferably to place therein a piece of crystal or of marble, these two
latter substances totally preventing evaporation.
I may simplify my pile by making it of three pieces instead of four,
namely:-
$ 19 A cast iron vessel

page_text: The liquid has the same property, but is more effective. For piles for
electric lighting, the hydrochloric acid being in the cast-iron vessel, I
put azotic acid in the porous vase and obtain a pile giving an electric
light for at least 48 hours and quite as strong as a "Bunson " pile.
I claim as of my Invention the combination in an electric pile substan-
tially as described of iron and hydrochloric acid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Verdeau, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-four.
JEAN BONNIER.
JEAN BAPTISTE GIRARD.
E. VERDEAU.
(L.S.)