IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC BATTERIES." A communication from abroad by George Fournier,
of Paris, France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES." A com-
munication from abroad by George Fournier, of Paris, France.
:
This Invention consists essentially in the employment of metallic oxides capable
of forming with glycerine or glyceric acid a solid compound insoluble in water,
and the use of this compound for the manufacture of primary and secondary
batteries.
Of all the metallic oxides oxide of lead is the best adapted for the purposes of
this Invention. The following is the method of operation:-
I take oxide of lead in powder and mix it with glycerine in sufficient quantity
to form a thick paste sufficiently fluid to be run into moulds of suitable form.
In about 24 hours after being thus cast the mass becomes solid and insoluble in
water. This compound is very readily reducible, so much so that by placing it in
a bath of dilute sulphuric acid in connection by a conducting wiro with metallic
zinc it becomes reduced as fast as it is attached by the zinc to metallic lead. It is
therefore eminently suited for the manufacture of galvanic batteries in which
it would form the depolarizing electrode, whether employed wholly in lien of
carbon or whether applied in layers upon carbon or other conductor of electricity.
It is an excellent depolarizing ngent, which permits of forming constant single fluid
batteries. As above mentioned the compound after having served as the depolarizing
electrode becomes completely reduced. Thus in the example we have metallic lead
as the product of this reduction, which being in a complete state of division is
eminently adapted to recombine with oxygen in order to serve again as a
depolarizing agent, or even to become peroxidized, and may therefore be employed
with advantage in the manufacture of secondary batteries.
I may prepare secondary batterios directly by the peroxidation of plates prepared
with oxide of lead and glycerine as above described without previous reduction to
the metallic state.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd May 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES." A com-
munication from abroad by George Fournier, of Paris, France.
This Invention consists essentially in the employment in primary and secondary
batteries of a mixture of glycerine or glyceric acid, and of inetallic oxides capablo
of forming therewith a solid compound insoluble in water.
This
In carrying out this Invention I take lead oxide for example (which of all the
metallic oxides is best adapted for the purposes of this Invention) in powder, and
mix it with glycerine in such quantity as to form a thick paste sufficiently fluid
to be run into moulds. In about 24 hours after being thus cast in moulds of
suitable form the mixture sets in a solid mass which is insoluble in water.
compound is exceedingly reducible, so much so that when immersed in dilute
sulphuric acid together and in circuit with metallic zinc, it becomes reduced to
the metallic state as fast as the zinc is attacked. It is therefore cininently suited
for use in galvanic batteries as it would prevent galvanic polarization, and it may
either wholly replace carbon or be applied in layers upon carbon or other
conductor of electricity. Being such an excellent depolarizing agent, it enables one
to obtain a constant single fluid battery.
As above mentioned the compound becomes completely reduced and therefore in
the present example we have metallic lead as the product of this reduction, which
being in a complete state of division will be very readily reoxidized for use again
as a depolarizing agent, or even become peroxidized, and may therefore be employed
with advantage in the construction of secondary batteries.
I may also prepare secondary batteries by the direct peroxidation of plates
composed of or prepared with a compound of lead oxide and glycerine, as above
described, without the intermediate reduction of the lead to the metallic state.
I have stated that the oxido of lead is the one best suited to form the plastic
mass with glycerine, but I may, without departing from this Invention, add thereto
other matters still better adapted to oppose polarization of the electrode, such as
the peroxides of lead, manganese, &c. These, although not capable alone of
combining with glycerine, are nevertheless susceptible of being agglomerated
(when mixed in suitable proportions) with lead, oxide, and glycerine, which form
therewith a solid mass in the same way as does plaster, with which inert bodies,
such as sand or metallic powder, have been mixed before setting.
The addition of peroxides confers greater depolarizing properties, as the com-
pound then contains, weight for weight, a higher proportion of oxygen, besides
which the peroxides being better conductors of electricity than the oxides the
internal resistance of the battery is notably reduced and its power correspondingly
increased. This quality of conductibility consequently enables the portions of the
mixture not already peroxidized to be more easily peroxidized by the passage of
the electric current, and permits of the production of plates of any desired thickness
wholly composed of lend peroxide, and very suitable for use either, in primary or
secondary batteries, as hereafter referred to.
Let us consider, first, the action of a primary battery, in which a plate composed
of glycerine, lead oxide, and lead peroxide, agglomerated as above mentioned, and
plunged in a dilute solution of sulphuric acid contained in a cell, forms the negative

page_text: plate or element, and a copper plate of suitable thickness forms the positive plate
or element. When the circuit is closed the sulphuric acid attacks the copper plato
forming sulphate of copper, and disengaging hydrogen which passes to the plate,
composed of glycerine, lead oxide, and peroxide. This plate would soon be covered
and polarized were the hydrogen not in contact with a matter capable of very
readily oxidizing it. No polarization will therefore take place, and the battery
will act with uniform constancy so long as the acid acts on the copper plate, and
there remains in the compound plate any oxygen to oxidize the hydrogen thereby
disengaged.
A battery thus composed is, so to speak, of indefinite duration, as it may be
readily reconstituted or reconverted into its primitive elements by the passage of
an electric current. Suppose that the whole of the sulphuric acid has combined
with the copper and formed sulphate of copper, and the hydrogen thereby dis-
engaged has combined with the whole of the oxygen of the compound plate of
lead oxide, lead peroxide, and glycerine, there will remain in the battery only the
plate of copper partially attacked, sulphate of copper, and the plate of reduced
lead. If now an electric current be passed through the battery in the proper way,
the sulphate of copper will be decomposed, copper will be deposited on the copper
plate, the oxygen of the decomposed sulphate of copper will combine with the
reduced lead plate and reoxidize it, the sulphuric acid will be set free again, and
the battery will then be reconstituted and ready for further action.
It should be understood that I have incerely instanced copper and sulphuric acid
by way of example, as other metals and acids will give the same result.
In the case of secondary batteries the compound plate of oxide, peroxide, and
glycerine is immersed in a dilute sulphuric acid solution, in presence either of a
sheet of lead, or, better still, a plate composed of lead oxide, metallic lead in
powder, and glycerine. A current passed through this battery under proper con-
ditions will decompose the water, the oxygen combining with the plate of oxide,
peroxide, and glycerine, completely peroxidising it, and the bydrogen passing to
the other plate. Thus we have the elements of a Planté accumulator, with the
difference that the substances employed are in a condition more favorable for
oxidation and reduction than sheet lead.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. An element for primary and secondary batteries formed of a paste composed
of a mixture of glycerine or glyceric acid, and one or more metallic oxides capable
of setting when mixed therewith, the said mixture being moulded into any suitable
form or applied to pieces of carbon or other conducting substance, substantially as
and for the purpose above specified.
2nd. An element for primary and secondary batteries composed of a plastic
mixture of oxide of lead and glycerine moulded of any desired form, the said
element being, in the case of secondary batteries, peroxidised either directly or
after preliminary reduction, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3rd. An element for primary and secondary batteries formed of a plastic mixture
of lead oxide and glycerine, combined with other metallic oxides still more capable
of preventing polarization, but not capable of forming by themselves a paste with
glycerine, such as the peroxides of lead, manganese, &c., the said mixture being
moulded in any desired form, substantially as above described, and combined, in
the case of secondary batteries, either with a lead plate or with a plato composed
of lead oxide, metallic lead in powder, and glycerine, the whole substantially as
herein described and for the purpose specified.
4th. A single fluid primary battery formed, by the combination of a suitable
metallic element and of an element capable of preventing polarization, and con-
sisting either of a mixture of glycerine and lead oxide, or other oxide capable of
setting with glyceriue, or of a mixture of glycerine, lead oxide, and other sub-

page_text: stances possessing still greater depolarizing properties, such as the peroxides of
lead, manganese, &c., substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 22nd day of May, A.D. 1882.
A
OLADE