A NEW OR IMPROVED ELECTRIC ACCUMULATOR FOR THE STORAGE OF ELECTRIC ENERGY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sigismund Cohné, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of
London, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED ELECTRIC ACCUMULATOR
FOR THE STORAGE OF ELECTRIC ENERGY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sigismund Cohné at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1882.
SIGISMUND COHNÉ of Gracechurch Street in the City of London "A NEW OR
IMPROVED ELECTRIC ACCUMULATOR FOR THE STORAGE OF ELECTRIC ENERGY."
This Invention relates to a new or improved accumulator for the storage of
electric energy (commonly called storage of electricity) for the purposes of electric.
lighting and electro motive power whereby I obtain a larger capacity of storage
combined with greater efficiency and durability.
Hitherto the cells of the accumulators in use are liable to polarise themselves
and require a considerable volume and weight or the electrodes are quickly
destroyed.
The object therefore of my Invention is to obviate those defects and also to
simplify the construction of the accumulator whereby it is more readily applicable
to different uses.
According to my Invention I apply on the surface of a sheet of lead of any
convenient size (by preference I use one about a foot square and about 1/16 of an
inch thick) a layer of mercuric sulphide Hg S say about 6 ozs to the square foot
whether amorphous or crystallized by preference I use the crystallized Hg S
called cinnabar or vermillion, and bend the coated sheet into the form of a box or
into the form of a spiral so that the layer cannot be removed by the acid. This
prepared sheet I use for the positive electrode. A second sheet of lead rather less
in size I arrange and prepare in the same way as the first one, for the negative
electrode. Both sheets are perforated and placed so as to be separate or apart
from each other into a jar or box filled with diluted sulphuric acid in the usual
way and then charged by the ordinary known process. The following action takes
place: As soon as the current enters, hydrogen is liberated which reduces the
D

page_text: mercuric sulphide, gradually causing a deposition of metallic mercury on the
surface of the lead; immediately the effects of polarisation are manifested, local
action disappears, then the amalgam formed without being destructive to the lead,
decomposes the water (à fact well known in organic. chemistry) and in that way
hydrogen is always conserved and travels backwards and forwards as the cells are
charged and discharged, the precipitated sulphur acting as a resistance. The result
is very powerful, and constant, polarisation lasting many times longer than with
any other known accumulator.
I may also use sulphate of mercury Hg² O. S O³ as a layer instead of mercuric
sulphide Hg S.
Or I may employ the well known Sutton accumulator and substitute for the
amalgamated lead as adopted by him, a layer of mercuric sulphide or one of sulphate
of mercury by which the lead is not destroyed as is the case in the use of
the direct amalgam.
.
The essential features of my Invention are the use of mercuric sulphide Hg S
whether amorphous or crystallized called cinnabar or vermillion also sulphate of
mercury Hg² O. SO³ as a layer on lead as above described and for the purposes
herein mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sigismund Cohné in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th July
1882.
SIGISMUND COHNÉ of Gracechurch Street in the City of London
"A NEW OR
IMPROVED ELECTRIC ACCUMULATOR FOR THE STORAGE OF ELECTRIC ENERGY."
This Invention relates to a new or improved accumulator for the storage of
electric energy (commonly called storage of electricity) for the purposes of electric
lighting and electro motive power whereby I obtain a larger capacity of storage
combined with greater efficiency and durability.
Hitherto the cells of the accumulators in use are liable to polarize themselves
and require considerable volume and weight or the electrodes are quickly
destroyed.
The object therefore of my Invention is to obviate those defects and also to
simplify the construction of the accumulator whereby it is more readily applicable
to different uses.
According to my Invention I apply on the surface of a sheet of lead of any
convenient size (by preference I used one of about a foot wide and of about 1/18th of
an inch thick a layer of mercuric sulphide (Hg S) say about six ounces to the
square foot whether amorphous or crystallized by preference I use the crystallized
Hg S called cinnabar or vermillion. The mercuric sulphide is applied most
conveniently by first making it into a paste by mixing it with a little diluted
sulphuric acid. I bend the coated lead sheet into the form of a box or into the
form of a spiral so that the layer is enclosed by the plate and thus cannot be
detached by the acid. This prepared sheet I use for the electrode at the positive
pole. A second sheet of lead rather less in size I arrange and prepare in the same
way as the first one for the electrode at the negative pole. Both sheets are perforated
and placed so as to be separate or apart from each other into a jar or box filled
with diluted sulphuric acid and then the cell or cells may be charged by the ordinary
electrical process or in any suitable manner.
The following action takes place As soon as the current enters. Hydrogen is
liberated which reduces the mercuric sulphide gradually causing a deposition of
metallic mercury on the surface of the lead immediately the effects of polarization
are manifested local action disappears then the amalgam formed without being
destructive to the lead decomposes the water (a fact well known in chemistry) and
in that way hydrogen is always conserved and travels backwards and forwards
as the cells are charged and discharged and peroxide of lead is thus formed the
precipitated sulphur acting as a resistance. The result is very powerful and
constant polarization lasting many times longer than with any other known
accumulator.
I may also use sulphate of mercury (Hg³ O S 0³) as a layer instead of mercuric
sulphide (Hg S).
Or I may employ the well known Sutton accumulator and substitute for the
amalgamated lead as adopted by him a layer of mercuric sulphide or one of sulphate
of mercury by which the lead is not destroyed as is the case in the use of the direct
amalgam.
The essential features of my Invention are the use of mercuric sulphide (Hg S)
whether amorphus or crystallized called cinnabar or vermillion also sulphate of
mercury (Hg2 O, S O³) as a layer on lead as above described and for the purposes
herein mentioned.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
The construction and use of an accumulator for the storage of electric energy
wherein the electrodes or one of them consist or consists of lead coated or covered
with or enclosing murcuric sulphide or sulphate of mercury substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof I the said Sigismund Cohné have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this 13th day of July One thousand eight hundred and
eighty two.
SIGISMUND COHNÉ. (L.S.)