Improvements in and relating to Galvanic Batteries.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Galvanic Batteries.
1, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad from John Randolph
Hard, Electrician, and Henry Connett, Patent Agent, both of 132, Nassau
Street, in the City, County and State of New York, United States of America,)
to be as follows:-
This invention relates in the main to dry batteries of the open circuit class, the
objects thereof being-To provide the battery cell with a gas-outlet for the
purpose of relieving it from excessive internal pressure and at the same time
guarding against the escape at such outlet of the liquefied excitant should
the cell be placed in an inclined or inverted position; to provide the gas-outlet
or outlets with a valve or valves which open outwardly, whereby access of air to
the cell is prevented; to improve the construction of the chloride of silver element,
and generally to improve the construction of the cell.
One form of galvanic cell to which this invention is especially applicable consists
of a deep, tubular, zinc cup, forming the positive element, in which is placed a rod
or piece of chloride of silver, forming the negative element. This latter element
is surrounded by an excitant of a gelatinous nature. The zinc cup forms one
contact or pole and a silver wire, embedded in the negative element and projecting
from the cup, forms the other pole. These poles will usually be in electrical
communication with suitable binding posts through the medium of spring
contacts.
According to the preferred mode of carrying out the invention, the chloride of
silver element is formed as a rod and is grooved circumferentially or spirally.
This element is cast or formed on the silver rod or wire, and other silver wires
or slips may branch from this wire and be embedded in the chloride element.
This element rests in the zinc cup on a base or plate of insulating material, and
about it is placed the mass of exciting material. It is also preferred to apply to
the chloride element a coating of carbon; the same being applied directly thereto,
or on a cloth wrapping.
The zinc cup is closed by a cap or stopper of wood, hard rubber, or other
insulating material, which has a central nipple projecting down into the cup.
The silver wire electrode passes through this nipple, and the gas-outlet or outlets
are also in this nipple; these outlets being in some cases closed by a valve or
valves adapted to exclude air. About the nipple there is a space within the plug
and cup to receive the liquefied excitant should it flow down to this end of
the cell. By this means the closure of the gas-outlet or outlets by the liquid is
prevented.
The cell may be enclosed in a casing having a cap whereon the contacts and
binding posts may be mounted.

page_text: Popovics in and flating to Galvanic DattERIES.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH Hardingham, of 191, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a cominunication to me from abroad from John Randolph
Hard, Electrician, and Henry Connett, Patent Agent, both of 132, Nassau
Street, in the City, County and State of New York, United States of America,)
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 in the main to dry batteries of the open-circuit class, the
objects thereof being-To provide the battery cell with a gas outlet or outlets
for the purpose of relieving it from excessive internal pressure and at the same
time guarding against the escape at such outlet of the liquefied excitant should
the cell be placed in an inclined or inverted position; to provide the gas outlet or
outlets with a valve or valves which open outwardly, whereby access of air to
the cell is prevented; to improve the construction of the chloride of silver
element; and, generally, to improve the construction of the cell.
In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate a cell constructed
in accordance with this invention,
Fig. is a vertical section of the cell and its casing; Fig. 2 being a plan
thereof.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3, 3 in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan of of the cell without its casing.
Fig. 5 is a plan and Fig. 6 a vertical section of a modified cell.
Fig. 7 is a vertical section and Fig. 8 a horizontal
alteration in the chloride of silver element of the cell.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the cell without its casing.
section representing an
Fig. 10 illustrates the way in which the cell can be mounted in a hole bored in
timber;
Fig. 11 being a similar view shewing slight variations.
One form of galvanic cell to which this invention is specially applicable consists
of a casing a furnished with a cap and containing a deep tubular zinc cupc
constituting the positive element, and in which is placed a rod or a piece of
chloride of silver f acting as, the negative element. The latter element is
surrounded by an excitant of a gelatinous nature. The zinc cup c serves as
one contact or pole; a silver wire d embedded in the negative element and pro-
jecting from the zine cup being the other contact or pole. The poles are usually
in electrical communication with suitable binding posts m through the medium of
spring-contacts p and n.
According to the preferred mode of carrying out the invention, the rod of
chloride of silver which constitutes the negative element is grooved circumferen-
tially, as in Fig. 1, or spirally, as in Fig. 6. This element of chloride of silver is
cast or formed on the silver wire d, and silver slips d, Fig. 1, or silver wires d²,
Figs. 7 and 8, may branch from this wire and be embedded in the chloride. This
element rests in the zinc cup c on a base or plate e of insulating material, and
about it is placed the mass of exciting materialy. [The material is omitted in
Fig. 6.] It is also preferred to apply to the chloride element a coating of carbon ;
the same being applied directly thereto, or on a cloth wrapping o.
The
The zinc cup is closed by a stopper of wood, hard rubber or other insulating
material, which has a central nipple projecting down into the cup.
silver wire electrode d passes out through the nipple.
the nipple, these outlets being closed by a valve
The gas outlets i are also in
adapted to exclude air. A

page_text: separate valve may be used for each outlet. Or, only one outlet need be employed.
About the nipple there is a space within the plug and zinc cup to receive the
liquefied excitant should it flow down to that end of the cell. By these means, the
closure of the gas outlet or outlets by the liquid is prevented. The insulating base
or plate e is recessed in order to increase the superficial area of the part in contact
with the excitant; the object being to increase the insulation.
In Figs. 5 and 6, the zinc cup is stopped by a cap *, which screws on outside
the cup; the binding posts m and contacts and a being in this instance mounted
directly on the cap /*.
Instead of enclosing the cell in a casing a having a cap whereon the contacts p
and and binding posts m are mounted, the cell may be placed in a hole bored in
timber, such as the frame or casing of a door. In Fig. 10, the hole is enlarged to
a convenient depth and stopped by a screw-cap the contact p rubbing against
the exterior of the zinc cup while the cap is being screwed home. In Fig. 11,
the hole is not so enlarged; the stopper being pushed further into the cup
than usual so as to enable the contact p to rub against the interior surface of
the cap c.
The valvej may be secured to the stopper h, or to a rubber, covering k on the
rod d. The valve j, in addition to allowing gas to escape from the cup c, prevents
air gaining access thereto, as air would dry the excitant, and thereby lessen its
effect. It also keeps dust and dirt out of the gas outlet or outlets.
The fibrous and absorbent nature of the wrapping o permits the excitant
compound to pass through it with sufficient freedom; the conductive coating of the
fabric or of the rod of chloride of silver setting up a galvanic action quickly
when the circuit is closed.
The engagement of the excitant compound, which is quite stiff, with the grooves
or convolutions in the element tends to prevent the displacement of the
compound.
If the excitant compound be too liquid, a washer of porous material may be
placed in the cup e over the element f.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. A closed galvanic cell having a stopper containing an outlet for gas, and a
valve opening outwardly for controlling the outlet, substantially as herein
described.
2. A galvanic cell having a stopper provided with a gas-outlet and a central
inwardly-projecting nipple, the gas outlet extending through the nipple, substan-
tially as herein described.
3. A galvanic cell having a stopper provided with a gas-outlet and a central
inwardly-projecting nipple, the gas-outlet extending through the nipple, and a valve
which opens outwardly and controlls the gas outlet, substantially. as herein
described.
4. A galvanic cell comprising a zinc cup forming one element, a recessed rod of
chloride of silver arranged within the cup and forming the other element, a stopper
closing the zinc cup, a silver wire connected with the chloride of silver and
extending outwardly through the stopper, and an excitant compound in which the
chloride of silver element is immersed, the excitant compound occupying the recesses
in that element, substantially as herein described.
5. The combination, with a galvanic cell having a zinc cup c, which forms the
positive element, and a rod d, constituting the negative element, of a cap adapted
to screw on the zine cup or its casing, and contact-pieces and n carried by
the cap and adapted to be put respectively into contact with the zinc cup c
and the rod d when the cap is in place, substantially as and for the purposes
berein set forth.
6. A galvanic cell comprising a negative element having a grooved piece of chloride
of silver f, a silver wire d extending into the chloride, and silver discs or plates d¹

page_text: or wires d² attached to the wire d and embedded in the chloride, substantially as
herein described.
7. In a galvanic cell, the combination, with a chloride of silver element, of a
conductive coating of carbon applied to the surface of the element, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
8. In a galvanic cell, the combination, with a chloride of silver element and a
silver wire d, of a wrapping of fibrous material o, coated with carbon and
applied to the element and the wire, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
11902
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM.