IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1885

page_text: I EBENEZER BANTON BURR of 85 Gracechurch Street in the City of London
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANIC BATTERIES" to be as follows:-
This improvement relates to either what are known as single or double fluid
batteries and consists in so arranging the cells that they shall be connected so as to
allow the liquid to flow from a reservoir on the top of the Battery through cach
cell into a similar reservoir at the bottom of the Battery-These reservoirs are
made to be interchangeable so that when the one at the top of the Battery has
emptied itself it can be replaced by the one at the bottom which will then be full.
The top reservoir is connected to the first cell by means of a suitable tube
containing a stop cock which is adjusted to the flow required. This cell is con-
nected with the second and following cells of the series by suitable tubes which
may be attached at either the side or the bottom of the cells and which should not
be more than three eights of an inch in diameter. The last cell of the series is
connected with the bottom reservoir by means of a suitable tube containing a stop
cock which must be adjusted to correspond with the stop cock in the top reservoir,
also a self acting valve arranged to close when the bottom reservoir becomes full.
In double fluid Batteries two reservoirs can be provided at top and two at bottom
of the cells.

page_text: I, EBENEZER BANTON BURR, of 85 Gracechurch Street in the County of
Middlesex 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide improved means whereby the liquid or
liquids in a galvanic battery comprising a series or group of cells or elements may be
continuously circulated and thus kept of uniform strength throughout as hereinafter
described.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of a single fluid battery constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section of the said battery with the reservoirs
hereinafter described applied thereto.
a is a vessel of porcelain or other suitable material provided with partitions b
whereby it is divided into compartments or cells c. d, d are pipes or passages
which are formed in the sides or walls of the said vessel and connect the said cells,
and through which the fluid circulates.
The said pipes are preferably arranged outside the cells as shown. They should
not exceed one centimetre in internal diameter, as otherwise there would not be
sufficient resistance to the passage of the current from one cell to another, that is
to say, the cells would not be sufficiently isolated from each other. Larger con-
necting pipes might be used, but, in this case, it would be necessary to make them
proportionately longer in order to obtain sufficient resistance.
The inlet and outlet of each cell are arranged at a considerable distance from
each other to ensure the proper circulation of the liquid in the cell. For this
purpose I prefer to place them alternately at high and low levels as shewn. The
pipes d, in the apparatus shown in the drawings, are made integral with the
vessel a, but they may, if desired, be made separate therefrom and secured thereto.
The said pipes may be of any suitable material which will not be injured by the
acids flowing through them.
To ensure an efficient and continuous circulation of liquid through the said cells,
I employ two reservoirs e, f, one of which is placed above the level of the liquid in
the battery and the other of which is placed beneath the battery. The upper
reservoir is to be filled with liquid for supplying the battery and the lower reservoir
is designed to receive the liquid as it overflows from the battery. These reservoirs
are interchangeable so that, when the lower reservoir is full and the upper
reservoir empty, their positions may be reversed, the full reservoir from the bottom
being placed at the top and the empty reservoir from the top being placed at the
bottom of the battery. Each reservoir is provided with a pipe g through which the
liquid will flow from the said reservoir, when placed at the top, into the first
cell of the series. Each of these pipes is provided with a stop-cock h of glass or
other material which will not be attacked by the acids. The liquid, after Howing

page_text: through all the cells of the series, escapes through the overflow pipe i into the
reservoir placed at the bottom of the battery.
Each reservoir is provided with upper and lower extensions k, l. The upper
extension is adapted to receive the vessel a; the lower extension is made to fit
upon the top of the said vessel and is provided with angle pieces m of metal or
other suitable material, whereby the reservoir is supported upon the vessel a as
shown. Each reservoir is closed at the top with the exception of an aperture n
through which the liquid overflowing from the battery will enter the said reservoir
when the latter is placed beneath the battery.
In a single fluid battery two reservoirs only are necessary, but in a two fluid
battery if it is desired that both liquids should circulate four reservoirs must be
employed.
The pipes or passages d should all be a sufficient distance below the top of the
overflow pipe i to ensure the prevention (by the pressure of liquid above the
pipes d) of the accumulation of gas within the said pipes.
I sometimes make the lower part of each reservoir of annular shape so that it
will fit upon and surround the upper part of the vessel a; I thus provide for
diminishing the height of the apparatus without diminishing the capacity of the
reservoirs. In this case, the supply pipes of the reservoirs must be connected there-
with in such a manner that the whole of the liquid will flow therefrom into the
battery.
In the apparatus shown in the drawings, I employ in each cell a single piece o
of zinc triangular in transverse section and three carbon plates p arranged at the
sides thereof, but any other suitable arrangement may be adopted.
My improved apparatus will serve very advantageously as the base or body of
a lamp, and may be enclosed in a suitable ornamental casing for this purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In or for an electric battery, a vessel divided into compartments or
cells and provided with pipes or passages connecting the said cells, and with
an overflow pipe, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Second. The combination, with a galvanic battery, of interchangeable reservoirs
for the purpose above specified.
Third. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and combined
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the
purpose specified.