IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ROBERT HENELADE COURTENAY of 77 Prebend Street Islington in the County
of Middlesex Telephonic Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement-
This Invention has for its object the production of electric currents by an
improved method in the construction and charging of voltaic batteries, by means
of which the consumption of zinc or other metals used in the positive cells is
regulated.
In the construction of the cells, I proceed as follows,
The zinc or other positive metal, in plates rods or cylinders, is coated with
asbestos paper, the same being previously prepared with an aqueous solution of
gum lac, or other substances of a like nature, after which the zinc or other metal
is carefully coated with one or more layers of the prepared asbestos paper and
dried, the object being to regulate the consumption of zinc or other metal, during
the time the metal is in the exciting fluids, and prevent the rapid wasting of
same.
The negative elements are carbon preferably, platinum or other negative metal
can be used with advantage in small cells, many cells can be used as one cell.
-The excitants used in the cells can be varied to suit the requirements of the
work to be done, for example, excellent results can be obtained by using equal
quantities of nitric and muriatic acids, or the same proportions of nitric and
sulphuric acids, with nothing but water in the positive cells in which case, the colls
or batteries require to be charged a few hours before using.
The method of exciting the cells, which I prefer is to use two porous cells,
the inner one preferably containing strong acid, the middle cell containing water,
or water and a small quantity of common salt or its equivalent of any substance
to render the water of greater conductivity in starting the immediate action of the
batteries, the outer colls being charged with compound oxides, or any suitable
compound salt.
The inner and outer cells can both contain negative elements, if large negative
surfaces are desired, any of the ordinary solutions of salts, and acids, can be

page_text: employed in the above cells, the outer cell being a storage of concentrated chemicals
used to excite the compound cells or batteries.
The compound oxides I find most desirable to use, are copper, chromic, and copper
hydrate, which latter has the properties of rendering the other two substances
oxide of copper, and chromic oxide, harder or more compact when mixed together
and moistened with water.
I also fuse together bichromate of potash or oxide of cromium and copper hydrate
and oxide, making the mixture into any desirable form, and place it into any
suitable holder or receptacle in the negative cells of the batteries, the same being
gradually dissolved, while there is any acid or other excitant in the cells.
The above mixture is not deliquescent and can be considered as a storing up of
oxygen, in the most suitable form and convenience for voltaic batteries.
ALTH
Figure 1 shows a compound cell.
Letter, A, is a square outer cell of wood or delf.
-
B, are carbon plates.
O, is a porous tube for positive element.
D, is the inner porous tube with or without carbons and containing concentrated
acids or other chemicals.
Fig. 2 shows also a compound cell with several porous cells.
Letter, A, shows the interior of outer cell.
B, one of the carbon platos.
CCCCC, are porous cells, which can be if required all positive elements, or one
or more can contain concentrated chemicals.
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 :-
1 I claim the method of preserving the zinc or other metals from violent
wasteful action when in the excitants, by cheap and simple means as described, I
do not bind myself to use only asbestos and shellac varnish, as substances of a
similar nature can be used prepared with a suitable adhesive vehicle.
2nd I claim in this Invention the method of employing a storage of concentrated
acids or salts in the third or outer cells, the first and third being connected as one
negative cell or otherwise, according to the requirements of the work of the cells.
3rd I also claim a method of manufacturing a dry hard compound of chromic
oxide and copper suitable for the above improved voltaic batterics.
D
L 1004