Year: 1888

page_text: I, GEORGE JAMES WEIR, Student of Science in the University of Glasgow, and
residing at Hillcrest, Partickhill, near Glasgow, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to obtain such an arrangement of carbon and zine
as shall, when used with the usual chromic acid solutions, or other suitable liquid,
produce a cell which satisfies the following amongst other requisites:
Firstly, freedom from polarisation; secondly, small internal resistance of the cell;
thirdly, minimum consumption of zinc.
My improvement consists in grouping a number of carbon rods closely about the
zinc. In one form of cell the rods may be separated from the. zinc and from each
other by indiarubber, or other suitable material, and may be kept in position round
the zinc by elastic bands. The ends of the carbon rods may be coated with copper, to
which a copper ligament and other wires may be soldered.

page_text: I GEORGE JAMES WEIR, student of Science in the University of Glasgow, and
residing at Hillcrest, l'artickhill, near Glasgow, 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 this invention is to produce from common cheap materials a perfectly
satisfactory primary battery for electric lighting and other purposes.
In my form of cell a number of.carbon rods are arranged and grouped closely about
the zinc. By this arrangement a comparatively large carbon surface is brought very
close to a small zinc surface, and the spaces between the carbons allow free play of the
liquid about their surfaces.
Thus very perfect freedom from polarisation is obtained, and at the same time the
internal resistance of the cell is kept very small also the zinc being supplied with
liquid which has been in great measure de-oxidised by the carbons does not waste
away too rapidly.
One form of cell is represented in fig. 1. In this form Z is a zinc rod which may
be about seven--inches long-and half an inch in diameter. This rod should be well
amalgamated. To the zinc rod is attached the copper wire A which may serve both as
one terminal of the cell and to suspend the elements from any convenient support.
Round the zinc rod are grouped a number of carbon rods, c₁, C2, C3, &c., each of
which may be about six and a half inches long and a fifth of an inch in diameter.
On both ends of these rods are slipped pieces of indiarubber tubing, or other suitable
material,,, as illustrated in fig. 2. These serve to keep the carbons at a suitable
distance from the zinc and from each other. An elastic or other suitable band placed
one at the upper and another at the lower end of the carbons, e₁, е, keeps them in
their places.
A short length at the upper end of each carbon rod may be coated with copper by
electrolysis; then a number of turns of fine copper wire having been wound round
the electroplated parts while the rods are in position about the zinc can be soldered to
each rod separately. Thus a band or ligament may be formed which puts the rods in
good electrical contact with each other; and which, when cut through between one
pair of rods, as in fig. 1, makes it possible to apply the carbons to the zinc and remove
them from it all at once. Fig. 3 illustrates this, showing the upper ends of the rods,
with ligament D E attached, kept in position by the elastic band e₁; and fig. 4 shows
the carbon rods in process of removal from the zinc the elastic bands having been
taken off. By means of this contrivance the renewing of the zinc is made very easy
and takes very little time.
B and C are thick copper wires which may be soldered respectively to two opposite
carbon rods and serve to support the elements- in the neck of a bottle. C may also
carry a binding screw.

page_text: The exciting liquid is a solution of chromic acid, or bichromate of potash, with or
without the addition of sulphuric acid; or this arrangement of elements may be used
with any other suitable liquid.
When not in use the elements should be taken out of the liquid, and may be either
washed and placed in a box or they may be left in position above the liquid, any
suitable lifting arrangements being employed.
Numbers of cells may be arranged in frames in the usual manner to form batteries,
and the elements may be placed at one end of a waterproof box, with the liquid
at the other end, so that when inverted the elements become immersed in the
solution.
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. Primary Electric Battery in which the carbon in the form of rods is closely
arranged about the zinc of the cell; as hereinbefore illustrated by the description and
annexed drawings of one form of cell.
2. A method of connecting the carbon rods together by means of a copper ligament
soldered separately to each rod; substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the annexed drawings.