Improvements in Thermo-electric Generators.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1886.
Complete Left, 12th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 7th Apr., 1887.
Improvements in Thermo-electric Generators.
I, ARTHUR RUST of Granville Road Leicester Gentleman do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in thermo-electric generators.
The elements which I employ in my thermo-electric generator are preferably
of blocks of an alloy of zine and antimony with connections formed of wire gauze (of
suitable metal) passing from the inner or hotter face of the one block to the outer or
cooler face of the next. The alloy in a melted state is cast upon the wire gauze
connections and so an intimate contact is obtained. I fold the wire gauze at its two
extremities where it is embedded in the block of alloy, so that there may be one two
or three or more folds of gauze at each face of the block. The inner face of each
block I prefer to make rectangular, and I build the elements up with the aid of
a non-conducting cement to keep them in place, so that the inner faces of the
block form a cylinder. The axis of the cylinder is vertical, and within it a heater
is provided as is hereinafter described. The outer end, and as far as possible
the sides of the block are freely exposed to the air in order that they may be
maintained at as low a temperature as possible. Sometimes I embed in the substance
of the block diaphragms or partitions of wire gauze so as to produce a partial
discontinuity in the metal of which the block is composed. I insert these partitions
at a short distance from the inner end of the block. Sometimes I apply wire gauze
at the inner face of the block and form the connection from block to block at a short
distance from the inner face. In place of wire gauze I sometimes make use of
perforated metal.
I also make elements in which the connections from block to block are of sheet iron
or other metal. I cut each strip of sheet metal with narrow bands, one at either end,
projecting laterally. These bands I bend into the form of scrolls and I cast metal
blocks upon the scrolls in such manner that one of the scrolls becomes embedded
in the inner face of one block and the other scroll in the outer face of the adjacent
block. As before, the inner faces I make broad and I range them round so as,
with the aid of a non conducting material, to form a complete cylinder within which

page_text: the heater is contained, whilst the outer ends of the blocks I in most cases make
narrower so that these and more or less of the sides of the blocks may be freely
exposed to the air.
In some cases I substitute for the scrolls prong like projections in which connecting
pieces are made to terminate these enter into the substance of the block which
is formed upon them by casting as already explained.
In some cases I employ very shallow blocks cast upon a sheet metal scroll at
the end of a connecting piece. These elements I arrange in large number around a
cylindrical cavity in which a heater is contained. I connect the elements together in
series or otherwise by pressure screws each connecting strip being provided with such
a screw which is made to bear on the exterior surface of the adjacent block.
Sometimes I employ yet smaller clements consisting of metal rings. The ring
is filled with the zinc and antimony alloy and this is cast around a pair of wires, one
say of German silver, the other of copper which are thus fused into the elements.
Small trays or boxes of metal may be substituted for rings.
The heater which occupies the interior of the cylindrical arrangement of elements is
a slow combustion stove of peculiar construction. In the centre is a supply tube
which is charged with coko; it opens at its lower end into a fire box or basket closed
at the bottom by bars, and on these bars is placed a cone which causes an outward
distribution of the fuel as it descends from the supply chamber. Around this supply
chamber and concentric with it there is a casing, and the space between the casing
and the supply tube is filled with sand or other non-conductor of heat which serves to
prevent the heating and cooling from taking place too rapidly which might tend
to disintegrate the elements. Outside the casing again there is a second casing
concentric with the first, and between these spiral flues are formed, three such
flues is a convenient number. The heat and products from the fuel burnt in the fire
box, ascend by these flues which they enter by three apertures arranged symmetrically
around the centre. At the top of the casing there are three corresponding apertures
by which the products of combustion are delivered in a common up take which leads
to a chimney. In this way the exterior casing is very equably heated; a sufficient
temperature is easily maintained and this without risk of overheating and consequent
injury to the apparatus. The inner faces of the thermo-electric elements are in close
proximity to this heated casing although not in electrical connection with it. Thus
the requisite heat is supplied to the elements and these being connected in circuit, an
electrical current flows in the circuit which can be applied for electric lighting and for
other purposes for which electrical currents are at present employed.
A steam heater may in some cases be employed.

page_text: I, ARTHUR RUST of Granville Road, Leicester, Gentleman, 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 :—
This invention has for its object improvements in thermo-electric generators.
The elements which I employ in my thermo-electric generator are preferably of
blocks of an alloy of zinc and antimony with connections formed of wire gauze of
suitable metal passing from the inner or hotter face of the one block to the outer or
cooler face of the next. The alloy in a melted state is cast upon the wire gauze con-
nections and so an intimate contact is obtained. I fold the wire gauze so that there
may be one two or three or more folds of gauze at each face of the block. The inner
face of each block I prefer to make rectangular and I build the elements up with the
aid of a non-conducting material to keep them in place, so that the inner faces of the
block form a cylinder. The axis of the cylinder is vertical, and within it a heater is
provided as is hereinafter described. The outer end, and as far as possible the sides
of the block are freely exposed to the air in order that they may be maintained at as
low a temperature as possible.
The heater which occupies the interior of the cylindrical arrangement of element
is preferably a slow combustion stove. The inner faces of the thermo-electric elements
are in close proximity to the heated casing of the stove although not in electrical con-
nection with it. Thus the requisito heat is supplied to the elements and these being
connected in circuit, an electrical current flows in the circuit which can be applied for
electric lighting and for other purposes for which electrical currents are at present
employed. A steam heater may in some cases be employed.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of two thermo-electric elements made in accordance with my
invention. Figure 2 is a side elevation and Figure 3 is an end elevation. Figures 4
shew separately one of the wire work connecting pieces. Figure 5 is a general
elevation of a generator composed of a large number of elements.
The blocks a a are cast from an alloy of antimony and zinc in the proportions
usually employed for thermo-electric purposes, namely two parts of antimony to one
part of zinc. They are cast in iron moulds and the mould receives within the end of
the wire work connecting piece so that the alloy runs in amongst the gauze and a
good junction is made. The junction picces I make of thin iron wire woven together
loosely into a fabric. The drawing shows one of the connections full size each may
consist conveniently of four folds or thicknesses pressed closely together and may
contain forty or fifty longitudinal wires. Each connection is thus cast into the inner

page_text: face of one block and the outer face of the next. In each circle of elements the con-
nections are of the form shewn but in passing from a lower circle to the circle
immediately above it is obvious that a somewhat longer connector and slightly
different in form is required but in all cases the inner face of one block is coupled with
the outer face of the next. The clements as is seen in Figure 5 are built up to a
cylindrical form. The terminal connections are led out from the first and last blocks
of the series and connected with the exterior circuit. The method of coupling the
blocks may however be varied as is well understood by electricians. In building up
the blocks to produce the cylindrical structure asbestos is preferably employed to
separate the blocks electrically the one from the other. The interior of the structure
is occupied by the drum of the stove by which the inner faces of the elements are
heated. The outer faces and sides of the blocks are kept as cool as is practicable and
for this purpose a water jacket may in some cases be provided. The stove should be
capable of applying a high heat without risking the melting of the elements; any
well constructed stove with a cylindrical drum will serve the purpose. I employ
a stove which forms the subject of another patent application No. 6517 in the
year 1886.
I would remark that it is important so to proportion the blocks and the connections as
'to avoid as far as may be the flow of heat through the outer faces of the blocks either
from the connection to the block or from the block to the connection. The construction
which I have represented and described fairly satisfies this condition.
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 :-
A thermo-electric generator consisting of blocks of antimony and zinc or other
suitable metal or alloy connected by wires of iron or other suitable metal substantially
as described.