IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES OR BATTERIES
Year: 1882

page_text: We JOHN BERGER SPENCE & Co of 31 Lombard Street in the City of London,
Merchants, the Assignees, under deed of Assignment bearing date. 13th day of
October 1884, of Letters Patent granted to Felix de Lalande of 18 Rue St Sulpice,
Paris in the Republic of France for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES OR
BATTERIES," dated 27th of March 1882 N° 1464, seek leave to amend the
specification of said Letters Patent, No. 1464 of 1882, as shown in red ink in
the copy of the original specification hereunto annexed:-(Felix de Lalande
(Electric Batteries)).
Our reasons for this amendment are as follows:-
That the Complete Specification contains matter which is not mentioned in the
provisional Specification, and which, we are advised, cannot therefore be properly
included and claimed in such complete specification.
That the meaning of the said specification is in many respects vague, and the
description is incorrect, and we are advised to make certain amendments, verbal
and otherwise, which will render the meaning clearer and make the description
correct.

page_text: In the matter of an application by John Berger Spence & Co (Assignees) for
leave to amend the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Felix de Lalande for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES OR BATTERIES" dated the 27th March 1882
No 1464.
I hereby grant leave, to the said John Berger Spence & Co to amend the said
Specification in the manner proposed, with the exception of the omission of the
Testimonium Clause and signature which must be reinstated.
H. READER LACK,
Comptroller General,

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Felix de Lalande of 18 Rue St. Sulpice, Paris in the
Republic of France, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
PILES OR BATTERIES partly a communication by Georges Chaperon Engineer
LETTERS PATENT to Felix de Lalande of 18 Rue St. Sulpice, Paris in the
Republic of France, Engineer, for an invention of IMT NOVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
PILES OR BATTERIES partly a communication by Georges Chaperon Engineer
at the Mines d'Alosno, Province de Huelva in the Kingdom of Spain.
Republic of France, Engineer, for an invention of
IMPROVEMENT INFECTIO
PILES OR BATTERIES Dartly a communication by Georges Chaperon Engineer
at the Mines d'Alosno, Province de Huelva in the Kingdom of Spain.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Felix de Lalande at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1882.
FELIX DE LALANDE of 18 Rue St. Sulpice Paris in the Republic of France
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES OR BATTERIES." The same being
the result partly of a communication made to me by Georges Chaperon Engineer at
the Mines d'Alosno Province de Huelva in the Kingdom of Spain and partly of
invention or discovery made by myself.
The Piles are characterised by the employment as a depolarising body of oxide
of copper with which can readily be formed electrodes of good depolarising power
and of good conductibility especially when they have already worked and contain
some metallic copper.
I generally employ only a liquid alone in which the oxide of copper ought to be
insoluble or little soluble. I prefer solutions of caustic Potash, or caustic soda of*
alkaline salts or neutral salts or a mixture of these products..
The negative pole of the pile is constituted by a metal capable of being attacked
by the exciting liquid of the pile when the circuit is closed, for example, zinc, tin,
lead, or a metal capable of fixing the hydrogen as palladium, platinum, spongy
platinum, iron reduced, or as well copper obtained by precipitation or electro-
chemical reduction.
The piles are reversible that is to say capable of being re-charged by an electric
current of sufficient electro-motive force.
The following are examples of practical arrangements.
A. Positive pole. .1st. The positive pole is formed by a plate of iron copper, or
other metal, or of a plate of gas retort carbon surrounded by oxide of copper built
up and maintained by a bag of cotton or hemp cloth or iron wire gauze (or of copper
or of brass)
This oxide of copper can be mixed with iron filings or turnings or copper filings
or turnings or pieces of metal gauze or fragments of carbon to augment the surface
of the depolarising pole.
2nd A porous vessel can be employed in which is placed an iron rod, or a rod
of copper or carbon rod, surrounded with iron or copper turnings or fragments of
carbon. The interstices are filled with oxide of copper.
3rd Oxide of copper is simply placed at the bottom of the vessel which forms
the pile mixed or not with conducting materials. A metallic rod or a rod of
carbon plunged in the mass and forming the positive pole.
4. I am able in different ways to form with oxide of copper agglomerations,
plates, cylinders bricks, grains of greater or less size which are sufficient for
employment in maintaining charges near the positive pole of the pile. Oxide of
copper is equally capable of being agglomerated directly on the conductor forming
the positive pole and being part of it.
a) Heat alone suffices to agglomerate the oxide of copper as partially melted.

page_text: b) This agglomeration is produced at a lower temperature on adding to the oxide
of copper 5 to 10 per. cent. of pounded glass, argil, or gelatinous silica. The mixture
is worked up with a sufficient quantity of water, moulded dried and heated to a
red heat.
c) A paste can also be made with the oxide of copper adding from 5 to 10 per.
cent. of silicate of soda of the specific gravity 1.30 and moulded and heated as
previously described..
B. Negative pole-For constituting the negative pole of the pile I prefer in
general, zinc which gives the greatest electro-motive force. It is useful to
amalgamate it. It is applied so as to avoid all contact with the positive pole. In
case the oxide is placed at the bottom of the vessel, the zinc is suspended at the
upper part.
"
This arrangement is applicable with advantage to very small piles. In a
cylindrical glass tube I place a metallic wire having its extremity wound into a
spiral form I add a certain quantity of oxide of copper which I recover in case of
need with porous wad (paper, card, cotton or other suitable material); I then pour
in the exciting liquid and stop the month of the tube with a stopper or cork
pierced with two orifices into one of which passes the metallic wire whilst the other
is traversed by a small cylinder of zinc.
C. Exciting liquids--As an exciting liquid I employ most frequently one of the
following:-
1. Solution of caustic soda or caustic potash containing from 10 to 30 per cent,
of the dry matter.
2. Chloride of zinc at 20 per cent.
3. Hydro-chlorate of ammonia at 25 per. cent.
4. Chloride of sodum or potassium at 20 to 30 per. cent.
With the solutions which attack iron or the metals I employ carbon as a
-conductor to the positive pole.
D. Working of the pile. A pile being constituted by a depolarising electrode
having one of the arrangements previously described.
(A) A cylinder or a rod of zinc maintained at a suitable distance (B) and an
exciting liquid (C) when the poles are reunited an electric current is established in
the exterior circuit. The zine is attacked, is dissolved or is precipitated in the
state of oxide or salt slightly soluble and the oxide of copper is reduced to the
metallic state. The reaction is continued and the current maintained until one of
the three elements is used up, zinc, depolarising material or the exciting liquid.
The pile does not work in a sensible manner whilst the circuit is open.
When re-charging the pile with a current of electricity the reduced copper
absorbs oxygen energetically and returns into a state of oxide; the zinc is deposited
in a metallic state and the alkaline solution is regenerated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Felix de Lalande in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th September 1882.
"
FELIX DE LALANDE of 18 Rue St. Sulpice Paris in the Republic of France
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES OR BATTERIES the same being
the result partly of a communication made to me by Georges Chaperon Engineer
at the Mines d'Alosno Province de Huelva in the Kingdom of Spain and partly of
invention or discovery made by myself.
The piles are characterized by the employment as depolarizing body of oxide of
copper with which can readily be formed electrodes of good depolarizing power
and of good conductibility especially when after they have already been worked
and thus contain some metallic copper.
I generally employ only a liquid alone in which the oxide of copper is insoluble
or little soluble and I prefer solutions of caustic potash or caustic soda.
The negative pole of the pile is constituted by a metal capable of being attacked
by the exciting liquid of the pile when the circuit is closed, for example, zinc, tin,
or lead er and the positive pole by a metal capable of fixing the hydrogen as
palladium, platinum, spongy platinum, iron reduced or as well copper obtained by
precipitation or electro chemical reduction.
The piles-are-reversible-that-is-to-say-capable of being recharged-by-an-electrie
eurrent-of-sufficient-electro-motive-force.
The following are examples of practical arrangements.
A, Positive pole..
1st. The positive pole is formed by a plate of iron, copper or other metal, or a
plate of gas retort carbon, surrounded by oxide of copper, built up and maintained
in position by a bag of cotton or hemp cloth or iron wire gauze (or of copper or of
brass).
This oxide of copper can be mixed with iron filings or turnings or copper filings
or turnings or pieces of metal gauze or fragments of carbon, to augment the surface
of the depolarizing pole material.
2nd A porous vessel can be employed, in which is placed an iron rod or a rod
of copper or carbon red surrounded with iron or copper turnings or fragments of
carbon. The interstices are filled with oxide of copper.
3rd. Oxide of copper is simply placed at the bottom of the vessel-which-forms
the-pile cell and mixed or not with conducting materials. A metallic rod or a rod
of carbon plunged in the mass and formings the positive pole.
•
4 I am able in different ways to form with oxide of copper agglomerations
plates, cylinders, bricks, or grains of greater or less size which are sufficient for
employment in maintaining charges near the positive pole of the pile. Oxide of

page_text: .
copper is equally capable of being agglomerated directly on the conductor forming
the positive pole and being thus forming part of it.
a) Heat alone suffices to agglomerate the oxide of copper as by partially
melteding it.
b) This agglomeration is produced at a lower temperature on adding to the
oxide of copper. 5 to 10 per cent. of pounded glass, argile or gelatinous silica. The
mixture is worked up with a sufficient quantity of water, moulded, dried and
heated to a red heat.
c) A paste can also be made with the oxide of copper adding from 5 to 10 per
cent. of silicate of soda of the specific gravity 1-30 and moulded and heated as
previously described.
5.--mix-the-oxide-of-copper-with-10-to-15-per-cent. of its weight of oxychloride
of-magnesium-in-a-pasty-condition, prepared-by-crushing or pounding-together.
Calcined-magnesia
"
Chloride-of-Magnesium-marking-22°-of Beaumes-areometer -
100-parts
200-parts
The--agglomeration is formed at the end of several hours--at-the-ordinary
temperature-or-more-rapidly by the-action-of-a-moderate-heat.
B. Negative Pole.
For constituting the negative pole of the pile I prefer generally zinc which gives
the greatest electro motive force. It is useful to amalgamate it, I employ it in
any form, plane surfaces, cylinders, spirals, threads, grains, bars or ingots eastings,
and other forms. It is applied so as to avoid all contact with the positive pole.
In case the oxide is placed at the bottom of the vessel, the zinc is suspended at the
upper part.
This The following arrangement is applicable with advantage to very small
piles. In a cylindrical glass tube I place a metallic wire having its extremity
wound into a spiral form. I add a certain quantity of oxide of copper which I
recover in case of need with a porous wad (paper, card, cotton or other suitable
material). I then pour in the exciting liquid and stop the mouth of the tube with
a stopper or cork pierced with two orifices into through one of which passes is led
the metallic wire, whilst the other is traversed by a small cylinder of zinc.
.
C. Exciting liquids.
As an exciting liquid I employ solutions of caustic soda or caustic potash
containing from 10 to 30 per cent of the dry material.
I employ these caustic solutions in place of other solutions because I have found
that they possess very good conductibility and that the oxide of copper is insoluble
therein Other solutions I have as the result of experiment not found to possess
these two advantages combined.
D. Working of the pile..
A pile being constituted by a depolarizing electrode having one of the arrange-
inents previously described (A) A cylinder, a sheet or a rod of zine maintained at
a suitable distance (B) and an exciting liquid (C) when the poles are reunited;
brought into contact an electric current is established in the exterior circuit. The
zinc is attacked, is dissolved or is precipitated in the state of oxide and the oxide
of copper is reduced to the metallic state-The reaction is continued and the
current maintained until one of the three elements is used up, zine depolarizing
material or the exciting liquid. The-pile-does-not-work-in-a-sensible-manner No
appreciable action occurs whilst the circuit is open..
When recharging By subjecting the spent pile with to a current of electricity,
the reduced copper absorbs oxygen energetically, and returns into a state of oxide,
the zinc is deposited in a metallic state, and the alkaline solution is regenerated.
To form piles or batteries capable of producing electricity in great quantity, I can
proceed in the following manner:
"
I take some flat porous vessels of porcelain or other suitable material, in these
I' place a large sheet of iron or copper and I fill them with oxide of copper.

page_text: I dispose them in a vessel of convenient form one beside the other and I place
a sheets of zinc between each the porous vessels. On reuniting by a metallic
conductor upon the one part, all the sheets of iron or copper and upon the other
part all the sheets of zinc I obtain a pile or battery presenting a very great surface..
I of course fill up with exciting liquid the various porous vessels and the vessel
containing the whole.
Inversely the sheets of zinc may be placed on in the porous vessels and the
sheets of iron or copper between the porous vessels, the intervals being filled with
oxide of copper.
Or the porous vessels containing the oxide of copper may be replaced by
depolarizing plates prepared as above described in paragraph A, +st. section 1,
or by plates of oxide of copper agglomerated by one of the processes previously
indicated.
I-am-equally well able-to-use flat-east-iron-vessels-or-flat-copper-vessels having
the-sides-very-low. The bottom of the vessel being covered with oxide-of-copper,
the vessel itself forms the positive-electrode-of-the-pile.-The-negative-electrode-is
constituted-by-a-horizontal-sheet-of-zine-perforated-with-holes-or-by-a-piece-of-east
zine-having the form of a-grating maintained-at-a-certain distance-from-the-oxide
of copper-without-touching-the-sides-of-the-vessel.
These-elements-can-be-disposed so-as-to-be-superposed and take up little-room.
For this purpose I suspend metallically a plate of zine at the lower part of the
said vessel (except the one which rests upon the ground) The various vessels
are-separated-by-caoutchoue-or-india-rubber-packings in order to isolate-them-and
form-a-closing-means. The various vessels being filled-with-exciting-liquid, the
pile-is-of-course-ready.
The lower vessel constitutes the positive-pole, the-negative pole-is formed-by-the
sheet-of-zine plunged in the highest-vessel.
Having fully described my invention and the means by which the same may be
carried into effect I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details or arrangements herein before described as the same may be varied
without altering the principle or the nature of my Invention But what I desire to
claim and secure by Letters Patent is
First. The construction of electric piles or galvanic batteries based on the
employment simultaneously or in-combination of oxide of copper as a depolarizing
body and of caustic potash or caustic soda in solution as an exciting liquid
substantially as I have described above, zinc forming the negative electrode of
the pile.
Secondly. The employment in such piles or batteries containing oxide of
copper and caustic soda or caustic potash in solution of the various arrangements
described for maintaining the oxide of copper in contact with the positive pole
of the pile.
Thirdly. The various arrangements described in their application to those electrio
piles-or-galvanie batteries.
In witness whereof I the said Felix de Lalande have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fourteenth day of September One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.
FELIX DE LALANDE (L.S.)

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Felix de Lalande of 18 Rue St. Sulpice, Paris in the
Republic of France, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC
PILES OR BATTERIES partly a communication by Georges Chaperon Engineer
at the Mines d'Alosno, Province de Huelva in the Kingdom of Spain,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Felix de Lalande at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1882.
FELIX DE LALANDE of 18 Rue St. Sulpice Paris in the Republic of France
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES OR BATTERIES." Partly, a commu-
nication by Georges Chaperon Engineer at the Mines d'Alosno Province de Huelva
in the Kingdom of Spain,
'
-
The Piles are characterised by the employment as a depolarising body of oxide.
of copper with which can readily be formed electrodes of good depolarising power
and of good conductibility especially when they have already worked and contain
some metallic copper.
I generally employ only a liquid alone in which the oxide of copper ought to be
insoluble or little soluble. I prefer solutions of caustic Potash, or caustic soda of
alkaline salts or neutral salts or a mixture of these products.
The negative pole of the pile is constituted by a metal capable of being attacked
by the exciting liquid of the pile when the circuit is closed, for example, zinc, tin,
lead, or a metal capable of fixing the hydrogen as palladium, platinum, spongy
platinum, iron reduced, or as well copper obtained by precipitation or electro-
chemical reduction.
"
The piles are reversible that is to say capable of being re-charged by an electric
current of sufficient electro-motive force.
The following are examples of practical arrangements.
A. Positive pole. 1st. The positive pole is formed by a plate of iron copper, or
other metal, or of a plate of gas retort carbon surrounded by oxide of copper built
up and maintained by a bag of cotton or hemp cloth or iron wire gauze (or of copper
or of brass)

page_text: This oxide of copper can be mixed with iron filings or turnings or copper filings
or turnings or pieces of metal gauze or fragments of carbon to augment the surface
of the depolarizing pole.
2nd A porous vessel can be employed in which is placed an iron rod, or a rod
of copper or carbon rod, surrounded with iron or copper turnings or fragments of
carbon. The interstices are filled with oxide of copper.
3rd Oxide of copper is simply placed at the bottom of the vessel which forms
the pile mixed or not with conducting materials. A metallic rod or a rod of
carbon plunged in the mass and forming the positive pole.
4. I am able in different ways to form with oxide of copper agglomerations,
plates, cylinders bricks, grains of greater or less size which are sufficient for
employment in maintaining charges near-the positive pole of the pile. Oxide of
copper is equally capable of being agglomerated directly on the conductor forming
the positive pole and being part of it.
a) Heat alone suffices to agglomerate the oxide of copper as partially melted.
b) This agglomeration is produced at a lower temperature on adding to the oxide
of copper 5 to 10 per. cent. of pounded glass, argil, or gelatinous silica. The mixture
is worked up with a sufficient quantity of water, moulded dried and heated to a
red heat.
c) A paste can also be made with the oxide of copper adding, from 5 to 10 per.
cent. of silicate, of soda of the specific gravity. 1.30 and moulded and heated as
previously described.
B. Negative pole-For constituting the negative pole of the pile I prefer in
general, zinc which gives the greatest electro-motive force. It is useful to
amalgamate it. It is applied so as to avoid all contact with the positive pole, In
case the oxide is placed at the bottom of the vessel, the zinc is suspended at the
upper part.
This arrangement is applicable with advantage to very small piles. In a
cylindrical glass tube I place a metallic wire having its extremity wound into a
spiral form I add a certain quantity of oxide of copper which I recover in case of
need with porous wad (paper, card, cotton or other suitable material); I. then. pour
in the exciting-liquid and stop the mouth of the tube with a stopper or cork
pierced with two orifices into one of which passes the metallic wire whilst the other
is traversed by a small cylinder of zinc.
C. Exciting liquids-As an exciting liquid I employ most frequently one of the
following:
1. Solution of caustic soda or caustic potash containing from 10 to 30 per cent.
of the dry matter.
2. Chloride of zinc at 20 per cent.
3: Hydro-chlorate of ammonia at 25 per. cent.....
4. Chloride of sodum or potassium at 20 to 30 per. cent.
With the solutions which attack iron or the metals I employ carbon as. a
conductor to the positive pole...
!
.
D. Working of the pile. A pile being constituted by a depolarising electrode.
having one of the arrangements previously described.
(A) A cylinder or a rod of zinc maintained at a suitable distance (B) and an
exciting liquid (C) when the poles are reunited an electric current is established in
the exterior circuit.. The zinc is attacked, is dissolved or, is precipitated in the
state of oxide or salt slightly soluble and the oxide of copper is reduced to the
metallic state. The reaction is continued and the current maintained until one of
the three elements is used up, zinc, depolarising material or the. exciting liquid.
The pile does not work in a sensible manner whilst the circuit is open.
When re-charging the pile with a current of electricity the reduced copper
absorbs oxygen energetically and returns into a state of oxide; the zinc is deposited
in a metallic state. and the alkaline solution is regenerated..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed.
by the said Felix de Lalande in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th September 1882.
:
"
Felix de LalanDE of 18 Rue St. Sulpice Paris in the Republic of France
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC PILES OR BATTERIES partly a communi-
cation by Georges Chaperon Engineer at the Mines d'Alosno Province de Huelva
in the Kingdom of Spain.
The piles are characterized by the employment as depolarizing body of oxide of
copper with which can readily be formed electrodes of good depolarizing power
and of good conductibility especially when they have already worked and contain
some metallic copper.
I generally employ only a liquid alone in which the oxide of copper is insoluble
or little soluble I prefer solutions of caustic potash or caustic soda.
The negative pole of the pile is constituted by a metal capable of being attacked
by the exciting liquid of the pile when the circuit is closed, for example, zinc, tin,
lead or a metal capable of fixing the hydrogen as palladium, platinum, spongy
platinum iron reduced or as well copper obtained by precipitation or electro
chemical reduction.
The piles are reversible that is to say capable of being recharged by an electric
current of sufficient electro motive force.
The following are examples of practical arrangements. A positive pole. 1st: The
positive. pole is formed by a plate of iron, copper or other metal, or a plate of gas
retort carbon, surrounded by oxide of copper, built up and maintained by a bag of
cotton or hemp cloth or iron wire gauze (or of copper or of brass).
This oxide of copper can be mixed with iron filings or turnings or copper filings
or turnings or pieces of metal gauze or fragments of carbon to augment the surface
of the depolarizing pole.
2nd A porous vessel can be employed in which is placed an iron rod or a rod
of copper or carbon rod surrounded with iron-or copper turnings or fragments of
carbon. The interstices are filled with oxide of copper. 3rd. Oxide of copper is
simply placed at the bottom of the vessel which forms the pile mixed or not with
conducting materials.. A metallic rod or a rod of carbon plunged in the mass and
forming the positive pole.
4 I am able in different ways to form with oxide of copper agglomerations
plates, cylinders, bricks, grains of greater or less size which are sufficient for
employment in maintaining charges near the positive pole of the pile. Oxide of
copper is equally capable of being agglomerated directly on the conductor forming
the positive pole and being part of it.
a) Heat alone suffices to agglomerate the oxide of copper as partially melted.
b) This agglomeration is produced at a lower temperature on adding to the
oxide of copper. 5 to 10 per cent. of pounded glass, argil or gelatinous silica. The
mixture is worked up with a sufficient quantity of water, moulded, dried and
heated to a red heat.
c) A paste can also be made with the oxide of copper adding from 5 to 10 per
cent. of silicate of soda of the specific gravity 1.30 and moulded and heated as.
previously described.
5. I mix the oxide of copper with 10 to 15 per cent. of its weight of oxychloride
of magnesium in a pasty condition, prepared by crushing or pounding together.
Calcined magnesia
Chloride of Magnesium.marking 22° of Resumés areometer
100 parts
200 parte

page_text: The agglomeration is formed at the end of several hours at the ordinary
temperature or more rapidly by the action of a moderate heat.
B. Negative pole. For constituting the negative pole of the pile I prefer.
generally zinc which gives the greatest electro motive force. It is useful to
amalgamate it, I employ it in any form, plane surfaces cylinders, spirals, threads,
grains bars or ingots castings, and other forms. It is applied so as to avoid all
contact with the positive pole. In case the oxide is placed at the bottom of the
vessel, the zinc is suspended at the upper part.
This arrangement is applicable with advantage to very small piles. In a
cylindrical glass tube I place a inetallic wire having its extremity wound into a
spiral form. I add a certain quantity of oxide of copper which I recover in case of
need with porous wad (paper, card, cotton or other suitable material) I then pour
in the exciting liquid and stop the mouth of the tube with a stopper or cork
pierced with two orifices into one of which passes the metallic wire whilst the
other is traversed by a small cylinder of zinc.
C Exciting liquids. As an exciting liquid I employ solutions of caustic soda or
caustic potash containing from 10 to 30 per cent of the dry material.
I employ these caustic solutions in place of other solutions because I have found
that they possess very good conductibility and that the oxide of copper is insoluble
therein Other solutions I have as the result of experiment not found to possess
these two advantages combined.
D: Working of the pile. A pile being constituted by a depolarizing electrode
having one of the arrangements previously described (A) A cylinder, a sheet
or a rod of zinc maintained at a suitable distance (B) and an exciting
liquid (C) when the poles are reunited, an electric current is established
in the exterior circuit. The zinc is attacked, is dissolved or is precipitated in the
state of oxide and the oxide of copper is reduced to the metallic state-The
reaction is continued and the current maintained until one of the three elements is
used up, zinc depolarizing material or the exciting liquid. The pile does not work
in a sensible manner whilst the circuit open.
When recharging the pile with a current of electricity, the reduced copper absorbs
oxygen energetically and returns into a state of oxide the zinc is deposited in a
metallic state and the alkaline solution is regenerated.
To form piles or batteries capable of producing electricity in great quantity; I can
proceed in the following manner:
I take some flat porous vessels of porcelain or other suitable material, in these I
place a large sheet of iron or copper and I fill them with oxide of copper.
I dispose them in a vessel of convenient form one beside the other and I place a
sheet of zinc between each porous vessel. On reuniting by a metallic conductor
upon the one part, all the sheets of iron or copper and upon the other part all the
sheets of zinc I obtain a pile or battery presenting a very great surface. I of
course fill up with exciting liquid the various porous vessels and the vessel
containing the whole.
Inversely the sheets of zinc may be placed on the porous vessels and the sheets
of iron or copper between the porous vessels, the intervals being filled with oxide
of copper,
Or the porous vessels containing the oxide of copper may be replaced by
depolarizing plates prepared as above described in paragraph A. 1st. section or by
plates of oxide of copper agglomerated by one of the processes previously indicated
I am equally well able to use flat cast iron vessels or flat copper vessels having
the sides very low. The bottom of the vessel being covered with oxide of copper
the vessel itself forms the positive electrode of the pile. The negative electrode is
constituted by a horizontal sheet of zinc perforated with holes or by a piece of cas
zine having the form of a grating maintained at a certain distance from the oxide
of copper without touching the sides of the vessel.
These elements can be disposed so as to be superposed and take up little room
For this purpose I suspend metallically a plate of zinc at the lower part of the

page_text: said vessel (except the one which rests upon the ground) The various vessels
are separated by caoutchouc or india rubber packings in order to isolate them and
form a closing means. The various vessels being filled with exciting liquid, the
pile is of course ready.
The lower vessel constitutes the positive pole, the negative pole is formed by the
sheet of zinc plunged in the highest vessel.
Having fully described my invention and the means by which the same may be
carried into effect I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details or arrangements hereinbefore described as the same may be varied
without altering the principle or the nature of my Invention But what I desire to
claim and secure by Letters Patent is.
First. The construction of electric piles or galvanic batteries based on the
employment simultaneously or in combination of oxide of copper as depolarizing
body and of caustic potash or caustic soda in solution as exciting liquid
substantially as I have described above, zinc forming the negative electrode of
the pile.
Secondly The employment in such piles or batteries containing oxide of
copper and caustic soda or caustic potash in solution of the various arrangements
described for maintaining the oxide of copper in contact with the positive pole
of the pile.
Thirdly. The various arrangements described in their application to those electric
piles or galvanic batteries.
In witness whereof I the said Felix de Lalande have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fourteenth day of September One thousand eight hundred
and nighter tun
FELIX DE LALANDE (L.S.)