IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Highton, M.A., of Putney, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GALVANIC
BATTERIES."
Sealed the 25th August 1871, and dated the 22nd June 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Highton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd June 1871.
I, HENRY HIGHTON, M.A., of Putney, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANIC BATTERIES," to be as follows :—
These improvements have three objects:-Firstly, to provide cheaper
or more convenient materials for oxidation or similar chemical changes.
on one side of the battery, which I will call the positive side; secondly,
cheaper or more convenient materials on the other side of the battery to
supply the oxygen or otherwise conduce to such aforesaid change; and,
thirdly, to prevent injurious local action in the battery.

page_text: 1. With a view to the first object, I place sulphur with the zinc or
other positive electrode, which not only may combine with it but may
be itself oxidized; or I use a liquid which readily admits of a higher
state of oxidation, such as sulphurous, hyposulphurous, ferrous, man-
ganous, cuprous, chromous, or similar compounds, to assist the action;
or I use with or without the sulphur some carbonaceous or other organic
compound, as sugar, sawdust, decaying wood, and especially those
containing protein, which by admitting of ready oxidation or similar
chemical change, either by the direct action of the oxidising materials
of the other side of the battery, or by reducing the oxides or similar
compounds formed or existing on the positive side may contribute to the
general chemical action of the battery; or I use these different means as
aforesaid in combination with each other.
2. For the second above-mentioned purposes, I use salts of iron in
conjunction with nitric acid, or such other salts as will absorb and
utilize the nitric oxide formed by the working of the battery (salts of
chromium, manganese, and copper, will answer the purpose); or in
lieu of the bichromate of potash commonly used, I use a bichromate
of lime, soda, or baryta, with a strong acid, which is both less expensive
and more soluble; or I use chrosine acid itself in solution; or I use a
manganate or permanganate with a strong acid to form manganic or
permanganic acid; or I use peroxide of manganese or a chlorate with
sulphuric or bydrochloric acid to supply fresh oxygen or chlorine, as
these are consumed by the action of the battery; or I place a body of
coarsely broken cinders, charcoal, spongy platinum, or other similar
material in close connection with the negative electrode, and placed
partly in the liquid and partly rising out of it, so as to form a damp
'porous bed pervious to the atmosphere, in which the substances deoxi-
dised by the action of the battery, such as the manganous, chromous,
nitrous, ferrous, sulphurous compounds, or the hydrogen formed by that
action may rise and recover their oxygen by the means of coming into
contact with the atmosphere in the pores, and at the surface of such
materials. The cinders or similar materials are best platiniqued or imbued
with platinum black in order to assist the action. The cinders may be
either placed in a bag with the negative clectrode and tied tightly round,
so as to press on it, or may be pressed with it tightly into a porous cell.
3. With the third object I place with the zinc or other positive
electrode, when the liquid used admits of the admixture, another liquid

page_text: which will precipitate the injurious soluble salts formed, as the salts of
zinc or copper, which cause local action. Carbonate, or better- still,
silicates of the alkali metals, will answer this
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Highton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd December 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
HIGHTON, M.A., of Putney, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Highton, Her special license
that I, the said Henry Highton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Highton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GALVANIC BATTERIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Highton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Highton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
These improvements have three objects, firstly, to provide cheaper or
-more-convenient materials for oxidation or similar_chemical_ change on
one side of the battery which I will call the positive side, secondly,

page_text: cheaper or more convenient materials on the other side of the battery to
'supply the oxygen or otherwise conduce to such aforesaid change; 3rdly,
to prevent injurious local action in the battery.
1. With a view to the first object I place sulphur with the positive
electrode which not only may combine with it but may be itself oxidized,
or I use a liquid which readily admits of a higher state of oxidation,
such as sulphurous, hyposulphurous, ferrous, manganous, cupreous,
chromous, or similar compounds to assist the action; or I use with or
without the sulphur some carbonaceous or other organic compound, as
sugar, sawdust, decaying wood, and especially those containing protein,
which by admitting of ready oxidation or similar chemical change, either
by the direct action of the oxidizing materials of the other side of the
battery, or by reducing the oxides or similar compounds formed or
existing on the positive side may contribute to the general chemical
action of the battery; or I use these different means as aforesaid in com-
bination with each other. For the purpose of consuming sulphur in the
positive part of the cell I prefer to use an electrode of iron which
gradually combines on the surface with flour or milk of sulphur placed
with it in the cell. The liquid in the battery may be a solution of
common salt, nitrate of soda, or chloride of ammonium, or other exciting
fluids may be employed and the negative electrode may be carbon in a
porous cell with nitrate of soda, sulphuric acid, and water in the pro-
portion of from five to ten parts of sulphuric acid to one part of nitrate
of soda dissolved in three or more parts of water, or I dissolve the
sulphur in an alkaline solution and employ such solution as the exciting
liquid in the battery in the place of or in addition to the solution of
common salt, or nitrate of soda, or chloride of ammonium, above men-
tioned, in which case a positive electrode of carbon may be advan-
tageously used, or I combine the sulphur with an alkali to form a soluble
sulphide. A soluble sulphide of sodium, potassium, or calcium, or a
mixture of a more readily soluble sulphide with a sulphide of calcium
will answer as the exciting liquid around the positive electrode. Again
a good current may be obtained by using a carbon electrode as a positive
in a solution of a substance admitting of a higher state of oxidation.
Hyposulphurous, sulphurous, ferrous, manganous, cupreous, chromous
salts or compounds will answer the purpose or the soluble cyanides,
although these are more expensive. When these compounds are used
the exciting liquid with the negative electrode must be such as will

page_text: readily supply them with oxygen. The manganous salts when raised
by the action of the battery to a higher state of oxidation may be
reduced again by simply heating with an excess of sulphuric or muriatic
acid, the action being assisted, if desirable, by the addition of some
suitable organic substance; the salts of copper may in like manner be
reduced by an organic substance in an alkaline solution and the salts
of iron by placing in them scraps of iron or sulphide of iron in a finely
divided state. If in the negative part of the battery a powerful oxidizing
substance be used as herein-after described, a solution (which is best
alkaline) containing meal, sugar, or other readily oxidizing substance
with a positive electrode of carbon will afford a galvanic current directly.
The action of the battery in all these cases is rendered more efficient and
energetic by heating the exciting liquid.
2. I also, for the second of the purposes set forth in the introductory
paragraph of this Specification, use in conjunction with nitric acid
salts of iron or such other salts as will absorb and utilize the nitric
oxide formed by the working of the battery (salts of chromium,
manganese, and copper will answer the purpose). The most convenient
substance to use is proto-sulphate of iron which should be put with
the nitric acid into the battery cell. When by the action of the battery
the liquid is spent it may be restored to a full oxidation at any time by
being heated with free exposure to the air, or in a vessel partly filled
with the liquid and filled up with cinders, pumice stone, or similar
substance so as to force any nitric oxide fumes formed into close contact
with damp air and thus bring them back to a state of higher oxidation.
When a very high potential is required I use a bichromate of soda, lime,
or baryta dissolved with dilute sulphuric or other suitable acid which
I prefer to be in excess, or what is more powerful still, a permanganate
dissolved in dilute sulphuric or other suitable acid. A chlorate with
sulphuric, hydrochloric, or other suitable acid by affording a free supply
of oxygen or chlorine will furnish a very powerful negative. In the
negative part of the battery I use a rod or plate of carbon or platinum
with cinders, or a similar substance tightly packed round it so as to be
in electrical communication with it, and standing partly in the liquid
and partly in the air so as to form a damp porous bed readily permeablo
to the atmosphere in which the substances deoxidized by the action
of the battery may rise and recover their oxygen by means of coming
into contact with the atmosphere. in the pores, and at the surface of the

page_text: i
porous material. The cinders act more powerfully when platinized by
voltaic deposition or otherwise, or when covered with platinum black.
I find the readiest manner of doing this is to dip them in a solution of
soap, and then sift over them some platinum black which is attached
to their surface by the slightly glutinous character of the solution of
soap. Where a large current of electricity is required and where porous
jars are used to contain the cinders it is advisable to have a few holes
pierced in the porous jar containing the cinders just above the level of
the liquid in order to secure a free access and draught of atmospheric air.
I prefer that the cinders should be broken about the size of hazel or
beech nuts, or in fact the smaller the better, if not so small as to impode
the current of air too much.
I am aware that a porous jar containly coarsely broken carbon
packed round the carbon plate has been before used mixed with peroxide
of manganese, therefore I only claim the use of small cinders or other
substances as described when left with free access of air unimpeded by
peroxide of manganese or other substance which may check and hinder
the free access of atmospheric air, the essential point of my Invention
being the use of atmospheric air as a costless source of oxygen.
3. With the third object set forth in the introductory paragraph of
my Specification I place with the zinc or other positive electrode, when
the liquid used admits of the admixture, another liquid which will pre-
cipitate the injurious soluble salts formed as the salts of zinc or copper
which cause local action. Carbonates, or better still, silicates of the
alkali metals will answer this purpose. Thus in the Daniell battery I
place in the positive part of the battery to prevent the deposition of
copper on the zinc a solution of soluble silicate, or an alkaline carbonate,
or even carbonate of lime, or baryta, will answer this purpose.
I claim as my Invention the use on the positive side of a battery of
sulphur the soluble sulphides and soluble salts or compounds admitting
of a higher state of oxidation, substantially as described.
2. Also, I claim on the negative side of the battery the use of cinders
or similar substances freely permeable by the atmosphere, substantially
as described.
3. Also, the use with nitric acid of a substance which will absorb

page_text: 4. Also, the use of bichromates of soda, lime, or baryta, or of the
permanganates, substantially as described.
5. Also, the use of a substance in the positive part of the battery
which will precipitate injurious soluble metallic salts, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Highton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.