Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Dec., 1888
I, LOUIS MARIE JOSEPH CHARLES CLEMENT RENARD, of Meudon Seine & Oise
France, Chef de Bataillon du Génie do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to galvanic piles.
The main object of my said invention is to provide an improved chemical solution
of liquid chromic or chromic acid for use in electric batteries.
My said invention comprises moreover various other improvements hereinafter set
forth.
In carrying my said invention into practice I prefer to employ as an exciting fluid
liquid chromic formed by a solution of chromic acid, and not by a solution of chromic
alkaline in dilute chlorhydric or.hydrochloric acid.
Chromic acid can moreover be employed either in its ordinary form, or in solutions
more or less pure, obtained by treating chromic alkalines with sulphuric acid, and by
crystallizing the alkaline sulphates resulting from the reaction, in order to eliminate
them from the liquid.
A chloro-chromic solution (dissolution chlorochromique) is also obtained by
discharging the vapours of chloro-chromic acid into water, in which the said vapours
are decomposed and are dissolved in the form of a mixture of chlorhydric or hydro-
chloric acid and chromic acid as required. The said solution is moreover obtained by
dissolving in water chloro-chromic acid already prepared. Various processes are
known for obtaining chromic acid in a solid or fluid condition sufficiently free from
alkalines to be employed in my electric battery.
I wish it to be understood that I can employ chromic acid obtained by any well
known process, and mix the said chromic acid with chlorhydric or hydrochloric acid
in any suitable manner.
The employment of chromic acid and not of a chromate in chlorhydric or hydro-
chloric solution forms a main part of my said invention.

page_text: An important feature of my said invention consists in the specific activity of my
chlorochromic battery. The number of Watts per kilogramme of the battery per
second, is greatly superior to that of ordinary chromic batteries.
If three similar electric batteries be charged the 1st with my chloro-chromic liquid;
the second with a chlorhydric or hydrochloric solution of bichromate of potash
(Arsonvals battery) the 3rd with a sulphuric solution of bichromate of potash as usually
employed. The results obtained from the above will be equal in Watts to the
figures 6, 2 and 1 or thereabout.
My electric battery has moreover a total specific energy, (number of Joules given
off per kilogramme of the battery) much superior to that of chromic batteries as
generally in use.
I prefer to employ an electrode composed of one or more vertical tubular elements.
The said electrode comprises a zinc pencil the diameter of which is small in comparison
to its length. The said pencil is surrounded by a cylinder composed of conducting
material; the said cylinder may be formed of carbon, or of any suitable metal. The
cell is constructed of glass, ebonite or any suitable material and contains the exciting
fluid of each element. As has been above mentioned an element may include one or
more tubular electrodes immersed in the same cell. In the first case the said cell can
if desired be dispensed with and the exciting fluid be placed in the above described
cylinder composed of conducting material which is then rendered water tight for that
purpose.
By constructing my battery as above described I increase the density of the current
upon the zinc and consequently diminish the wear and tear caused by the chemicals or
the direct attack, as compared with the wear and tear of electricity which constitutes
the useful work of the apparatus. The power of the electric battery is thus much
increased by the above described arrangement. The tubular form of the electrode
moreover is favorable to cooling which is necessary in this battery as the specific
activity is very great and the exciting fluid might be raised to too high a temperature
if a large exterior surface is not afforded.
I prefer to employ as a positive electrode a sheet of silver covered with a very thin
coating of platinum by lamination. I thus obtain a conductor possessing the
conducting power of silver, combined with the unalterableness of platinum, the cost
of which moreover is not appreciably greater than that of silver.
said
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient method of carrying my
invention into practice it is obvious that I can somewhat modify the construction of
my apparatus without however in any way departing from the nature of my said
invention.
Dated this 13th day of June 1888
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, LOUIS MARIE JOSEPH CHARLES CLEMENT RENARD of No. 7 Avenue de Trivaux,
Meudon, near Paris, France, Major of Engineers and Chief of the Etablissement
Central d'Aerostation Militaire, 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, reference being had to the
drawing hereunto annexed and to the figures and letters marked thereon:-
My invention relates to galvanic batteries, and the first part of my said invention
consists in providing an improved chemical composition of chromic liquid for use in
electric or galvanic batteries as an exciting liquid.
My said invention comprises moreover other improvements hereinafter set
forth.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I employ, as an exciting fluid, chromic
liquid formed by a solution of chromic acid (and not of an alkaline chromate) in dilute
hydrochloric acid.
Chromic acid can moreover be employed either in its ordinary or usual form, or in
the form of solutions, more or less pure, obtained by treating alkaline chromates with
sulphuric acid; and by crystallizing the alkaline sulphates resulting from the reaction
in order to eliminate them from the liquid.
A chloro-chromic solution can also be obtained by receiving the vapours of chloro-
chromic acid in water, in which the said vapours are decomposed and dissolved in
the form of a mixture of hydrochloric acid and chromic acid as required. The said
solution can moreover be obtained by dissolving in water, chlorochromic acid
Various processes are known for obtaining chromic acid in either a solid or fluid
condition, and sufficiently free from alkaline bases to be employed in my electric or
galvanic battery.
previously prepared.
I wish it to be understood that, in carrying my invention into effect, I can employ
chromic acid in all its industrial or other forms, and obtained by any well known
process and effect its mixture with hydrochloric acid by any convenient process, and
in any proportions.
The employment of chromic acid (and not of an alkaline chromate) in hydro-
chloric solution, forms a distinct feature of my said invention.
The chlorochromic liquids may be obtained by the processes above described, but
those which give the best results, are obtained by dissolving pure crystallized
chromic acid direct in hydrochloric acid, more or less dilute. It is under these
conditions that the maximum effect can be obtained.
Whatever may be the relative proportions of the two acids, good results are
obtained with the elements hereinafter described. The following is an example of 3.
convenient mixture, which will give good results.

page_text: Hydrochloric acid at 11° (Beaumé's Aerometer) 200 cubic centimetres. Pure
crystallized chromic acid from 40 to 100 grammes.
An important characteristic of my said invention consists in the specific activity of
my chlorochromic battery, the power of which, calculated in number of Watts per
kilogramme of battery, and per second, being greatly superior to that of ordinary
chromic batteries.
As an example, supposing three exactly similar elements to be charged, the first
with chloro-chromic liquid, the second with a hydrochloric solution of Bichromate
of Potash (d'Arsonval's battery), the third with the sulphuric solution of bichromate
of potash ordinarily employed, the results obtained, that is to say, the power
developed, represented in numbers of "Watts," will be nearly proportional to the
figures 6, 2 and 1. My electric or galvanic battery has moreover a total specific
energy (calculated in number of "Joules" given off, per kilogramme of the battery)
much superior to that of chromic batteries generally in use.
By substituting, for part of the hydrochloric acid, a like quantity of sulphuric
acid, the energy exerted by the liquid per second, is decreased, but the total energy
developed remains the same. By these means the length of time in which the
total energy of the exciting liquid is expended may be regulated according to
requirements.
I employ elements consisting each of one or more vertical tubular couples of
electrodes, comprising a zinc pencil or rod, the diameter of which is very small in
comparison to its length, and a conducting cylinder entirely surrounding the zinc
pencil and consisting of a tube of carbon, or of any suitable metal.
A cell, constructed of glass, ebonite, or other suitable material, is employed to
contain the liquid in which the zinc pencil, surrounded by the conducting cylinder, is
mmersed.
In the accompanying drawing I have represented, in vertical section, an element
consisting of a single couple of electrodes of the form and proportions found best to
answer in carrying my invention into effect. In this drawing a represents the
negative electrode consisting of a zinc pencil which has a very small diameter in
comparison with its length, 6 is the positive electrode surrounding the zinc pencil and
supported by a ring or washer at its upper end, and connected to a ring b² of
ebonite at its lower end. The zinc pencil a is formed with a head a' at its upper end
resting on a metal boss a², a set screw a³ being employed to fix the zinc pencil a in
the boss a². a is the negative conductor, and 63 the positive conductor, c is the
cell of ebonite, glass, or other suitable material, d represents the level of the exciting
liquid.
*Each element may consist of one tubular couple of electrodes immersed in a cell,
as represented in the accompanying drawing or it may consist of two or more similar
tubular couples of electrodes immersed in the same cell.
In the first case the said cell can, if desired, be dispensed with and the exciting
fluid, in such case, can be placed directly in the above described cylinder composed of
conducting material, which is rendered watertight for such purpose.
I would here remark that I do not claim broadly the employment of a zinc electrode
surrounded by a tube of carbon or of metal, as a zinc pencil has already been
employed in the Leclanché battery, nor the employment of tubes of carbon or of
metal, but the combination of the zinc pencil with the tubular envelope, and in their
relative arrangement and proportions as shown and described. There are also known
batteries, Bunsen's for example, in which zinc is in the interior of a carbon
cylinder, but the zinc is not a pencil, it is a very thick piece in relation to its
length.
I preferably employ a zinc pencil whose dimensions are so calculated that the
zinc is entirely dissolved when the liquid is exhausted, so that each new charge of
liquid should correspond with the renewal the zinc pencil.
This arrangement has for its object to place in the battery only the exact weight
of zinc necessary for its working, and consequently to reduce to the minimum, the
weight and volume.

page_text: By constructing my battery as above described, I increase the density of the
current upon the zinc, and consequently diminish the local action as compared
with the electric attack or action, which constitutes the useful work of the
battery.
The working power of the electric or galvanic battery is thus much increased by
the above described arrangement.
The tubular form of the elements in about the proportions above described is
moreover favorable to the cooling down of the same, which is necessary in this
battery, as the specific activity is very great, and the exciting fluid might attain too
high a temperature if the cells did not present a considerable external surface in
proportion to their volume.
Another feature of my invention is the employment, as a positive electrode, of a
sheet of silver covered, by lamination on both surfaces, with a very thin coating of
platinum. I thus obtain a conductor possessing the conducting power of silver with
the inalterability of platinum, the cost of which moreover is not much more than if it
were made entirely of silver.
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient method of carrying my said
invention into practice, it is obvious that I can somewhat modify, the construction of
my battery without departing from the nature of my invention, as, for instance,
instead of forming the zinc pencil a and the positive electrode 6 of a circular form,
they may be of angular or other form, provided they are employed in somewhat
similar proportions to those hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In galvanic or electric batteries, the employment of chlorochromic exciting
liquids, prepared as herein described, in combination with silver electrodes, platinized,
on both surfaces, by lamination, and with the electrodes and cells arranged and
constructed, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In galvanic or electric batteries, the employment of chloro-chromic exciting
liquids prepared substantially as herein described.
3. In galvanic or electric batteries, the employment of positive electrodes consisting
of a sheet of silver platinized on both sides by lamination.
1000
L. M. J. C. C. RENARD.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.