Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Galvanic Batteries.
I, ARTHUR JUDSON BENEDICT, of Broad Street House, New Broad Street, in the
City of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me by Walter Scott Doe, Electrician, of 222, Monticello Avenue,
Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, United States of America) to be as
follows:-
1
This invention relates to improvements in galvanic batteries of the kind for
which previous Letters Patent were granted to the said Walter Scott Doe dated
the 13th day of January 1897, No. 995. The said batteries, although applicable.
for general purposes, are mainly designed for purposes for which a compact battery
occupying little space, having very little weight, able to withstand the jolts and
shocks to which it may be subjected without affecting the stability of the light,
and capable of being very easily charged, is a great desideratum. Some of the
present improvements have for object to conduce to these results whilst others are
designed to improve the working of the battery generally.
According to the present improvements, the battery is made preferably of cylin-
drical form, the casing being divided by radial partitions into cells to receive
the elements of the battery. Each element comprises a cathode formed of a per-
forated hollow carbon cylinder closed at bottom by a plug of vulcanite, and au
anode formed of a length of zinc tube, the tube being open at the ends so as to
expose both its inner and outer surfaces to the action of the electrolyte. This
anode is merely dropped into a perforated tube of vulcanite which is fixed within
the carbon cathode, preferably by its lower end being fixed to the vulcanite plug
that closes the lower end of the carbon cylinder. The connection of the zinc with
the terminal of the battery is made by the lower end of the zinc resting merely
by its own weight upon a platinum wire fixed across the lower end of the vulcanite
zine holding tube the wire being suitably supported by being threaded through
the vulcanite tube, or by the plug which closes the lower end of the tube, the said
wire extending up the inside of the vulcanite tube so that the whole length of the
zinc will be in contact therewith and this contact will, by reason of the jolting of
the zine; be a rubbing contact ensuring good conductivity; and the lower end
of the zinc which rests on the cross wire being also supported by the plug which
closes the bottom of the tube the zinc will be prevented from falling out. The
absence of all fastenings permits of the ready renewal of the zincs by merely
dropping them in, contact with the conductor being made automatically. To
still further facilitate this operation, the top of the battery casing is provided with
a revolving disc valve cover having holes which may be made to coincide with holes
in the top of the casing directly over the zinc holding tubes for the purpose of
inserting new zincs, the holes in the cover being otherwise closed by partially
rotating the cover so that the holes in the latter do not coincide with those in
the casing.

page_text: In order to permit the escape of the gases generated, a screw plug, which may
also form the handle of the disc, is provided with a vent orifice formed by a tube
of minute bore projecting inwardly into a chamber formed within the plug, the
inner end of the chamber being partially enclosed by a plug having a cupped orifice,
so that whilst the escape of gases will be permitted when the battery is working, the
overflow of the electrolyte in case of upsetting the battery will be prevented.
Although I have described the battery casing as being preferably of cylindrical
form, I do not limit myself thereto, as an ordinary rectangular casing with sliding
valve cover might be used. The electrolyte contains a suitable depolarizing agent.
Dated this 26th day of July 1898.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
I, ARTHUR JUDSON BENEDICT, of Broad Street House, New Broad Street, in the
City of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me by Walter Scott Doe, Electrician, of 222, Monticello Avenue,
Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, United States of America) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to galvanic batteries mainly designed for purposes for
which a light, portable battery occupying little space, capable of being easily
charged, and able to withstand the jolts to which it may be subjected (especially
when mounted on a bicycle or other vehicle) without the stability of the light
supplied by the battery being affected is a great desideratum. Some of these
improvements have for object to conduce to these results whilst others are designed
to improve the working of the battery for general purposes.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specifica-
tion wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one form of battery
and Figure 2 is a part sectional plan of the same. The same letters of reference
indicate the same parts in both figures.
According to the present improvements the casing A of the battery is made of
vulcanite or other suitable material and is divided by cross partitions a into cells B
to receive the elements of the battery. Each element comprises a cathode C
formed of a hollow, perforated cylinder of carbon, and an anode D formed of a
length of zinc tube, open at the ends to admit the electrolyte so that both its outer
and inner surfaces will be exposed to contact with the liquid. This anode D is
preferably made by casting the zinc in the form of a complete tube open at the
ends but it might be made by bending up sheet zinc to the form of a tube. The
anode D is contained within a holder E formed of a perforated tube
of vulcanite which is suspended in position in the cell by its upper end being
screwed or otherwise fixed in a hole in the cover A¹ of the casing A, this holder E
also forming the means of supporting the carbon cathode in position; which may
be conveniently done by driving spring like wedges formed of slips of celluloid c
or the like material between the holder E and the carbon C at the lower end thereof.
Or a plug e of vulcanite may be screwed into the lower end of the holder E and
have a flanged head on which the lower end of the carbon C rests. This plug is
tubular but it might be solid.

page_text: or less
Whether such a plug be used or not the perforations in the sides of the carbon
and the holder E permit of a free circulation of the electrolyte within the carbon
and free access of the electrolyte to the outer end and inner surfaces of the zinc.
Electrical connection is made with the zinc by means of a fine platinum wire F
stretched preferably twice across the vulcanite holder E in a more
diametrical position the wire being for this purpose threaded through the holes
in the holder E by which it is supported, the wire being carried up the inside
of the holder and passing out at the upper end thereof for the purpose of being
connected with the adjacent element of the battery or with the terminal as the
case may be. Upon the wire so stretched across the holder the zinc anode rests
merely by its own weight, without the use of springs or other means of applying
pressure, good conductive contact being maintained with the wire not only by
the lower end of the zinc resting thereon but by the whole length of the zinc
touching the wire which passes up within the holder and as the zinc is held freely
within the holder this contact will by reason of the jarring of the zinc when the
battery is subjected to jolting, be a rubbing contact ensuring clean surfaces of
contact and good conductivity. The absence of all fastenings permits of the ready
renewal of the zincs by merely dropping them into the holders E, contact being
made automatically with the conductors F; and to enable the zincs to be easily
introduced the holders E open through the orifices in the fixed cover A¹ into which
they are screwed or otherwise fixed as above described and are provided with suit-
able means of closure.
For this purpose each of the orifices in the cover A¹ may be closed by a screw
plug as shown at G or the whole of the orifices might be closed by a sliding cover
having orifices which may be made to coincide with the orifices in the fixed
cover A which are normally closed by the sliding cover which is fitted to slide
in gibs and makes a tight joint with the orifices in the fixed cover.
In order to permit the escape of the gases generated the partitions a do not
extend quite up to the top A¹ and a chambered plug I is screwed into the top A¹
said plug being provided with a vent-orifice formed by a minute bore k drilled
through a plug screwed through the top of the plug I and projecting inwardly
into the chamber thereof, the inner end of said chamber having
a small orifice j SO that whilst the gases can escape when the
battery is working the overflow of the electrolyte will be prevented in
case of the battery being upset. The whole of the parts being mounted on the
cover A¹ the elements are placed in position and connected up before being intro-
duced into the cells (which is done as a whole) the cover being fitted and cemented
upon the walls of the casing A so as to make a tight joint, and the wires from the
anode and cathode of the first and last elements being led out through the joint
to terminals F¹ outside the casing.
Instead of the battery being of rectilinear form as shown it might be cylindrical,
the casing being divided by radial partitions and in that case if a sliding cover
be used it might pivot about a centre which may also form the vent plug for the
gases.
The electrolyte used contains a suitable depolarizing agent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. In a galvanic battery the combination with a tubular perforated carbon
cathode mounted upon a perforated tubular holder having a conductive wire of
platinum stretched across and extending up within it, of an anode of zinc resting
merely by its own weight on the said wire and making rubbing contact with the
said wire throughout its length substantially as specified.
2. In a galvanic battery the combination with a tubular perforated carbon
cathode mounted upon a perforated tubular holder having a conductive wire of
platinum stretched across and extending up within it, of an anode of zinc resting

page_text: merely by its own weight on the said wire and making rubbing contact with the
said wire throughout its length, the anode being in the form of a complete tube
open at the ends and exposed to the action of the electrolyte both on its inner and
outer surfaces as specified.
3. In a galvanic battery the combination with a perforated tubular holder of
insulating material suspended from the top cover of the casing, of a perforated
tubular cylinder of carbon supported exteriorly on said holder and of a zinc anode
resting loosely on and in contact with a platinum wire stretched across the said
holder and extending up the inside thereof substantially as specified.
4. The combination with the herein described battery of a vent plug con-
structed as described so as to be adapted to permit the escape of gases without
allowing the electrolyte to overflow.
Dated this 20th day of Dreamhan 1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.