Improvements in Galvanio Batteries.
Year: 1891

page_text: being date of first Foreign Application (in 23rd Mar., 7881
United States of America)
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 22nd Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 22nd Oct., 1891-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 22nd Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 22nd Oct., 1891-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Galvanio Batteries.
I, CALVIN NATHANIEL SOUTHER, of 7644 Emerald Avenue, Chicago, United
States of America, Railway Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This improvement relates to galvanic batteries which are designed principally
to be used on closed circuit work. The object of the invention is to produce
a cell of strong and uniform current and which may be cheaply constructed and
maintained.
The cell is to be classed among the so-called "two-liquid " batteries, though,
in fact it can hardly be said that I use more than one liquid, one of my liquids
scarcely entering into the chemical action and being limited in quantity.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a battery embodying my improvement.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
J is an ordinary jar of glass or other suitable material for containing the
operative portions of the battery. P is the well-known porous cup heretofore
used in two-liquid batteries. This is located within the jar and may be of any
suitable shape. C is an electrode located within the porous cup. This may be
of copper or lead or any other metal which has a sulphate suitable for use as an
exciting agent, or in lieu of a metallic electrode, a carbon electrode may be used.
Surrounding the electrode C, and filling the space between the latter and the
porous cup, is a sulphate of any metal which is suitable as an exciting agent, as,
for example, copper sulphate, lead sulphate, or mercury sulphate. If a metallic
electrode C is used, the sulphate of that metal should be used. If a carbon
electrode is used, the metal of the sulphate is deposited upon the carbon, so that
the latter is finally a carbon-metal electrode.
The sulphate may be in the form of a solution, preferably saturated, and in
addition to the solution there may be powder or crystal in the solution arranged
to descend into the solution to dissolve and maintain the strength of the
solution.
Z is a zinc electrode preferably in the form of a hollow cylinder or part of a
hollow cylinder and surrounding the porous cup and bearing against the outer
surface of the latter and there secured by one or more bands B. The portions of
the outer surface of the porous cup which are not covered by the zinc are
preferably sealed with a coating of paraffine P¹ or other similar material. The
space between the glass jar and the zinc electrode is filled with water. It may,
however, be filled with a sulphate solution, but I prefer a solution which is neutral
in order that there may be no, or only slight chemical action upon the outer
surface of the zinc.
By thus placing the zinc directly against the outer face of the porous cup, the

page_text: saturated solution is kept entirely, or almost entirely, within the porous cup, only
enough passing through the latter to act upon the inner face of the zinc.
By the tests it has been ascertained that a cell constructed as described generates
a current as soon as it is set up, and continues to generate a strong and uniform
current for a long time.
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
First. In a galvanic battery, the combination with a suitable retaining vessel,
of a porous wall, an electrode located at one side of said wall, a metallic sulphate
surrounding said electrode and extending to said porous wall, a zinc electrode
located at the opposite side of and in contact with said porous wall, and a suitable
liquid preferably water, resting against said zinc and the exposed portions of the
side of said porous wall at which the zinc is located, substantially as described.
Second. In a galvanic battery, the combination with a suitable retaining vessel,
of a porous cup located within said retaining vessel, an electrode located within
said porous cup, a metallic sulphate surrounding said electrode within said porous
cup and extending to the inner face of the latter, a zinc electrode applied to the
outer face of said porous cup, and a suitable liquid, preferably water, in the space
between said zinc and the retaining vessel, substantially as shown and described.
Third. In a galvanic battery, the combination with a suitable retaining vessel,
of a porous cup located within said retaining vessel, a carbon electrode located
within said porous cup, a metallic sulphate surrounding said carbon electrode
within said porous cup, and extending to the inner face of the latter, a zinc electrode
applied to the outer face of said porous cup, and a suitable liquid, preferably
water, in the space between said zinc and the retaining vessel, substantially as
shown and described..
Fourth. In a galvanic battery, the combination with a suitable retaining vessel,
of a porous cup located within said retaining vessel, a carbon electrode located
within said porous cup, copper sulphate surrounding said carbon electrode within
said porous cup and extending to the inner face of the latter, a zinc electrode
applied to the outer face of said porous cup and a suitable liquid, preferably water
in the space between said zinc and the retaining vessel, substantially as shown and
described.
00
י
WM. ROBT. LAKE,
HENRY HARRIS LAKE,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.