Improvements in Primary Electric Batteries or Generators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Primary Electric Batteries or Generators.
I, SAMUEL VAN BUREN ESSICK, of Hawthorne Avenue, in the City of
Yonkers, County of Westchester, and State of New York, United States of
America, Electrical Engineer, 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 :—
This invention relates to electric generators in which the positive and negative
elements are in contact with a singlo battery liquid or electrolyte and the same is
subjected to heat sufficient for depolarization, and mcans are provided for
automatically keeping the liquid supply in the generator. The object of the
invention is to produce a constant electric current by a simple apparatus and at a
small cost, and to these ends the invention consists in the various features of
construction and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings
--
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of cell, the dotted lines indicating the
positive element.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same ;
Fig. 3 is a side vertical sectional view of the same, showing under it a source of
beat;
Fig. 4 is a top view of the same, showing the enlarged base;
Fig. 5 is a top view of another form of cell without the enlarged base;
Fig. 6 is a side view of the positive clement;
Fig. 7 is a side view of two sets of elements arranged in a frame;
Fig. 8 is an end view of the same, showing one set of electric connections;
Fig. 9 is a side view of an automatic fluid supplying devico;
Fig. 10 is a section showing a four-way valve in detail.
Fig. 11 is a plan view of a diaphragm for holding the cells, which may be used
in connection with the frame shown in Figs. 7 and 8.
Fig. 12 is a detail showing the escapement in perspective.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a slightly different form of generator;
Fig. 14 is a longitudinal vertical section of the sanie without a porous cup;
Fig. 15 is a transveise vertical section including a porous cup; and
Fig. 16 is a plan view including the porous cup.
The cell illustrated in Figs. 1 to 12 comprises an outer case A, which constitutes
one of the elements of the cell, and is made of copper or other suitable material,
while in the cell supported upon an insulating piece a which serves as a cover for
the case, is the other element e, of the battery, such for instance as zinc or similar
material, it being secured to the insulating piece by screws and nuts b, c, one of
which answers the purpose of a binding post. The body of the cell is preferably
in the form of a flattened cylinder, somewhat larger than the other element
contained within the cell, and of such a shape that the inner portions of the sides of
the case. are practically at the same distance throughout from the inner element,
Sometimes it is desirable to furnish more space in the cell for the liquid, in which.
case the bottom portion may be enlarged, as indicated at d, Figs. 1 to 4, or it may
be otherwise shaped to furnish more surface for the liquid and for heating. Some
suitable source of beat is provided to maintain the proper temperature of the
liquid, and this is indicated in Fig. 3, by the gas pipe G provided beneath the
case A with gas jets g³.
It is preferred to use an electrolyte containing salts of copper, as sulphate of

page_text: copper. An electrolyte comprising water about twenty parts and sulphuris acid
and sulphate of copper, each one part, is most efficient.
In use it is preferred to arrange a number of such cells in a suitable frame, and
in Figs. 7, 8 and 11, one way of arranging the cells is illustrated, there being two
tiers f, g, so placed that heat beneath the lower tior will do its work and will then
pass upwards toward the second tier and be utilized to the best advantage. The
cells are preferably supported in a plate D, made of incombustible and. non-
conducting material, like porcelain, asbestos, etc. and having orifices for the
purpose of receiving the cells, and between the cells are gutters or depressions,
as shown, for carrying off any fluid which may overflow from the cells. The
cells are preferably put through the orifices far enough to extend almost their
entire length below said plate, so as to present the largest possible heating surface,
the flame passing in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 7. It will be
understood that the cells may be connected in series or otherwise, as may be desired
according to the nature of the current to be produced, and in Fig. 8, they are
shown arranged in series, tho vessel constituting the negative element of one cell
being connected to the positive element of the next cell, and the circuit being
completed by the conductor n.
Owing to the application of heat, there is considerable evaporation and
consumption of the electrolyte, and it is desirable to maintain the level of the
electrolyte in the cells as nearly equal as possible under all conditions, and in
order to accomplish this automatic means for supplying the electrolyte is provided,
one of which is illustrated in Fige. 9, 10, and 12, in which there is a conductor K,
connected to the inner element or electrode, while the conductor, is connected to
a terminal M, which passes through and is insulated from the case or outer element
or electrode. This circuit may be a branch from the main working circuit of the
battery, which is not indicated in the drawings. When the cell is filled with the
electrolyte, the circuit will be completed by the current passing from the inner
element, through the conductor K, magnet O, conductor 1, to the terminal M,
through the electrolyte, to the outer element er electrode. This energizes the
magnet, causing it to draw the armature t, towards itself, which armature carries
two pins r,, on its upper end arranged within the path of the più p, on the
wheel V. This wheel is driven through a train of gears from a suitable motor W,
and is connected with a valve X, in the supply pipe Z.
When the armature t, is in the position shown in the drawing, the pin p, on the
wheel V, bears against the pin, on the armature, and the parts are held in
position, but when the magnet O, is energized, the pin r, is withdrawn from the
pin p, allowing the wheel V, to make substantially one revolution, when the
pin p, will impinge upon the pin 9, on the armature and the motor mechanism
be stopped. This will move the valve sufficiently to cut off the supply of fluid to
the cell.
When the fluid falls below the terminal M in the cell, the circuit is broken
through the conductor K, I, including the maguet O, and the terminal M, and the
spring, retracts the armature t, releasing the pin p, allowing another rotation of
the wheel V, until the pin p thereon comes in contact with the pin r, on the
armature, when the mechanism is stopped, and this movement opens the valve X,
allowing the fluid to flow to the cell, through the pipe Z, until it rises to
the dotted line S, when the circuit is again closed and the flow of fluid stopped as
before.
In this way it will be seen that a practically constant amount of liquid will be
maintained in the cell.
This automatic mechanisin is simply described to show one means of accomplishing
the result, and it will be understood that other devices than those shown may be
employed for accomplishing this result, this particular mechanism being illustrated
to show the combination of parts comprising the complete invention, it being
essential to have some such feeding dovice in order to produce the best results in
connection with the other features of the invention.

page_text: From the above it will be seen that the invention comprises a cell in which there
is a positive element and a negative element, both in contact with the liquid and.
one forming the liquid retainer and serving to support the other element, and these
cells are preferably arranged in an incombustible and non-conducting frame to form
a battery, and are provided with means for maintaining the supply of electrolyte,
as well as with means for heating the electrolyte to a degree sufficient for the
depolarization of the cells.
It is found that the application of heat to a cell of this description is of great
advantage in the way of economy, in that an increased current may be produced
from a cell of the same character to which the heat is not applied.
The reason for this it is believed is that the action of the heat neutralizes.the.
effect of the hydrogen globules which ordinarily form on the negative pole of the
generator, preventing polarization, and further the heat reduces the internal
resistance of the electrolyte. Thus by reducing the resistance and preventing
polarization of the cell for a greater efficiency in the way of generating current is:
attained and at less expense.
In the construction illustrated in Figures 13 to 16 the same general principles:
will apply except that the case A is provided with a bottom A' and projec
below the bottom is a flange or extension A' which forms the base of the case.
In order to insulate the cell from other cells, the case is provided with external"
insulators, which will cause the cells to be electrically insulated from each other
when arranged in juxtaposition, and at the same time permit the grouping in close.
relations to each other, and there is shown what may be termed a secondary bottom.
portion A, consisting of some incombustible insulating material, such for instance:
as porcelain, or the like, having a portion A fitting within the flange A' of the:
case, and having a portion A fitting the edge of the flange A and projecting
laterally beyond the same, as shown. Connected to the sides of the case are
insulators A which may be of porcelain or any suitable material and which
may be attached to the sides of the case in any way, as by screws or preferably'
may be fitted in sockots A', formed in or attached to the external portions of the
case.
In this way it will be seen that the case is thoroughly insulated from its support,.
and from any other cell which may be placed adjacent to it, and there may be any
desired number of insulatora attached in any convenient way, and they may be.
arranged so that they will intermesh with other insulators, and there is shown'
in Figure 13 an arrangement of the insulators on one side in full lines and on tho.
opposite side in dotted lines.
.
Arranged within the case is an element comprising a plate B, of some material":
to constitute a member of the negative element of the generator, preferably of
carbon but it may be the same material as the exterior case, or of other negative
material and it is electrically connected to the exterior case in any suitable.
way, as by a wire or conductor 3, the said case and plate B constituting one-
element.
Arranged on each side of this negative member B are the positive members C, C¹,.
which may be of zinc or other material electro-positive to the negative element, and
these are preferably provided with extensions c, c, by which they are supported
and they are shown as being monuted on the meinber B, and connected by a
connecting screw-bolt C, there being insulating blocks c, interposed between the.
positive member and the negative member.
In this way a negative member is provided and two positive members connected
therewith, so that they can be moved together and serve to support each other and
maintain parallelism between their adjacent surfaces.
These members may be arranged and supported in the external case A, in which
case the lower portion of the plate B, may rest directly upon the bottom of the
case A, or between the members and the case a porous cup E, may be interposed,.
and when such a cup is employed said cup and the cell are filled to a proper height
with the electrolyte.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. An electric generator comprising a case, constituting one element and supporting
within it an element of more positive metal, an electrolyte in contact with both
elements and an external source of heat sufficient for depolarization, substantially
as described.
2. As an electric generator, a single fluid cell comprising an external conducting
vessel, an element of a more positive metal inserted therein, an electrolyte containing
a salt of copper, a holder containing a supply of said salt of copper, means for
feeding said salt to said electrolyte as required, and means for externally heating
the cell, substantially as described.
3. As an electric generator, a conducting cup or vessel having flat parallel sides,
an element of more positive metal inserted therein, an electrolyte containing a salt
of copper, a holder containing a supply of said salt of copper, means for feeding
said salt to said electrolyte as required, and meaus for externally heating the cell,
substantially as described.
4. The combination with a frame, of an incombustible and non-conducting
supporting plate provided with orifices for receiving and holding battery cells
and provided with guttere, and an external source of heat, substantially as
described.
5. In an electric generator, a case constituting a part of the negative element, a
positive element comprising two membera electrically connected together and
supported in the case, a negative member insulated from said positive element but
electrically connected to the case, an electrolyte contained in the case, and an
external source of heat, substantially as described.
6. An electric generator comprising a copper case, a porous cup mounted in the
case, a negative member connected to the caso, two positive plates supported on each
side of the negative member but insulated therefrom and connected together, an
electrolyte, and an external source of heat, substantially as described.
7. In an electric generator, a case constituting an element of the cell, a negative
member connected to the case, a positive element, an electrolyte, means connected
to the case for insulating it from its support and from other adjacent cells, and
means for heating the cell, substantially as described.
8. In an electric generator, a case constituting a member of one element and
having a projecting bottom flange, a secondary bottom portion fitting the flange
and projecting beyond the edges thereof and forming a support for the cell, and
insulators connected to the sides of the cell, substantially as described.
Doted the 30th day of March 1807
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London,
For the Applicant.