Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 10th June, 1887.
[Communioated from abroad by Dr. ORAZIO LUGO, of the City, County, and State of
New York, United States of America, Chemist.]
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
1, PETER JENSEN of 77, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of
the Institute of Patent Agents, 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 :-
In a previous patent No. 9403 of 1886 the communicator bas described and claimed
an electric battery in which the negative element is kept free from deposit of other
elemental matter, thus conducing toward a constant electrical energy, or volt-ampere.
But in electrical batteries constructed with their elements in contact with two
solutions, one alkaline and the other acid, owing to the great chemical affinity of alkali
and acid for each other, the solutions soon become neutralized. Notwithstanding
their separation by an inert porous medium, the neutralizing process continues even
when the battery is in closed circuit. Hence generally, electric batteries of this kind
are not sufficient in electro-motive force and are expensive.
The objects of the present invention are, while keeping the negative element free
from deposit, conducing in this way toward constant electrical energy or volt-ampere,
to obtain a greater electro-motive force than heretofore and at once conserve the
battery, by preventing inter-diffusion of the acid and alkaline solutions; the ampere
current also to be regulated as may be desired.
The communicator has discovered, when the elements of an electric battery are
respectively in contact with alkaline and acid solutions, that the inter-diffusion of the
liquids may be almost totally prevented by the addition to the acid of a metallic salt,
this inter-diffusion being thus prevented whether the battery be in closed or open
circuit, and the osmotic action of gas produced when the circuit is closed not being
arrested thereby, but taking place freely.
Even when the porous medium is filled with a neutral salt, formed by the action of
the acid upon the alkali, osmotic action of the gases will still continue.
As an illustration of one means of carrying this invention into effect, I construct
a cell of two elements, one being zinc while the other may be carbon, and these
elements are in contact with two liquids, the one being alkaline and the other an acid
containing a metallic salt.
In a porous cup is the carbon, and into this cup is put say, nitric acid and a solution
of nitrate of conner.

page_text: In an outer jar, generally of glass, is the zinc element, and into this jar is put a
solution of a caustic alkali, such as caustic soda.
The order of placing the elements and liquids in the battery may be reversed, that
is to say, the acid metallic solution and the carbon may be in the outer compartment
or glass jar, and the caustic soda and zinc be in the inner compartiment or porous cup.
The two elements constituting the battery are thus in contact with three different
liquids or solutions.
The communicator has constructed a battery of amalgamated zinc in a caustic soda
solution of 40° Baume in the glass jar, the porous cup containing of nitric acid of
35° Baume two-thirds and of nitrate of copper solution of 35° Baume one-third, the
carbon element being immersed in the acid copper-solution, with the following
results Electro-motive force 2.5 volts at the start. After having kept the cell short
circuited for 264 hours, it still gave 2.4 volts.
As well as by varying the size of the two elements, the ampere current of this
battery can be obtained of the desired quantity by changing the proportions of the
nitric acid and the nitrate of copper, the less the quantity of nitrate of copper present,
the greater being the ampere current and the lower the internal resistance of the
battery for given-size electrodes. It is well also to vary the strength of the alkaline
solution, in inverse proportion to the density of the acid salt solution.
Other acids and metallic salts may be used instead of nitric acid and nitrate of
copper, such as hydro-chloric acid and chloride of copper, or sulphuric acid and
sulphate of copper, or any of the other nitrates, sulphates, chlorides, or chlorates,
preferably in solution with the acid belonging to the metallic salt used.
It is understood that the electro-motive force will vary according to the salt and
acid employed in making up the cell, and also, the constancy of the current will
depend upon whether the free acid used can dissolve the metal deposited on the carbon
element and maintain a free carbon contact while the battery is at work, if a free
carbon contact and the highest electro-motive force is desired.
Sulphate of copper and sulphuric acid will not prevent the deposition of copper on
the carbon element without the nitric acid being present.
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 as the
invention communicated to me is :-
1. An electric battery in which one element is in contact with an acid and the
other with an alkaline solution, one liquid containing a substance which will retard or
nearly prevent inter-diffusion of the liquids, substantially as described.
2. An electric battery in which the positive element is in contact with an alkaline
solution and the negative element with an acid solution, there being an interposed
porous medium between the solutions, and the acid solution containing a metallic salt,
whereby, while the acid acts to keep the negative element free from deposit of
objectionable elemental matter, thus obtaining a constant electrical energy or volt-
ampere, the salt will prevent or retard the inter-diffusion of the solutions, without
preventing, when the circuit of the battery is closed, osmotic action of gas through
the porous medium, substantially as described.
3. The method of decreasing or increasing the ampere current by changing the
relative proportions of the acid and metallic salt around the negative electrode,
substantially as described.