Year: 1888

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex 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 :-
The object of my invention is to construct a battery for open circuit work which
shall be compact in form, permanently and hermetically closed or soaled and per-
fectly portable and which by the enormous surface of depolarizing material will be
capable of doing more work than batteries of the kind heretofore used.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of one form of battery constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 2 is a similar viow of a battery showing a modified construction.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the battery shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail view of a solid carbon rod employed with the negative electrodo
of the improved battery.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a negative electrode made according to the said
invention.
Figure 6 is a central vertical section of the negative electrode shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a detail view of the binding post and its support forming part of the
negative electrode.
Figure 8 is an elevation, partly in section of a platinized connection with the solid
carbon rod of the negative electrode.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modified connection.
In the said drawings, a designates the battery cell, which consists of a wide monthed
receptacle of glass or other suitable material. Within this cell I place the positive
electrode, which consists of a bar of zinc 6 wrapped with some absorbing material 61; such
as blotting paper, asbestos cloth, or other substance. The purpose of this wrapping is,
simply, to prevent the zinc from coming in contact with the negative electrode; and it
Dini

page_text: need not therefore, extend over the whole surface of the positive electrode, as a short
collar 2, Figure 3, will be sufficient for the purpose.
For the negative electrode I take carbon, in a crushed or broken form, similar to
that used in facing mills for reduction into facing powder. In the form of battery
shown in Figure 1, the said crushed or granular carbon c is packed into a common
canvas bag d, of such size as to permit the zinc electrode to stand in the cell a
without contact, and long enough to reach from end to end of the cell or nearly so.
After packing the bag d more than half full of the granular carbon I introduce a
solid carbon rod e, and then completely fill the bag with the crushed carbon, packing
the same closely around and against the solid carbon e which projects through the
mouth of the bag d. When filled, the mouth of the bag is drawn closely around
the solid piece of carbon and secured in any suitable manner. This carbon rod e is
used to lead the current out of the cell. I preferably employ for this purpose a
pointed carbon rod as manufactured for arc lamps, but any other form might be
employed.
Upon the top of the carbon rod e I apply a plating and drill a holo therein, into
which I insert the screw leg of a binding post y which is then soldered to the plated
top A binding post his soldered into the top of the positivo electrode & and the
soldered parts are then treated with a good coat of asplialtum varnish, to prevent
their oxidation.
The positive and negative electrodes being now placed in the cell as shown in
Figure 1, the exciting liquid is poured in until the cell a is filled to its capacity;
and the receptacle is then permanently and hermetically closed by a cover or seal i
of melted wax or parafine, poured in the mouth of the cell and around the projecting
poles. The battery is now roady for use and it is only necessary to attach the conducting
wires to the binding posts.
I may substitute for the arrangement described that shown in Figures 2 and 3,
wherein the crushed or granular carbon c is packed in an annular space formed in tho
cell a. The current is led out of the cell by a solid carbon rod e around which the
crushed or granular carbon c is packed and the positive electrode is placed in or near
the middle of the cell a.
Although the granular carbon is composed of small pieces yet the irregularity of
form not only permits the circulation of the exciting liquid of the battery entirely
through its mass, even when packed firmly together to ensure good contact, but it
furnishes an enormous surface of depolarizing material. I thus obtain a current of
far greater strength and duration than has beretofore been obtained from a cell of the
kind. When the liquid is salt and water the battery will give a powerful current
and when filled with a solution of sal-ammoniac, the current is very strong and
lasting.
.
In another modification of my battery Figures 5 to 9 I make use of a cup or
vessel d of glass, china, glazed earthenware, or other non-absorbing substance, in lieu
of a bag as above described, for the reception of the crushed or granular carbon and
carbon rod of the negative electrode. In this case the vertical walls of the said
cup d Figures 5 and 6 are at suitable intervals provided with perforations d' of such a
diameter as to admit the free entrance of the exciting solution, but to prevent the
escape of the particles of crushed or granulated carbon whereby the energy of the
electrolyte might be diminished.
Heretofore battery cups or vessels have usually been made of unglazed bisque ware,
which is of an extremely porous quality. By endosmose of the solution the pores of
the cup speedily became filled with the metal of the battery solution, the deposit not
only permeating the entire cup but in places occurring in streaks, or veins, whereby
the current is weakened, and sometimes wholly destroyed, by local action. In this
way the porous cup is rendered entirely worthless in a short time. Moreover, these
cups are extremely liable to crumble after being saturated for a very short
period.
From these objections the said glazed or non-absorbent cup or vessel in which the

page_text: porous or absorbent quality is replaced by perforations in the wall of the cup is
entirely free.
"
Within the cup or vessel d is usually placed a cloth lining of asbestos cloth,
or other cloth or fabric which covers the perforations d but does not obstruct the
entrance or exit of the exciting solution in the cell. Within the cloth or fabric k is
closely packed the crushed or granular carbon c, and when about half filled tho
carbon rode is inserted, and the cup is then filled with the crushed or granular carbon,
which is tightly around and against the solid carbon.
In the upper part of the carbon rod e a hole is formed and a piece of platinum
wire or wire of base metal covered with platinum is inserted and tightly plugged
therein by a piece of wood, hard rubber or the like. My object is to obtain an
indestructible connection between the carbon rod and platinum wire, which will last
longer than the battery, whereas in the araangements hitherto employed the battery
lasts longer than the carbon connection. Upon the top of the carbon rod e iš
placed a support or bridge m of wood, brass or other metal carrying a binding
post g to which the wire is connected, an opening being formed between the
bridge m and the top of the carbon rode. After filling the cup or vessel to the
upper part of the carbon rod e, pitch, wax, or other material is poured into the said
cup or vessel to form a cover or seal n. The support or bridge m having been
previously placed upon the crushed or granular carbon, the said wax, pitch, or other
inaterial surrounds and covers it, beside flowing into the opening m surrounding
the wire and holding all the parts firmly in place. An interior flange d² on the
cup or vessel d holds the aforesaid cover, or scal' n in its place. Any of the baser
metals will do the same service as platinum, if plated with a film of platinum,
entirely covering the baser metal within, and a common brass binding post, plated
with platinum and screwed or fastened into the carbon, will serve the same purpose.
As in all the above named cases, the metal platinum faces the attacks of the creeping
salts or rising acids or vapours in the cell. Platinum is only attacked by aqua regia
a solution rarely used in batteries. Platinum being impervious to the attacks of
any other chemical compound it makes an imperishable connector. Gold would
servo the same purpose but platinum is preferable for its hardness. For better con-
nections and conductivity I insert into the crushed carbon e in the perforated cup d
a carbon rod with platinum in some shape plugged tightly into it, pressing said
carbon rod well into the crushed carbon, with the plugged part at the top, taking the
current either off the platinum direct in the shape of wire, or from a binding post or
clamp attached to said platinum. Another way is to platinize the carbon rod at a
point to remain above the solution of the battery, and to hard-solder thereto a piece of
platinum wire.
Instead of using a mounted binding post g, as shown in Figure 7 I also use a
platinized post as shown in Figure 8, where the plated post g¹ only comes in contact
with carbon rod e, or I use a platinized carbon rod e as shown in Figure 9, where e
represents the platinized part of the carbon rode and the platinum or platinized wire
soldered, thereto for connection with binding post g. But I do not limit myself to any
of the forms of connection shown, as a connection made by any other mechanical means
between carbon rod and platinum can find employment to advantage in galvanic
batteries.
'
In caso the apertures, or perforations d' in the cup or vessel d are fine enough to
prevent the escape of the smaller particles of carbon, no cloth lining will be needed.
The carbon electrode constructed in accordance with my invention has only about
one tenth of the internal resistance of the usually employed porous cup, with
an outlet of non-corroding nature, so as to prevent any interruption of the current
by the corroding, eating away or insulation of the connection which joins the main
wire and the carbon electrode thereby obviating the greatest trouble hitherto
experienced in batteries using carbon electrodes namely that which results from the
creeping of the salts or the rising of the vapours of the battery solution as now used,
which salts or vapours in some cases entirely destroy the connections and thereby

page_text: break the current, and in others encircle the connection with a layer of non-conducting
substance, such as sulphates, thus destroying the current.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. A battery for open circuit work consisting of a permanently, hermetically
sealed or closed cell, containing a negative electrode, composed of crushed or granular
carbon, packed around and in contact with the solid carbon by which the current is
led out, and a positive electrode composed of zinc, having a protective wrapping of
absorbent material, substantially as specified.
Second. A battery composed of a wide mouthed jar, a negative electrodo consisting
of crushed or granular carbon, confined and closely packed within an annular space in
the cell said space being formed by a cylindrical bag of fabric, and by the wall of the
jar, a piece of solid carbon around which the granular carbon is packed and by which
the current is led out, a positive electrode arranged within the said cylindrical bag and
provided with a collar at its lower end, an energizing solution and a permanent seal
closing the cell substantially as specified.
Third. In a battery, a negative electrode consisting of crushed carbon having a piece
of solid carbon packed therein and arranged within an interior annular space formed
by an inner bag or sack of fabric and by the wall of the cell, and a positive electrode
arranged within said cylindrical sack and provided with a collar upon its lower end
which rests upon the bottom thereof, substantially as specified.
Fourth. An electrode composed of a perforated cup or vessel constructed of non-
absorbent material, a filling of crushed or granular carbon a solid carbon rod packed
therein and a fabric interposed between the crushed or granular carbon and the per-
forated wall of the cup or vessel to prevent the loss of the particles of carbon through
the perforations, substantially as specified.
Fifth. An electrode composed of a perforated cup or vessel of non-absorbent material,
a filling of crushed or granular carbon packed closely around a solid carbon rod, a
fabric interposed between the crushed or granular carbon and the perforated wall of
the said cup or vessel, a support or bridge overlying the solid carbon rod and having a
binding post, and a platinum wire soldered to the binding post, and having its end
plugged into the solid carbon rod substantially as specified.
Sixth. The combination, with the perforated non-absorbent cup or vessel con-
taining crushed or granulated carbon packed around a solid carbon rod, of a support
or bridge resting upon said carbon filling a binding post on said support or bridge, a
platinum wire having one end buried in the solid carbon rod and the other end con-
nected to said binding post, and a seal enclosing and covering said parts, substantially
as specified.
Dated thin 14th da SM 1000