AN IMPROVED GALVANIC BATTERY, AND METHOD OF RECOVERING AND REVIVIFYING THE AGENTS EMPLOYED
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Victor Doat, of Albi, in the French Empire,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED GALVANIC BATTERY, AND
METHOD OF RECOVERING AND REVIVIFYING THE AGENTS EMPLOYED."
Sealed the 7th October 1856, and dated the 24th April 1856.
P
ONAL SP
BAILE
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th April
1856.
I, VICTOR DOAT, of Albi, in the French Empire, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED GALVANIC BATTERY
AND METHOD OF RECOVERING AND REVIVIFYING THE AGENTS EMPLOYED," to be as
follows:-
My improved galvanic battery is composed of metallic mercury instead of
zinc; iodide of potassium instead of acidulated water or sea salt, as used in
ordinary batteries. Iodine dissolved in iodide of potassium and placed in a
porous vessel containing a carbon pole takes the place of nitric acid or
sulphate of copper.
To recover or revivify the agents, I draw off the saturated liquid after the
battery has been at work, and revivify:
First, the iodide of potassium. By heating the liquid in a capsule covered
by a receiver, the heat will volatilize the periodide of mercury formed by the
action of the battery, and will cause it to condense at the top of the receiver.
Second, the mercury. By treating the periodide of mercury thus obtained
with caustic baryta, iodide of barium and oxyde of mercury will be formed
971

page_text: and by employing heat, the oxide of mercury will be decomposed, and will
leave or deposit metallic mercury.
Third, the iodine. On heating the iodide of barium, it will abandon the
iodine in presence of the oxygen produced by the decomposition of the oxide
of mercury, and will leave caustic baryta.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.
filed by the said Victor Doat in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th October 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, VICTOR
DOAT, of Albi, in the French Empire, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in thenineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Victor Doat, Her special licence that I, the said Victor Doat, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Victor Doat, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED GALVANIC BATTERY, AND METHOD
OF RECOVERING AND REVIVIFYING THE AGENTS EMPLOYED," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Victor Doat, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Victor Doat, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
My improved galvanic battery is composed thus:-First, mercury, either
pure or in amalgam, is employed as the electro-positive metal.
Second, iodide of potassium, or any other alkaline or earthy iodide, is used
nstead of the acids or salts in solution of ordinary batteries.

page_text: Third, iodine dissolved in an alkaline iodide is used, instead of the sub-
stances usually employed, to surround the negative pole, prevent polarization,
and produce constant effects. I cinploy carbon as the negative pole.
The mercury is introduced into a cell or vessel, round, square, or otherwise
shaped, and made of glass, earthenware, or gutta percha; a concentrated
solution of iodide of potassium is placed on the mercury. The carbon pole is
inserted in a porous vessel, about three-fifths of an inch (more or less) from
the mercury, and surrounded with a solution of iodide of potassium saturated
with iodine.
The method of recovering or revivifying the agents is as follows:-After
the battery has been at work, the saturated solution is drawn off, and I
recover, first, the iodide of potassium, by heating the liquid in a capsule with
a receiver at top, when the periodide of mercury formed during the action of
the battery, will be volatilized and condensed on the top of the receiver.
Second, the mercury is recovered by treating the periodide with dissolved
caustic baryta, oxide of mercury and iodide of barium will be formed. In
order to separate the oxide of mercury, I heat it in a capsule covered by a
receiver, when the oxide will be decomposed by means of the heat and yield
metallic mercury.
Thirdly, the iodine is recovered by heating the iodide of barium in presence
of the oxygen, resulting from the decomposition of the oxide of mercury, and
conducted to the iodide through a tube. The iodine driven off by the oxygen
will be condensed in the receiver over the capsule containing the iodide of
barium, and the caustic baryta which will remain may be used again.
The iodine, iodide of potassium, and mercury may be recovered by a cold
process in the following manuer :-Into the liquid drawn off from the battery
I throw fragments of metallic copper, which being of a more electro-positive
nature than mercury, reduces.it to a metallic state, and iodide of copper will
be formed, which will dissolve in alkaline iodide. This solution is treated
with hydrated carbonate of bioxide of copper or other subsalt of copper, the
iodine is eliminated and an oxide of copper formed at the cost of the iodide
of this metal, while the carbonate of bioxide passes into a state of carbonate
of protoxide. I then filter, in order to separate the iodine dissolved in the
alkaline iodide, and a combination of oxide and carbonate of copper will
remain. This substance is beaten to a powder together with charcoal dust,
and placed in a crucible and heated in a furnace (having a strong draft).
Metallic copper is thus obtained, which may be used over again to precipitate
the mercury.
As pure metallic mercury does not possess as muchelectro-motive strength

page_text: as certain other metals of a more electro-positive nature, this strength may be
increased by mixing zinc, tin, or other electro-positive metal with the mercury,
in order to form a liquid amalgam therewith; the agents would be recovered
by caustic baryta and carbonate of copper. In this case oxides of the
amalgamated metals would be formed. If baryta be used, it should be filtered
in order to separate the iodide of barium dissolved in the iodide of potassium ;
the iodine is driven off by heating this double iodide in a capsule covered by a
receiver, a current of atmospheric air being.conducted through a tube in order
that the action of the oxygen contained in the air may be employed. The
metallic oxide which remains is pounded on the filter with powdered charcoal
and heated, when a metallic product will be obtained.
If carbonate of copper be employed, the iodine is obtained pure and dis.
solved in iodide of potassium. I filter, in order to eliminate this product,
which may be replaced in the cells of the battery, and I pound up the
insoluble product together with powdered charcoal. The insoluble product
would be a mixture of the oxide of the metal forming the amalgam and the
carbonate of copper; I warm it in a crucible and obtain a metallic residuum,
which is a description of brass or bronze available for commercial purposes.
The characteristic or advantage of iodine in the battery is, that it produces
both constancy and intensity at the same time. The advantage of using
mercury or liquid amalgam is this, that when these agents are employed, the
quantity of electricity may be regulated by inclining the vessel in which they
may be contained, thereby diminishing the extent of metallic surface.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that I claim,-
First, the improved galvanic battery, composed of the elements or agents
herein before mentioned, and as herein before described, especially in so far as
regards the employment of iodine and of iodides.
Second, the method of recovering the agents employed, as herein before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Victor Doat, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and fifiroiv
V. DOAT. (L.S.)