IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine Francois Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC BATTERIES, '--
A communication from Hippolyte F. P. Benoist, residing in Paris,
(Physician.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marc Antoine Francois
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd December 1859.
I, MARC ANTOINE FRANCOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent
Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAI
BATTERIES," to be as follows:-
The sketch below represents in its simplest form a voltaic arrangement
comprising these improvements. A, A,
are shallow capsules in zinc, tinned inside,
nested one within the other. (without
metallic contact), and maintained in posi-
tion by brackets fitted to a non-conducting
support B. On the tinned bottom of each
of these capsules is placed a layer of one
of the slightly soluble metallic salts, such
as chloride or sulphate of lead (C, C,) over
which is poured any suitable exciting
A
solution. The required number of these cells being nested one within the
Price 8d1

page_text: other, and secured as in the sketch, the battery is completed by metallic
conductors soldered or otherwise attached to the first and last of the range.
Instead of having the cells entirely in zinc, as above noted, they nay, if
so required, be formed of iron or copper, tinned or silvered within, and provided
at the bottom on the outside with a plate of zinc or other oxidable metal.
They may even be made of wood lined with lead and sheathed with zinc, the
communication between the two metals being established by any suitable
means, a metallic band, for instance.
arrangement of these elements may of
intended applications.
The form, dimensions, and general
course be varied according to their
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marc Antoine Francois Mennons in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANCOIS MENNONS, of the British. and Foreign Patent Offices,
39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Marc Antoine Francois Mennons, Her special licence
that I, the said Marc Antoine Francois Mennons, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said Marc Antoine Francois
Mennons, 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 inake, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VOLTAIC
BATTERIES," a communication from Hippolyte F. P. Benoist, residing in Paris,
Physician, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Marc
Antoine Francois Mennons, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 imme-.
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said Marc Antoine Francois Mennons, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing and to the letters marked thereon (that is to say):
These improvements consist,-
1stly. In the employment in voltaic batteries of slightly soluble metallic
salts, as hereafter described.
2dly. In the combinations of battery apparatus in which these salts are
used.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in its simplest form à
valtaic battery comprising these improvements. A, A, are shallow capsules in
zinc, tinned in the inside, nested one within the other without metallic contact,
and maintained in position by brackets fitted to the non-conducting support
B, B. On the tinned bottom of each of these cells is placed a layer C, of one of
the slightly soluble metallic salts, such as chloride or sulphate of lead, over
which is poured any suitable exciting solution. The required number of these
cells being nested one within the other and secured as in the Drawing, the
battery is completed by metallic conductors, soldered or otherwise attached to
the first and last of the range.
Figure 2 is a section of another form of battery on the same principle. A,
B, C, D, E, F, are shallow vessels in tinned iron or copper, the bottom of each
of which is provided with a plate of zinc as in L, H; G, I, K, are earthenware
vessels glazed only on their upright sides, the bottoms being left as thin and
porous as possible. In some cases the bottoms may be entirely dispensed with,
a simple projecting ledge being reserved within each vessel to serve as support.
A few orifices for the escape of the disengaged gases may be formed in these
vases at any convenient part. To charge this battery, when long continued
action is desired, a quantity of pulverised sulphate of lead is reduced to a paste
with water or with a solution of common salt or sulphate of zinc, according to
the intensity required. A portion of this paste is spread on the bottom of each
porous vase, the latter being previously moistened. The metallic capsules are
then placed in position with their zincs, and the battery is completed by the
superposition of any required number of these elements, the connections being
made as above by metallic strips or binding screws in communication with the
first and last capsules of the series.
When a temporary current of high intensity is required, the arrangement
should be reversed, the zinc plates should be soldered to the under surfaces of
the metallic capsules, and the bottoms of the porous vessels be pierced with

page_text: holes or entirely removed. The sulphate of lead should be replaced by a
mixture of sulphate and chloride, or even by the chloride of lead alone, and
the exciting solution be strengthened by additional quantities of saline matter.
In this arrangement the energy of action is only obtained at the expense of its
constancy, as the reduced lead is in the long run precipitated on the zinc plates
in filaments, which, descending to the layer of lead salt beneath, finish by
forming a direct communication between the separate elements of the battery.
Figure 3 represents another arrangement more specially applicable to the
production of energetic currents. A, B, C, are vessels in earthenware,
porcelain, glass, gutia percha, or other suitable non-conducting matter, in the
bottom of each of which are formed two or three apertures as in E, E; G, H,
are plates of carbon coated with a mixture of stearine and graphite, and care-
fully cemented to the bottoms of each of the vessels A, B, C. On each of the
projecting ledges X, X, is placed a sheet of zinc provided with metallic springs
as in L, L, by means of which the contacts are made. As in the arrangements
above described any number of these elements may be superposed to form a
voltaic column of the power required. In this combination the charge should
be composed of fused chloride of lead in fragments, with a saturated solution
of chloride of sodium, or other similar exciting fluid.
The zinc plates should be amalgamated; a small quantity of sulphate of
mercury may be added to the saline solution to maintain the amalgamation
and prevent as far as possible the adherence of the reduced lead. When
expense is not looked to the chloride of lead may be entirely replaced by the
sulphate of mercury or other slightly soluble salt of the same base.
Figure 4 represents another form of column battery for telegraphic and
similar purposes. A, B, C, D, are capsules in tinned copper or other metal,
in the bottoms of which are placed the layers of salts of lead, covered if desired
by porous diaphragms; D, E, F, are plates of zinc, in the centre of each of
which is cast an upright stalk G. These plates of zinc should be pierced with
a number of holes to prevent the dispersion of the exciting solution when
mounting the battery. and to give passage to the gases disengaged during the
working H, H, H, are metallic lids, in the centre of each of which is an
opening giving passage to the knobs I, I, I, of the connectors J, J. J, the
latter formed of thin metallic plates or bands in contact with the bottom of
cach capsule. These openings should be lined with gutta percha, caoutchouc,
or other insulating matter to prevent metallic contact between the lids and the
connector knobs I. On the upper surface of each lid is placed a sheet of
insulating matter K, (gutta percha for instance) also pierced at the centre.
To mount any required number of these elements it is simply necessary to

page_text: pass the knobs of the connectors J, through the apertures of the insulating
sheets K and the lids till they meet the stalks G of the zinc plates D'. E. F¹.
where they are secured either by screw sockets or other suitable contrivance.
The series of elements thus connected are mounted on the wooden sole plate L
and maintained in position by uprights, as in M. M. adapting in the projecting
stops O, cast or soldered on the outside of the vessels A, B, C, D. The
arrangement is completed by metallic conductors communicating by binding
screws or otherwise with the tinned vessel at one extremity of the column, and
with the zinc at the other.
Figure 5 represents a miniature battery for medical and similar purposes;
A, B, C, D, is a vase of tinned copper or other suitable metal, closed by a
lid E, F, of the same kind, provided with an opening at G. G; Z. Z. is
a disc of zinc fitted in the centre with a stalk of the same metal
in which is fixed a small tinned copper rod M, K, threaded at the top. This
rod passes through a plate or socket of non-conducting matter H. H, and
screws into a similar plate I, I, above the lid; a small metallic capsule O, P,
charged with the salt of lead. is placed at the bottom of each vase.
contacts may be made by metallic springs as in Q, or by binding screws, com-
municating on one hand with the lid E, F, and on the other with the copper
rod K of the zinc plate. In some cases it may be useful to interpose a porous
diaphragm (paper or thin clay) between the zine and the metallic salt.
The
Figure 6 represents another arrangement somewhat similar in form to the
Daniell's battery at present in general use. A, B, C. D. is a vessel of glass.
porcelain, gutta percha, or other suitable non-conducting matter: E. F. G, H.
is a cast zinc cylinder, the upper edge of which is overlapped and cemented to
the vessel A, B, C, D; K. L. M. N. is an ordinary porous tube filled with
the metallic salt reduced to paste; O, P, is a cylinder formed of an alloy of
lead and tin; R, S, is a stopper by which the apparatus is closed.
When feeble quantities of electricity are required for experiments of short
duration, an apparatus similar in form to the primitive column of Volta, may
be composed of alternate discs of leaf copper, zinc, and unsized paper, the
latter coated on one side with the lead salt reduced to paste, and moistened for
use by a saline solution. These discs may be superposed in any number.
according to the intensity required, the contacts being made at each extremity
of the pile by metallic strips of any suitable form.
It will be understood that many modifications may be introduced in the
In the preceding
construction of the different batteries above described.
description the tinned copper, zinc, iron, &c., &c., with the salts of lead, have
been adopted as the standard for ordinary purposes on account of their low

page_text: price, but it is obvious that many other combinations of metals and slightly
soluble salts may be employed in the same manner and with the same results,
I therefore claim,-
1stly, the employment as above described in voltaic batteries of all the
slightly soluble metallic salts.
And, 2dly, the construction and arrangement of such batteries substantially
as above described and represented in the different Figures of the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine Francois Mennons, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
M. F. MENNONS. (L.S.)