US334788A - Fbank l - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

. F. L. LAETHROP.

GALVANIO BATTERY.

Patented Jan; 26; 1886'.

N. PETERS Phclo'Lilhogv-apher. Washington, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. LATHROP, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GALVANIC BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 334,788, dated January 26, 1886.

Application filed April 16, 1885. Serial No. 162,443. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern:

' Be it known that I, FRANK L. LATHROP, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain newv and useful Improvements in Galvanic Batteries, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates especially to that class of devices known as primary galvanic bat-- teries, and has for its object the provision of a battery reasonably cheap and simple to construct, easyto handle and use, and wherein the power of the battery is greatly augmented and its durability increased.

r 5 My invention consists, essentially, in a jar or cell, preferably made of glass, and coated with a shellac paint upon its exterior to prevent salting over the top, and render the jar easy to handle, the shellac coating preventing slipping in the hands, especially if wet. The zinc used in my improved battery is made in the form of ascrew, thus presenting the largest possible surface in a small space. At the top of the zinc is formed a groove or gutter, communicating with the screw-thread by a minute perforation, enabling me to thoroughly amalgamate the zinc while in use and without removing it from the jar. The carbon or carbons are in the form of a rod, stick, or sheet, and are provided with a metal topcast there on, and held in place by notches, perforations, or indentations formed in or upon the carbon .before casting the cap thereon, said carbons being secured to a metal band adapted and arranged to connect them together and hold them in their proper position within the cell in order to give good circulation; and my invention also involves certain other novel and useful combinations or arrangements of parts and peculiarities of construction and operation, all of which will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved battery, and Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view thereof at line 00 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of my improved form of zinc, and Fig. 4 is a like view of a carbon employed in my battery.

Like letters of reference,wherever they oo- 50 our, indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is the jar or cell, preferably made of glass, and coated upon its exterior with shellac-paint. This coating prevents salting over the top, and in'lifting the jar the hands will not slip, as 5 where naked glass is used, especially if moist upon the outside. I

B is a porous cell, wherein the zinc O is placed. My improved zinc is cast or otherwise formed in the shape of a screw, having one or more deeply-cut threads. The top of the zinc is made flat, and has an annular gutter or pocket, D, formed therein, a perforation, E, leading from said pocket to the top of the screw-thread therebeneath. In use the zinc is first amalgamated in the usual manner and placed in position. When it is desired to renew the amalgam, mercuryis poured into the pocket D, and passes therefrom down the spiral thread therebeneath, thoroughly coating the zinc in its descent, and that which passes to the bottom of the cell may be readily poured off for further use. An extension, F, at the top of the zinc is perforated at G for the reception of the conducting-wire, the same be- 7 in'g held in place by the binding-screw H.

I have found that a series of disks upon a rod present almost as much surface as the screw, but such a form of zinc cannot be amalgamated with the facility above described, and a very poor circulation is obtained.

I is a metal strip, preferably cast, and provided with projections J, adapted and arranged to engage with the carbons K.

P is the binding-screw for connecting a conductor with the carbon band or strip I. The carbons may be in the form of a rod, stick, or sheet, as preferred, and are each provided with a cast-metal head or cap, L. In placing the cap in position the extremity of the carbon is first cut, notched, perforated, orscored, andthen held in an upright position within a suitable mold, the molten metal being poured therearound, and as it cools it shrinks firmly upon the carbon. A perforation,-M, is made through the cap, the center of said hole being upon the line of union between the carbon and metal, a binding-screw, N, located above the hole serving to hold I the carbon in place upon the projection from band I, or with any other conductor. This construction and arrangement secures a substantially perfect contact, andprevents corroding orsalting of the parts.

One, two, or more carbons may be employed, but I have found by careful experiment that the best results are obtained by the use of three, arranged as shown.

In charging the battery for use the solution preferred for the jar is chromic acid, sulphuric acid, and water, and for the porous cell or cup sulphate of zinc and water; or the ordinary bichromate solution may be employed in the glass jar.

The advantages of my'impro'ved battery are case of handling and cleanliness, the peculiar form or construction of zinc presenting the largest possible surface in a small space and facilitating amalgamation, my form of zinc lasting several times as long as other shapes heretofore employed; the improved method-of securing a proper contact between the carbons and conductor, and of arranging said carbons to reduce the action ofpolarization.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a galvanic battery, a zinc made in the form of a screw, as set forth, and provided at its upper extremity with a binding-screw or equivalent means for securing contact with a conductor, and having a mercury-reservoir communicating with the said screw, substantially as shown and described.

. 2. A zinc for galvanic batteries made in the thereof, said receptacle having communication with the thread, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and described.

4. In a galvanic battery, a zinc having a spiral thread leading from the upper extremity to the bottom thereof, an annular pocket or gutter being formed in the top, as set forth, a perforation leading from said pocket to the screw-thread therebeneath, and a projection at the top of said screw bearing a binding-screw, substantially as shown and described.

5. A galvanic battery consisting of a cell or jar, A, porous cup B, screw-shaped zinc 0, metal strip or band I, having projections J, and one or more carbons, K, provided with metal caps cast thereon, the whole constructed,

combined, and arranged to operate substan- FRANK L. LATHROP.

Witnesses:

J. MORGAN, A. M. PIERCE.

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