US548038A - Thermo-electric generator - Google Patents

Description

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY BARRINGER COX, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

TH ERMO-ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 548,038, dated October 15, 1895.

Application filed Iannary 31, 1894- Serlal No. 49 8,657. (llo model.)

letters of reference marked thereon, which.

form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in thermo-electric generators.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved method of constructing thermoelectric generators, whereby the elements constitutin g the couples will be most permanently and positively united into a single integral piece by fusing the metals of the elements into an alloy at the point of junction, so that the alloy is homogeneous with the metals of the elements and is gradually shaded ofi into the same.

The invention consists in the peculiar method hereinafter set forth and fully described.

I'Ieretofore great difficulty has been experienced by reason of the breaking down and separation of the elements composing the thermo-electric couples which constitutes the generator, for various reasons, such as the unequal expansion and contraction of the different elements.

It is the object of this invention to so amalgamate or unite the unlike metals into a single piece as to absolutely prevent this breaking down or rupture at the joints, as in reality no joints are formed, as the metals are fused into a single piece.

It is well understood that thermo-electric generators are generally composed of alternant elements of thin metal strips, such as copper strips, and larger blocks of some softer metal, such as an alloy of antimony and zinc.

In carrying out my invention the elements are fused together by means of electric current in any suitable manner,- so that when the adjacent ends of two unlike elements are in the proper machine to properly apply the electric current and hold the parts the said elements on engagement with each other can be so fused at the meeting points as to form an alloy of the metals of the elements, which will become amalgamated with the elements themselves, and thereby unite the elements into a single piece without the joint or break, and so that there is in reality no line of union between the metals.

The copper connectingstrips, which of course have a very high fusing point, are formed very thin and of very small area in cross-section, indeed, in comparison with the corresponding area of the large elements of an alloy of antimony and zinc of comparatively low fusing point. The large element of soft metal is made so much larger than the thin hard metal strip and in such proportion thereto that the current passing through the great area and surface of the large element will be so concentrated onto the small thin strip that at the junction between the large element and a strip both will fuse to form the alloy between them and the graduated alloy junction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The method of making thermo electric couples which consists in forming a thin hard metal strip element, and a comparatively large metal element of a lower fusing point than the strip element, then passing an electric current through said large soft metal element and thin metal strip which are properly proportioned so that the hard metal fuses to the soft metal to form the alloy of the metals of both parts and unite them by graduated alloy junction, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY BARRINGER COX.

Witnesses:

O. E. DUFFY, O. M. WERLE.