UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL GASSNER, JR, OF MENTZ, GERMANY.

GALVANIC BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION iforming part of letters Patent No. 373,064, dated November 15, 1887.
Application filed May 20, 1887. Serial No. 238,909. (No specimens.) Patented in Germany April 8, 1886, No. 37,758; in Austria
Hungary
and May 21,
in England 1886, No.22,35,974
December 1886, and
No. No. 64,357; in Belgium July 16, 1886, No. 73,872; in France July 17, 1886, No. 177,465,
16,810.

To all, whom it nay concern: composed of a zinc cylinder containing an

Beit known that I, CARL GASSNER, Jr., of isolated cylinder of carbon manganese, be
the city of Mentz and Empire of Germany, tween which two cylinders exists a space which
have made a certain new and useful Improve is filled up with the exciting agent, in liquid
ment inisGalvanic
lowing Elements, of which the fol
a specification. or semi-liquid form, which after awhile be
My invention relates to galvanic elements; comes comparatively hard and solid. This 45
and it consists in the intermixture and em agent is made up, according to my improve
ployment of oxide of zinc as an addition to ment, preferably of the following ingredients,
O the exciting agent for galvanic elements, sub in the proportions stated, namely: oxide of
stantially as hereinafter described and claimed. Zinc, one (1) part, by Weight; sal-ammoniac, So
The oxide of zinc may be employed with one (1) part, by weight; plaster, three (3)
great advantage as a constituent of any well parts, by Weight; chloride of zinc, one (1) part,
known exciting agent for the elements, with by weight; water, two (2) parts, by weight.
which it can be mechanically mixed and in The oxide of zinc in this composition has this
troduced into the galvanic cell and act therein, effect, after it is introduced into the cell-viz., 55
as hereinafter set forth. I do not, however, that it loosens and makes it porous, and the
claim its employment when mixed with an greater porosity thus obtained facilitates es
exciting-fluid for the electrodes and applied sentially the interchange of the gases and di
thereto before being introduced into the cell, minishes the tendency to the polarization of
the electrodes.
so as by chemical action to transform the zinc The inner resistance of the elements will
oxide at once into a chemically-different salt not be raised by the addition of the oxide of
as, for instance, dilute sulphuric acid- which zinc, as the latter is a better conductor of elec.
transforms it into Zinc sulphate.
25 I have found that the method of mixing and tricity than plaster and other similar bodies,
employing the zinc oxide set forth in the fol which rosity. produce only a partial and varying po- 65
lowing description gives good results; but I Elements combined with oxide of zinc in the
do not confine my invention to the precise in galvanic cell, substantially as hereinbefore de
gredients or proportions of the other constit scribed,
uents thereof named, as it is evident that well - What are of a much superior constancy.
I claim as new and of my invention to
known equivalents may be employed, and that S
the proportions of the other ingredients and In a galvanic battery, the combination of
of the zinc oxide may be advantageously va Zinc oxide with the exciting agent, the oxide
ried, according to the different galvanic ac being in a state of mechanical mixture or dis
35 tion required, whether constant or intermit
tribution
tent, even or varying. The essential requi agent, substantiallythroughout the mass of said exciting 75
site of securing the presence of the zinc oxide as described.
in the exciting agent while acting upon the Witnesses: CARL GASSNER, JR.
electrodes must, however, be preserved. KARL WENZ,
The form of element I prefer to employ is CARLED. HAHN.