Excerpt from Catalogue of Edison-Lalande Batteries: Battery Motors, Measuring Instruments, Medical Apparatus, Etc The elements employed in the edison-lalande cell are zinc, from which the negative current is obtained, and black oxide of Oopper (cu. O) the positive cur rent. The exciting liquid is simply a solution of caustic potash. The oxide of Oopper is obtained by the process of roasting Copper turnings; the oxide is then ground into a fine powder and compressed into solid blocks, from which plates of a suitable size for the difierent cells are cut. These plates are suspended from the cover'of the containing vessel, a porcelain jar, by means of a light frame work of copper, one end of this framework carrying the binding post for the positive pole of the 'battery. This framework is fastened rigidly to the cover. Ogh each side of the Oopper oxide element in the larger type cells (but only on one side in the smaller types), is suspended a rolled zinc plate. These zinc plates are fastened by a bolt to a knob on the cover. This prevents any movement in the relative position of the elements, and does away with the necessity of using vulcanite separators to prevent any short circuits occurring in solution. The zines are amalgamated, and, as in most batteries, the zinc is attacked more vig orously near the top than at the lower part of the plate, the zines for this cell are made slightly. Tapering, the thick part being uppermost. The exciting liquid employed in the battery consists, in all types, of a 25 per cent. Solution of caustic potash in water, or in other words, of a solution of one pound of caustic potash, in. Three pounds of water. When the circuit is closed and the cell is put in action, the water is decomposed, the oxygen forming with the zinc, oxide of zinc, which, in turn, combines with the potash to form an ex ceedingly soluble double salt of zinc and potash, which dissolves as rapidly as it is formed; the hydrogen liberated by the decomposition of the water, reduces the copper oxide to metallic Copper. A layer of heavy paraffine oil ginch deep is then added to keep out the air and prevent creeping. As for inspection or supervision, so fruitful a source of trouble and expense with other batteries, this cell requires absolutely none. Polarization and local action are, as we have already inti mated, entirely absent, the zincs never require cleaning, the solution does not crystallize or creep, and there is no porous pot to crack or lead cap to be con verted into white oxide. No fumes or other noxious chemical products are given off by the battery at any time during its existence; in fact, its presence could never be detected by the sense of smell, even in a ladies boudoir, and as for con venience of form and dimensions, what could be better than a cylindrical poroc lain jar containing the two elements suspended from the cover? About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.