MYSTERY BATTERY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 11323, 29 September 1930, Page 3

MYSTERY BATTERY

(DRIVES ENGINE f4O-MILES AN 1 > >\ HOUR.’ ’ t

• IRISH GOVERNMENT HOLDS INTEREST IN NEW INVEINTILm

1 . - DUBLIN, August 2D. The new “mystery’.’ battery, which has been invented by Dr. James Drlmin, a yoting Irish- natural .scientist, and which alloys of , remarkably rapid recharging, succeeded .in driving a railway engine, at a, speed of 3Cto .'40,: miles ah ; hour in ’’tests.; recently carried out under the auspice.? of- “the Frfeh' State- Government, .‘according to an official statement id-, sued' here bn ’August- 1. -Tho battery, it is stated; can,, bo, recharged in 'periods .ranging' from eig(bb minutes t'o one hour, *as - .compared, -witlt live Ui biglit - hours; required td recharge other' types -of battery.’ ’ v ‘ * l The .figure was reached with only 55 off..' the 77 cells charged and it. is confidently expected, that’ the, engine wjll attain -g ~spc,ed -.;0f,6C! miles 'an hour when the maximum number of cells is working. , . • j- Biit it is c’fiiimed that even on partial^,charging, the speed is.one ol : the highest ever recorded lor vehicles. propelled, by. storage batteryThe official communique says that all laboratory ’ and. practical railtests carried but; so .far have •■proved eminently 1 satisfactory and support the claims made.” . , ' ' • i Another im‘portaht point established .is that the battpry can, be “charged and .discharged at a much higher fate than existing" batteries ol’ .the fame .type and that' iri retention of cliargo * it' is 'superior to. existing batteries. It is of simpler construction and so made,.that there. is .no risk bl failure through vibration.” The battery. 4s .described 'as a Toy resistance ' alkaline battery ..of robust construction-, v possessing 50 .per , cent, higher .voltage than any other- alkaline battery on the market > and its energy sufficient, under practical com ditions-of .operations is given as .10 per cent. ■ , : ? Quick -recharging,■ it'is claimed enables,. use on railways . where, charging .-points ban -be arranged at-suit-able Intervals: Tests have been carried out on a specially .constructed engine-, 'and further tests vover * long distance a.tid carrying) A load up to CO tons will be made in a few davs, after which it will he fin ally decided-; whether ,the hatitery, .wiu lead to electrification of tho Irish railways. . One point which needs elucidation is the..length of life of the new battery, and tests to this end are in progress.! It. is understood that it is the Government’s intention to give the railways the first and immediate benefit of The invention if--it comes up to expectations -in the final tests. Later it may be applied to road vehicles of all types, as Patrick MeGilligan, Minister of’ Industry and Commerce, who has sponsored the discovery from the start, declared that.,it is particularly adaptable to traction purposes; •' •' . Mr. McGilligan was so impressed with -the possibility' of the invention. even when in the earliest stages, that, ho. persuaded the Government to advance £SOOO to enable the inventor to'prosecute nis researches. The Government, has also purenased:. r »I ;per cent,.interest in the company formed to launch the battery on the market.