THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1911. THE EDISON STORAGE BATTERY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5990, 30 March 1911, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 1911. THE EDISON STORAGE BATTERY.

For some years past cable messages ha>o been received irom America at di.'i'erent periods announcing thai ihomas A. Ellison, tiio luuiuus inventor, had constructed a storage battery which hi time would pr u eUc u liy iio uway with the use of horses on our streets und would bring to pass the well-known prophecy oi Mother Shipton. When approached on the mutter, wise-acres among tin; expert* in -\ew Zealand shook their heads and said they very much doubted if any thing would come of it. It has been rumoarcd for a long time that Ellison had invented such a battery, but it could not have been a success or we would have heard more about it by this time. It turns out now. however, that Edison has had his battery on the market for seven years in America, and during that time has been s .' ing much time and energy in improving it so as to bring this new method of locomotion to perfection. A few months ago an automobile show was held in New York, at which a special feature was the exhibits of electricallydriven vehicles fitted with Edison storage batteries, which sets at rest any doubt as to whether, Edison has fulfilled his promise or not. The Scientific American on Ja.nu a ry 1-1 tli last, published a special automobile number containing a full-page photo of tho great inventor standing beside one of his electrically-driven carriages, the front of the vehicle, being open to show the row of storage batteries and Mr Edison holding .-...0ne in his left, hand as evidence that they are of light construction. There is also on another page a photo of storage battery omnibus full of : , pas. sengei's with Mr Edison in' tho front seat. Then there- are pictures of the parts of tho batteries, the workshops, and tho machinery used for constructing them. There is, too, an interesting illustrated article/ on "The Modern Pleasure Electric Vehicle." A 'picture of the power plant of the electric car —apart from the batteries—proves it to be quite a small affair compared with the engines and other machinery of the modern gasoline motor car. A, full account of the Edison battery from the automobile users' point of view is given by Mr Jos E. Baker, E.(*>., who says that "it Was in the early eighties that the public began to think about "stored electricity," which could be bought by the can as it were like any other comirtodity. This dream has come true in the new Edison nickel-iron storage cell. Stored electricity finds its greatest usefulness in propelling cars and road vehicles, and it lias been for this application primarily that the Kdisou storage battery has been developed. The need of the electric vehicle was recognised by Mr Edison nine years ago. How well he has succeeded in aligning his battery to (his idea the automobile driver will appreciate by the figures of the actual performances that are now available. The recent average of 144.35 miles on a single charge was made by a family-type electric vehicle equipped with the new battery. This figure is an average of four trips each with Now York city as the starting point. Tim longest of these trips—l72.l miles - was to Babylon, Long Island, the avernbe speed being 10.03 miles per hour." The original F.ili-on storage battery was out- about seven years ago, but Mr Edison set to work since on an entirely new line, and the outcome was the nickel-iron cell which lighter and cleaner than the old lead eel J. The now cell, costs.Jess..for operation and upkeep than the old one, and possesses hitherto unheard-of properties of remaining * undeterioratrd either by overcharging, or being left nchnrgod. A scries of experiments lasting four years resulted in the present commercial Edison cell known as type A. This is now being actively marketed for electric vehicle work in three sizes. The Edison Storage Battery Company are advertising tho battery, and among other things state that the Adams Express Coy seven years ago equipped four delivery vans with Edison batteries and since that time had purchased 150 cars all Edi son equipped. Tiffany and Coy seven years ago had three delivery vans, and had since ordered IS more cars. Six ,of their cars had already seen four to seven years' service. Heariv ;..

Son had been running- 15 cars,., Edison equipped loe three years, aud were now installing Edison batteries in 27 cars. L<\ Loeser and Coy after using one car for one year, had added six more. The United States Express Coy had been working 25 vehicles for sever a l years with Edison batteries. Abraham and Straus had purchased 12 vehicles. V'antine and Son had 13 cars for four and a half years, and Maey and Coy 17 cars for three and a half years. 'The Company claims that weight of the Edison battery is only about half per capacity of that of the \ lead battery, and that it is built to I withstand the most announced vibration and rough usage. It also refijiiires less- care and attention, and it's 'life is many times that of the other. ! This certainly looks like business and one wonders how long it will be; be. fofo the new vehicle will find it's way into general use in all Pa'"' B of 'he world, including New Zealand. No doubt there will be certain diiliculties in (he way of the introduction of electrical cars to places where there are no power houses for recharging the batteries, and it may be a long time before garages in country districts like Temuka and Oeraldine will U'O to the expense of a plant for recharging batteries. Edison meanwhile may still further improve his battery to give a much longer run an a single charge. On the present battery one could run from Christ church to Oamaru without having to recharge.