THE ROSS PRIMARY BATTERY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 5307, 13 March 1884, Page 2

THE ROSS PRIMARY BATTERY.

A primary battery, in which the special merits claimed are economy and constancy, has been invented by Mr O. C. D. Ross, and a demonstration of its capabilities was recently given at No. 21, Austinfriars, London, In this battery zinc plates are used, and the liquid electrolytes are stated to be of an inexpensive character, and the consumption of zinc so small that it only represents a cost of 2d per hour for the electrical unit. By a simple arrangement the cells can all be simultaneously charged with the liquid, and subsequently discharged by merely raising or lowering a framework of tubes, and turning on and off a tap. The zinc which is consumed in the battery is recovered in a solid form, and in augmented quantity as oxychloride of zinc. This product, it ia stated, forms the principle ingredient of a new insulating material for covering electric conductors. It is found that with a single charge of the chemical liquid a substantially constant current can be obtained for upwards of twelve consecutive hours. This point is verified by the report of a professional tester, who carried out a series of experiments with a few cells forming a portion of this battery. Upon the occasion of the recent demonstration a Swan incandescent lamp, stated to be of 100-candle-povver, was first shown, after which 39 Swan lamps of 10 and 7-candle-power were lighted. Twenty Woodhouse and Rawson incandescent lamps, each of 20-candle-power, were subsequeutly shown, and during the time they were running, the current was switched on to a motor which drove a 16inch Blackman ventilating fan, with but slight detriment to the light of the 20 incandescent lamps. A powerful arc lamp was also brought into action, all the other sources of consumption of electricity being, of course, switched off. In all cases the light was of good quality and very steady.