(No Model.) G. F. DIECKMANN. ELECTRIC EARTH BATTERY. No. 329,724, Patented Nov. 3, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE. F. DIECKMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE FOURTH TO PAUL GMEHLIN, OF SAME PLACE. ELECTRIC EARTH-BATTERY. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,724, dated November 3, 1885. Application filed June 15, 1885. Serial No. 168,690. (No model.) To all, Luhon, it may concern: but in order to make the internal resistance Beit known that I, GEORGEF. DIECKMANN, of the battery as low as possible and obtain a a citizen of Germany, residing in the city, cheap construction, I prefer to form each ele county, and State of New York, have invented ment or couple of and plates or 5 a new and useful Electric Earth-Battery, of sheets separated the proper distance by a 55 which the following is a specification. sheet of felt, asbestus, or other suitable non Earth-batteries, consisting of conducting material and rolled up in a spiral buried in the earth, as heretofore constructed, form, as clearly represented in the drawings, have not been capable of giving an electro by which means I obtain a compact element O motive force greater than that obtainable from having a large surface with a small distance 6o a single couple-which is too small for practi between the plates, and consequently a very cal purposes--because, if a number of couples low resistance. The zinc plate being the one or elements were used and connected in series most acted upon should be made the thicker, all the couples stood in the same as I have indicated. Having constructed any and short-circuited one another. By my in desired number of these elements according 65 vention I am enabled to bury a series of to the electro-motive required, I bury them couples in the same body of earth and con in the earth at a proper depth in any desired nect them together in series, so as to obtain positions, but relatively far apart, so that the from such a battery an indefinitely high elec distance between them is great compared with tro-motive force sufficient for charging storage the distance between the two electrodes of any 7o batteries, operating electric bells, telegraphic one couple. The negative plate of each couple and other purposes, &c. is then connected with the positive plate of To this end my invention consists in arrang the next through the series, as represented ing the electrodes in such a way that the re and the terminals of the battery thus formed 25 sistance between the electrodes of each couple are connected with the circuit to be supplied, 75 is small, while the resistance between the a telegraph-circuit, as represented, for exam couples is relatively large, and connecting the ple. The wires connecting the couples should negative of each with the positive preferably be insulated where they come near electrode of the next by a low-resistance con together below , to prevent short-cir ductor, so that the short-circuiting effect of cuiting there. I have shown them entirely 8o the couples upon each other may be indefi buried in the earth; but of course they may be nitely reduced, and the effect is practically laid above ground. The distance apart that the same as if the couple were immersed in the couples should be placed depends upon separated . To arrange the rela the resistance of the telegraphic or other Work 35 tive resistances so as produce this effect I place the two electrodes of each couple com thening circuit.the couples If shouldits resistance be much be farther very apart,high, 85 paratively near together, and the separate in order that the difference of potential be couples relatively far apart, so that the re tween one electrode of one couple and the sistance between one electrode of one couple same electrode of the next couple may be high and the same electrode of the next couple is compared with the difference of potential be- 9o very much greater than the resistance be tween the two electrodes of the Same Couple. tween the two electrodes of the same couples, Similarly, the end couples of the battery should and consequently the short-circuiting effect is be so far apart with reference to the resistance reduced comparatively to nothing. of the working-circuit that the resistance be 45 My invention is illustrated in the accom tween them through the earth is great com- 95 panying drawings, Figure 1 representing my pared with the resistance of the working-cir arrangement of electrodes in plan, and Fig. 2 cuit, so that the working-circuit will not be showing them in elevation buried in the earth. short-circuited; or, to express it more accu In my battery any electrodes may be used, rately, the earth-resistance between the end 5o and they may be of any desired size and shape; couples should be so high that the fall of po- IOO

329,724 tential through it is great compared with the couples or elements are placed comparatively. fall through the working-circuit. This effect far apart, whereby the short-circuiting effect is obtained by making the distance between of the couples upon each other is avoided, and the end couples correspondingly greater than an indefinitely high electro-motive force ob that between adjacent couples-by arranging tained. the couples in a straight line, for example. 2. An earth-battery consisting of a number By thus properly proportioning the resistance of couples or elements composed of sheet between the couples to the circuit-resistance. electrodes rolled up in a spiral form and buried and internal resistance of the couples, the short in the earth and connected in series, the IO circuiting effect may be reduced more or less couples being arranged comparatively far to an insignificant amount, and any desired apart, whereby the short-circuiting effect of electro-motive force obtained from the battery. the couples upon each other is avoided. I claim as my invention June 12, 1885. 1. An earth-battery consisting of a number GEORGE. F. DECKMANN. of couples or elements buried in the earth and Witnesses: connected in series, the two electrodes of each FRANCIS B. CROCKER, couple being placed near together, while the CHAS. J. MAGUIRE.