C. G. Page on the Economical Constant Battery. 259 
The connection with the zinc is made by a wire passing down 
through the wood, and the connection with the negative plate in 
asimilar manner. 'The gas pipes R entering the top of the boxes 
terminate in a common jet F, where the hydrogen may be burned 
r led off to a gasometer. If the stop-cocks are supposed to 
be all open and the battery at work, when the atmospheric air 
has been drivén off and hydrogen comes off at F’, the jet may be 
kindled by a spark from the battery produced by breaking the 
circuit over the jet. It succeeds best if a helix of a magnet is 
included in the circuit. When the use of the battery is to be 
discontinued, the stop-cock F is to be closed, and it is evident 
that the battery can be so managed that the accumulating hy- 
drogen shall force the liquid out of contact with the negative 
plate, if that is desired. Although the zinc is amalgamated in 
the most perfect manner, yet there is always hydrogen enough 
attached to the two plates and suspended in the liquid to drive 
the liquid below the negative plate. of 
In this battery everything is saved. There is no waste-zinc, 
no waste of mercury as in the ordinary process of amalgamation, 
The battery shown in fig. 2, is upon 
the same principle, but where its princi- 
pal use is for the purposes of the hydro- 
gen lamp, the zine plate H should not 
be amalgamated. 
A, the glass jar to hold the acidulated 
water. 
B, the inner jar and hydrogen receiver. 
G, the perforated negative plate. 
_ E,a wire connected with and support- 
ing the zinc plate. 
sis? a wire connected with the negative 
plat 
e. 
The stop-cock S and its pipe are con- 
nected with one pole of the battery 
through the medium of the wire of the 
lix surrounding the electro-magnet, 
3. 
> 
. 
shown in fig 
The spring wire P is attached to the 
brought into contact and separated, producing the spark which 
