The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

Transcription

Berlin
[Brother St.?]
22 June 9 1902
To Dr L Sele
Mr Thos. A. Edison
Orange, N. J.
Dear Sir:
When returning from London on Monday last I found that the best cell had arrived and I immediately started my work with same, In performing the [potash?] I proceeded in the way used in the Laboratory, about a year ago and I succeeded in preparing a pretty pure solution.
It would have been better if there had been sent a complete, sealed cell, for I think the office will demand some kind of an endurance test, of at least some ten discharges.
In that purpose I have procured a larger glass jar, where the whole cell may be airtight, enclosed, in order to keep the [entire?] sand out.
Having had no information about the
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[TAE Marginalia?] development of the battery since December last, and since no instructions were sent along with the [best?] cell, I really do not know what to expect of the cell, and what capacity of some would suffice for handling it one for be tested by Prof. Foerster.
The best cell contained 1 [nickel?] plate and five iron plates. This arrangement is the reverse of what I expected _ and of the arrangement in use one year ago; I therefore thought it well to cable you : Should cell contain one nickel [illegible overstruck handwriting] iron. Hereto I received as [assurance?] yours cable: Present cell contains equal numbers [illegible] "and irons." If there exist no special reason for having an excess of iron in the cell, I should think said arrangement would give rather unfavorable results as regards capacity per unit weight, for which reason I intend to put together a cell of all [9?] plates received.
I do not know whether the plates are apt to depreciate dining shipment, anyhow, as for the results of the discharges have not been very good :
1) Call of 1 nickel and 2 irons discharged at a rate of 3/6 amps or 150 [illegible] [illegible] per nickel. pocket. Capacity: 14.4 [illegible] hours above .5 volts or 600 [milli.?] [amps?] hours per nickel pocket
2) At a rate of _ 166 milli [amps?] per nickel pocket (4 amps) _ Capacity : 12 amps Hours above 1 Volt
3) After long charge at a rate of 150 [n/a?] per nickel pocket. Capacity : 19.8 Amps Hours or 805 [milli?] [amps?] [hours?] per nickel pocket above .5V This, I presume, is too low a capacity [to?] show the superiority demonstrated by the problem office; I am therefore [illegible] all of the loose plates, sent along with the cell, and I feel confident there are better ones among them.
When I have furnished the preliminary testing I shall cable you the result and ask you to decide, whether the results for the official test.
I am expected to be in Dresden in two days by which I hope to have finished the test.
Mr Bergmann showed me today a letter, from certain Mr WN. Stewart, who [writes?] about your [illegible] patent. Mr Bergmann is going to send you the letter. Where Mr Stewart got his information about the patents I do not know _ maybe from [Jungner's? people. I have the sensation that [Jungner?] is not going to [any?] once more [to?] interfere with your patent in England.
As for Germany, [illegible] patent suffices entirely to make Jungner [illegible], and the obstacles we have had here have been something quite different from [Jungner?] patents. In Austria, I understand, a patent will soon follow, as soon as the corresponding patent is granted in Germany.
Mr Dick showed me some time ago another letter from Mr Stewart, about I have read with interest, in the [illegible] as well as in a [letter?] from Mr Pick for Mr Bergmann, that you have constructed [illegible] to drive automobile for a distance of more than 60 miles on rough road. The fact works quick some surprise here; for the [illegible], by German electrochemist, here on your battery, has to a great extent robbed people of their confidence in the battery (for example Dr. Peters' articles)
Yours very respectfully
Rob. Rafn.