Improved Samson battery

Improved Samson Battery Cells.

The Samson battery, one of the oldest and most prominent open-circuit cells, has recently been changed, as shown by the illustrations. These changes, which have made a great improvement in the battery, have been mainly mechanical. The carbon connection, which, should occasion require, could not be renewed in the old style, is now made removable, and is larger and stronger and tinned to prevent corrosion. The carbon of French production is hollow and filled with a depolarizing compound, as shown in Fig. 1. It is made with a screw-top, which fastens securely into a threaded cover.

The zinc has also been changed, and now has three projections at the top, which fit into a groove in the cover, and is held firmly in place against it by a large knurled nut placed on the zinc stem. This arrangement admits of placing the elements in position before shipping, and the only necessary handling after taking the cell from the packing case is to remove the excelsior from around the elements and replace them in the jar, after having first added the sal-ammoniac solution. The rubber plugs and bands used in the old style, which collected the salts formed daring action and were liable to allow a short-circuit to be made between the elements if care was not used are thus dispensed with. The manufacturers of the Samson claim that it is the only open-circuit battery "shipped set up."

Improved Samson Battery Cells.

Fig. 2 shows the "special" form of the Samson. This style is especially adapted for use where a large current is not required but long and continued service is a necessity. It has been used extensively for operating railroad crossing gongs, and a number of telephone manufacturers are using it for telephone work, for which it seems particularly adapted. The regular style (Fig. 3) fitted with a circular zinc, is used for electric gas lighting, gas engines, and all places where a strong battery with a large output, combined with quick recovery, is required.

This battery has had a large and increasing sale ever since its first introduction by the Electric Gas Lighting company of Boston, Mass., and is now handled, it is said, by all the supply houses in the country.