Hey, Carol!
Is dissection a new conservation technique I haven't heard about? *chuckle*
There's no need to slice-and-dice your battery to get a peek at its innards.
There are great illustrations in that authoritative (ca 1919) Gutenberg
reference Marty provided ... start reading on p99 for an excellent discourse
on the construction & functioning of a dry cell, and the illustration is on
p103:
www.gutenberg.org/files/15617/15617-h/15617-h.htm
Although there were about 25 manufacturers of carbon rods in the U.S. by
1900, the National Carbon Company (now subsumed within the giant Union
Carbide) was the major manufacturer, and probably produced more than 70% of
all the rods for commercial batteries by 1900.
"The National Carbon Company was founded in 1886 by the then Brush Electric
Company executive W. H. Lawrence. The company would supply carbon items
needed in electrical devices such as carbon-arc electrodes, motor brushes
and rods used in carbon-zinc batteries. That same year the first commercial
battery went on sale. It was a carbon-zinc battery introduced by National
Carbon Company. In 1898 the National Carbon Company introduces the first D
cell battery. In 1905, National Carbon Company which had supplied "Eveready"
with materials for their batteries, bought a half interest in the company
for $200,000. Conrad Hubert remained president and there was little change
in the general policies of the company. The name was changed to "The
American Ever Ready Company". In 1914, American Ever Ready became part of
National Carbon Company now forming a manufacturer specializing in both
batteries and lighting products."
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/battery.htm
Incidentally, the carbon electrodes that were first used in the dry cells
were based on earlier research work done by Charles F. Brush (Brush Electric
Company principal) developing improved carbon rods for lighting and contacts
for the commutators on generators and motors. To this day, the carbon
contacts in appliances like electric drills, saws and vacuum cleaners are
known as "brushes."
Bob Skiles
~~~~~~~~
Pleistocene extinctions? Clovis kaput? It was the bolide, stupid!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carol Serr" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: Carbon electrode rods - types
Or the various types. ??
Besised simple straight (cylinder) rods...we have found "lobed" ones,
etc. We do have a complete (I assume) dry cell battery from our most
recent project (soil remediation in downtown San Diego)...with a paper
outer layer (cover). Am tempted to dissect it...to see all the
layers...and get a better understanding...but, guess I probably
shouldn't.
Carol Serr
Jones & Stokes
CRM Lab Director
9775 Businesspark Ave., Suite 200
San Diego CA 92131-1642
858-578-8964 * FAX 858-578-0578
[log in to unmask] www.jonesandstokes.com
>-----Original Message-----
>From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
>Behalf Of Charles L Heath
>Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 6:50 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Carbon electrode rods - ID sources
>
>Larry, et al.
>
>Has anyone compiled a carbon rod/carbon core typology chart
>for Late 19th/Early 20th c. cores?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Charles Heath
>
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