The Electric Dry Pile

Abstract

THIS little book is a reprint of articles published in the English Mechanic during the present year. The dry pile, built up in the same way as Volta's moist pile, was the invention of Jean Andre” De Luc, who first described it in Nicholson's Journal, 1810. It was constructed by piling up in a glass tube a series of paper discs, coated on one side with silver leaf arid on the other with thin leaves of zinc. A continual difference of potential was found to exist between the terminals. Modifica-cations were introduced by various workers, notably Zamboni and Singer. The latter devised the form of apparatus now in the Clarendon Laboratory of the Oxford University Museum. This is arranged to ring a small bell, and its period of activity now extends to seventy-five years. Mr. Benham gives detailed instructions for setting up a dry pile of 2000 pairs, and describes a number of interesting experiments that may be carried out with its aid. The chief original feature is the use of two ready-made coated papers in the construction of the pile. The work would have been of greater scientific value if some quantitative results had been included.