US1505219A

US1505219A - Island

Info

Publication number: US1505219A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1924-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1941-08-19

Description

Aug. 19, 1924.

, A. SETZER ELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERY 7. m 1 x w w 1 ,v h m 5 7 1 0 M 0 a z u a 1 fluid from the battery cell.

Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

ALBERT SETZER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHO'DE ISLAND.

ELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERY.

Application filed January 17, 1922.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT SETZER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Storage Batteries, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relatesto electric storagebatteries and consists in'an improved means for sealing the covers thereof to prevent leakage at the openings through which the binding-posts project.

One object of the improvement is to provide means for effecting a leak-proof joint between the cover and the projecting posts to prevent the escape of the acid or other Another object of the improvement is to providea sealed joint which may be readily opened to allow the removal and replacenientof the cover without damage thereto.

Another object of the improvement is to provide a sealing-device which may be ad justed and looked in position to prevent it from becoming loose under vibration and 3 Further objects of the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the in vention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional View of the upper portion of a battery-cell showing my improved sealingmeans as applied to the cover and binding-posts thereof;

Fig. 2, a plan view of the sealing-cap;

Fig. 3, a vertical sectional View of the same taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. A, a plan view of the pillar-strap of the battery showing the post thereon. 7 Fig. 5, a perspective view of the locking key for the cap;

Fig. 6, a perspective View of the sealing cap washer; and

Fig. 7, a similar view of the packing gasket for the sealing-cap.

My improved sealing-device is adapted for use with practically all styles of storagebatteries and in Fig. 1 I have illustrated a conventional type of battery-cell which is enclosed within the usual hard-rubber jar 5.

Arranged in opposed relation within the jar 5 are the battery electrodes comprising the usual plates or grids -6 and 7 which are united at the top'to flat metal pieces 8, sometimes called pillar-straps. Projecting up- Serial No. 529.920.

wardly from the straps 8 are the cylindrical posts 10 which are employed for connecting the grids of a plurality of the cells in series and for binding them to the terminals of the circuitin which the battery is to be used. The pillar-straps 8 are arranged in hori zontal position slightly below the top of the jar 5 and serve as rests or seats for a cover 12 of hard-rubber or similar dielectric and acid-proof material which fits down against the straps within the upper rim of the jar.

The cover 12 is preferably molded with relatively thin walls which-are ribbed or recessed to provide the required strength and stiffness. As herein illustrated the cover 12 is recessed at 15 along its sides and provided with marginal flanges 14, the edges of which abut the inner walls of the jar 5. In attaching the cover to the jar 5 a melted cement or sealing-compound, such as pitch or the like, is poured into the recess 15 and allowed to harden to seal the joint between the cover and the walls of the jar. This method of sealing has also been quite generally employed for closing the joints between the cover and the posts 10 which project therethrough, but such a sealing-means has been found unsatisfactory when used for the post openings forthe following reasons: In the first place, the shock and vibration to which. the battery is subjected under road use in automobiles is liable to crack or break the seal and allow escape of the'liquid from the battery; and furthermore with such a method it is well nigh impossible to unseal the cover from the posts without breaking it.

The grids or plates of the battery frequently require inspection and repair and consequently it is desirable to provide a seal which will permit convenient removal and replacement of the cover. W ith this purpose in view I have now devised a novel and improved means for sealing the joints between the cover and the posts while providing for the convenient removal and replacement of the cover. My improvement also includes provision for adjustment of the sealing-means to insure a leak-proof joint, and an arrangement for locking the sealing-means to prevent it from becoming loose. The method of accomplishing these objects is as follows:

As shown in Fig. 1 the cover 12 is pro vided with circular recesses 16 surrounding the posts 10 and adapted to receive the sealing-means for the openings therethrough. The recesses 16 are provided by forming frusto-conical cups or depressions 17 in the upper wall of the cover 12, the bottom walls of which are adapted to rest against the top of the pillar.-straps 8 and formed with circular openings 18 for receiving the posts 10. WVithin the tapered sides of each cup 17 I place a gasket 20, preferably constructed from unvulcanized rubber or similar compressible material, and having'the form of a ring made cylindrical in crosssection. The gasket-ring 20 is preferably .of. slightly less internal diameter than the outside diameter of the post 103so that it will cling snugly thereto when stretched therearound, and its cross-sectionalarea is such as to require. compression of the rubber to force it into the space surrounding the post at the bottom of the recess 16. Above thegasket 20 I place a relatively thin washer 21, preferably constructed of vulcanized rubber or like material, and adapted to slide freely on the post 10. Above the washer 21 is placeda screw-cap or ring- -nut 22 having tapered sides corresponding to the inclined sides of the recess 16 and provided with a flange 23 on its upper edge. The post 10 is formed with a square screwthread 24 and the cap or nut 22 has its bore correspondingly screw-threaded to lit the post. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the threads 25 in the bore of the cap 22 are mutilated or cut through with vertical slots to provide key-ways 26 for a locking pin or key 27 as illustrated in 5. The slots 26 are adapted to register with a sin 'le spline or key-way 28 cut through t he threads 24 on the post 10, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4. The key 27 is preferably rectangular in cross-section and provided with a head 29 at one end to adapt it to be pried out from the slots with a screw-driver or other tool.

The method of assembling the battery-cell with my improved cover-sealing means is as follows: The grids or plates 6 and 7 are placed in the jar 5 resting on its bottom and standing in vertical position in alternate opposite relation, in accordance with the usual arrangement. The two ..pillar straps 8 on the opposite sets ofrplates will thus be supported 1n alinement in horizon tal position adjacent the opposite ends of "the jar 5, and slightly below its upper edge,

as shown in Fig. 1. The cover 12 is set in place across the'top of the jar 5 with the posts 10'projecting through its openings 18 and the bottom walls of the depressions or cups 17 resting on top of the straps 8. The gasket-rings 20 are next slipped on over the posts 10 and crowded down into the space at the bottom of the recesses. 16. The washthe gasket-s 20 and the caps or nuts 22 enthat the wireterminals may be readil tightly against the rests or pillar-straps 8 while also sealing the joint where the posts 10 project through the openings 18.

After the gaskets 20 have been forced into place in the/manner as above explained the caps or ring-nuts 22 are lockedin. position by inserting the'keys through the appropriate slots 26 in the threads of the nut which have been brought into register with the fixed slots or splines 28 in the threads of the posts 10. The caps 22 are .thus caused to hold the. gaskets 20 under compression and, bein locked against unscrewing, prevent any play or movement between the parts. After the cover has been secured against the pillar-straps and the joints around the posts 10 sealed in the manner as above described the rim of the cover may be sealed to the sides of the jar 5 by any suitable method as, for instance, pouring cement or sealing compound into the recess 15.

It will be observed from the foregoing description, that my improvement provides a most effectual fastening-means for attaching the cover to the pillar-strap posts and for sealing the joints therebetween. The sealing-devices are locked in place to prevent strain, while at the same time'being adjustable to compensate for loss of compression if required. When it becomes necessary to remove the cover for inspection or repair of the cell the caps 22 may be unscrewed by withdrawing their keys 27. In this way the removal of the cover is effected by simply breaking the seal around its edge and without danger of rupturing the cover itself. After repairs have been made the cover is readily replaced and the seal applied again in the manner as first explained.

It-is t benoted that the caps or attaching-means which secure the cover ofthecell against the pillar-straps are enclosed within the recesses of the cover so'that theydo not project to any considerable extentabove the top of the cell. This construction'leaves the binding-posts free from obstruction so tached thereto without interference wit the other elements. Furthermore, the terminal collars or binding-rings may be set close down againstthe top of the cover so that there will be less-strain on the binding-posts and also less liability of the "connections accidental release under shock or:

working loose. The arrangement also makes for a more compact and solid structure with less liability of rupture or breakage of the battery connections.

It has been demonstrated in practice that my improved sealing-device provides an absolutely tight, leak-proof joint which is impervious to, and proof against disintegration under the action of, the acid in the cell and which cannot be ruptured or broken by the vibration, shock or jar incident to hard usage. Furthermore, the sealing-means may be easily applied to the cover of the battery-cell and conveniently released therefrom and used continuously during repeated opening and closing of the cell without impairing its efiiciency.

Various modifications may be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts of the device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention and, there.- fore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a battery cell, the combination with the electrodes thereof having relatively broad fiat connecting straps extending horizontally thereabove with terminal-posts projecting upwardly therefrom, of a cover overlying the straps with its bottom resting thereagainst, said cover provided with recesses on its top having central openings through which the posts on the straps project, compressible gaskets surrounding the posts within the recesses of the cover, means adjustable on the posts to compress the gas kets within the recesses to seal the joints between the posts and cover, and means to positively lock said compression-means in adjusted position to prevent release of the gaskets under the efl'ect of shock and strain.

2. In a battery cell, the combination of plate-like electrodes connected at the top by relatively broad fiat pillar-straps having terminal-posts projecting upwardly there from, a cover having a flat bottom resting against and supported by the straps and formed with tapered recesses On its top provided with central openings through which the posts project, compressible gaskets surrounding the posts within the recesses, interiorly-threaded caps screwed down on the posts within the recesses to compress the gaskets to seal the joints between the posts and cover, and means to positively lock the caps from unscrewing 011 the posts under the effect of strain and vibration.

3. In a battery cell, the combination of plate-like electrodes connected at the top by relatively broad flat pillar-straps having terminal-posts projecting upwardly therefrom, a cover having a flat bottom resting against and supported by the straps and formed with tapered recesses on its top provided with central openings through which the posts project, compressible gaskets surrounding the posts within the recesses, interiorly-threaded caps screwed down on the posts within the recesses to compress the gaskets to seal the joints between the posts and cover, said posts and caps having axially extending slots cut through their threads, and a key engaging the slots in the 7 post and cap to lock the cap from unscrew- In testimony whereof I afiix m signature.

ALBERT ETZER.