US2319158A

US2319158A - Electrolyte control device

Info

Publication number: US2319158A
Application number: US296667A
Authority: US
Inventors: Oliver O Rieser
Original assignee: Richardson Co
Current assignee: Richardson Co
Priority date: 1939-09-26
Filing date: 1939-09-26
Publication date: 1943-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1960-05-11

Description

y 1, 1943. 0.0. RIESE ZR 2,319,158

ELECTROLYTE CONTROL DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1939 'IIIIII/IIIJ INVENTOR.

0L/VE/t 0. 17/5551.

ATTORNEYS.

' Patente d May 11, 1943 ELECTROLYTE CONTROL DEVICE Oliver 0. Rieser, Oak Park, Ill., asslgnor to The Richardson Company, Lockland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 26,1939, Serial No. 296,667

Claims. (Cl. 136-178) My invention relates to types of electrolyte control devices, such as thoseset forth in the copending application of Charles L. Keller, Serial No. 276,826, filed June 1, 1939, Patent No. 2,233,081 dated February 25, 1941. Keller devised electrolyte control means for electric storber serving to close the vent perforation when the filler cap is removed. Thus in filling the cell, as soon as the electrolyte reaches the end of the tubular member, it will rise rapidly therein, so that-it is impossible to overfill the cell,

and so that an indication is. given when the cell has been filled to the proper level. -When the filler cap has 'been put in position to close the filler opening, it actuates the' weight operated The bottom of valve mechanism to open the vent perforation.

so that free egress of gases from the space above the electrolyte level is provided.

It is an object of my'invention to provide cer-' tain'modiflcations and improvements upon the structure hereinabove referred to.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for preventing such displacement of the weight actuated valve'memher as might cause it to bind against the sides of the well or otherwise interfere withits proper functioning.

It is an object of my invention to provide means and a structure whereby the weight op erated valve member is prevented from adhering to the bottom portions of the well through the action of capillarity and air pressure.

Since, non-overflll devices of this class permit the very rapid. filling of a cell, and since at the conclusion of such-rapid filling the added watercover in the usual manner and either form terminals or are connected with the posts of other may rise into the well, it is still another object of my invention to provide a structure in which the act of inserting the filler cap is not likely to displace water or electrolyte so as to caus'e'it to come out over the top of the cell cover, Specifically it is an objectTrf my invention to provide.

will be set forth hereinafter, or which will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe exemplary embodiments. Reference is made to the drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the upper part of a storage battery cell and cell cover, showing one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view, showing the structure of Fig. 1, when actuated by the filler cap. v I

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view showing another structural modification of my invention.

' Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the weight operated valve member actuated by the filler-cap.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, showing another modification.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view,'showing still another modification.

Fig, 8 is an exploded view, showing a portion of a cell cover and a-filler'cap.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, showihg a modified form of centering structure.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the weight operated valve member 'of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the valve member of Fig. 89

In Fig. 1, I have shown a portion of the, cell of an electric storage battery having the battery box walls I, the cell cover 2 held in place by the usual sealing compound3, the plate assembly 4, and the electrolyte 5. The plates of the plate assemblies of opposite polarity have termi nal posts 6 and I, which pass through the cell plate assemblies by the usual connector bars 8.

cifically, it will be understood that the structures hereinafter to be described as constituting my; invention are applicable to other storage battery upper portion lll, or otherwiseprovided with means for. receiving and retaining a filler cap.

The well has a bottom II, from which there de pends a tubular member 12, of such length that its lower end lies at the desired electrolyte level.

Atubular member opens through the bottom-of the well as shown, and in filling the cell, water or electrolyte is introduced into the cell through this gas vent opening must be valved during the filling operation.

In Fig. l, I have shown a weight actuated valve member l4, in the form of a perforated disc or washer. It preferably is made of antirnonial lead, so as both to have a suitable mass, and to be impervious to the electrolyte. Itmay, however, be made of other substances, within the purview of my invention. In the particular form illustrated, the washer provides its own fulcrum, the bottom of the well being fiat. To this end, the underside of the washer is formed in two planes, at an angle to each other, one of the planes being larger in extent than the other, so that the center of gravity of the member does not coincide with the fulcrum, but lies well to one side of it. The fulcrum, of course, is the meeting line between the two planes. The washer under the influence of gravity, will thus always rest against one of the planes, when freetodo so.w I

Means must be provided, however, to insure that the plane on which the washer rests covers the gas vent opening I3. I have illustrated one such means at l5. It consists of-a rod-like finger or projection on the washer, adapted to enter the gas vent opening II. The finger is of substantially smaller diameter than the vent opening so as not to obstruct the free passage of gas therethrough. The finger is made integral with or is fastened to that portion of the washer upon which the washer will rest by gravity, and the finger is of such length as to remain in the gas vent opening in spite of such tilting of the washer on its fulcrum'as occurs during the operation of the device.

In-Flg. 2, I have shown the action of the device of Fig. 1 when the filler cap it is in place.

As has been explained, when the level of the electrolyte 2 reaches the end of the tubular member I 2, it rises rapidly therein, and when a storage battery cell is hastily filled, some of the water is likely to collect in the well 2, the valve opening I! being closed. If the filler cap is of such character as to displace this water orelectrolyte before opening the valve, some of it may get out over the top of the cell cover. As a consequence, I provide the filler cap with means of no substantial bulk for operating the valve in order to avoid this displacement. The means in question may comprise one or more minor downward projections II on the filler cap. Where the filler cap and .the well have a single lead thread, a single projection will serve, because when the filler cap is screwed in place, the projection will always occupyv the same position with respect to the washer M. It is desirable in many instances to use a plural lead thread however, so that the filler'cap may be screwed in place with fewer. revolutions and more rapidly. A double lead' thread is illustrated at I! in Fig. 8. Where a multi-lead thread is employed, a plurality of the projections I'I may be provided, spaced with respect to the threads. Or the filler cap may be provided with a narrow depending annulus (I! in Fig. 8) of no considerable bulk. Otherwise within, having a gas vent opening 2| and preferably a splash washer 2|. The weight actuated valve member may how:

' the filler cap may be of usual construction, hollow ever, itself be provided with an operating finger or projection, which causes the valve to be operated before the filler cap has been screwed into the filler opening far enough to displace any water or electrolyte therein. I have shown such a construction in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Here the washer or valve member Ila is fulcrumed on the base of the well, which is formed in two general planes 22 and 23 at an angle to each other. The greater of these planes (22) contains the valve opening l3. The valve |4a is provided with an upstanding operating finger 24. The filler cap lGa, thus does not require any projection, and may be made quite short; but the lower annular edges, of the filler cap should be broad enough to contact the operating finger 24 in all positions which the washer can assume.

In Figures 3 to 5, I have also illustrated another means for centering or maintaining the position of the washer. Approximately at the line of the fulcrum formed where the planes 22 and 23 meet, I provide the well with grooves 28 and 26. These grooves engage corresponding

ears

21 and 28 in the washer Ha. sticking of the washer due to capillarity, and to cause the washer to seat more perfectly on the valve portion, I cut away a portion of the plane 22 on the long face of the well bottom, thus recesslng the mouth of the filling opening, leaving the walls about the top of the passage l3 somewhat raised as shown at 29.

In Fig. 6, I have shown still another modification in which the bottom 20 of the well is sub-' stantially fiat. In this instance, the washer also provides its own fulcrum; and it does this by means of a pair of opposed downward projections II, whiclr rest upon. the bottom of the well, and which are both spaced to one side of the center of gravity of the washer. The bottom of thewell has a raised valve seat 32, containing the valveperforation I 2; and the height of the valve seat and 28 of Fig. 4 with corresponding ears on the,

washer. The washer may also, if desired, have the operating finger 24.

In Fig.2, I have shown still another modification involving a different centering means, and a somewhat different form of washer. Here the bottom of the well is again formed with angularly related planes, shown at 22a and 22a. The meeting line of these planes is, however, substantiallyin the center of the well. In order then, to secure a proper weight actuation of the washer, I form one side of it thicker as at b than the other side Me. As a centering means, I provide in the walls of the tubular member 12 oppositely disposed grooves 32, substantially along the fulcrum line. Small projections 24. on either.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I have shown still another centering -or positioning means for a weight operated valve member or, washer. This comprises a deep groove ll formed in an interior wall of the tubular member l2, which wall, at

Also, to prevent the side containing the groove, may be made thicker as at 12a. The washer lld has a downwardly projecting finger 36, long enough to lie within the groove 35 at all positions of the washer. The groove itself has a suflicient depth front to rear so that any movement of the washer in its plane within the well will not cause the finger 36 to come out of the groove.

WhiIe'LhaVe illustrated and described various features in particular combinations, it will be understood that various other combinations may be made within the spirit of my invention. Thus any of the centering means may 'be used with any of the washer or weight operated valve memtery, comprising a cell cover having a filler opening in the form of a well, a tubular member of less internal diameter than the bottom of the well depending therefrom, the said bottom of the well having a gas vent perforation exterior to said tubular member, a weightoperated fulcrum valve member cut away to permit filling through said tubular member, and adapted to cover said perforation by gravity, said valve having a portion extending above the fulcrum when said valve is in gravity-actuated position, means for preventing the sidewise displacement of said valve member with respect to said perforation, and operating means for said valve member comprising a ventedflller cap having a portion adapted to be'engaged in said filler opening, and a relatively long, downward projection on said portion of substantially less volume than said portion, and so located as to engage said valve and rock lton its fulcrum when said filler cap is being engaged in said filler well, whereby said filler cap may operate said valve before said portion of said filler cap enters said well to an extent to 'cause substantial displacement of any liquid which may be in said well. I

2. Electrolyte control means for a storage battery, comprising a cell cover having a filler opening in'the form of a well, a tubular member of less internal diameter than the bottom of the well depending therefrom, the said bottom of the'well having a gas vent perforation exterior to said tubular member, a weight operated fulcrum valve member in said well, cut away to permit filling through said tubular member; and adapted to cover said perforation by gravity, in which position a portion of said valve member extends above said fulcrum,.and means for preventing the sidewise displacement of said valve member with. respect to said perforation, and

operating means for said valve member comprising a vented filler cap with a portion adapted to be engaged in said filler opening, and relatively long downward-projections on said portion of substantially less volume than said por- .tion, whereby'said filler cap may operate said ,valve before said portion of said filler cap enters said well to an extent to cause substantial displacement of any liquid which may be in said well, said portion of said filler cap and said filler opening having plural lead threads, and

said filler cap portion having a plurality of the said-downward projections, each related to one of the threads so as to provide one of said downward projections at a point to contact and operate said valve irrespective of the manner in which said filler cap is screwed into said filler opening.

3. Electrolyte control means for a storage battery, comprising a cell cover having a filler opening in the form of'a well, a tubular member of less internal diameter than the bottom of the well depending therefrom, the said bottom of the well having a gas vent perforation exterior to said tubular member, a weight operated fulcrum valve member in said well cut away to permit filling through said tubular member and adapted to cover said perforation by gravity, in which position a portionof said valve member extends above said fulcrum, means for preventing the sidewise displacement of said'valve member with respect to said'perforation, and operating means for said valve member comprising a vented filler cap having a portion adapted to be I which may be in said well, said filler cap portion andfiller opening having plural lead threads, and said projection being in the form of a thin annulus depending from said filler cap portion.

4. In a cell cover structure for the purpose described, a body having a filler opening with walls defining a well having a bottom, a tubular member of lesser diameter extending downwardly from the said bottom to a desired electrotyle level, and open through said bottom, said bottom having a gas venting perforation therethrough exterior to the said tubular member, a weight actuated valve member in said well cut away to permit filling through said tubular member, and acting to close said perforation, and means for preventing the sidewise displacement of said valve member, said means comprising lateral projections on said valve member, the walls of said filler opening having grooves into which said projections can engage, and fulcrum means for said valve member, said lateral projections and grooves being located substantially in alignment with said fulcrum means, said fulcrum acting when said valve member is gravity actuated to position it non-horizontally with one portion extending downwardly and covering said gas venting perforation, and the other portion extending above the fulcrum in order that it may be engaged by a filler cap which, when inserted in said filler opening, will move said valve member to a more nearly horizontal position.

5. In a cell cover structure for the purpose described, a body, having a'filler opening with walls defininga well having a bottom, a tubular member of lesser diameter extending downwardly from the said bottom to a desired electrolyte level,

' and open through said bottom, said bottom having a gas venting perforation therethrough exterior to thesaid tubular member, a weight actuated valve member in said well and acting to' crum means 'for said valve member. said projecportion extending downwardly and covering said gas venting perforation, and the other portion extending above the fulcrum in order that it may be engaged by a filler cap which, when inserted in said filler opening, will move said valve member to a more nearly horizontal position.

OLIVER O. RIESER.