US306405A - William lachlax - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. LAGHLAN.

GONSTRUGTIUN OP SBGONDARYBATTBRIES.

Patented Oct. 14, 1884.

N. PETERS. Phawmhugnplmr. wnnhmgmn, D. c.

' y lllivrrnn Starts .arrnvr Ottica@ VILLIAM LAOHLAN, OF 'LOXDON, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, AS- SIGNOR TO JOHN M. PENDLETON, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CONSTRUCTION OF SECONARY BATTERIES..

SPCIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 306,495, dated October l, 1884.

Application filed March 30, lSzB. (No model.) i

To r/,ZZ whom 1125 may concern ile it known that I, WILLIAM Licirrnx, of

London, in the county of Middlesex, England,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Secondary Batteries.

io structure of the cellsw-that is to say, to the form and material ofthe containing-vessel,the arrangement of the battery-plates therein,th e means for connecting together the plates of like naine, and the combination of the containing-vessel, cover, battery-plates, and connecting devices. The principal object is to malte a cell which shall be durable and acidprooi', and not likely to permit leakage, either o" the battery-liquid or of the electricity, andv 2o which is well adapted to transportation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional perspective of a cell constructed in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 a perspective view of a battery of several cells connected in series and inclosed in a protecting-case.

A is the containingvessehof insulating material-to wit, of blown glass. Blownglass is used because it is stronger in proportion to its weight than the cast material. rlhe iorni is an oblong rectangular ligure with the corners and edges rounded, this iorni'having the greatestinterior capacity with the smallest liability to chipping or fracture. On the bottom of the vessel are laid the separate insulating-strips B, oi'glass or other suitable material, which in length equal the width ol" the containing-vessel, and which are laid across the bottom. On these strips are placed the battery-plates C D, they extending lengthwise ofthe containing-vessel. As shown, they are constructed of ahlead l'ilatevmwhich is or may be perforated) coated witli'the active material, (red lead or its cquivalent,) and enveloped in a. 5 a felt bag, which is wound with astrip ofrubber or gutta-percha to separate it from the adjacent bag. rllhe size and numbervof the battery-plates are such that they fill the interior ot' the glass containiiigvessel. The shifting Vor other alloy of copper.

sel, and permit a free circulation of the bat 55 teryliquid under the lower edges of the saine. The containing-vessel has a cover, E, of insulatiug material, usually wood, or it may be oi'vulcanite or otherV suitable material. Be-

tween the cover and the top edges of the bat- 6o tcry-plates are cross-strips F, of nonfconducting material, (usually wood, and usually iastened to the cover.) Their purpose is to secure a free space above the plates, without,

however, allowing them to move vertically.

Each of the battery-plates has a tag, which projects out of the telt bag, and by which the plate is connected with the exterior conduct ors. rllhe plates are so arranged that the tags of all the positive plates will be at one end of 7o the cell, and those of all the negative at the other end. The tags pass through slots in the cover. Those at each end are bent toward the middle longitudinal line of the cover, and,be-

ing interleaved,thcy are clamped together by means ot' the clalnpingscrew G- between the head of said screw and the nut H. The tags for the outer plates are left longer than the inner ones, as shown. A washer, I, is commonly placed between the nut and the top So tag. nihe screw-nut and washer are preferably made ot' copper or of gun-metal, brass, Each screw is provided with an additional thumb-nut, l, for

connecting t-he plates with the exterior' con- S5 ductor, L, Fig. 2, which is preferably a ilat metal strip of good conductivity. Several cells thus constructed are usually placed in awooden case, lli, Fig. L), andseparated by strips of rubber or other material, to prevent 9o contact between the containingvessels, and

connected in series by the strips L.

lilodilications may be made in details without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

For example, the battery-plates themselves may be of any suitable description.

In place of i'elt other soit material may be used.

.Portions of the invention may be used sep- `5o of the plates is thus avoided. rlhe rubber arately. For example, the general arrangeroo ment somewhat resembling my own-that is a soa-10e ment of the plates could be used with a material other than glass or of other kind ol" glass.

The blown-glass vessels are best suited for small cells, say ten inches in length. For large cells annealed cast glass may be used with advantage.

The improved connecting means couldbe used in other cells, and otherconnecting means could be used in the improved cells, in either case apart only of the invention being cmployed. l

I am aware that heretofore elements or plates of secondary galvanic cells have been packed in containing-vessels of glass and other materials, and have been separated by felt, asbestus-board, or similar porous insulating vmaterial; also, that supports have been placed under the lower edges of such plates or elements to raise them above the bottom of the containing-vessel; also, that in secondary cells containing a series of plates or elements arranged so that plates or elements of unlike name alternate, the connection of plates or elements of like name with one another and with the exterior circuit has been made by an arrange- -to say, the plates of one name or polarity have tags at one endv and those of opposite naine or polarity have similar tags at the opposite end of the cell. The tags at each end are then bent over toward the middle and a bindingpost is passed through them. This post screws down into a cross-piece of insulating material, and does not consist of ascrew-pin projecting upward through the tags and provided with two nuts, as in the present invention. Moreover, in this case the cell has no cover, and consequently the tags do not, as in the presa cover to said vessel, a series ot' vertical plates or elements packed in said vessel, and provided with tagsl extending through thecover and secured thereto, and insulating-strips arranged transversely across the top and bottom, substantially as described.

2'. A cell of secondary battery, comprising a containing-vessel, cover therefor, vertical plates or elements provided with tags projecting through the cover, electrical connectors for making connection with the said tags on the outside of the cover, insulating-strips at the bottom of the containing-vessel, extending transversely under the lower edges of the plates or elements, and strips between the plates or elements for holding them apart, substantially as described.

'3. The combination, with the containingvessel and cover of a cell of secondary battery, of the plates or elements having tags or strips projecting through said cover, and the screwclamps and binding-posts for connecting the plates of like name with each other and with the exterior conductor, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the strips or tags attached to or forming part of the batteryplates, of a pin inserted through the strips or tags or plates of like name, a nut on said pin for binding the strips or tags together, and an additional nut for attaching the exterior conductor, substantially as described.

5. A cell of secondary battery, comprising a glass containing-vessel packed with two or more pairs of felt-incased plates separated from each other by insulating-strips, so that liability of injury' to the glass of the containing-vessel from its tcontents is avoided, while free spaces are left for the escape of gases generated in the operation of the battery, substantially as described. f

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence o1" two subscribing` witnesses.

WILLIAM LACHLAN.

lVitnesses:

VILLIAM I-I. CLARKsoN, JAMEs M. SULLrvAN.

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