Improvements in Secondary or Storage Batteries.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Secondary or Storage Batteries.
I, STANLEY CHARLES CUTHBERT CURRIE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain,
but now residing at the City of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, and
State of Pennsylvania, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY OR STORAGE BATTERIES, and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
My invention in general relates to frames adapted to support removable battery
plates or elements and also to the arrangement of two systems of plates or elements
mounted in such frames in battery.
The principal objects of my invention are first to provide a supporting rame
with a receptacle adapted to receive and hold a battery plate or element composed
of active material or material to become active and arranged so as to permit of
the same being readily removed and another inserted without disturbing the
remaining plates or elements of the system mounted in battery; and second to
provide supporting frames adapted to permit of the ready insertion of plates or
elements to constitute the battery with projecting bars of conducting material to
which metal strips are suitably applied and having terminals or conductors disposed
in such manner as that connection between the respective systems of plates or
elements mounted in battery will be below the surface of the fluid so that in the
local action taking place the contact of the air with the fluid will be at the terminal
point of each systein of plates or elements so mounted in said supporting frames;
and moreover, greater facility afforded for the proper insulation of the said plates or
elements at said points.
My invention consists firstly of a supporting frame of conducting material for a
battery plate or element of any suitable exterior shape or form and having a
receptacle adapted to not only receive the plate or element but also to permit of
its ready removal for the insertion of another without disturbing the other or
remaining plates or elements of the system or systems mounted in battery.
My invention consists secondly of a supporting frame for a battery plate or
element provided with a receptacle having tapering walls lined with a conducting
material for ensuring a good contact between the frame and the plate or element; and
My invention consists thirdly of supporting frames provided with receptacles
adapted to receive and hold two systems of plates or elements and mounted in a
suitable fluid in a cell and also to readily permit of any one or all of them being
removed as may be required and the said frames provided with projecting bars to
which metal strips having terminals are suitably applied.
The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more fully under-
stood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings forming part hereof; and in which
Figure 1, is a perspective view of two systems of plates or elements mounted in
supporting frames embodying the features of my invention and each properly
insulated from the other in a cell.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the plates or elements mounted or wedged
in one of the supporting frames made of conducting material and embodying the
particular features of my invention.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of a plate or element mounted or wedged in a supporting
frame made of wood, porcelain or ebonite lined with a good conducting material
and provided with a vertical lug or terminal.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of two systems of plates or elements mounted in

page_text: supporting frames in a cell embodying features of my invention and the said plates
or elements so supported in said frames properly insulated from one another.
Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the plates or elements. mounted in a grooved
supporting frame composed of lead with a projecting bar formed integral therewith
and adapted to permit of a metal strip being applied thereto in the manner
illustrated in fig. 4; and
Fig. 6 is a similar view of one of the supporting frames of wood, ebonite or
other material lined with a good conducting material and with a plate or element
wedged therein by means of bands of insulating material.
Referring to the drawings A is the supporting frame made of lead, ebonite, wood,
porcelain or other preferred material.
This frame of any exterior shape or form is provided with a receptacle into which a
plate or element C is readily inserted and held in position. One of the vertical
walls a, of the receptacle projects beyond the opposing one a², forming a lug or
terminal a. The walls a¹ and a² of the receptacle taper by preference from top to
bottom, that is, the space between the two walls of the frame is greater at the top
than at the bottom and these walls are preferably provided with grooves or recesses b
and b, for the reception of the plate or element C, composed of active material or
material to become active.
In figs. 2 and 5 the frame A is made entirely of lead or other good conducting
material, while in figs. 3 and 6 it is made of wood, ebonite, porcelain or other
somewhat similar material and the walls a¹ and a² of the receptacle lined with lead or
other good conducting material and recesses or grooves and formed therein, in
order to permit of the plate or element (, being readily inserted and wedged in
position in the frame A and so that a good contact will always be ensured between
the frame and plate or element C, for the passage of the electric current from a
suitable source through the lug or terminal a, and frame to the plate or element C.
The plate or element C, having been inserted in the grooves or recessed inner walls
of the frame A, one or more bands F and F1, of insulating material, as rubber are
then caused to circumscribe or surround the frame A, and plate or element C,
whereby sufficient pressure is exerted against said plate or element C, to ensure a
good contact between said frame and plate or element. A space is preferably left
between the lower edge of the inserted active plate or elements C, and the upper edge
of the base of the frame A, as shown in figs. 2 and 5 or between said plate or
element C, and the upper edge of the wall of conducting material with which the
bottom of the frame A is lined is shown in figs. 3 and 6, to allow sufficient play of
the plate or element and to compensate for expansion or other action of the plate or
element either while forming or discharging mounted in battery.
The bands F and F¹ of insulating material which surround or encircle the bottom
of the frame and the upper edge and portions of the faces or sides of the plate or
element C, not only serve to properly insulate one plate or element from its neighbour
in the cell R, but also permit of the active plate or element being readily removed for
the insertion of another by simply placing the respective bands F and F, in the
recesses d and d¹, of the supporting frame A, while removing said plate or element
and inserting another in place thereof.
In fig. 4 is illustrated a cell containing a suitable fluid, wherein is inserted two
systems of plates or elements (), constituting the anodes and cathodes of the battery
supported in frames A. The respective systems of plates or elements C, mounted in
the frames A, are insulated from each other by means of the rubber bands F and F.
To each of the supporting frames A, projects a bar a, forming a terminal. and to
which is suitably secured or applied a longitudinal strip a with a terminal or con-
ductor a. The laterally projecting lugs or terminals a, figs. 5 and 6 of the frames
supporting the anodes and cathodes and the longitudinal metallic strips a³ and a when
the two systems of plates or elements inserted and held in said supporting frames A,
are mounted in a suitable fluid in a cell are maintained below the top surface of .the
fluid of the cell R, with the terminals a² and a³ of the strips.a and as, only projecting

page_text: above the cell R, whereby the contact of the air with the fluid in the local action
taking place is at said points and better insulation of the plates or elements afforded at
the several points, but especially around about the terminals of the two systems of
anodes and cathodes while in figs. 1, 2 and 3 the vertical lugs a, of the frames A, have
metal strips a³ and a, suitably applied thereto and which are normally maintained
above the fluid of the cell R.
In the arrangement of the supporting frames in the manner described and in which
they may become permanent fixtures of the cell, any of the plates or elements of the
two systems may be readily removed without disturbing the others mounted in
battery.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A supporting frame provided with a receptacle having inclined walls and
adapted to receive a battery plate or element and to allow of the same being readily
removed and replaced without disturbing said frame, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
2. A supporting frame provided with a receptacle having grooved or recessed walls
for the reception of a battery plate or element, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3. A supporting frame with a receptacle having recessed or grooved vertically
inclined walls for the reception of a plate or element and said plate or element mounted
therein so as to leave a space between it and the upper edge of the base of said frame,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. A supporting frame provided with a receptacle having recessed or grooved walls
for the reception of a battery plate or element and a band or bands of insulating
material encircling said plate or element and frame, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
5. A supporting frame having recessed or grooved walls and recesses formed in the
upper edges thereof a plate or element held in said grooved or recessed walls and a
band or bands encircling said plate or element and frame, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
6. A supporting frame provided with a receptacle having vertically inclined walls
lined with a conducting material and said receptacle adapted to receive and firmly hold
a plate or element, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. A supporting frame provided with a receptacle having inclined grooved or
recessed walls lined with a good conducting material and said receptacle adapted to
receive and hold a plate or element and one or more bands of insulating material,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. A supporting frame of non-conducting material provided with a receptacle having
grooved walls of conducting material and adapted to receive a plate or element and
one or more insulating bands éncircling said frame and plate or element, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
9. An electric battery consisting of two systems of supporting frames of conducting
material with grooved or recessed inner walls mounted in a vase containing a fluid,
plates or elements mounted in said frames provided with lateral extensions forming
lugs and longitudinal metal strips secured thereto, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
10. An electric battery consisting of two systems of supporting frames lined with a
conducting material and having grooved or recessed inner walls mounted in a suitable
fluid, plates or elements held in the grooved and recessed walls of said frames provided
with vertical extensions and metal strips suitably applied thereto, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
11. An electric battery, consisting of two systems of frames with grooved walls of
conducting material adapted to receive and hold battery plates or elements and said

page_text: conducting material extended laterally beyond one end of each frame forming a luġ,
I metal strips with vertical terminals applied to said lugs and the said plates or elements
mounted in said frames immersed in a fluid with the vertical terminals of said metal
strips extending above the said fluid, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated at Philadelphia, Pa., this, 7th day of February A.D. 1890.