An Improved Connector for the Elements of Electric Batteries.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by SIDNEY H. BARRETT, of Springfield, County of
Hampden, State of Massachusetts, Electrician.]
An Improved Connector for the Elements of Electric Batteries.
I, GEORGE MACAULAY-CRUIKSHANK C.E. of 62 Saint Vincent Street in the City
of Glasgow, Registered Patent Agent and Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, as communicated to me to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved coupler for making electrical communication,
between the elements of two or more secondary or other galvanic batteries.
My invention is specially designed for and will be herein described as applied to so
called storage or secondary or accumulator batteries. Its construction is such as to
enable the ready connection and disconnection of elements without resorting to bolts,
screws or solder and is further such as to operate as a safeguard against damage to the
battery arising from excess of current from short-circuiting or other cause. My
invention is further such as to be flexible so as to preserve full electrical connection
notwithstanding relative disturbances of the coupled elements.
The accompanying drawing is a partially sectional elevation of a connector
embodying my invention.
1 may represent parts of two adjacent cells of a secondary battery. 2 may
represent portions of the contained electrodes to which is soldered or otherwise
permanently fastened a copper goose-neck 3 which terminates with a cup 4 to contain
mercury 5.
A U-formed wire 6 whose ends rest in the cups 4 co-act with the mercury to
complete the connection. The portion of the wire above the mercury is protected by
an insulating covering 6¹ of rubber or other suitable material.
Waste of mercury such as may arise from spillage or by reason of its oxydation
from electrolyte-fumes is prevented by sleeves 7 of pure rubber whose respective ends
are drawn over the cups and the rubber jackets in the manner shown.
The above-described illustration of my invention may be varied in non-essential
details, for example; the projections 3 may project horizontally or have any other
form. The U-formed coupling-wire may be without insulating covering.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a connector for secondary batteries: the combination of mercury-cups on-
rigid projections from the electrodes and the immersed U-formed coupler.
2. A flexible and projected connector for secondary batteries consisting of the
combination of rigid integral projections from the electrodes to points outside of
and below the cell-tops, the mercury cups rigidly attached to the respective
projections, the U-formed coupling wire and the protecting and flexible sleeves."
3. The connector consisting of electrode-projection 3 terminating in mercury cup 4
which receives the end of the coupling-wire 5 and the protecting sleeve 7.
4. In a connector for secondary batteries, the combination of electrode-projections 3,
mercury cups 4, U-formed coupling wire 5 having the insulating coverings 6 and the
projecting rubber-sleeves 7, for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Sixteenth day of September 1889.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.