Improvements in Electric Accumulators or Storage Batteries.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Accumulators or Storage Batteries.
A communication by NATHAN HUNTLEY EDGERTON, of 146, South Sixth Street,
in the City and County of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Electrician.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
الى ان الكانا
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The invention relates to electric accumulators, commonly known as secondary
or storage batteries, the object sought to be attained, being the polarizing of the
battery, that is to say, the construction and arrangement of the electrodes and
their insulating containing cells or pockets, within the main cell of the battery,
in such manner as to develop an increased voltage or tension of electrical
energy; and to that end the invention consists in the construction and arrange-
ment of the parts as hereinafter more particularly described.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:
Figure 1, is a longitudinal vertical section of a secondary battery constructed
according to the invention, the main cell of which is shown preferably divided
into three compartments showing in each a set of three cells or pockets with an
insulated electrode contained in each and showing also the wire connections
between these several sets of electrodes.
2321
Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the inner cells or pockets with the
insulated electrode in place therein.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the electrodes.
Figure 4 is a plan of a corner of one of the inner cells showing the adjacent
portion of the electrode.
Figure 5 is a lateral section of the inner cell or pocket showing a modified form
of electrode and of the means for supporting the saine insulated from the walls of
its containing cells or pockets.
The main cell A is shown preferably divided laterally into compartments as
at A1, A2, A3 by intervening partitions, allowing sufficient space therein to readily
contain three of the inner cells or pockets B B₁ B². The partitions H H are not
however essential. Mr. Edgerton has discovered that the voltage is very materially
increased by the arrangement of the electrodes in sets of three each, the outer two
being of one pole and the inner of another. In these several sets of electrodes, the
electrical connection is made between the central electrode of one set with the two
outer electrodes of the next set, and these with the central electrode of the next
set, and so on with the series, and the electrical connection, by attached connecting
wires, as stated, to preserve the polarity, as shown illustrated in Figure 1. The
main cell A or its compartments A1 A2 A3 is filled with an electrolyte such as
diluted sulphuric acid. The inner cells or pockets B B¹ B² arranged in groups of
three, as stated, are placed within the main cell or jar A, and surrounded by the
liquid electrolyte. These inner cells or pockets are constructed as shown at B,
Figure 2, preferably of a metallic substance, and are wholly or nearly filled with
the active chemical material, preferably litharge, or any oxide of lead, mixed
with an electrolyte, such as diluted sulphuric acid to form a mixture of pasty
consistency.
In this active material thus placed in the inner cell or pocket B, is thrust an
electrode terminal C such as a lead plate extending nearly, but not completely, to

page_text: the bottom of the pocket, and it is insulated at the bottom, preferably by resting
upon a porcelain plate such as the plate G¹.
In order that the electrode C shall be insulated from contact with the sides of
the inner cell or pocket B, it is constructed as shown in Figure 3, by making
lateral slits or cuts at intervals in its two sides, and bending the parts over as
shown at R R, and then fastening upon these bent parts R a cap piece T, (see
Figure 4) of some insulating material.
The electrode will then be supported firmly in the inner cell or pocket and
without electrical contact therewith.
Another form of insulation, however, is shown in Figure 5, in which the electrode
is a flat piece of lead without the bent pieces R R, the place of which and their
covers T, are supplied by sliding the lead electrode C (Figure 5) downwards in
the grooves of a vertical porcelain bar G, which thus not only insulates them from
contact with the surface of the cell or pocket B, but holds them firmly in position
therein.
The action of the parts is such that the current comes to the positive pole as
at E, and leaves by the negative pole as at F, in its passage first reaching the
electrode C which has positive polarity, delivered from thence to the negative
electrodes in that set, and thence to the central electrode C¹ of the second set as a
current of positive polarity and so on from set to set, in like order to the delivery
wire F, and in its passage changing the contained oxide in the cells to per-oxide,
and from the latter in turn to monoxide.
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 by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an electric accumulator a main containing cell or jar filled with electrolytic
liquid, in combination with a battery of electrodes arranged in sets of three each,
each electrode contained within and insulated from a metallic cell filled with
active material and contained within said main cell or jar, the central electrode
in each set being of different polarity from the other two in each set and electrical
connections between the electrodes of different polarity in the several sets, as
described.
2. In an electric accumulator the combination with a metallic cup containing
an active material of an insulated electrode supported within the same, as and
for the purposes set forth.
3. In an electric accumulator the combination with a main cell or jar and an
electrolytic liquid contained therein, of an inner metallic cell containing active
material, and an insulated electrode supported within the same, as and for the
purposes set forth.
4. In a storage cell an electrode C, a metallic cell B in which the same is
contained, and grooved bars G of non-conducting material applied to the opposite
sides of said cell B, as described and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 9th day of November 1891
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.