Improved Cell or Containing Vessel for Electric Batteries.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1889-Accepted. 29th June. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Cell or Containing Vessel for Electric Batteries.
HENRI GEORGES CHARLES SERRIN of Number 13 Boulevard du Temple, Paris,
France, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
'-
This invention relates to an improved cell or containing vessel for an electric
battery, made of natural wood without joints or connections.
Cells or containing vessels according to this invention offer great advantages as to
cheapness, solidity, lightness and convenience of storage and transport.
Moreover, electrical apparatus can be mounted directly upon such cells or vessels
"for military telegraphy and other purposes."
When applied in the construction of dry batteries in which absorbent materials are
employed and are introduced into the vessel at a relatively high temperature, those
cells or containing vessels will contract in cooling to a considerable extent and thus
form a perfect contact between the material introduced and the parts or solid elements
of the battery.
To render the nature of my invention more clear, I have illustrated it in the annexed
sheet of drawings but only by way of example.
Fig. 1, shews in longitudinal vertical section, a battery arranged according to my
invention and comprising two elements.
Fig. 2 is a plan or top view.
Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the battery.
In these Figs. similar letters refer to like parts.
a is the cell or containing vessel of the battery formed of a block of natural wood
provided with the cavities requisite for receiving the materials which constitute the
elements.
In the drawing the vessel is designed to receive two sets of elements, but I can
make it of any size and place therein any number of sets of elements.
Such an arrangement of a number of sets of elements in the same block or vessel,
offers great advantages in addition to the facility of manipulation.
Thus, batteries formed of separate cells are liable to get moved or to touch one
another, whilst in my improved arrangement they must remain in position.
The connecting wires are not subject to any strain, and cannot become detached.
In wet batteries as at present constructed, all contact between the electrodes must
be prevented, preferably by means of rubber rings.
This invention enables this rubber ring to be dispensed with, as it is easy to form in
the bottom of each receptacle b, two recesses c for the reception respectively of the two
electrodes of the cell.
Moreover it is easy to form in vessels of this kind, apertures d of small diameter to
allow of the escape of the gases.
Another aperture may be provided capable of being closed at will and allowing of
the introduction of liquid.
The interior of this improved cell or vessel is coated with a compound that is
impermeable to liquids.
The upper part inay be sealed or closed in any suitable way, for instance, by means
of cement e.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1888.
בזדTT A
QUOT
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Cell or Containing Vessel for Electric Batteries.
I, HENRI GEORGES CHARLES SKRBIN, of No. 13, Boulevard du Temple, Paris,
France, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved cell or containing vessel for an electric battery,
made of natural wood without joints or connections.
Cells or containing vessels according to this invention offer great advantages as to
cheapness, solidity, lightness and convenience of storage and transport.
Morcover, electric apparatus can be mounted directly upon such cells or vessels for
military telegraphy and other purposes.
When applied in the construction of dry batteries in which absorbent materials are
employed and are introduced into the vessel at a relatively high temperature, these
cells or containing vessels will contract in cooling to a considerable extent and thus
form a perfect contact between the material introduced and the parts or solid elements
of the battery.
To render the nature of my invention more clear, I have illustrated it in the
annexed two sheets of drawings.
Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal vertical section, a battery arranged according to my
invention and comprising two elements.
Fig. 2 is a plan or top view.
Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the battery.
In these Figs. similar letters refer to like parts.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a battery arranged to be placed in a box.
Fig. 5 is a back elevation.
Fig. 6 is a transverse section shewing the invention applied as a lighter for a
lamp.
Figs. 7 & 8 shew face and side views of a battery according to this invention
arranged for the illumination of a watch by simple pressure on a button.
Fig. 9 is an elevation of an electric bell, arranged according to this invention.
a is the cell or containing vessel of the battery formed of a block of natural wood
provided with the cavities requisite for receiving the materials which constitute the
elements. In the drawing the vessel is designed to receive two sets of elements, but
I can make it of any size and place therein any number of sets of elements.
Such an arrangement of a number of sets of elements in the same block or vessel,
offers great advantages in addition to the facility of manipulation.
The
Thus Batteries formed of separate cells are liable to get moved or to touch one
another, whilst in my improved arrangement they must remain in position
connecting wires are not subject to any strain and cannot become detached.
In wet batteries as at present constructed, all contact between the electrodes must
be prevented, preferably by means of rubber rings.
This invention enables this rubber ring to be dispensed with, as it is easy to form
in the bottom of each receptacle two recesses c for the reception respectively of the
two electrodes of the cell.
Moreover it is easy to form in vessels of this kind, apertures d of small diameter
to allow of the escape of the gases.
Another aperture may be provided capable of being closed at will and allowing of
the introduction of liquid.
The interior of this improved cell or vessel is coated with a compound that is
impermeable to liquids. The upper part may be sealed or closed in any suitable way,
for instance by means of cement e.
-
It will be evident that batteries constructed according to this invention may be
applied in various ways. For instance the arrangement shewn in Figs. 45 & 6 is
suitable for lighting a lamp, illuminating a watch, or operating an electric bell. The
.IX
:. .

page_text: battery is entirely enclosed in the block a¹, and the electrodes abut on springs 6¹
(Fig. 4) fixed upon the battery. These springs permit of the contacts being estab-
lished automatically by simply putting the battery in place. To this end the box of
apparatus with which the battery is to act in combination, is furnished in the interior
with two or more metallic plates de¹ upon which the springs of the battery contacts
press. Further in order to prevent the inconvenience which may result from exces-
sive pressure of gas in the inside of the battery, there is placed above it a small safety
valve, opening at a determined pressure.
When it is desired to apply a battery according to this invention to the purposes of
a lamp lighter, it is placed, in front of a spirit lamp f¹ (Fig. 6); this lamp is mounted
on a plate gl. By sliding it in the direction shewn by the arrow X the spring his
The
put into contact with the second spring fixed upon the box of apparatus.
circuit is thus completed and the platinum wire k' becoming red hot lights the lamp.
As soon as the pressure on the lamp is relaxed the spring return it to its place, and
the circuit is broken.
If it be desired to employ a battery according to this invention to illuminate a watch
at night, there is placed in the circuit an incandescence lamp and the circuit is com-
pleted by pressure on a button m' (Figs. 7 & 8).
To operate a bell n', placed in the circuit, the button o' (Fig. 9) is pressed.
From the examples set forth it will be easy to see that the improved battery may be
employed in various ways without departure from the nature of the invention, which
is based on the employment of contact springs connected to the battery and per-
mitting the automatic placing in circuit of the battery by simply putting it into its
place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A cell or containing vessel for an electric battery, made of a block of wood or of
equivalent material without joints.
2. In a cell or containing vessel of the kind referred to in the previous claim, the
arrangement consisting in totally enclosing the elements in a block in such a way as
to enable the apparatus to be placed in a special box, and applied to such purposes as
the lighting of a lamp, the illumination of a watch, or the operation of a bell, the
whole substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
Dated thie 23rd day of May 1889.
H. G. C. SERRIN.
Per L. W.