IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS OR SECONDARY BATTERIES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS OR
SECONDARY BATTERIES." A communication from abroad by La Société
Universelle d'Electricité Tommasi, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th January 1882.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents
AND
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Southampton Buildings London.
RELATING TO
ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS OR SECONDARY BATTERIES" [A communication
from abroad by La Société Universelle d'Electricité Tommasi, of Paris, France.]
This invention relates to electric batteries of the class known as secondary
batteries or accumulators, its chief object being to improve the working and
increase the power of such batteries by means of a considerable augmentation
of the surface of the elements combined with a light weight and small volume.
In carrying the said Invention into practice each element of the accumulator is
formed of two continuous sheets of lead bent or folded several times and placed in
a vessel of gutta percha or other suitable material in such a manner that a double
bend or fold of the one is always contained in a double bend or fold of the other;
the sheets being thus placed in juxtaposition at a certain distance from and parallel
to each other.
In order to considerably augment their surface without much increasing the
volume of the apparatus the sheets of lead are grooved, and to facilitate their
manufacture by simple rolling, the sheets are grooved in the direction of their
length, and as they are placed upright in the receptacle, the grooves are thus in a
horizontal position. It is obvious that the projection, section, and shape of the
grooves may be of any kind.
To still more increase the useful surface of the elements I place between the two
adjacent sides of a fold of the same plate another plate of lead enveloped in one

page_text: or more coverings of lead wire wound around it by preference vertically so as to
completely fill the fold of the plate and thus constitute, as it were a single piece; the
elements are secured by an autogenous welding at the lower part and this plate
rests on a bend of the second plate. In this way the surface is considerable
without the weight being excessive.
All the plates are moreover perforated with holes more or less numerous and
more or less regularly placed, so as to facilitate the circulation of the acidulated
water contained in the apparatus in the ordinary manner and which naturally
passes through between the wires. Each of the first named plates carries at one of
its extremities a terminal from which is led one of the wire conductors.
The elements thus made constitute singly or combined, accumulators of great
power and of remarkable simplicity of construction. For making the utmost
possible use of this accumulator without loss of time or electricity, I provide a
special commutator made as follows that is to say:-A fixed disc carries four
contact studs and a handle is jointed thereto putting in gear two switches or strips
insulated one from the other. They are always connected respectively by springs
which serve at the same time to retain them in a central and neutral position to
the terminals. connected with the two poles of the source of electricity. The said
four contact studs placed on the disc of the commutator are diametrically opposed
in pairs and one on each side of the central position of the switches. Two are
connected respectively to the positive pole and to the negative pole of the
accummulator. The two others are connected one to the wire conductors of the
apparatus or device which utilizes the electricity, the other to the negative pole of
the accumulator. The result of this arrangement is that if the switches or strips
are placed in their neutral or central position, the circuit from the source of
electricity is opened and the current does not pass. If, by turning the handle the
switches are brought on to two of the contact studs the current from the source of
electricity passes into the accumulator the corresponding poles become connected
together and the accumulator is charged; the utilizing apparatus remaining outside
the circuit.
The arrangement of the elements of this accumulator may be varied in several
ways without departing from the principle of the said invention. For example the
lead wire may be wound around the whole length of the plate before it is bent or
wound directly upon the bent portions to augment the surface. The folds of the
plates may moreover be disposed horizontally or vertically in the exterior vessels
which contain them the position of the two plates remaining the same, and the
folds being then sustained by supports of gutta percha or other suitable material
which can be employed in every case for insulating from one another the polar
plates, which should never touch.
In place of interposing at the inside of the folds of an electrode a plate of lead
covered with wire I may interpose simply a piece of cloth or cardboard of suitable
dimensions, which may be perforated in the same way as the polar plates but
through which the exciting liquid passes in every case by capillarity and which
prevent the formation of bubbles of bydrogen.

page_text: tension to co-operate in producing the electricity necessary for working the
apparatus L which is interposed in the circuit. The accumulator then discharges
itself.
These different connections may be made at will in practice by a simple and
easy movement. For the purpose of making the utmost possible use of this
accumulator without loss of time or electricity, I provide a special commutator repre-
sented in Figure 5, which is constructed as follows that is to say;-A fixed disc
carries four contact points or studs and a handle f is jointed thereto capable of
operating two switches or strips g h insulated one from the other. These switches
are always connected respectively by the springs i j which serve at the same time
to retain them in a central and neutral position, to the terminals kl_connected
with the two poles of the source of electricity B. The four contact studs m n o p
placed on the disc of the commutator are diametrically opposed m to n and o to p
and one on each side of the central position of the switches. The two marked m n
are connected respectively to the positive pole and to the negative pole of the
accumulator A. The two others are connected the one o to one of the conducting
wires of the apparatus L the other p to one of the poles of the accumulator. The
second conducting wire of the apparatus L is connected to the negative pole of the
accumulator. The result of this arrangement is that if the switches are placed in
their neutral or central position as shewn in the Drawing, the circuit from the
source of electricity is opened and the current does not pass. If, by turning the
handle, f, the switches g, h, are brought on to the contact studs m n the current
from the source of electricity passes into the accumulator, the corresponding poles.
become connected together and the accumulator is charged; the apparatus L
remaining outside the circuit. In this case the current leaving the positive pole of
the source of electricity arrives at the terminal k passes by the spring i, the
switch g, the contact stud m, the positive pole and then the negative pole of the
accumulator, returning by the contact stud n the switch h the spring ; the
terminal and finally to the negative pole of the source of electricity, where the
circuit is closed. If on the contrary the switches are brought on to the contact
studs op the current leaves the positive pole of the source of electricity, passes by
the terminal the spring i, the switch g, the stud o, the apparatus L, the negative
pole of the accumulator, returning by the positive pole of the latter, then by the
contact p, the switch h, the spring j, and the terminal 1, to the negative pole of the
source of electricity. It will thus be seen that the circuit from the accumulator A,
and from the source of electricity B, connected in tension, is closed on the
apparatus which is to consume the electricity proceeding from these two sources.
I prefer to employ this simple arrangement for coupling the said accumulators,
but it is to be understood that the details may be modified in many ways and that
the arrangement of the elements of this accumulator may be varied without
departing from the principle of the said Invention. For example the lead wire
may be wound around the whole length of the plate before it is bent, or wound
directly upon the bent portions, to augment the surface thereof. The folds of the
plates may moreover, be disposed horizontally or vertically in the exterior vessels
which contain them, the relative position of the two plates remaining the same,
and the folds being then sustained by supports of gutta percha or other suitable
material which can be employed in every case for insulating from one another the
polar plates which should never touch.
In place of interposing at the inside of the folds of an electrode a plate of lead
covered with wire, I may interpose simply a piece of cloth or cardboard, of suitable
dimensions, which may be perforated, in the same way as the polar plates, but
through which the exciting liquid passes in every case by capillarity and which
prevent the formation of bubbles of hydrogen.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that 1 claim-
First. The polar or folded lead plates arranged one within the other as above

page_text: described, placed horizontally so that the folds are superposed, or in an upright
position in the vessel, grooved or undulated to present a considerable surface, and
perforated to facilitate the circulation of the liquid, substantially as set forth.
Second. A perforated sheet or plate having one or more layers of lead wire
wound around it, or a piece of cloth or cardboard interposed between the two sides
of a fold of a polar plate so as to fill the space between the same, the said sheet or
plate being secured thereto by an autogenous welding at the lower part, all
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The device above described for connecting the accumulators. with the
source of electricity and with the apparatus used in combination therewith, which
permits of connecting, as desired, the accumulator only, or the accumulator and the
apparatus with the source of electricity in such a manner that in the first case the
poles of the same name of the source of electricity and of the accumulator corre-
spond and the accumulator is charged, and in the second case, the source of
electricity and the accumulator, connected in tension, both act upon the apparatus,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Eighteenth day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
HENRY H. LAKE. (L.S.)

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