DELE Apparatus for Automatically Charging Secondary Batteries or Accumulators.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
COME DELE
Apparatus for Automatically Charging Secondary Batteries or
Accumulators.
I, STANLEY CHARLES CUTHBERT CURRIE of Philadelphia in the County of
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Electrician, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has relation to apparatus for automatically charging secondary
batteries or accumulators, and has for its object the provision of novel means; whereby
a secondary battery, or a set of secondary batteries, will be automatically thrown into
circuit, with a charging battery or electric machine, or other source of electric supply
when sufficiently discharged, and when sufficiently charged will be automatically
thrown out of circuit with the said source of electric supply.
My invention has for its further object, the provision of means for indicating by
means of a visual or audible signal, any accidental interrupting of the proper operation
of the automatic cut out devices.
Various means have been hitherto employed, in the effort to automatically throw a
secondary battery in and out of circuit, all dependent for operation upon the rise and
fall of the electromotive force of the battery current, but a serious, if not fatal
objection to the use of the various apparatus, is the unreliability of the operation
due to the very small range of difference between the electro-motive force of a fully
charged battery, which is about two and two tenths-volts, and the minimum discharge
electro motive force, which is about one and eight tenths volts which requires a very
A further
delicate and sensitive adjustment of the circuit shifting mechanism.
objection to the employment. of apparatus dependent for operation upon the
attainment of a certain degree of electro-motive force, is that in case a single
cell of a battery should become short circuited, the electro-motive force will not
rise to the required point, and meanwhile all the cells in the battery, except that
one which is short circuited will become overcharged-Furthermore the period of
operation of an apparatus dependent for operation on the rise and fall of electro-
motive force, are not sufficiently accurate, especially when the charging rate is apt to
vary, as is usually the case.
In carrying my present invention into effect, I avoid the above mentioned
objections, by the employment of electro magnetic shifting apparatus, operable by
a current of the minimum electro-motive force, and thrown into or out of action,
by the establishment of a circuit therethrough, by means of the devices described in
Letters Patent of the United States granted to ine December 4th 1888 Nos. 393,744
and 394,100.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, which is a diagram illustrating the
arrangement of circuits and appurtenant parts of an apparatus constructed according
to my invention, A designates a dynamo electric machine or other electric generator,
and 1 and 2 the conductors conveying current therefrom to a secondary battery,
composed of cells B, B, arranged in series.
A switch board c arranged at any convenient point in the vicinity of the
generator A, or batteries B are provided with two contact points a, a, which are
terminals of the circuit 2, and two contact points b, b, which are terminals of a
circuit 3, containing a resistance D-E designates a lever pivoted at e, to the
board C, and carrying on its end a metallic block F, that connects the contact
points a, a, or the contact points b, b, accordingly, as the lever is swung in one
direction or the other, and G designates an electro-magnet, the armature g of which,
is attached and carried by the lever E. A retractile spring n, is attached to the

page_text: and to automatically complete the main line circuit when the battery is discharged,
substantially as described.
Thirdly In an automatic circuit changer for secondary battery plants, the
combination with the generator battery and conductors connecting the same, of a
circuit making device, and an electro-magnetic switch, adapted to open and close
the main circuit, and to open and close a branch circuit extending from the magnet
of the switch around the contacts points of said main circuit, substantially as
described.
Fourthly In an automatic circuit changer for secondary battery plants, the
combination of a generator A, batteries B, B, connected to said generator by a
main line, and a return conductor 1, 2, an electro-magnet G, having a spring
retracted armature lever B, adapted to open and close contacts a, a, of return
conductor 2, a circuit making device K, arranged in the vicinity of the batteries B, B,
and in circuit with a magnet G, and a high resistance circuit 3, having contact
points b, b, adapted to be closed by said armature lever, and constituting a branch
circuit from the magnet circuit 4, to the return conductor 2, all constructed and
arranged substantially as described.
Dated this 97th day of & nonot 1980
STANLEY CHARLES CUTHBERT CURRIE.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
STANLEY CHARLES CUTHBERT CURRIE.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.