AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF BOX, TROUGH, OR CELL FOR GALVANIC BATTERIES
Year: 1884

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I THOMAS JOHN JONES of 12 Princes Street, Hanover Squaro, in the County of
Middlesex, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF BOX, TROUGH, OR CELL FOR GALVANIC BATTERIES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention relates to the construction of a box, trough, or coll, for primary
and secondary galvanic batteries, and it has for its object a simple, inexpensive,
and permanently water-tight construction of wooden trough or receptacle of which
the various parts are securely held together without the use of any metallic
fastenings.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, Figure 2 a
section and figure 3 a plan of the preferred construction of trough. Figure 1ª
shows a modified form of the transverse joints. Figure 4 is a side elevation,
figure 5 an end elevation and figure 6 a plan of a modified construction of box or
trough for a battery. Figure 4 shows a modified form of the longitudinal joints
between the sides and bottom. Figure 7 is a side elevation, figure 8 an end
clevation and Figure 9 a plan of another modification.
Referring to figures 1 to 3 A are the sides, B the bottom, C the ends, and D the
cross divisions of the trough or receptacle.
The sides A, which are made of greater width and length than the intended
internal dimensions of the trough, have longitudinal dovetailed grooves a cut in
them on the inner faces at a sufficient distance from the lower edge to give the
necessary strength and keep the bottom of the trough off the surface on which the,
trough stands. The bottom B is of the same length as the sides and has corre-
sponding dovetail tenons b cut along its two-side edges which fit in the dovetail
grooves a of the sides A. These dovetails are wholly below the level of the
grooves next referred to. Across the upper face of the bottom B, and at the proper
distances apart and from the ends of the bottom, are cut dovetail grooves e to
receive tenons y cut along the lower edges of the ends C and divisions D. The
tenons gare cut square and have each a longitudinal saw cut made in it to receive
a hard wood wedge, h, as hereafter described. The ends of the divisional and end

page_text: plates C and D have dovetailed tenons c and d cut along them which are received
in corresponding dovetailed grooves fcut across the side pieces A and extending
from the upper edge down to the longitudinal grooves thereof. The side pieces A
may also have dovetailed grooves cut from the lower edge up to the longitudinal
grooves a to receive corresponding dovetailed tenons i cut on the ends of braces I.
The parts are put together as follows:-The dovetailed tenons 6 of the bottom B
are slid into their grooves a in the sides A, and the dovetailed tenons of tho
braces I are then slid into their respective grooves of the sides A. The cross
divisions C and ends D (having each a wedge of hard wood of corresponding
length just entered in the saw cut of each of the tenons g) are then inserted by
sliding their dovetailed tenons c, d, into the grooves fand the parts CD are then
driven down forcibly until their tenons y are caused to assume a dovetailed form
as shown in figure 1 by the wedges h meeting the bottoms of the grooves e and are
thus made to fit tightly therein.
To admit of this it is necessary that the divisional and end plates C, D should be
of pine or other soft wood with the grain running vertically; the sides A and
bottom B may be of the same wood or of hard wood such as teak.
The tenons and grooves, before being slid the one into the other, preferably
receive a coating of a thin solution of india rubber or gutta percha
It will be seen that with this construction all the parts of the trough are
mutually tied together in such a way that even after long use during which the
trough may be subjected to alternations of humidity and dryness the joints will
not be liable to leak, which, particularly as regards those between the compartments,
is of great importance in a galvanic battery. By making the joints between C, D,
and the bottoin B of the plain rectangular form shown in figure 1 instead of being
dovetailed as before described, the parts C, D, may also be of hard wood but the
construction first described is preferred.
In the examplo shown in figures 4 to 6 the side pieces A are keyed into the
bottom B and do not extend below it as in the former example.
The ends C and divisions D have dovetailed tenons c at their ends which are
received and fit in corresponding grooves cut across the sides A at the proper
positions. The lower edges of the ends C and divisions D also have dovetailed
tenons & cut along their whole length which tenons fit in corresponding dovetailed
grooves b cut across the bottom B. The sides A have tenons a, dovetailed on ono
side only, cut along the whole length of their lower edges which are received in
dovetailed grooves fcut along the bottom B at a sufficient distance from either
side to afford the necessary strength. The grooves fare wide enough to allow the
tenons a to be driven down directly into them. The mode of putting together the
parts is as follows:-The ends and divisions are first fitted in the sides by sliding
the former into the latter to such an extent that the dovetails & stand wholly
below the level of the dovetails a. The dovetailed tenons & on the bottom edges
of the ends C, and divisions D, are then slid into the grooves b of the bottom B
and the sides A are then driven down until their dovetails a are received in the
grooves whereupon they are tightened therein by keys g of hard wood driven in
between the straight sides of the tenons and grooves as shown. These keys may,
if desired, be each in two lengths and driven from opposite ends. The form of the
keys may be varied according to the situation they occupy in the joint as will be
readily understood.
The trough shown in figures 4, 5, 6 may be made entirely of hard or soft wood
as preferred.
Figure 4 shows the adaptation of the wedged dovetailed joint (previously
described in reference to figure 1 for the cross divisions) to the longitudinal sides.
In this case the sidos A would necessarily be made of soft wood with the grain
running vertically, the remainder being made of hard or soft wood as preferred.
The grooves in the bottom are of dovetailed form, and the sides A have a square
tenon cut along the lower edgo which has a longitudinal saw-cut made in it and
has the edge of a wedge h of hard wood of equal length to the side just entered in

page_text: the saw cut, whereby the tenon is splayed apart in the act of driving down the
sides and caused to fit tightly in the grooves.
Referring to figures 7 to 9 the tenons bare dovetailed on both sides and fit
tightly in their grooves a by sliding, without the use of keys, and the tenous dat
the bottom of the ends C and divisions D are dovetailed only on one side and are
tightened in their grooves by keys g. In this case the sides are first fitted to the
bottom, and the points where their dovetails meet the cross grooves marked; they
are then removed and clearances cut for the keys g. The sides are then fitted
again to the bottom, the ends and divisions driven down in their grooves in the
sides until the bottom tenons come into the grooves of the bottom, whereupon the
keys g are driven into their places.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st A trough, cell or receptacle, of which all the parts are jointed together by
watertight dovetailed and tongued or keyed joints substantially as specified.
2nd A trough, cell or receptacle, of which all the parts are jointed together by
dovetailed and tongued or keyed joints glued by a waterproof solution of indiarubber,
substantially as specified.
3rd A trough, cell or receptacle, of which the bottom, ends, and divisions, are
dovetailed into the sides and the ends and divisions dovetailed into the bottom
substantially as described and shown in figures 1. 2. 3 of the drawings.
4th A trough cell or receptacle of which the bottom, ends and divisions are
dovetailed into the sides as in figures 1, 2, 3, and the ends and divisions are driven
down into grooves in the bottom, substantially as described and shown in figure 1ª
of the drawing.
5th A trough, cell or receptacle, of which the ends and cross divisions are dove-
tailed into the sides and bottom and the sides are secured in the bottom by
dovetails and keys, substantially as described and shown in figures 4, 5, 6 of the
drawings.
6th A trough, cell, or receptacle, in which the ends and cross divisions are
dovetailed into the sides and bottom as described and shown in figures 4, 5, 6, and
the sides are dovetailed into the bottom as shown in figure 4.
7th A trough, cell, or receptacle, of which the sides are dovetailed into the bottom
and the ends and divisions are dovetailed into the sides and secured in the bottom
by dovetails and keys, substantially as described and shown in figures 7, 8 and 9
of the drawings.
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