Improvements in Means for Supporting or Suspending Elements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 3rd May, 1887.
Improvements in Means for Supporting or Suspending Elements
in Electric Batteries.
I HENRY INKSON HARRIS of No. 41 Essex Street Islington in the County of
Middlesex 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 :-
My Invention has for its object to provide sufficient means for suspending elements
in electric batteries so that they are securely supported or suspended without danger
of becoming detached and so that injurious local currents in and unequal wear of the
elements are prevented.
My Invention is more especially applicable to supporting the zinc elements and is
particularly suited to supporting the zinc elements in a battery of the construction
described in the Specification of my Patent No. 8228 dated the 7th day of July
A.D. 1885.
According to my Invention I suspend the elements from their central parts so as to
obtain great freedom from local action and from internal resistance. I will describe
my invention as applied to the suspension of an amalgamated zinc element from which
its general application will also be understood. Each of the elements is suspended
by means of a hook of Copper or a hook coated with Copper the said hook being
screwed or otherwise fixed at its upper end into the cover of the battery or other
supporting part and is of a length to reach some considerable way down the element
preferably about half way down where a hole is made in the element to receive the
hook so that the element is hooked thereunto and supported or suspended thereby.
The Copper is coated with mercury which if not done previously will be effected
when the battery is put to work by amalgam from the zinc element depositing itself
upon the Copper. The clement is prevented from coming into contact with the metal
of the hook (except at the proper point of contact) by any suitable arrangement of
insulating material for which purpose I prefer to cover the hook at its upward part
with an insulating material such for example as a tube of india rubber so that the
parts of the copper above the contact of the book with the plate are covered by the
said insulating material as this also prevents injury to the copper by the gases of

page_text: the battery. The current is thus capable of being taken from the centre of the
element which is very advantageous in preventing local action and internal resistance.
The accompanying drawing illustrates an element supported or suspended according
to my invention. A is a part of the head or cover of the battery. B is a copper
hook screwed into the head at its upper part and having a contact above for connecting
it with the other elements or the outside circuit as the case may be in the usual way.
C is a tube of india rubber covering the upward part of the hook. D is the clement
of amalgamated zinc which has a hole in it at d by which it is passed over the
hook B making contact therewith at b.
It will be understood that the like arrangement may be used for suspending or
supporting other than zinc elements when the hook may be of a material like that of
the element and the coating with mercury may be dispensed with. In using the
elements thus suspended or supported they may be reversed from time to time to give
an equal effect.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
:-
First In electric batteries the means for supporting the zinc or other elements
consisting of a hook or its equivalent engaging with the element at or about the centre
thereof substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
Second-In electric batteries the means for supporting the zinc elements
consisting of a hook of copper engaging with the zinc element so as to support it at or
about its centre substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
Third In electric batteries the combination of the hook B plate D perforated at
or about its centre to engage with the said hook and the insulating cover Call
arranged and combined substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described
and illustrated.
Fourth-In electric batteries of the kind described in the Specification of the
aforesaid Patent No. 8228 of 1885 the combination of means for supporting the zine
elements thereof substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Fifth In electric batteries supporting or suspending the zine or other elements at
or about their central portion as and for the purpose described.
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