IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC ACCUMULATORS OR BATTERIES THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION AND IN APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR OR THEREWITH to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: Employed therefor or therewith.
I JOSEPH STOKES WILLIAMS of Riverton New Jersey United States of America
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC ACCUMULATORS OR BATTERIES THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION
AND IN APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR OR THEREWITH
to be as
follows:-
"
My Invention relates to batteries or accumulators adapted to be charged or
revivified or maintained in a working condition through the action of an electric
current or by the actions of gases or media for restoring or maintaining the
elements in a working condition they being provided with electrical connections
led off from the cooperating electrodes of opposite signs from the tops of those of
one sign and the bottoms of those of the other sign and from the corners or parts
thereof diagonally opposite.
Also in combination with this improvement I employ electrodes or elements
provided with electrical connections or electrical channels at the ends or edges
thereof having an electrical conductivity approximately equal to or greater than
the conducting or transformable capacity of the electrodes or series of leaves
thereof.
Also in combination with one or both of these improvements or either of them,
I employ compound interlacing electrodes or coiled or folded electrodes but what-
ever other arrangements or devices be used with my Invention the essential
features are the said improvements hereinbefore specified.

page_text: Improvements in Electric Accumulators or Batteries, their
Construction and Operation, and in Apparatus or Means
Employed therefor or therewith.
I JOSEPH STOKES WILLIAMS of Riverton New Jersey United States of America,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC ACCUMULATORS OR BATTERIES THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION
AND IN APPARATUS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR OR THEREWITH" 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 improvements in electric accumulators or batteries their
construction and operation and in apparatus or means employed therefor or there-
with.
The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of electric accumulators
or batteries obviate local action and short circuiting of the elements and the short
circuiting or unequal or ineffective operation of any part of the active portion of
electric elements or electrodes in other words to provide for an electric current
operating equally upon the elements thereby ensuring an equal and uniform
chemical action over the entire acting surfaces and consequently an uniform or
equal action of the elements over their entire surface when they are connected for
developing electric force in an electric circuit as well as other important advantages
in the construction and working of batteries or accumulators or the details thereof
as herein set forth independently or in combination with the improvements set
forth in my applications for Patents herein referred to.
My improvements provide special details as hereinafter defined in the con-
struction and arrangement of the working elements and parts of batteries or
accumulators adapted to be charged revivified or maintained in a working condition
by the action of an electric current or by the action of gases or other media for
restoring or maintaining the elements in a working condition and relate especially
the arrangement and combination of the terminal plates or connections with the
working electrodes either as simple or compound interlacing electrodes or as folded
or coiled electrodes.
By my Invention as hereinafter described I provide for securing an equal and
uniform action either in charging or discharging over or from the entire acting
surfaces of the electrodes and I realize other important advantages as hereinafter
set forth According to my Invention I provide electrical connections led off from
the co-operating electrodes of opposite signs from the tops of those of one sign and
the bottoms of those of the other sign and from the corners or parts thereof
diagonally opposite substantially as hereinafter set forth-Also in combination
with this improvement I employ electrodes or elements provided with electrical
connections or electrical channels at the ends or edges thereof having an electrical
conductivity approximately equal to or greater than the conducting or transform-
able capacity of the electrodes or series of leaves thereof-Also in combination
substantially as hereinafter set forth with the said improvements or either of them
I employ any compound interlacing electrodes or coiled or folded electrodes, but

page_text: whatever other arrangements or devices be used with my Invention the essential
features are the said improvements hereinbefore specified.
a. In the construction and application of my improvements to batteries or
accumulators as set forth the terminal plates or connections can be of various forms
and be secured to the electrode in different manners but in all cases I connect them
so as to ensure an equal action over the entire active surface as hereinafter set
forth. I can employ plates or ribbons of copper tin aluminium or other metal or
metallic alloy or such or other metals coated with tin platinum or an inoxidizable
metal alloy or amalgam for backing or connecting the ends or edges of the leaves
or plates of both sets of electrodes or compound electrodes or for one set of the
electrodes or one set of compound electrodes under any of the constructions herein-
after set forth and I provide various modifications in the arrangements of terminal
plates and connections for the utilization of the entire surface of the active portion
of the electrodes and an equal and uniform action or an equal or uniform resistance
throughout all parts of the active or acting surface of the electrodes both in
charging and discharging also as hereinafter set forth.
b. When I employ a plate or series of plates or ribbons at one or more ends or
edges or a metal or metallic alloy (of higher conductivity than the material
constituting the active portion of the electrodes) as a backing or connection for the
acting portion of one or both sets of single or compound electrodes arranged in such
a manner as to cause an equal operation upon the electric elements each of the
opposite electrodes is connected at opposite ends or edges so as to prevent short
circuiting across the active portion of the electrode-it therefore follows in the
carrying this into practice that the elements must be connected at opposite ends
edges or corners of the respective elements and not as is usual from the upper
portion of the electrodes or elements; it is also advantageous if not necessary to
provide for the electrical resistance at the terminal part or parts or end or ends of
single electrode or compound electrode or electrodes with the terminal plate plates
or connections of greater or equal or about equal electrical conductivity to the
active part or leaf or leaves constituting the active or acting portion of the electrode
or element or elements such arrangements are advantageous in all cases and prac-
tically essential for many purposes so as to provide for rapid charging or discharging
or both without injury to some of the parts by ensuring that the electrical resistance
of the charging or discharging circuit or both are such as to be about equal to the
electrical resistance or the transformable capacity of the acting part or parts of the
single or compound element or elements connected in parallel in the circuits of
charge or discharge as the case may be.
c. The terminal plates or connections are made of forms in accordance with the
character of the connection to be made with the single or compound electrodes and
the design of such connections need not materially differ with any character of
electrode designed for operation under similar conditions.
For instance when the electrodes are arranged with their active surface parallel
to each other in a vertical or in an inclined position as is usual in the construction
of accumulators I employ a plate or bar of suitable conductivity for the purpose
described provided with a bent portion at one end or part turned back upon the
bar and extending back along the bar or plate say half an inch more or less distant
therefrom and preferably parallel with the main body of the bar or plate-One
part is left uninsulated and the longest length is coated or covered with some suit-
able electrically and chemically neutral insulation. The short arm of this plate or
bar may be connected at the bottom corner of one of the single or compound
electrodes with or without extending lengthwise mostly or entirely the entire
depth or length of the end and embedded in and secured therewith by molten
metal or any suitable conducting material; for uniting the parts in making such
connection I am careful to thoroughly cover the unsulated part of the bar up to
the insulation with lead or tin with or without the employment of an insulating
medium-The part of the bar insulated or to be insulated is preferably arranged to
be close to or but a short distance from the edge or end of the electrode (single or

page_text: compound) and to be of sufficient length to extend through the cap or covering
of the chamber or cell for connection with the connecting or coupling devices of the
external circuit and such connection can be surrounded by an electrically and
chemically neutral insulation for instance paraffin and stearine or sulphur or some
suitable material such as india rubber or the equivalent thereof or when acid is
employed other materials such as pitch or resinous compounds will answer.
d. The terminal plate or connections for the opposite electrode or compound
electrode adapted to operate in conjunction with the first described electrode can be
extended along the edge or end mostly or entirely throughout the width or depth
thereof or be connected at the upper portion or at the corner or at the part of such
electrode (simple or compounded) by molten metal or otherwise as set forth 80 as
to occupy & position diagonally opposite or across from the leading in end of the
terminals of the opposite electrode or part of the compound electrode with which it
is or may be adapted to operate I provide for the terminal ends of both electrodes
or the respective parts of the compound electrodes being properly insulated and
protected and provided with holding clamping and circuit closing devices.
e. In some cases as a substitute or equivalent for the bent bar or plate I employ
a bar or plate with a projecting pin or part or with a U-shaped piece or part or
with or without a flattened end or part adapted to be secured at the bottom of the
electrode by molten metal or otherwise-Or I can employ a bar plate or tube
insulated excepting at one end extending lengthwise as set forth through an aperture
in the solid metal or part at one or both ends of a single or compound electrode.
The end of the bar or connection which is insulated is adapted to be united with
the element or electrode simple or compound at the bottom of the holes apertures or
recesses as fully set forth herein other connections and parts being as described care
being taken to protect the terminal bars.
f. For special purposes other forms of electrodes or electrodes arranged otherwise
than with these acting or active surfaces at right angles or at an angle to a hori-
zontal line (and in such position maintained in a suitable chamber or chambers
containing the electrolyte) with modifications in the form of the terminal plates
can with facility be adapted to meet the requirements for instance the elements can
be arranged in superposed layers with their acting or active surface at right angles
to a perpendicular line or they may be curved or V-shaped or circular or of other
suitable shape adapted to their special use; these connections can be made at
opposite ends and parts as set forth and along the edges of greatest or least length
or breadth and compound electrodes as well as single electrodes can with facility be
adapted to any of such forms of construction special arrangement of dielectrics or
chambers enclosing the electrodes or elements simple or compound being provided
the terminal connections as herein described from the respective electrodes being
carried out directly through the chambers or cells from the place of connection at
corners diagonally opposite or one of the terminals extending to the bottom or
opposite side (being properly insulated and protected) is carried upwards across or
along the end or edge or side of the electrode in the chamber to the end top or parts
thereof where both terminals are led therefrom as set forth herein to provide for a
uniform action.
g. I combine my improvements herein described relating to the method of con-
structing and working the connection of my elements with sets of elements
consisting of compound or multiple plates or leaves and I provide for separating
them by porous insulation I employ a casing or mould with perforated bottoms or
a chamber in which the electrodes are built or afterwards formed are placed and
I employ pulverized pumice stone or equivalent material reduced to a definite size
for which I provide by the use of suitable grinding or crushing apparatus and
sieves and I mix therewith silicate of alumina or the equivalent thereof so as to
form a paste which can be distributed in an even layer so as to form the porous
diaphragms as the leaves are being placed to build up the electrodes with or without
the use of a flexible fabric or perforated or serrated or porous sheets or plates
the terminals being connected to the elements as herein provided for.

page_text: h. By the employment of a porous plate or bottom for instance a plate made of
unglazed earthenware or by using granulated pumice stone or clean gravel or
ganister diaphragm or separating part the electrode will rest thereon and permit
the free percolation or circulation of the liquid.
i. In combination with such arrangements in order to cleanse the cell or to
agitate the liquid I employ pipes leading through the lid or cover of each cell and
hermetically sealed at such orifice; these pipes or tubes for each chamber may be
connected in series or in multiple that is to say provision can be made for con-
necting the series of short pipes or tubes from the individual cells to a tube common
to all and the longer tubes can be connected to a tube or pipe common to all of
them or they may be connected alternately so as to be in series and if desired these
so connected can be employed for the electrical connections either charging or dis-
charging or both by providing for their being connected with the ends of the
electrodes under conditions as described with terminal plates the various accessories
operating in the electric circuits as set forth can be adapted to the connections of
the character described and I can employ pumping or injecting or exhausting
apparatus combined with such tubes or a branch or loop therefrom so as to cleanse
the elements or agitate or cause the liquid to circulate or so as to maintain some
constant condition or specific gravity or density all of which can with facility be
accomplished automatically as will be well understood by those acquainted with the
necessary appliances.
j. Instead of or as an equivalent for my compound interlacing leaves as described
I employ flexible sheets or ribbons of carbon or metal, or one of carbon and the
other of metal, one or both of which support the active material, for instance the
oxide of lead or of silver or of mercury or iron or other metal in a finely divided
state or in thin sheets or films or layers amalgamated or not with a flexible porous
sheet or envelope or porous insulating part for separating the electrodes which are
coiled wound or folded together. Such electrodes are arranged to overlap each
other at opposite edges and enlargements are formed at such parts with a series of
terminals extending therefrom through or beyond the insulating sheets or envelopes
which are constructed and arranged to prevent short circuiting as described or
instead of a series of terminals being provided the entire length of coil can be
soldered or formed with a connection for each respective coil with the terminal of
high conductivity secured to or encased therein and protected by electrically and
chemically neutral material at each end as described the arrangement and pro-
tection of the terminals inside of the chamber and outside thereof being as described.
This form of element is especially adapted for use in cylindrical chambers (lined
with insulation) where it is desired to have a single piece or lid for screwing or
clamping thereon. The terminal plates are connected as herein set forth and
I provide for leading the terminal plate which is properly insulated as herein set
forth back or upwards through the centre through the aperture in the cap or lid
and if desired I perforate the upper plate or both the upper and lower plates where
the terminal connections are moulded or secured to or with the terminal plates so
as to allow for the escape of gas or the circulation of liquid and in some cases
I serrate or perforate these plates through the active portions so as to provide for
the use of such elements otherwise than mounted upon their ends.
k. In building up such compound electrodes if desirable I employ a flexible
insulating or insulated watertight sheathing or bandage of some flexible fabric for
instance canvas coated with pitch india rubber sulphur or paraffin or a combination
of such other suitable material, for instance, a vulcanized or india rubber fabric
which I draw closely around the structure and cement the same so as to prevent
any displacement of the parts after completion and in some cases independently
thereof or in combination therewith I employ some thin rigid sheets or plates of
insulated or insulating material as supports at the sides preferably secured at
terminals or coiled around the structure ends or edges. I can employ any suitable
material for such purpose moulded or otherwise applied.
113

page_text: 7. In practising my invention I combine my improvements with electrodes of
various types arranged in different working positions. Various modified forms of
connecting plates or arrangements of connections are adapted for my purpose. For
instance my improvements are applicable in the construction and working of
electrodes or elements in which the active portion of one or both of the electrodes
or elements consists of a series of sheets of thin metal laminae for instance lead or
lead foil connected at their ends or at two or more points to sections of lead tin
or other metal within or to which is enclosed or secured therewith copper or other
conducting metal plates of higher conductivity than the acting portion of the
electrode. Such metal laminae may have interposed between them some porous
electrically and chemically insulating sheets or material or such metal laminae can
have interposed between them corrugated or fluted metal foil or ribbons. Or
instead of connecting the plates or series of sheets of foil or ribbon at their ends as
described I can coil or fold long lengths of ribbon or foil so as to give an equi-
valent result and compress such coiled or folded structure into the shape desired
for the electrodes for use and subsequently to or while under such pressure I can
unite the opposite ends or edges or two or more parts (of the electrode composed of
the coiled or folded material) with molten metal or by pressure so as to form such
part for connection with the terminal plates or connections as set forth.
m. I can employ as the cores for such foil or sheets carbon or an inoxidizable
metal or an alloy flexible or not and connected at the ends, as described and in
some cases I employ an electrically and chemically neutral non-conducting framing
or support at two or more of the ends or edges of the completed electrode in order
to secure the desired rigidity when foil or sheets of light section and narrow
width are used and such non conducting framing or supports can be secured to the
body of the electrode by molten metal or otherwise. The foil or laminae may be
of V or other shape and the sheets or foil can be arranged vertically to a hori-
zontal line or at an angle thereto or be arranged horizontally to a perpendicular
line or at an angle thereto. I attach the terminal plates and connections as herein
set forth.
n. Under other modifications I combine my improvements in the construction or
working of electrodes or elements built up or formed of strands or ribbons or coils
or folds of lead or other active material (with or without inoxidizable conducting
covers) arranged in such a manner as to provide for the edges of the coils in
section being face to face either as single pairs connected in the external circuit
with each other in any preferred manner also in the construction and working of
my special compound electrodes the leaves of any suitable construction or with
electrodes in which I employ lead mechanically or otherwise reduced to a pulverized
or divided state mixed with carbon or coke or a carbonizable material or not or
provided with inoxidizable core or cores compressed or rolled into sheets after the
pulverized material has been amalgamated or of material compressed in sheets or
plates prior thereto and subsequently amalgamate them.
o. In such combinations the edges or ends of the respective compound interlacing
electrodes are moulded or soldered or united by molten metal or otherwise as
described or I employ individual leaves provided with enlargements or solid metal
ends at one or more edges for connecting the terminals or for securing the terminal
plates in the manner specified that is I provide for making the connection by
moulding or otherwise with or without using holes or apertures of the proper size or
diameter through the lead or terminal part or metal at the end or edge of one of
each of the elements of the electrodes for constituting the pairs compounded or not.
p. In such combination of the connections with the electrodes I can employ a
copper or other suitable metal bar or plate or plates coated with tin or an inoxi-
dizable metal or alloy or amalgam covered with insulation excepting at the end or
part where it is adapted to be united with the portion of the electrode by molten
metal or otherwise.
q. In such combination of parts I prevent the possibility of any liquid getting
into the copper or conducting bar which extends to or is connected with the

page_text: bottom of the electrode. I seal the end thereof or otherwise apply insulation on
or around the bar or plate in order to prevent the terminals from becoming in any
way affected or oxidized.
r. In order to further provide against the possibility of the liquid getting to the
bar I run in water tight insulation paraffin for instance into the chamber into
which the bar surrounded by insulation is placed.
8. It is of course unnecessary to employ insulation otherwise than above the
surface of the electrode or within the chamber I provide a cap or cover for the
chambers in which the electrodes are placed. I also provide insulation at the upper
portion of the bars and form a shoulder or support thereby upon which the lid can
rest or fit. Or I can do away with the enlargements for forming the shoulder so
that the cap or covering can fit closely around the insulation of the bar and rest
upon the top of the chamber in which the electrodes are placed.
t. In such combinations of parts in order to provide for making good connections
at the terminal ends outside the cells casing chamber or chambers I furnish these
bars with a shoulder either by turning down or moulding or otherwise forming an
enlargement or by screwing a nut ring or cap thereon in order that the terminal
plate or connecting link may fit thereon and be secured in position by a nut
working upon the screw thread on the upper portion of the bar or I can employ a
sliding piece held down by a spring so that the connecting link or plate can be
slipped into position and there retained.
. My improved method of connecting constructing and operating electrical
accumulators provided with electrodes or elements adapted to be charged or
revivified electrically are also applicable and are designed to be used in the con-
struction and working of batteries or apparatus adapted to be maintained in a
working condition by the use of liquid or gases.
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 :-
(1.) Batteries or accumulators adapted to be charged or revivified or maintained
in a working condition through the action of an electric current or by the actions
of gases or media for restoring or maintaining the elements in a working con-
dition provided with electrical connections led off from the co-operating electrodes
of opposite signs from the tops of those of one sign and the bottoms of those of the
other sign and from the corners or parts thereof diagonally opposite substantially
as set forth.
(2.) In combination with the subject matter of the preceding claim the employ-
ment of electrodes or elements provided with electrical connections or electrical
channels at the ends or edges thereof having an electrical conductivity approximately
equal to or greater than the conducting or transformable capacity of the electrodes
or series of leaves thereof.
(3.) In combination with the subject matter of claim (1.) or both (1.) and (2.)
the employment of compound interlacing electrodes substantially as set forth.
(4.) In combination with the subject matter of claim (1.) or both (1.) and (2.)
the employment of coils or folded electrodes substantially as set forth.
(5.) In the construction or working of batteries or accumulators the employment
of devices or means in combination substantially as described in the respective
paragraphs hereof indicated by letters of reference with the subject matter of claim
(1.) or both claims (1.) and (2).