Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
A communication from HENRY WOODWARD, of 605, Spadina Avenue, City of
Toronto, County of York, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada,
Electrician.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
The object of the invention is to make a cheaply constructed battery capable of
being made of great power while occupying but little space and possessing but little
weight in proportion to the power, and it consists, essentially, of a single positive or
negative electrode surrounded by, but electrically insulated from a series of electrodes
connected together and forming an electrode to work with the central electrode,
substantially as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Figure 1 is a perspective view partially in section of this improved secondary
battery.
Figure 2 is a perspective detail of the lead core located in the centre of each
electrode.
A is the tank filled with the liquid and containing the electrodes.
B is a spiral-shaped piece of lead forming a core which is inserted in the centre
of a perforated lead cylinder C. This cylinder C is filled with pill-shaped pieces
of lead, like shot, which cluster around closely to the core B, their shape being
such that the liquid entering through the perforations a in the cylinder C will pass
freely through the_mass. Both ends of each cylinder are closed with rubber
plugs D; the stem E of each core B projects through its respective plug D, as
indicated. Each cylinder thus prepared forms an electrode, but instead of arranging
them in pairs as is now done, one large electrode C is made and its stem connected,
as shown in Figure 1, to either the positive or negative pole.
The other electrodes which are marked C2, are arranged around the central
electrode marked C', the stems E, of the former being connected together by a
band F, thus combining the strength of the electrodes C³, to form an electrode
opposite to the central electrode so that they shall work together and form the
circuit, care being taken that the central electrode C¹ is completely insulated from
the electrode C which surrounds it. To accomplish this, a rubber band G is
placed around the electrode C¹ at its top and middle, and bottom if necessary.
As particles of lead will constantly be wearing off from the electrodes and falling
to the bottom of the tank A, the electrode is raised clear of the bottom of the
tank A so as to prevent the possibility of the particles forming an electrical contact
between the electrodes forming the two poles of the battery. This is done by
placing blocks H of glass or rubber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an improved secondary battery a positive or negative electrode surounded
by but electrically insulated from a series of electrodes connected together and
forming an electrode to work with the central electrode substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
2. In a secondary battery a perforated cylinder of lead containing a spiral-shaped

page_text: core of lead and filled with pellets of lead, a stem attached to the core and connected
to the electrical pole substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
London, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.