Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1890
Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
I, CHARLES HENRY LOGAN; Manufacturer, of Detroit in the county of Wayne, and
State of Michigan, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of my
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 relates to certain new and useful improvements in " Secondary
Batteries," or magazines of electricity, composed of plates of lead or other suitable
material, which have attached thereto, or packed therein or thereon, spongy precipitated
or reduced metal, or metallic matter, such plates being immersed in cells, vessels or
receptacles containing a suitable electro-lytic liquid.
The various features of my invention will be more fully set forth and described in
the following specification and claims, reference being inade to the accompanying
drawings, in which: for the sake of clearness I have shewn plates made according to
the Specification of an Application of even date with the present.
Figure. 1 is a side elevation of one of my improved battery plates, having tubular
recessesfor the active material or material to be made active, saidrecesses being slotted
to permit the circulation of the electro-lytic liquid through and around the spongy;
metallic substance within the recesses.
'Figure 2 is a sectional. view of the same on line xx, of Figure 1.
(Figure 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of plate.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of another modification.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of the same..
Figure represents the upper part of, a plate, showing a three way dove-tail con-
nection with the conducting bar.
Figure 7 represents another form of connecting the plate to the conducting bar by,
a taper tenon and pin.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of my improved rack for holding the plates in the
cell, independently of each other.
Figure 9 is an end view of said rack, showing the method of cushioning the same
within the cell.
Figure 10 is a view of the complete cell of battery.
Figure 11 represents another modification of my improved plate.
Figure 12 is a vertical section of the same.
Figure 13 represents still another form of battery plate.
Figure 14 is a vertical section of the same.
Figure 15 represents another form of connection between the binding posts of the
plates and the conducting bar, in which the male part of the dove-tail connection is
locatedupon the under side of the conductingbar, and the female part is formed in the
top of the binding post.
Figure 16 represents another form of connection between the conducting bar and
the plates, in which a slightly tapered slash mortise is cut in the top of the binding
post to receive the corresponding tapered sides of the conducting bar, and the parts
secured together by a draw-pin, or by bending the ends of the metal.
Figure 17 is a perspective view of my improved form of connection between two
cells, showing the dove-tailed connections for the binding posts.
Figure 18 is a view of the wire end connection showing the means. for ensuring
perfect contact between the conducting bar and the wire.
Figure 19 is a view of another form of connection.
Figure 20 is a view of a modified. form of connection between two cells, by means
of a substantially parallel joint in the connecting bar.
Figures 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25, all represent other modified forms of connections
between the conducting bars,

page_text: Figure 26 represents the form of connection between two cells shown in Figure 17,
showing the parts united and bound firmly together by a ring.
A represents an ordinary battery cell.
Ba rack for supporting the battery plates within the cell, and composed of bottom
rails b, top rails 6'; and end frames 6, and being provided with suitable cushions
of rubber or other suitable material at its corners, to afford a yielding engagement
with the cell.
D represents the battery plates composed of lead or other suitable material.
These plates have receptacles d for the active material or material to be made
active, and these receptacles are slotted as shown at to permit the admission and
circulation of the electrolytic liquid through and around the material in the recep-
tacles d. Another object of this slotting of the receptacles is that the lead plate is
permitted to expand and contract independently of the material in the receptacles d.
E represents the conducting bar, connected to the several plates by means of
the binding posts F by any suitable dove-tail or other similar connection.
I prefer to employ the form of connection shown in Figure 6, but any of the
various modifications shown in Figures 7, 15 and 16, may be used if desired to form
the connection between the conducting bars and the battery plates.
The connections between the several cells may be made in any of the different
forms shown in Figures 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, but I prefer to connect
the cells as shown in Figures 17 and 26, at e.
A great loss of energy has been heretofore, and is now suffered by reason of
imperfect contact afforded by the forms of connections in use in secondary batteries
of ordinary construction, the resistance being largely increased thereby, thus largely
reducing the efficiency of the battery.
In my improved form of connection, as shown in the drawings, any one or number
of plates may be removed, and other plates substituted without injury to the con-
ducting bar or the plates, the contact being formed without the use of screws and
without resorting to burning or soldering the plates to the conducting bar. By my
improved method of connecting the plates to the conducting bars, and the several cells
together, the largest possible amount of the surfaces of the conducting bars and the
binding posts of the plates is brought together, thus producing the best possible
contact, with the least possible resistance to the passage of the electric current in
charging and discharging the battery.
It will be also observed, that by my improved method of connecting the plates to
the conducting bars, I secure great economy in the manufacture and setting up of the
battery by dispensing with the labor of burning or soldering the parts together. By
the employment of the large sized binding posts and conducting bars, the contact
between the parts is rendered more perfect, and the resistance is reduced to a
minimum.
It will be readily seen that my improved battery plates to which I make no claim
herein are easily and cheaply manufactured as the said plates may be cast with the
recesses or receptacles therein, and with the slots in the said recesses, all at one
operation, thereby dispensing with much labor in the formation of the said plates.
Another advantage gained by this construction is that by the slotting of the plates
as shown, the plates are permitted to expand and contract without the liability of
warping, which is a common fault with many forms of battery plates as ordinarily
constructed. These same advantages are all possessed by forms of plates shown in
Figures 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the drawings. In the form shown in Figure 3,
the recesses are made in the body of the plates, the slots being cut through to
permit of the admission and circulation of the electrolyte. In the forms shown in
Figures 4 and 5, the plate is made in the form of a large flat pocket, being either
cast in this form, or formed by bending up a sheet of lead. In either case, the sides
of the plate will be perforated or slotted to admit the electrolyte.
In the form shown in Figures 11 and 12, the formation is practically the same as
that shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the exception that the tubular recesses are made
shorter, and the active material contained therein, is divided into smaller masses,

page_text: By this construction, the material contained in the receptacles will be more thoroughly
saturated by the electrolyte, and at the same time, any expansion of said material
within the receptacles will not have the same tendency to warp or disrupt the plate,
the lines of force being more evenly distributed throughout the entire plate.
In the form shown in Figures 13 and 14, the pockets or recesses extend into the
body of the plate, thus permitting of the admission of a greater amount of active
material or material to be made active, and permitting of the circulation of the
electrolyte through the plate from side to side, as well as vertically through the
receptacles.
By reference to the drawings, it will be seen that my improved method of securing
the plates within a rack within the cell, said rack being cushioned in such a manner
as to place the strain of carrying the plates upon a series of elastic cushions, having
their bearings at the strongest points of the cell, and the novel construction of the
rack upon the arch and brace principle gives great lightness to the rack together
with great strength and elasticity. The rack being so constructed, carries each plate
in its place, independently of the other plates, and yet distributes the load in such a
manner as to support all the plates in position without allowing any undue strain to
be placed upon any one or more of the plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a secondary battery, plates of lead or other suitable material provided with
suitable binding posts, and in connection therewith, a suitable conducting bar, and
means for forming connection between the said plates and the said conducting bar by
means of a dove-tail or draw joint so constructed as to draw the parts firmly together
as they are interlocked, substantially as described.
2. In a secondary battery, a conducting bar having arranged upon its under side,
three way dove-tail recesses adapted to receive corresponding male portions of the
dove-tail joints upon the binding posts of the battery plates, substantially as
described.
3. In a secondary battery, a conducting bar having at one or both ends dove-tail or
other similar connections or splices, by means of which, the parts to be united together
are made to interlock, and in connection therewith, suitable means for binding the
parts together to afford a perfect contact, substantially as described.
4. In a secondary battery, a conducting bar having upon its under side, dove-tail
connections with the binding posts of the several plates, and at one or both of its
ends, combination V-shaped and dove-tail splices, by means of which the parts to be
united are made to interlock, said splices being surrounded by a ring or other suitable
binding device to give perfect contact between all parts of the joint to be united,
substantially as described.
5. In a secondary battery, a conducting bar having suitable dove-tail connections
with the battery plates and having at one or both of its ends, one or more longitudinal
slots to receive the wire or other conductor the sides of the conducting bar being
tapered more or less at this point, and in connection therewith, a suitable ring or
collar, adapted to move longitudinally upon the conducting bar, to bind the
divided end of the conducting bar upon the wire or other conductor, substantially as
described.
6. In a secondary battery, a rack or frame for holding the battery plates in
position in the cell, said rack or frame being provided with suitable cushions for
holding the rack or frame in an elastic but firm manner within the cell, substantially
as described.
7. In a secondary battery, a rack or frame to hold the plates, said rack or frame
being constructed of arched pieces, held together in any suitable manner, and so
constructed and arranged that all the weight of the plates and material shall be
sustained by the strongest portion of the cell, said rack or frame being also

page_text: cushioned to allow full freedom for the cell to expand while in use, substantially as
described.
8. In a secondary battery, a rack or frame to hold the battery plates, said rack
being supported upon the bottom of the cell by suitable elastic cushions, and having
cushions or balls of rubber attached to the corners of the rack and adapted to engage
the sides or ends of the cell, substantially as described.
9. In a secondary battery, the combination with plates of lead or other suitable
material, having receptacles or recesses for the active material or material to be made
active, said recesses or receptacles being placed in a substantially vertical position,
suitable conducting bars, connected by dove-tail or other suitable connections to
said plates, and a rack or frame to support the plates in position, said rack or frame
having a cushioned engagement with the cell, substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of December 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1839-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Plates for Secondary Voltaic Batteries.
I, CHARLES HENRY LOGAN Manufacturer of Detroit in the County of Wayne and
State of Michigan United States of America, but at present of No. 16 Waterloo Bridge
Road in the County of Surrey, 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 relates to the plates of lead or other suitable metal which are used
in secondary voltaic batteries to carry the oxide or other substance which acts and
reacts electrolytically in the cell. My object is to make such plates in an inexpensive
manner so as to present large active surface with receptacles capable of being
easily charged with and of retaining the substance which may be supplied to them
in pulverulent condition and also such as to allow of free circulation of fluid through
them, and to permit of expansion and contraction of their charge without straining
the plate, and without risk of scaling off or disintegration of the substance contained
in the receptacles.
I shall describe several forms of plates according to my invention referring to the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front view and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on x x of Fig. 1 of a plate
nade with tubular receptacles. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan shewing a modification of
a plate of this kind Figs. 4 and 6 are front views and Figs. 5 and 7 are corresponding
vertical sections of plates with receptacles of pocket form.
The plate Figs. 1 and 2 has cast in one with it on each side a number of tubular
receptacles d which are closed at the bottom and are open at the top so that the
oxide or other substance in pulverulent condition can be poured into them. Each
of the tubular receptacles d has a slit d¹ extending down its whole length, allowing
passage for fluid and giving freedom for yielding to internal strain. The plate may
have only a central row of the tubular receptacle d as shewn in Fig. 3, the slits d¹
being on opposite sides alternately. There may however be slits on both sides, the
parts being held together by several cross bars. As shewn in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 the
receptacles d are discontinuous each in form of a pocket, half cup shaped on opposite
sides of the plate as in Figs. 4 and 5, or of pyramidal shape penetrating the plate
as in Figs. 6 and 7. These pockets are also like the tubes, open at the top to give
facility for charging them and have slits along their faces. In all cases instead
of slits as shewn discontinuous perforations or rows of holes may be used but slits
are preferred as giving greater facility in manufacture of the plates, and more freedom
for the yielding of the metal to internal strains.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The construction of plates for secondary voltaic batteries of lead or other suitable
metal cast with receptacles of tubular or pocket shape, slotted or perforated at the
side and open at the top to receive their charge of pulverulent oxide or other substance,
substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of December 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.