Improvements in or relating to Electric Storage Batteries and in Switches for use therewith.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1899-Accepted, 8th July, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Storage Batteries and in
Switches for use therewith.
We, JOB THOMAS NIBLETT and MALCOLM SUTHERLAND, both of 61, Chandos
Street, London, W.C., Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
This invention has for its principal object to provide an electric storage battery,
or secondary battery or accumulator, hereinafter termed a "storage battery" of
such an arrangement that for a given weight it may be cheaper to construct,
have a
larger electrical capacity and be capable without deterioration of a higher
rate of discharge than any of the storage batteries of the same weight as hitherto
constructed.
In one construction of our improved storage battery, we form a battery element
of a coil of leaden or other metallic wire or tubing which may or may not be wound
around either a metallic or a non-conducting core, the active material filling up the
spaces between the convolutions of the coil and also when no core is used the
space within the coil. The above named wire or tubing may be of any desired
shape in cross section and serves to securely retain the active material in position
by reason of the width of the spaces between the convolutions being greater
near the inner part of the coil than at a point farther from the centre of the said
coil.. Wire or tubing of wedge shape or taper or triangular form in cross section
is particularly well adapted for the above purpose because when it is made
into a coil with the thiner portion or edges turned inwards, the spaces between
the adjacent convolutions are of dovetail form and provide the best support for
the active material.
The core which may be corrugated or of any desired form in cross section may
also if desired be perforated; it may be tubular and have a portion of the
conducting or coiled wire passed through it. When made of non-conducting
material, it may be covered with metallic foil or a thin film of metal before the
wire or tube is coiled thereon so as to improve the conductivity of the element. In
another construction of the improved storage battery we arrange the before
described coils inside of tubes the active material being filled into the spaces
between the convolutions of the coils and the interior of the said coils being left
hollow so that if desired other elements may be placed within the coils.
In still another construction we employ the coil merely as a means of supporting
the active material, it being in this arrangement formed of string or other non
conducting material, the metallic core serving as the conductor.
We seal each set of before described elements preferably in a glass vessel
contained in a wooden or other suitable casing with a porous diaphragm inter-
posed between the elements so as to prevent them from being short circuited by
coming into contact with each other. The cells as thus prepared may be glued
or otherwise secured together so as to form batteries of any desired shape.
We find that by using a coil as previously described we minimize the tendency
of the element to buckle and at the same time when the said coil is formed of

page_text: metal, owing to the intimate contact of the active material therewith obtain an
element of comparatively large electrical capacity and capable of being discharged
at a higher rate than has been hitherto practicable with storage batteries of other
construction of the same weight. ;
4
To facilitate the charging of a storage battery from mains supplying
current at a voltage corresponding, with
or less than the full voltage
of the said battery, we preferably connect the several cells of the battery
together so as to form practically two batteries or as they are hereinafter termed
battery sections, and provide a switching arrangement which will admit of these
two battery sections being either connected in parallel, so that when they are
connected to the mains for charging purposes each such battery may receive its
proper proportion of current, and when being discharged the maximum current
will be available, or connected in series when greater electro-motive force is
required to be obtained from the battery. For this purpose the switching arrange-
ment may comprise four contacts, two permanently connected to the positive poles
and two permanently connected to the negative poles of the two battery sections.
Two of the contacts, connected, one to the positive pole of one battery section, and
the other to the negative pole of the other battery section, are provided with
adjustable contact arms which may be moved either into contact with each
other as when it is desired to connect the two battery sections in series, or into
contact each with one of the other contacts of similar polarity as when it is desired
to connect the two battery sections in parallel. The adjustable contact arms
may be arranged to make electrical contact either directly with each other or
through an intermediate contact stud. The adjustable contact arms may be pro-
vided with pointers to indicate the voltage available when they occupy their
respective positions, these voltages being marked conveniently on the switchboard
or material on which the contact arms are mounted.
Although the battery has been hereinbefore described as divided into two
sections, we may divide it into more than that number of sections, a switch or
switches, or additional contact arms being provided for enabling the said sections
to be connected either in series or in parallel.
Dated this the 17th day of August 1898.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Storage Batteries and in
Switches for use therewith.
We, JOB THOMAS NIBLETT and MALCOLM SUTHERLAND, both of G1, Chandos
Street, London, W.C., Electrical Engineers, 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:---
This invention has for its principal object to provide an electric storage battery,
or accumulator, hereinafter termed a." storage battery" of such an arrangement
that for a given weight it may be cheaper to construct, have a larger electrical
capacity, and be capable, without deterioration, of a higher rate of discharge than
any of the storage batteries of the same weight as hitherto constructed, a further
object of the invention being to provide a switching device for facilitating the
charging of a storage battery from mains supplying current at a voltage corre-
sponding with, or less than, the full voltage of the said battery, and for enabling
the pressure of current-discharge to be varied at will.

page_text: we will describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of our improved battery element.
Fig. 2 is a section of a portion of another form of the battery element.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a two-cell battery constructed according to our
invention.
Figs. 4 & 5 are diagrammatic views of one form of our improved battery
switch, and,
Figs. 6, 7 & 8 are diagrammatic views of a second form of the switch.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In constructing our improved storage battery, as shown in Figure 1, we form
a battery element of a coil a of leaden or other metallic wire or tubing wound
around either a metallic or a non-conducting core b, the active material e filling
the spaces between the convolutions of the coil. The above named wire or
tubing a may be any desired shape in cross section (it is shown circular in Fig. 1)
and serves to securely retain the active material in position by reason of the
width of the spaces between the convolutions being greater near the inner part of
the coil than at a point farther from the centre of the said coil. Wire or tubing
of wedge shape, or taper, or triangular form in cross section, as shewn in Fig. 2,
is particularly well adapted for the above purpose, because, when it is made into
a coil with the thinner portion or edge turned inwards the spaces between the
adjacent convolutions are of dovetail form, and provide the best support for the
active material.
The core b, which may be corrugated or of any desired form in cross section,
may also, if desired, be perforated transversely, and, when made of non-con-
ducting material, it may be covered with metallic foil or a thin film of metal,
before the wire or tube is coiled thereon, so as to improve the conductivity of
the element.
The metallic core and coiled portion of each battery element may be formed
of one and the same piece of metal or wire which, in this construction, would be
bent back, and wound upon itself; or, if desired the same result may be obtained
by bending the wire backward and forward one or more times, and then twisting
the whole together after the manner of a stranded rope. In some cases the active
material may be entirely omitted, the forming being then effected by the well-
known Plante" system.
"
In another construction of the improved storage battery element we employ the
coil merely as a means of supporting the active material, it being in this arrange-
ment formed of string or other non-conducting material, the metallic core serving
as the conductor.
As shown in Fig. 3, we place each set of the before described elements preferably
in a glass vessel 7 contained in a wooden or other suitable casing e, with a non-
conducting porous or other suitable diaphragm f interposed between the
elements A B of different polarity, so as to prevent them from being short-
circuited by coming into contact with each other. The cells as thus prepared may
be glued or otherwise secured together so as to form batteries of any desired
shape. We prefer to place or secure a perforated plug in the upper end of each
of the vessels & so as to retain the elements A B in position and, at the same
time, leave free access to the electrolyte and an outlet for the gases.
9
To dispense with the necessity for making joints between the electrodes of the
adjacent battery cells we form the positive electrodes A and the negative elec-
trodes B on opposite ends of the same wires or conductors, and bend these wires
Fo that the said electrodes may be inserted into the adjacent vessels d, the negative
electrodes B being preferably shorter than those of positive polarity, all as shown
in Fig. 3. The outer or end electrodes of the battery are of course not connected
in this manner, but are, as ordinarily, connected to the battery terminals.
We find that by using a coil a as previously described, we minimise the tendency
of the element to buckle and, at the same time, when the said coil is formed of

page_text: metal, owing to the intimate contact of the active material therewith, obtain
an element of comparatively large electrical capacity, and capable of being dis-
charged at a higher rate than has hitherto been practicable, with storage batteries
ef other construction of the same weight.
To facilitate the charging of a storage battery from mains supplying current
at a voltage corresponding with, or less than, the full voltage of the said battery,
we may connect the several cells of the battery together, so as, as shown in
Figs. 4 & 5, to form practically two batteries, C, D, or, as they are hereinafter
termed, battery-sections," and provide a switching arrangement E which will
admit of these two battery sections being either connected in parallel, as shown
in Fig. 4, so that when, by the terminals F, G, they are connected to the mains for
charging purposes, each such battery may receive its proper proportion of current,
and when being discharged, the maximum current will be available, or co11-
neeted in series, as shown in Fig. 5, when greater electro-motive force is required
to be obtained from the battery. For this purpose the switching arrangement may
comprise four contacts, F F & G G¹, two viz. F F permanently connected to the
positive poles, and two riz. G G¹ permanently connected to the negative poles of the
two battery sections. The two contacts F, G which are respectively connected
to the positive pole of the battery-section 1) and to the negative pole of the battery-
section C, are provided with adjustable contact arms f g respectively, which may
be moved either so as to make electrical connection with each other as when it is
desired to connect the two battery-sections CD in series, as shown in Fig. 5, or,
into contact respectively with the other contacts F & G when it is desired to
connect the two battery-sections in parallel, as shown in Fig. 4. The adjustable
contact arms f¹, gl may be arranged to make electrical contact either directly
with each other, or, as shown in the drawings, through an intermediate contact
stud h. The adjustable contact arms f, g may, as shown, be provided with
pointers to indicate the voltage available when they occupy their respective
positions, the necessary voltage indications being marked conveniently on the
switch board or material on which the contact arms are mounted.
Instead of dividing the battery into only two sections as shown in Figs. 4 & 5,
we may divide
into more than that number of sections, and, as an example, in
Figs. 6, 7, &S, we have shown a battery divided into four sections C C D D and
fitted with a switching device, or a series of switching devices such as that
previously described, whereby all these sections can be connected in parallel for
charging or discharging, or one section, or two or more sections connected in
series for discharging.
In Fig. 6, the various adjustable contact arms f¹, f², f³, g¹, g², g³, are shown in
full lines as arranged for connecting all the four battery sections C C D D¹ in
parallel for charging or discharging, as will be clearly understood by reference to
the arrows.
In this figure, the various adjustable contact arms are, in dotted
lines, shown in a second position in which they connect all the four battery-
sections in series.
In Fig. 7, the switching device is so arranged that only the two battery-
sections CC are included in the circuit, these being connected in series, and the
battery sections D D being cut out.
In Fig. 8, the switching device is so arranged that the three battery-sections CC1
Dare connected in series, and the battery-section 1) is cut out. The direction of
the flow of the current is indicated by the arrows in Figs. 7 & 8.
Assuming as a convenient example, that each of the battery-sections is of 50 volt
pressure it will be readily seen that the batteries, no matter how many of such
sections may be comprised therein, may be charged from a 100 volt continuous
current circuit, or indeed, from any circuit of more than 50 volts, and that after-
wards, according to the number of such battery sections employed, a continuous
pressure of either 50, 100, 150, 200, or other multiple of 50 volts may be obtained
from the batteries.

page_text: The battery-sections, instead of. each having a 50 volt pressure as above men-
tioned, may be of any other pressure according to requirements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a storage-battery element a metallic wire or tube coiled around or upon a
solid conducting or non-conducting core substantially as herein before described
with reference to accompanying drawings.
2. A storage-battery-element consisting of a solid rod, a wire tube or cord
coiled around the rod, and active material, or material to be rendered active, in
the spaces between the convolutions of the coil substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. A storage-battery cell, or a battery comprising a number of cells, constructed
and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Fig. 3 of
the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with a storage battery, the cells of which are arranged in
electrically independent sections, of an adjustable switching device whereby the
said sections may be connected in parallel or in series, and whereby, when more
than two such sections are provided, two or other desired number of the sections
may be connected in series to the exclusion of other sections or another section
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Total : 141
S1000