IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECONDARY BATTERIES.”—A communication from abroad by Camille Alphonse
Faure, of Paris, in the republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th April 1882.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES" A communication from
abroad, by Camille Alphonse Faure of Paris in the Republic of France,
These Improvements refer to the details of construction of secondary Batteries
in general:
•
A proper vessel to hold the liquid of secondary Batteries is an object of
great importance which it has been hitherto very difficult to obtain. All such
materials as glass and pottery, are too brittle, and heavy and not susceptible of
being made very large; tanks made of wood must be very expensive, so as to be
sound and resisting to change of temperature and moisture, however impregnated
with hydroanaceous substances, while metallic tanks are subject to corrosion, even
when covered with any known varnish applied in the heretofore known ways.
According to this invention, vessels, tanks and cisterns are constructed in such
a manner that they are permanent cheap and not easily breakable, Iron copper or
any convenient metal is employed to act as the main body or support of the tank
and this is thickly coated on the inside and outside in the following manner.
The surfaces of the tank are first coated with a varnish made of pitch linseed
oil paraffine & tar, applied hot, or any such like varnish: then sheets of asbestos,
felt or canvas are prepared by soaking them with the varnish, and all the surfaces
of the tank are covered with these sheets, put on in a hot state
Sometimes two or three such coverings are used, and thus a very substantial
coating is obtained, which is not like a mere application with the brush, susceptible
of being destroyed by an accidental scratch. This coating is also a non conductor
of electricity, a very important point when secondary batteries are connected in
[Price Gd 1

page_text: tension; and obviously the coating may be applied in the shape of wood or
paper pulp impregnated with the varnish, or there may be introduced into this
composition china, clay gravel and such like materials. The cisterns may be made
of Portland cement, or such like supporting materials are constructed, and then
covered inside, with the conting described above, or inside such tinks is built a
surface made of glazed bricks or wood soaked in the said varnish, and jointed with
such substances as above described.
When glazed bricks are employed they may also be jointed with molten sulphur,
and suchlike nonconducting material
When large secondary batteries are made, it is necessary that special means be
adopted to suspend the leaden sheets or electrodes, (which may be coated with red
Lead) and to collect the current of electricity
Each support or electrode is thus made with two or more strips of metal, pro-
jecting upwards, and flat iron bars covered with sheet lead are disposed edgeways
across the cisternas; the above strips of the electrodes are then rolled round the flat
bars or pressed-in-between two such flat bars by rivetting or otherwise. Alongside
the series of cisterns which constitutes a set of batteries two large copper bars are
laid upon isolating supports, & upon these copper-bars-the ends of the flat bars
supporting the electrodes rest or are fixed in such a fashion that all the flat-bars_of
the positive electrodes are resting upon one copper bar at one end and upon
isolating supports at the other, and all the alternative negative electrodes are
resting by the intermediary of their respective flat supporting bars., upon the other
copper bar on the other side

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th October 1882.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES" a communication from
abroad by Camille Alphonse Faure of Paris in the Republic of France
These improvements refer to the details of construction of Secondary batteries
in general.
A proper vessel to hold the liquid of Secondary batteries is an object of great
importance which it has been hitherto very difficult to obtain. All such materials
as glass and pottery are too brittle and heavy and not susceptible of being made
very largo tanks made of wood must be very expensive so as to be sound and
capable of resisting change of temperature and moisture however impregnated
with hydroeanaceous substances, while metallic tanks are subject to corrosion even
when covered with any known varuish applied in the heretofore known ways.
According to this Invention vessels tanks and cisterns are constructed in such a
manner that they are permanent cheap and not easily breakable.
Iron copper or any convenient metal is employed to act as the main body or
support of the tank and this is thickly coated on the inside and outside in the
following manner
The surfaces of the tank are first coated with a varnish made of pitch linseed oil
paraffin, and tar applied hot or any such like varnish, then sheets of Asbestos felt
or canvas or like material are prepared by soaking them in or saturating them
with the varnish and all the surface of the tank is covered with these sheets put
on in a hot state-One two or more of such coverings may be used. Thus a very
substantial coating is obtained which is not like a mere application with the brush
susceptible of being destroyed by an accidental scratch. This coating is also a non
conductor of Electricity a very important point when secondary batteries are con-
nected in tension and obviously the coating may be applied in the shape of wood
or paper pulp impregnated with the varnish or there may be introduced into this
composition china, clay gravel and such like materials.
Cisterns made of Portland Cement or such like supporting materials are con-
structed and then covered inside with the coating described above or inside the
tanks is built a surface made of glazed bricks or blocks of wood soaked in the said
varnish and jointed with such substances as above described
When glazed bricks are employed they may also be jointed with molten sulphur
and such like nonconducting material
When large secondary batteries are made it is necessary that especial means be
adopted to suspend the leaden sheets or electrodes and to collect the current of
electricity.
An arrangement for this purpose according to this Invention is illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
Each electrode a is made with strips of metal a² projecting upwards and flat iron
bars 6 covered with sheet lead are disposed edgeways across the Cisterns-The
strips of the Electrodes are then rolled round or hooked over the bars b or pressed
in between two such flat bars by rivetting or otherwise Alongside the series of
Cisterns which constitute a set of batteries two large Cupper bars c are laid upon
isolating supports & and upon these copper bars c the ends of the bars 6 supporting
the Electrodes rest or are fixed in such a fashion that all the flat bars of the positive
Electrodes are resting upon one copper bar c at one end and upon isolating
supports fat the other and all the alternative negative Electrodes are similarly in
electrical contact by the intermediary of their respective flat supporting bars b

page_text: with only the other copper bar on the other side-The Cistern represented in the
drawing is constructed of a main body or support lined with blocks or bricks as
herein before described.
In practice the electrodes would be placed closer together than shown in the
drawing. They are there shewn at a somewhat exagerated distance apart in order
the more clearly to exhibit the arrangement of the contacts.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is :-
First Constructing tanks or vessels to hold the liquid of secondary batteries of
a main body or support of metal Portland Cement or other equivalent material
coated with a varnish and then covered with Asbestos felt canvas wood or paper
_pulp or other material treated and applied substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second Constructing tanks-or-vessels to hold the liquid of secondary batteries of
a main body or support of metal Portland Cement or equivalent-material lined or
covered with blocks or bricks treated applied and united substantially as herein-
before described.
Third. In secondary batteries the arrangement for supporting the Electrodes and
giving-contact with the Conductors substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawing:
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this sixth day of October One
thousand oight hundred and eighty-two.-