Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 14th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
I, SAMUEL WILLIAM MAQUAY of 1 Whittingstall Road, Fulham, in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
This invention relates to detail improvements which may be used in various
forms of electric batteries, but is particularly adapted for portable primary batteries
of a closed type.
According to this invention the zinc plates are attached to screw plugs or caps,
adapted when in place, to hold the plates in the battery cell and at the same time
to prevent any escape of liquid therefrom. When the battery is not in use the
plates are removed from the cells and secured in suitable cavities attached to or
forming part of the battery. Said cavities or recesses are closed by corresponding
vulcanite or like plugs when the battery is in use, and when not in use said plugs
are employed to close the openings into the battery. With this construction a
battery may be charged months before use and left without entailing waste of
material, such waste being also readily avoided when the battery is not in use.
Dated this 10th day of March 1892
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
I, SAMUEL WILLIAM MAQUAY of 1 Whittingstall Road, Fulham in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, 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 relates to detail improvements which may be used in various forms
of electric batteries, but is particularly adapted for portable primary batteries of a
closed type.
According to this invention in the case of a primary battery the zinc plates or
the poles which are most rapidly consumed are attached to screw plugs or caps or
the like adapted when in place to hold the plates in the battery cell and at the same
time to prevent any escape of liquid therefrom. When the battery is not in use the
plates may be removed from the cells and secured in suitable cavities attached to or
forming part of the battery. Said cavities or recesses may be adapted to hold
corresponding vulcanite or like plugs when the battery is in use, and when not in
use said plugs may be employed to close the openings into the battery. With
this construction a battery may be charged months before use and left without
entailing waste of material, such waste being also readily avoided when the battery
is not in use.
To clearly explain my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing
in which is illustrated a primary battery having my improvements applied thereto
and wherein :-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the battery on line x-x of Figure 3.
Figure 2 is a cross section on line y y Figure 1 and,
Figure 3 is a plan.

page_text: cover plate ba sheet of rubber c-being preferably interposed between the two to
make a tight closure. The carbons are secured in the plate b in any convenient
way and said plate b may be attached to the body a by the screws and nuts as
shown or by other means. The zincs é or the like have embedded in one end
during the process of manufacture a short left handed screw f (Figure 1) by which
they are attached to the screw caps g which engage with correspondingly screwed
sockets carried by the plate. The object of using a left handed thread on the
screw is to prevent the zinc being unscrewed from 'the cap when the latter is
being removed as the zinc passes through an opening in the rubber sheet and is
somewhat closely held by same. This sheet assists in making a tight joint around
the zinc and prevents the battery fluid corroding the cap which may be also further
protected as shown by a rubber ebonite or like washer h. It will be seen-that 'by
this arrangement a ready means is afforded for renewing the zines in the battery as
when one is eaten away it is only necessary to unscrew the cap g, remove the stump
of the zinc by unscrewing and attaching a fresh zinc to the cap. Where it is
desired that the zincs should be removed for a time so that a consumption of -same
should not be taking place and that the battery should be closed for the purpose of
carrying about, a plug or stopper i may be placed in the opening left by the removal
of a zinc as shown in the drawings where a plug is shown replacing one of the
zincs for the purpose of illustration.
The removed zinc e may if desired be screwed into an opening in the cover in
which the plug previously referred to may be usually kept as shown best in
Figures 2 and 3, the-battery which is illustrated in the drawings being arranged to
carry a plug for each of the zines employed.
The battery shown is further provided with tubes & carried by 'the cover which
may be plugged with india rubber or the like, perforated by a small needle hole to
allow of the escape of gas froni the battery. The battery terminals are marked l l.
It will be understood that my invention is not confined to the particular form of
battery shewn but is adapted to various other forms of batteries such as the
portable batteries employed 'in miners lamps as well as to batteries of considerable
size such as used for the purposes of small electric light installations and the like.
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. An electric battery having the zinc plates or pole which is most rapidly
consumed attached to screw caps or the like substantially as described.
2. An electric battery having the screw caps for the zincs and the plugs
substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of December 1892.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for 'the 'Applicant.