Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
1, THOMAS FROGGATT of 55 Thomas Street, Kennington Park, London S.E.,
File Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to portable electric batteries either of the primary or
secondary type and has for its object the provision of special means whereby the
electrolyte is prevented from being spilt or lost from the cell of the batteries, but
that at the same time any gaseous product from the battery can escape so that any
augmentation of gaseous pressure is prevented in the cell as a result of increase of
quantity of gas evolved during chemical action of the elements. To carry my
invention into effect, I cover over the orifice for the escape of gas with a flexible
nipple having a small slit or hole in it, made for example by piercing it with a sharp
pointed instrument and not by removing any material therefrom.
The nipple may take the form of that usually employed upon feeding bottles for
children and is preferably made of indiarubber. This nipple may be attached to
the battery by being engaged upon à tube or other device which forms the gas
exit from the cell.
When now the gaseous pressure in the cell is somewhat increased due to the
evolution of the gas, from the electrolyte, such increase of pressure expands the
nipple and opens the small exit orifice in the same, so that the gaseous product
escapes from the cell. When the pressure has been reduced the orifice in the
flexible nipple closes up of its own accord and prevents any escape of liquid such
as when the battery is tilted on one side or inverted, the pressure necessary to open
the nipple orifice being more than is exerted by the head of liquid in the cell.
In order to prevent any liquid being forced out by the gaseous pressure, when
the cell is inverted by reason of one nipple and gas orifice being submerged,
I provide a second orifice through the top of the cell which has a tube or other
cominunicating device with its end carried down to the bottom portion of the
cell, a flexible nipple being attached to its exterior orifice. By this means any
gas which has accumulated at the bottom portion of the battery when it is
inverted will escape by passing down the tube and out through the nipple.
So as to allow the battery to be placed in any position on its side I may
arrange more than the before mentioned two exits; viz. :-one for the top of the
battery and one for the bottom of the battery; as for instance I may arrange two
top exits in opposite diagonal corners of a rectangularly shaped cell and two bottom
exits in the other diagonal corners.
In this manner it will not matter in what way the battery is turned one or other
of the exits will always be out of the liquid and be thus available for the escape
of the gas.
A very important feature in this invention is the overcoming of the difficulty
experienced by the creeping of the acid salts in the orifices that are usually
provided for the exits of the gas, in consequence of the clear passage usually
employed. In my invention the passage is always closed except at such times as
when the gas is escaping, and thus the salts cannot creep through the closable
orifice.
If necessary I may arrange for the filling of the battery by forming a junction
in one of the gas exit pipes, which junction pipe can be closed with a detachable

page_text: screw, upon the removal of which fresh acid can be poured into the battery
through the gas exit pipe.
Dated this 26th day of April 1894.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
I, THOMAS FROGGATT of 55 Thomas Street, Kennington Park, London, S.E.
File Manufacturer, 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 portable electric batteries either of the primary or
secondary type, and has for its object the provision of special means whereby the
electrolyte is prevented from being spilt or lost from the cell of the batteries, but
that at the same time any gaseous product from the battery can escape, so that
any augmentation of gaseous pressure is prevented in the cell, as a result of
increase of quantity of gas evolved, during chemical action of the elements.
To carry my invention into effect, I cover over the orifice for the escape of gas
with a flexible nipple having a small slit or hole in it, made, for example, by
piercing it with a sharp pointed instrument, and not by removing any material
therefrom.
The nipple may take the form of that usually employed upon feeding bottles for
children, and is preferably made of indiarubber. This nipple may be attached to
the battery by being engaged upon a tube or other device which forms the gas exit
from the cell.
When now the gaseous pressure in the cell is somewhat increased, due to the
evolution of the gas from the electrolyte, such increase of pressure expands the
nipple and opens the small exit orifice in the same, so that the gaseous product
escapes from the cell. When the pressure has been reduced, the orifice in the
flexible nipple closes up of its own accord, and prevents any escape of liquid, such
as when the battery is tilted on one side or inverted; the pressure necessary to
open the nipple orifice being more than is exerted by the head of liquid in
the cell.
In order to prevent any liquid being forced out by the gaseous pressure when
the cell is inverted, by reason of one nipple and gas orifice being submerged,
I provide a second orifice through the top of the cell which has a tube or other
communicating device, with its end carried down to the bottom portion of the cell; a
flexible nipple being attached to its exterior orifice. By this means any gas which
has accumulated at the bottom portion of the battery, when it is inverted, will
escape by passing down the tube and out through the nipple.
So as to allow the battery to be placed in any position on its side I may arrange
more than the beforementioned two exits, viz.:-one for the top of the battery,
and one for the bottom of the battery; as for instance I may arrange two top
exits in opposite diagonal corners of a rectangularly shaped cell, and two bottom
exits in the other diagonal corners. In this manner it will not matter in what way
the battery is turned, one or other of the exits will always be out of the liquid,
and be thus available for the escape of the gas.
A very important feature in this invention is the overcoming of the difficulty
experienced by the creeping of the acid salts in the orifices that are usually
provided for the exit of the gas, in consequence of the clear passage usually
employed. In my invention the passage is always closed, except at such times as

page_text: when the gas is escaping, and thus the salts cannot creep through the closable
orifice.
If necessary I may arrange for the filling of the battery by forming a junction
in one of the gas exit pipes, which junction pipe can be closed with a detachable
screw; upon the removal of which fresh acid can be poured into the battery
through the gas exit pipe.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will describe one
way of carrying it into effect in relation to the accompanying drawing, reference
being had to the letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like
parts in the various figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a battery in which my invention has been
embodied.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of junction pipe for filling.
The case A of the battery contains the plates B, and at the four corners of the
case exit tubes C are arranged,-two short and two long ones, disposed in the
opposite diagonal corners. On the top of these tubes the nipples D are placed,
having a small slit or orifice E pierced through each. The tubes C pass through
a diaphragm F which divides the part of the cell holding the liquid from that
within which the nipples D are situated, so that liquid cannot pass from one com-
partment to the other. In Figure 3 I show a junction pipe G to one of the tubes C
through which the electrolyte may be introduced. The upper part of the pipe G
is closed by a detachable screw stopper H. The other portions of the battery
shown are the same as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
me under No. 19393 and dated 28th October 1892.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In an electrical battery the combination of a punctured nipple or covering
of elastic material, with the gas exit orifice, adapted to allow the escape of gas,
but prevent the escape of liquid, substantially as described.
2nd. The arrangement and construction of gas exits with protecting nipples for
electrical batteries, substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
ited this 4th day of February 1895.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.