Improvements in Electrical Storage Batteries.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1890-Accepted 7th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Storage Batteries.
A communication from DONATO TOMMASI and CHARLES THERYE, of No. 22, Rue
le Peletier, Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The main feature of this electrical storage battery is that its electrodes are made
in the shape of tubes instead of being formed of plates.
Each electrode consists of a perforated tube preferably of lead closed at one end
and provided, at this closed end, with a small insulating plate of ebonite or other
suitable material and also with a central connecting rod.
The tubular electrode may be constituted by a suitable length of pipe such as can
be purchased ready made, which pipe is then perforated with small holes. An
ebonite washer through the centre of which passes a lead rod, forms the bottom of
the tube, resting upon a ledge or narrow turned-in edge thereof. If desired the
other end of the tube may also be closed by an insulating disc which is equally
traversed by the said rod, the filling material occupies the space left between the
rod and the inner wall of the tube.
The storage battery is divided by means of perforated plates or by strips of
insulating material, into two or more compartments containing, alternately, positive
and negative electrodes. Each of these compartments is closed by a plate of metal
or insulating material, which is covered with a thin plate or sheet of lead provided
either with holes of a somewhat larger section than the tubes, for the insertion of
the electrodes, or with slits adapted to retain the latter is position.
The spherical conical or pyramidal heads of the electrode rods should be wide
enough to touch the edges of the perforations, or the sides of the slits, to make
contact therewith.
The closing plates of the compartments are connected together so as to form two
or more series; (if two, one positive and the other negative) each provided with a
metal plate or a binding post to which the corresponding conductor is attached.
The tubes forming the sheathing of the electrodes may be of round oval,
polygonal or other section, and they may, or may not, be provided with a bottom
integral therewith or fitted to their walls. These tubes can be manufactured by
drawing, casting, moulding, or in any other desired manner, or they may instead of
being perforated be otherwise made porous and instead of being made of lead they
may be made of other metal such as aluminium, platina, brass and the like, or of
ceramic or mineral substances such as sandstone, porcelain, coal, asbestos, pulps,
pastes, textile fabric such as linen, paper, parchment or any other suitable material.
The perforations in them may be drilled, punched or equivalently formed or they
may be formed in the initial casting, moulding or other process: their section may
be either variable or constant, and their sides at right angles or otherwise to the
surface of the tubes. If necessary the sheathing of these electrodes may be formed
by a grating, wire gauze or network coated or plated with metal.
The rods may be moulded, cast or drawn or produced by a combination of these
processes or otherwise; they may be of circular or other section, and have smooth,
grooved, milled or other surfaces. Both the whole and the different parts of each
electrode may be straight or otherwise, and be arranged in a vertical or other suitable
position. The case rack or frame of the storage battery may be in the shape of a
parallelopiped, a cylinder, or it may be of other form and it may be made of wood,
ebonite, sandstone, glass or other suitable material. The insulating plates of the

page_text: electrodes and the partitions and lids of the accumulators may also be constructed of
ebonite or other suitable material.
The metal of the electrodes and of the accumulator may either wholly or partly
consist of lead, an alloy of lead and antimony or other suitable metal or alloy.
The electrodes are arranged either in straight lines, or in quincuncial squares or
in series of any suitable number of rows; and they may in each series, without
inconvenience be in contact with each other either directly or otherwise.
The filling material of the electrodes is introduced into them either in the con-
dition of a powder or as a paste to which state it may have previously been reduced
by being mixed with water acidulated, or not, with glycerine or with a suitably
proportioned mixture of acidulated water and glycerine.
The acid to be used in preference is sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid.
In the positive electrodes the filling material is litharge or minium or peroxide of
lead, or spongy lead or any other insoluble compound of lead or any other metal.
For the negative cells the material to be used is spongy lead, either electrolytic or
not, litharge, sulphite of lead or any other insoluble compound of lead, or any other
metal, which may or may not be mixed with ground carbon or grains of lead.
The liquid employed in the accumulator is water mixed with sulphuric or
phosphoric acid. In one of the simplest forms of an electrode arranged in accordance
with this invention the outer casing or envelope is formed of a length of tube
provided with small perforations. An ebonite washer in the centre of which is
formed a small cavity or recess constitutes the bottom of the tube and rests upon
the before mentioned ledge or flange, this bottom may also be formed by a disc, the
periphery of which is grooved for the reception of the end of the inwardly turned
end of the tube and also of the central rod.
This rod made of any suitable metal or alloy is supported in position by its head
surmounting it.
When it is desired to fit the electrode in position the rod is so adjusted as to
occupy its centre and engage the recess of the insulating washer in which position
it is held while the filling material is being introduced. When the latter is in the
state of a powder the electrode is dipped into a liquid which serves as an
agglomerating agent, and when sufficiently soaked it is withdrawn and allowed
to dry.
The power of adhesion of the different parts then enables the electrode to be
suspended by the rod. If desired the rod may be screwed into the washer in order
to give increased strength to the whole structure.
In the accumulator wherein a series of slots are provided for the insertion of the
electrodes, the said electrodes are introduced into them one by one in succession
through button-hole shaped openings terminating each slot. The electrode supports
are connected alternately to a conductor one of which is arranged on either side of
the case, each series of electrodes being separated from the adjacent series by
means of an ebonite partition.
The advantages resulting from the before mentioned improvements may be summed
up as follows:
(1) The operative portion permanently remains in its initial position, which does
away with the loss and expense involved by the use of storage batteries consisting
of plates. by reason of the latter being liable to decomposition and decay.
(2) The molecular surface of the electrode is considerably increased which results
in a proportionate augmentation of the capacity of the accumulator.
(3) The electrodes are perfectly independent of each other and may be removed
and replaced singly as required without causing any interruption in the operation
of the battery.
(4) The use of solder is avoided and thereby a cause of rapid deterioration and
of great difficulty in the use of the storage battery removed.
(5) The number of binding posts is considerably reduced and consequently a
great economy is realised in the cost of fitting and keeping in repair these parts,
and much annoyance is avoided.

page_text: (6) Owing to the use of phosphoric acid certain injurious reactions are less to be
apprehended; hence electrodes are more rapidly charged, and discharged, and the
working power of the apparatus, in a given time, increased.
(7) The charging of the electrodes is further accelerated owing to the extensive
surface of contact.
(8) The electrodes may be formed and charged outside of the apparatus in which
they are intended to act.
(9) The formation of sparks hitherto caused by the opening of the circuit which
was necessary whenever the accumulators had to be replaced or exchanged, is here
avoided as in this improved storage battery the electrodes need only be replaced,
so that the general portion of the battery is not disturbed.
The practical advantages consequent upon the features above stated are as
follows:
(a) Reduction of space for a given capacity.
(b) A considerable diminution of the number of accumulators required for each
plant.
durability the
(8) Considerable defaction of price Pnd of the cost of keeping the apparatus in
repair.
(e) A material simplification of the various operations and manipulations
necessitated by the use of the apparatus.
(f) And lastly a notable economy realised in the cost of transport and storage
of the apparatus.
Dated this 25th day of June 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Storage Batteries.
A communication from DONATO TOMMASI and CHARLES THERYE, of 22, Rue le
Peletier, Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 :-
The main feature of this electrical storage battery is that its electrodes are made
in the shape of tubes instead of being formed of plates.
An arrangement of such tubes is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Each electrode consists of a perforated tube preferably of lead (Fig. 1) closed
at one end and provided at this closed end with a small insulating plate A of
ebonite or other suitable material and also with a central connecting rod B.
The tubular electrode may be constituted by a suitable length of pipe such
as can be purchased ready made which pipe is then perforated with small holes.
An ebonite washer through the centre of which passes a lead rod forms the
bottom of the tube resting upon a ledge or narrow turned-in edge thereof. If
desired the other end of the tube may also be closed by an insulating disc which
is equally traversed by the said rod. The filling material occupies the space left
between the rod and the inner wall of the tube (Figs. 1 and 2).
The storage battery is divided by means of perforated plates or by strips of
insulating material into two or more compartments containing alternately positive
and negative electrodes. Each of these compartments is closed by a plate of
metal or insulating material which is covered with a thin plate or sheet of lead
provided either with holes of a somewhat larger section than the tubes for the
insertion of the electrodes or with slits adapted to retain the latter in position

page_text: The spherical (Fig. 3) conical (Fig. 4) or pyramidal heads of the electrode rods
should be wide enough to touch the edges of the perforations or the sides of the
slits to make contact therewith.
The closing plates of the compartments are connected together so as to form
two or more series; (if two, one positive and the other negative) each provided
with a metal plate or a binding post to which the corresponding conductor is
attached (Figs. 5 and 8).
The tubes formning the sheathing of the electrodes may be of round, oval,
polygonal or other section; and they may or may not be provided with a bottom
integral therewith or fitted to their walls. These tubes can be manufactured by
drawing, casting, moulding or in any other desired manner or they may instead of
being perforated be otherwise made porous and instead of being made of lead they
may be made of other metal such as aluminium, platina, brass and the like, or of
ceramic or mineral substances such as sand-stone, porcelain, coal, asbestos, pulps,
pastes, textile fabrics such as linen, paper, parchment or any other suitable material.
The perforations in them may be drilled, punched or equivalently formed or they
may be formed in the initial casting, moulding or other process; their section may
be either variable or constant and their sides at right angles or otherwise to the
surface of the tubes. If necessary the sheathing of these electrodes may be formed
by a grating, wire gauze or net-work coated or plated with metal.
The rods may be moulded, cast or drawn or produced by a combination of
these processes or otherwise; they may be of circular or other section and have
smooth, grooved, milled or other surfaces. Both the whole and the different
parts of each electrode may be straight or otherwise and be arranged in a
vertical or other suitable position. The case, rack or frame of the storage battery
may be in the shape of a parallelopiped, a cylinder, or it may be of other form and
it may be made of wood, ebonite, sandstone, glass or other suitable material. The
insulating plates of the electrodes and the partitions and lids of the accumulators
may also be constructed of ebonite or other suitable material.
The metal of the electrodes and filling of the accumulator may either wholly
or partly consist of lead an alloy of lead and antimony or other suitable metal or
alloy.
The electrodes are arranged either in straight lines or in quincuncial squares
or in series of any suitable number of rows; and they may in each series
without inconvenience be in contact with each other either directly or
otherwisc.
The filling material of the electrode is introduced into them either in the
condition of a powder or as a paste to which state it may have previously been
reduced by being mixed with water acidulated or not, with glycerine or with a
suitably proportioned mixture of acidulated water and glycerine.
The acid to be used in preference is sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid.
In the positive electrodes the filling material is litharge or minium or peroxide
of lead, or spongy lead or any other insoluble compound of lead or any other
metal. For the negative cells the material to be used is spongy lead, either
electrolytic or not, litharge, sulphite of lead or any other insoluble compound of
lead, or any other metal which may or may not be mixed with ground carbon or
grains of lead.
The liquid employed in the accumulator is water mixed with sulphuric or
phosphoric acid. In the accompanying drawing (Fig. 2) is shown one of the
simplest forms of an electrode arranged in accordance with this invention. The
outer casing or envelope is formed of a length of tube provided with small per-
forations. An ebonite washer A in the centre of which is formed a small cavity or
recess constitutes the bottom of the tube and rests upon the before-mentioned ledge
or flange D. As shown at X this bottom may also be formed by a disc H the
periphery of which is grooved for the reception of the end of the inwardly turned
end of the tube and also of the central rod B.

page_text: This rod B made of any suitable metal or alloy is supported in position by its
head surmounting it.
When it is desired to fit the electrode in position the rod is so adjusted as to
occupy its centre and engage the recess of the insulating washer in which position
it is held while the filling material is being introduced. When the latter is in the_
state of a powder the electrode is dipped into a liquid which serves as an
agglomerating agent and when sufficiently soaked it is withdrawn and allowed
to dry.
The power of adhesion of the different parts then enables the electrode to be
suspended by the rod as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. If desired the rod may be screwed
into the washer in order to give increased strength to the whole structure.
Fig. 9 is a top view of an accumulator wherein a series of slots are provided for
the insertion of the electrodes the said electrodes are introduced into them one by
one in succession through button-hole shaped openings E terminating each slot.
The electrode supports are connected alternately to a conductor F one of which is
arranged on either side of the case as is clearly shown in the figure, each series
of electrodes being separated from the adjacent series by means of an ebonite
partition G.
The advantages resulting from the before-mentioned improvements may be
summed up as follows:-
(1). The operative portion permanently remains in its initial position, which
does away with the loss and expense involved by the use of storage batteries
consisting of plates by reason of the latter being liable to decomposition and
decay.
(2). The molecular surface of the electrode is considerably increased which
results in a proportioned augmentation of the capacity of the accumulator.
(3). The electrodes are perfectly independent of each other and may be removed
and replaced singly as required without causing any interruption in the operation
of the battery.
(4). The use of solder is avoided and thereby a cause of rapid deterioration and
of great difficulty in the use of the storage battery removed.
(5). The number of binding posts is considerably reduced and consequently a
great economy is realised in the cost of fitting and keeping in repair these parts
and much annoyance is avoided.
(6). Owing to the use of phosphoric acid certain injurious reactions are less to
be apprehended hence electrodes are more rapidly charged and discharged, and the
working power of the apparatus in a given time increased.
(7). The charging of the electrodes is further accelerated owing to the extensive
surface of contact.
.
(8). The electrodes may be formed and charged outside of the apparatus in
which they are intended to act.
(9). The formation of sparks hitherto caused by the opening of the circuit
which was necessary whenever the accumulators had to be replaced or exchanged
is here avoided as in this improved storage battery the electrodes only need be
replaced so that the general portion of the battery is not disturbed.
The practical advantages consequent upon the features above stated are as
follows:
(a). Reduction of space for a given capacity.
(). A considerable diminution of the number of accumulators required for each
plant.
(c). An increased durability of the apparatus.
(d). Considerable reduction of price and of the cost of keeping the apparatus in
repair.
(e). A material simplification of the various operations and manipulations
necessitated by the use of the apparatus.
(f). And lastly a notable economy realised in the cost of transport and storage
of the apparatus.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an electrical storage battery a tubular electrode substantially as
described.
2. In an electrical storage battery the method of connecting the electrodes by
their suspension or connection devices substantially as described.
3. In an electrical storage battery the employment of phosphoric acid either in
the accumulating or in the exciting liquids or in both.
4. In an electrical storage battery the arrangement of tubular electrodes around
a central rod or core adapted to act both as a means of suspension and as a
conductor substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of December 1890
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.