an Invention of BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scudamore Sellon of Hatton Garden in the
IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY
County of Middlesex for an Invention of
BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS”
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scudamore Sellon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1883.
JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS"
My Invention relates to improvements in Secondary Batteries or Electrical
accumulators composed of plates of lead or other suitable material which are or
which may be roughened perforated, grooved, corrugated indented or cast or
manufactured with interstices cells, cavaties or spaces of any kind and which are
or which may be coated or in anyway packed with or have attached on or to them
oxides of lead or spongy precipitated or reduced lead or other suitable material
composition or admixture such plates or packed plates being immersed in cells
vessels or receptacles containing acidulated water or other suitable electrolyte and
my Invention has for one of its objects the maintaining as hereinafter described of
such plates in shape and throughout equidistantly one from the other and the
avoiding of contacts of the negative and positive plates either by warping or
buckling or by any way touching one another or by contacts forming by the oxides
or spongy metal material or composition which may be employed falling off
or out.
My Invention also effects great compactness of the batteries and enables the
plates or groups of plates to be more rapidly handled or packed for transport with
greater safety and also greatly increases the durability of the batteries
In carrying out my Invention I may employ strips of wood insulite or other
suitable material separately or framed together in a convenient manner or I may
fix plugs of wood insulite or other suitable material to or in the plates and use
discs or pieces of similar or suitable material which can be attached to or form part
of or be in any way fixed on the plugs and having so arranged any required or
convenient number of plates I clamp the whole together by means of a framework

page_text: all round or partly round the plate or number of plates, of wood insulite or any
suitable material, in conjunction with which I may use pieces or bands of india-
rubber or any suitable elastic or binding substance so as to admit of a certain
degree of expansion where desirable or I may use an expansible framework such as
thick bands of indiarubber or sufficiently elastic material in conjunction or not with
side pieces or framework of wood or insulite, or I may pass rods of wood, insulite
or other suitable material through the plates and discs affixing thereto heads or
ends and thus clamping the plates together the object to be attained being the
adjustment and retention of the plates equidistantly one from the other at the same
time allowing for the expansion in volume of the positive plates so that every
plate or portion of every plate may be working under equal conditions to avoid the
evil or inconvenience which may arise from undue proximity of one plate or portion
of plate to the other inducing an uneven distribution and irregularity of work in
charging and discharging and bringing about buckling or warping of the positive
plates and their consequent speedy destruction
I prefer to use for the separation of the plates of whatever shape whether flat or
conical or otherwise and especially under circumstances when the batteries may be
subjected to jolting or shaking such as when used in Tramways or Railways layers
of wood matting or other similar material wrapping the same round or placing it
against or interposing it between the plate or plates so as to separate the positive
plates from the negative plates and then I may clamp the whole together. I
sometimes use such wood matting or other similar or suitable material
manufactured with elastic cord in lieu of thread or string so that it may be spread
out or expanded thus allowing more space for the electrolyte and more play for
the gases generated in such batteries. Compact blocks of plates may thus be
readily formed which are very convenient for handling or packing and which may
be arranged and connected together as may be required in troughs or cells for any
required degree of quantity or tension
For the manufacture of the plates I prefer to use a comparatively smaller
amount of metallic lead in or on the negative plate grid cone or frame than in or
on the positive thereby obtaining in the negative plate room for the attachment to
or packing on or in, of a larger amount of the porous material to be rendered active
than in the positive and in the positive I prefer to use a larger relative amount of
solid metallic lead for the plate cone grid or frame in order to increase its durability
and a less amount of porous material than in the negative. The proportions of
active material in the two plates may thus be adjusted relatively with the work
required or which can be rendered from each whilst the thicker frame of the
positive plate increases its durability and strength.
I prefer to make my negative plate somewhat larger than my positive plates so
that the relative size becomes more equalized when the positive plates have
expanded in course of use. I also may protect portions of the positive plates by
means of india rubber or other suitable substance stretched or fixed across or in
anyway on or in contact or in combination with them and which may be fitted
with grooves or indentations in order to prevent or to minimize the oxidation of
the portions so covered or coated and preserve those portions so far as possible
in a metallic condition or I may protect such portions

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Scudamore Sellon in the Patent Office on the 14th June
1884.
JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS"
My Invention relates to improvements in Secondary Batteries or Electrical
Accumulators composed of plates of lead or other suitable material which are or
which may be roughened perforated grooved corrugated indented or cast or
manufactured with interstices cells cavities or spaces of any kind and which are
or which may be coated or in any way packed with or have attached on or to them
Oxides of lead or spongy precipitated or reduced lead or other suitable material
composition or admixture such plates or packed plates being immersed in cells
vessels or receptacles containing acidulated water or other suitable Electrolyte and
ny Invention has for one of its objects the maintaining as hereinafter described of
such plates in shape and throughout equidistantly one from the other and the
avoiding of contacts of the negative and positive plates either by warping or
buckling or by any way touching one another or by contacts forming by the
Oxides or spongy metal material or composition which may be employed falling off
or out. My Invention also effects great compactness of the batteries and enables
the plates or groups of plates to be more readily handled or packed for transport
with greater safety and also greatly increases the durability of the batteries.
In carrying out my Invention I may employ strips of wood insulite porous clay
or any other suitable material separately or framed together in a convenient
manner or I may fix plugs of wood insulite porous clay or any other suitable
material to or in the plates and I may use discs or pieces of similar or suitable
material which can be attached to or form part of or be in any way fixed on the
plugs and having so arranged any required or convenient number of plates I clamp
the whole together by means of a frame work or of side pieces extending all round
or partly round or against the plate or number of plates and made of wood insulite
slate or earthenware or any suitable material, in conjunction with which I may use
pieces or bands of India rubber or any suitable elastic or binding substance so as to
admit of a certain degree of expansion where desirable, or I may use an expansible
framework, such as thick bands of India rubber or sufficiently elastic material in
conjunction or not with side pieces or framework of wood, insulite, or other suitable
material, or I may pass rods of wood, insulite, or other suitable material, through
the plates and discs or distance pieces affixing to the said rods, heads, or ends, and
thus clamping the plates together with or without an expanding arrangement, the
object to be attained being the adjustment and retention of the plates equidistantly
one from the other at the same time allowing for the expansion in volume of the
peroxide or positive pole plates so that every plate or portion of every plate may
be working under equal conditions to avoid the evil or inconvenience which may
arise from undue proximity of one plate or portion of plate to the other inducing
an uneven distribution and irregularity of work in charging and discharging and
bringing about buckling or warping of the peroxidated plates and their consequent
speedy destruction.
prefer to use for the separation of the plates of whatever shape, whether flat or
conical or otherwise, and especially under circumstances when the batteries may be
subjected to jolting or shaking, such as when used in Tramways or Railways, layers
of wood matting or other similar or suitable material, wrapping the same round or

page_text: placing it against or interposing it between the plate or plates, so as to separate the
positive plates from the negative plates, and then I may clamp the whole together,
or I may so fix them (or any other of the arrangements referred to above) in their
cells that a suitable amount of pressure is brought to bear upon them by any
method of fixing, which may be elastic or partially or entirely moveable so as to
allow of expansion. I sometimes use such wood matting or other similar or
suitable material manufactured with elastic cord in lieu of thread or string so
that it may be spread out or expanded, thus allowing more space for the electrolyte
and more play for the gases generated in such batteries. Or I may use porous tiles
or plates of clay, which I prefer to have constructed with either flutes corrugations
or interstices or perforations or with two or more of them combined, the object being
to give free vent for the gases and to reduce the resistance. Compact blocks of
plates may thus be readily formed which are very convenient for handling or
packing and which may be arranged and connected together as may be required in
tanks troughs or cells for any required degree of quantity or tension.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a portion of a battery arranged
according to my Invention wherein the plates are provided with plugs a upon
which are placed discs b as herein before described for separating and supporting
the plates. Side pieces (one of which is shewn at c) which may have holes in
them, or which may consist of one or more strips or pieces, and bands of India
rubber d are used for binding the whole together into a compact body. e are the
plates of the battery which may be formed as hereinbefore mentioned. Figure 2
shews the arrangement wherein rods f are passed through the plates e and the
discs b are threaded on these rods. The binding arrangement may be like that
shewn in Figure 1. or may be effected by fixing heads or end pieces on the rods
with or without side plates.
Figure 3 is a representation of a portion of the material which I have hereinbefore
called wood matting, the bars or pieces g of which are woven together by threads h
which may be elastic as herein before stated. Figure 4 illustrates a battery wherein
the plates e are separated by this material wrapped around the plates, the whole
being bound together by means of the elastic bands d, there being side pieces c us
in figure 1. Figure 5 shews an arrangement wherein porous corrugated clay or
like porous material is used (at i) to separate the plates. One of the side pieces c
and parts of the elastic bands d are also shewn in this Figure. I have illustrated
these merely as examples, and do not limit myself thereto.
For the manufacture of the plates I prefer to use a comparatively smaller
amount of metallic lead in or on the negative pole plate, grid, cone, or frame, than
in or on the peroxide or positive pole plate, thereby obtaining in the negative pole
plate room for the attachment to, or packing on, or in, of a larger amount of the
porous material to be rendered active than in the positive pole plate, and in the
said positive pole plate I prefer to use a larger relative amount of solid metallic
lead for the plate, cone, grid, or frame, and a less amount of porous material than
in the negative pole plate. The proportions of active material in the two plates
may thus be adjusted relatively with the work required or which can be rendered
from each, whilst the thicker frame of the positive pole plate also increases its
durability and strength.
I prefer to make my negative pole plates somewhat larger, that is of greater
superficial area than my peroxide plates, so that the relative size of the plates
becomes more equalized when the positive pole plates have expanded in course
of use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into

page_text: 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. In secondary batteries or electrical accumulators the employment of strips,
plugs, discs, or pieces of wood, insulite, porous clay or like substance, to keep the
plates equidistantly apart, in combination with a framework or container, or a
clamping or a binding device capable of yielding under pressure, by which the
plates and separating pieces are bound or forced together, substantially as and for
the purpose herein before described.
Second. In secondary batteries or electrical accumulators, securing the plates
equidistantly apart by means of rods of wood, or equivalent material passing
through the plates and intervening discs or distance pieces, the said rods being
provided with end pieces, so that the said rods clamp the plates and discs or
distance pieces together.
Third. In secondary batteries or electrical accumulators, the combination of wood
matting, or the like, wrapped over or interposed between the said plates so as to
form a separating mediuin between adjacent plates, the said separating medium
and plates being held together by any suitable frame or packing device, substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described
Fourth. The use in secondary batteries for the purpose mentioned in the last
preceding claiming clause, of wood, matting, or the like, having the rods or strips
thereof joined together by an elastic connection as herein before described.
Fifth. In secondary Batteries or electrical accumulators, the employment of
porous tiles of clay, or the like, having flutes, corrugations, interstices or perfora-
tions, one or more of them, to form layers between adjacent plates, the said tiles
and plates being held together by any suitable clamping bauds or frame or packing
device, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Sixth. In secondary batteries or electrical accumulators, the combination of
plates or elements separated by distance pieces or strips and bound or secured
together by an elastic or yielding frame or packing or binding device, the negative
pole plates carrying a larger amount of porous material to be rendered active
than the positive pole plates, substantially as and for the purposes herein before
described.
In witness whereof I the said John Scudamore Sellon have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of June One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
A
זיה ז ז 11
JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON (LS)