IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS" to be as follows:-
My Invention has for one of its objects the prevention of the leakage which may
occur in some forms of plates of secondary batteries as for instance in the forms
wherein what are known as cone or pyramid shaped plates are used especially if
such plates be made of cast lead and be used as compound plates or double
electrodes i.e. negative on one side and positive on the other they being available
also as vessels for containing the electrolyte.
A further object of my Invention is so to arrange the plates of secondary
batteries as to secure the advantages of self clamping and economy of space and
also a convenient construction of the plates I employ especially for cells of large
capacity.
In manufacturing or arranging compound plates i.e. plates which are intended to
be used as positive on one side and negative on the other and to act as containers
of the electrolyte such as for instance cone pyramidal or analogous forms of plate,
according to my Invention I interpose an insulating material between the plates.
I sometimes may prefer to place two such plates together to form one double
electrode, first insulating the surfaces which are thus brought into contact or which
fit into or against each other-To effect the insulation I may use Prout's glue or
pitch with or without grease or other suitable insulating compound or material
with which I coat or cover one or both of the surfaces before bringing them
together, or I may use a layer or sheet of any such suitable material as India
rubber or Gutta Percha with or without its edge projecting beyond the plates to
arrest capillary attraction of moisture from cell to cell when packed in columns and
in addition I may make a splayed edge to one or both of the plates which together
are to form the compound plate or double electrode or any arrangement of
projections ribs or studs or raised portions to allow space for a greater or lesser
quantity of the insulating material to rest at parts between the surfaces or at the
rims or to make contacts between the plates when desired.
By the above means I overcome the leakage which may occur with the
hereinbefore mentioned forms of batteries.

page_text: A further object of my Invention is to manufacture the plates (whether they be
flat plates or cones or of annular or other suitable shape) that they may be arranged
one above the other in columns, piles or stacks with openings throughout to allow
for the free escape of the gases and separated with any suitable media such as
strips, plugs, buttons or pieces of wood insulite earthenware or any material and of
any form which will ensure the purpose of keeping the plates equidistantly apart
and allow sufficient diffusion of the electrolyte.
By such forms of plates and under this arrangement of stacking self-clamping is
effected by the mere weight of the plates themselves and as they may be built
up to any height great economy of space is attained together with any desired
capacity-The containers may be of any suitable material and construction.
In manufacturing the plates when I employ gridiron or perforated plates, I prefer
to make the perforations or interstices of a bevilled or conical shape with the
smaller opening downwards so that the packed material cannot fall through off, or
out, or readily break away.
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page_text: I, JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON, of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman 'do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement ;-
My Invention has for one of its objects the prevention of the leakage which may
occur in some forms of plates of secondary batteries (whether such plates be plain
corrugated, ribbed, fluted, grooved or roughened or rendered spongey or cellular on
the surface by any mechanical metallurgical or chemical process) as for instance in
the forins wherein what are known as cone or pyramid shaped plates are used,
especially if such plates be made of comparatively thin sheet lead or of cast lead
and be used us compound plates or double electrodes, i.e. negative on one side and
positive on the other they being available also as vessels for containing the
electrolyte.
A further object of my Invention is so to arrange the plates of secondary batteries
as to secure the advantages of self clamping, and economy of space and also a con-
venient construction of the plates whether flat or of conical, pyramidal or other
suitable form or some or all of these advantages in combination.
In manufacturing or arranging according to my Invention, a battery or accumu-
lator with compound plates of a cone, pyramidal, or analogous cup or basin-like or
container-like form, to be used as a positive element on one side and as a negative
element on the other side, and constituting containers of the electrolyte ; which
forms by reason of the great economy of their construction and of the small space
they occupy (no cells or vessels to contain the electrolyte being required) are
especially suitable for employment as regulators-I interpose an insulating material
between the members or individual plates of the compound plate, which I may
conveniently effect by placing two plates together to form a pair of electrodes,
insulating either partially or entirely the surfaces or one of the surfaces which are
opposed to each other or placed together, or which fit into or against each other.-
To effect the insulation I may use Prouts glue or pitch with or without grease, or
other suitable insulating compound or material, with which I coat or cover or
partially coat or cover one or both of the opposed surfaces of the plates before
bringing them together, or I may effect the insulation by leaving a sufficient space
between the component plates of each compound plate, or by interposing between
the opposed surfaces a sheet or layer or sheets or layers of an insulating material,
such for example, as India Rubber or Gutta Percha, with or without its edge pro-
jecting beyond the plates to arrest capillary attraction of moisture from cell to cell
when the said plates are packed in columns, and in addition I may make a splayed
edge or employ any of the forms of edge or arrangements specified in ny English
Patent No 5069 A.D. 1883 or their equivalent to one or both of the plates, which
together are to form the compound plate or pair of electrodes, or any arrangement
of projections ribs, or studs, or raised portions, to allow space for a greater or less
quantity of the insulating material to rest at parts between the surfaces or at the
rims, or to make contacts between the plates where desired.
By the above means I prevent the leakage which is liable to occur with the
hereinbefore mentioned forms of batteries as hitherto constructed or arranged.
A further object of my Invention is to manufacture the plates used as single
electrodes (whether they be flat plates or cones or pyramids or of annular of

page_text: other suitable shape) and whether they be plain or perforated, roughened, or
rendered spongey or cellular, by any mechanical, metallurgical, or chemical process,
or corrugated, Buted, grooved, ribbed, latticed, indented or the like, or be made
with shelves or projections, or any combination of such equivalent forms and
whether they have or have not material to be rendered active packed upon, in, or
attached to them, so that the said plates can be arranged one above the other in
columns, piles, or stacks, in cells for containing the electrolyte, and the said plates
having openings to allow of the free escape of the gases, the said plates being
separated by any suitable media, such as strips, plugs, buttons or pieces, of wood,
insulite, earthenware or any other suitable material, and of any form; or in any
manner which will ensure the purpose of keeping the plates equidistantly apart in
the containing cell or vessel and allow sufficient diffusion of the electrolyte and the
proper passage of the gases.
By such forms of plates, and by the arrangement of stacking the said plates so
that they are supported the one in or over the other, self clamping is or may be
effected by the mere weight of the plates themselves, thus reducing the risk of
buckling or contortion; and as they may be built up to any height, great economy
of space is attained together with any desired capacity. A further advantage is
also secured by the connections being, with the exception of their terminals,
iminersed in the electrolyte.-In cells of large size in order to equalize the unequal
resistance of the different lengths of the connections-when-attached separately to
each plate as shown, and as may be done for convenience of the ready removal of
the plates, instead of connecting the alternate plates together the connections may
be varied in thickness according to their length.-The containers of the said plates
may be of any suitable material and construction, and the electrolyte may be of
any suitable strength or composition.
In manufacturing the plates I make them of gridiron form, or perforated, grooved,
roughened or rendered spongey, or cellular by any mechanical, metallurgical, or
chemical process, or corrugated, indented, ribbed, shelved, latticed or other suitable
form or compound forin, preferably, when I employ an active material in
combination therewith, making the perforations, slits, openings interstices or
projections of a bevelled, slanting, conical or other suitable or equivalent shape,
with the smaller portion downwards, so that the activo material cannot fall through
or out of the said perforations, slits, openings or interstices, or readily break off or
away from its position.
The accompanying drawings illustrate ways in which my Invention can be
advantageously carried into effect. Figure 1 represents two compound conical
plates which may be either plain or roughened, corrugated, grooved, cellular,
indented, fluted or the like; or be made with shelves, ribs or projections, or any
combination thereof, or equivalent forms and which may or may not have material
to be rondered active packed upon, in, or attached to, or against them, each pair of
plates forming negative and positive electrodes a and b, metallically or conductively
connected together, each of the component elements of the pairs of plates having
intervening between them, a layer or layers, or piece or pieces of insulating
material, or spaces c, and each pair being separated from the adjacent pair or pairs
by strips, studs, rings, supports or the like d of an insulating material. Figure 2
shews a pile of these pairs of plates placed together on a support e. Figure 3
shews triangular or saddle shaped flat plates, constituting alternately positive and
negative elements, separated by insulating studs or separators f, and provided
with openings or interstices g, which can, when any active material is used,
advantageously be of a taper shape (the smaller part downwards) for the reception
and retention of the active material. Each plate has an opening or openings, for
example, as at h for the passage of Gas. The plates in this figure are shown placed
Straddle-wise or one over the other but it will be evident that they can be placed
the reverse way up, so that they rest one inside the other or in any other
convenient position. In either case they are placed in a suitable cell or vessel
containing the electrolyte, and they may rest entirely or in part upon projections

page_text: or rests provided for them on or in the said cell or vessel. Figure 4 shews a similar
arrangement of plates, but in this case the plates are of a conical formation as
shewn separately in Figures 5 & 5ª. These are also separated by studs or
separators f, and are also provided with openings g, which may also be taper with
the small part downwards for the reception and retention of the active material
where such is used and with openings h for the escape of gases. These plates are
shewn in figure 4 as resting entirely upon each other, but they may, in whole or
in part, rest upon projections or rests provided for them on or in the cell or vessel
in which they and the electrolyte are contained. Figure 6 shews an arrangement
upon one of these plans. The plates may also be arranged the reverse way up, as
shewn in Figure 7.
I do not limit myself to the exact arrangements of the parts or to the shapes of
the plates or of the perforations, projections & as shewn in the Drawings as it will
be understood that they may be considerably varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention, provided they retain the essential features as hereinafter
claimed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
First. For Secondary batteries or Electrical accumulators, conical, pyramidal or
equivalently shaped, cup-like or container-like plates, forming compound elements,
the component plates of each compound element, having between them insulating
material or spaces, and the compound elements being separated from each other by
strips rings supports studs or their equivalents of insulating material or being held
in position by rims or projections resting on supports, the said elements constituting
containers of the Electrolyte substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. In Secondary batteries or Electrical accumulators, the employment of
conical, pyramidal, annular, or Saddle-shaped or equivalently formed plates, plain,
perforated, recessed, grooved, latticed, corrugated, indented, roughened, or rendered
spongey or cellular or the like or with shelves, ribs, projections or their equivalents,
and whether or not packed with active material separated from each other by strips
studs rings supports or equivalent separators, of insulating material, and placed in
any suitable position upon or in each other so as to be self-clamping and to give a
suitable inclination for the escape of the gases, they being contained in a Cell or
Vessel holding the Electrolyte, the said plates being provided with openings for
the escape of the Gases and diffusion of the Electrolyte substantially as herein-
before described.
Third. In Secondary batteries or Electrical accumulators, the employment of
Saddle, conical, pyramidal, annular or equivalently shaped plates, with openings
or passages for the Gas, and contained or supported in a cell or vessel containing
the electrolyte, substantially as hereiubefore described.
Dated this samanth day of January 1905
1995