IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scudamore Sellon, of Hatton Garden, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES
OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scudamore Sellon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th October 1883.
JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS'
"
My Invention has partly for its object to overcome the leakage of electricity
occasioned in some forms of Secondary batteries by the spreading or aggregation of
moisture from various causes such as through capillary attraction round or over the
edges of the plates or by the condensation of atmospheric moisture or by the
splashing which may occur in charging and also has reference to modifications in
the form of the upper parts or edges of the plates in order to arrest the spray which
may be given off during formation or whilst charging in the ordinary way and
further to give a convenient form for packing in stacks or columns with ready
access to the Electrolyte which may at the same time obviate the capillary
attraction or the effect of the splashing or spilling.
According to my said Invention for instance with such forms as annular basin
or paramid shaped or other plates the edges of which can be so treated I make
grooves corrugations or overlappings of suitable form either at or round the
extreme edge or conveniently near thereto or I cast upon, affix to, or work up with,
the plates, projections or ridges or bent portions which may serve an equivalent
purpose and into the space or cavity of or formed by such grooves projections or
spaces I place any suitable insulating material or compound of a nature suited to
arrest or entirely stop the capillary attraction or extension of the moisture which
might otherwise form a junction with the moisture on the adjoining plate. Such
material as Paraffin or a mixture of Paraffin with Asbestos is very suitable for the
purpose of my Invention-Asbestos cord or rope soaked in paraffin is a very
convenient form being readily fitted or packed into the groove or cavity
surrounding the edge of the plate or I may use marine glue Prout's Glue tar or

page_text: sulphur mixed or not with a substance to render it tenacious or any mixtures
of a tarry or other suitable nature so long as such material or composition forms a
good insulator and effects the purpose desired-I sometimes a'so perforate the
grooves bent up edges or receptacles in which the insulating material is packed in
order to hold or key it by means of the said perforations or I may effect the same
object by having the surfaces roughened or made uneven in any manner which will
serve to hold up or tie in the material. I sometimes may employ grooved pioces
of wood suitably prepared or insulite or other suitable material to tit closely onto
or over the edge of the plate or I may simply stretch upon or over the said edge
bands or suitably constructed pieces of india-rubber or gutta percha or other
elastic and waterproof material the chief object to be attained being to keep such
edges dry and protected from moisture in whatever way it may arise whereby
leakage might occur from one cell or plate to another and to prevent the spilling
of the electrolyte when the batteries are or may be subject to shaking for instance
when in use in railway trains or ships Such arrangement is especially desirable
when using compound plates that is to say plates working as negative on one side
and positive on the other.
With plates also, of a cone basin, pyramid shape or other analogous form when
packed together as for instance in columns it is especially desirable to avoid the
splashing of spray when charging or the spilling of the Electrolyte through any
cause. For this purpose I may so construct form or shape the edging (of whatever
material I employ) as to catch or oppose a surface or surfaces to the spray or liquid
and to arrest it or I may cast upon attach to work up or in any way incorporate
with the plates projections ridges or edgings bent curved or otherwise shaped so as
to effect the object of my Invention.
I also sometimes construct the cone, basin or pyramid shaped or other form of
plate suitable for packing in stacks or columns so that the overlapping edges may
rest upon one another with suitable insulating material packed between but with
one or more conveniently constructed openings or projections forming lips or
mouths or small reservoirs (with or without overflow pip) for the escape of gas and
for convenience in filling with or drawing off the electrolytic solution and for
observing its gravity or utilizing its gravity for the purpose of regulating the
charging and discharging of the cells.
By the arrangements of the edges of the plates thus resting one on the othe
I may do away with the separating strips of wood insulite or other material which
are otherwise usually employed to separate the plates.

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 24th April
1884.
JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS
My Invention has for its principal object to overcome the leakage of electricity
occasioned in some forms of secondary batteries or electrical accumulators by the
spreading or aggregation of moisture from various causes such as through capillary
attraction round or over the edges of the plates or by the condensation of
atmospheric moisture or by the splashing which may occur in charging, and my
Invention has reference to modifications in the form of the upper parts or edges
of the plates in order to arrest the spray which may be given off during
formation or whilst charging in the ordinary way and further to give a con-
venient form for packing in stacks or columns with ready access to the electrolyte
which at the same time tends to obviate capillary attraction and the injurious
effect of splashing or spilling of the electrolyte.
According to my said Invention with such forms as annular basin or pyramid
shaped or other plates the edges of which can be so treated, I make grooves
corrugations or overlappings of suitable form either at or round the upper edge or
edges or conveniently near thereto or 1 cast upon affix to or work up with the
plates at or near the upper edges thereof projections or ridges or bent portions
which may serve an equivalent purpose and into the spaces receptacles or cavities
of or formed by such grooves projections or spaces I place any suitable insulating
material or compound of a nature suited to arrest or entirely stop the capillary
attraction or extension of moisture which might otherwise form an electrical or
conducting junction between the plates such material as paraffin or a mixture of
paraffin with asbestos is very suitable for the purpose of my Invention. Asbestos
cord or rope soaked in paraffin is a very convenient form being readily fitted or
packed into the groove or cavity surrounding or near to the edges of the plates or
may use Marine glue Prouts glue tar or sulphur mixed or not with a substance to
render it tenacious or any mixture of a tarry or other suitable nature is suitable
for the purpose provided that such material or composition forms a good insulator
and effects the purpose desired-1 sometimes also perforate the grooves bent up
edges or receptacles in which the insulating material is packed in order to hold or
key it by means of the said perforations or I may effect the same object by having
the surfaces roughened or made uneven in any manner which will serve to hold up
or tie in the material-I sometimes may employ grooved pieces of wood suitably
prepared or insulite or other suitable material to fit closely on to or over the edges
of the plates or I may sin.ply stretch upon or over the said edges bands or suitably
formed pieces of india rubber or gutta percha or of other elastic and waterproof
material the chief objects to be obtained being to keep such edges dry and protected
from moisture in whatever way it may arise whereby leakage might occur from one
cell or plate to another and to prevent the spilling of the Electrolyte when the
batteries or accumulators are or may be subject to shaking for instance when in
use in Railway Trains or Ships. This arrangement is especially desirable when
using compound plates that is to say plates working as negative on one side and
positive on the other.
'
With plates also of a conical basin pyramidal or analogous form when packed
together as for instance in columnus it is especially desirable to avoid splashing_or
spraying when charging or the spilling of the Electrolyte through any cause.
For

page_text: this purpose I may so construct form or shape the material I employ at the edges
of the plates as to catch or oppose a surface or surfaces to the spray or liquid and
so arrest it or I may cast upon attach to work up or in anyway incorporate with
the plates projections ridges or edgings bent curved or otherwise shaped so as to
effect the object of my Invention.
I also sometimes construct the conical basin pyramidal or other form of plate
suitable for packing in stacks or columns so that the overlapping edges or rims
may be supported by one another with suitable insulating material packed between
but with one or more conveniently constructed openings or projections forming lips
or mouths or small reservoirs (with or without overflow pipe) for the escape of
gas and for convenience in filling with or drawing off the electrolytic solution and
for observing its gravity or utilizing its gravity for the purpose of regulating the
charging and discharging of the cells.
By the arrangements of the edges of the plates thus resting one on the other
I can dispense if desired with the separating strips of wood insulite or other
material which are otherwise usually, employed to separate the plates.
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.
In the accompanying drawing I have shewn various arrangements or forms in
which my Invention may be applied but it is to be understood that I do not limit
myself to these precise forms or arrangements nor do I limit myself to the applica-
tion of my Invention to the shape or kind of plates which I have illustrated, as
my said Invention may be applied to any other shape or kind of plates to which it
is or may be applicable.
Figure 1 represents a cone plate cast or manufactured preferably up to the
point B B (which may be considered the working limit of the plate) with ridges
flutes grooves cells or projections or any form which allows that the oxides or
spongy or other material to be rendered active may be the more readily packed and
retained in position the inner surface being preferably used as the positive and the
outer as the negative; the upper portion or rim B to C is an addition of plain thin
lead either cast with or attached to the thicker or main portion of the plate This
addition may be made to project to any convenient or desired distance and it may
be turned over at the top edge either inwards or outwards in such a manner as to
form a groove or trough or holder for an insulating material (a) In cone or
analagous forms of containing cells as hitherto constructed one difficulty has been
the small quantity of electrolyte which can be conveniently held relatively to the
work to be done. I may utilize any portion of what I will call the non-active
space B to C for holding an additional supply of the electrolyte and I prefer in
such case to prepare or coat over the upper portion of the lead B to C with some
substance which prevents or retards its being acted upon or rendered active-I
may also protect in a similar manner the bottom portion of the plate or cone if it is
not covered with active material. Having so formed my plates or cells I stand
them one in the other with separating pieces or blocks of wood insulite or suitablo
material and fill them to the desired point with suitable electrolyte
Figure 2 represents conical plates preferably made of thin lead (which may be
thickened at bottom) either cast or spun up or manufactured out of sheet lead in
any convenient manner Upon either side of cach plate are affixed grids frames or
perforated conical or annular or suitably shaped plates or pieces P P which are
burnt or otherwise affixed on to the thin lead base and packed with oxides or
spongy or other material; preferably I attach by burning or otherwise the inner
grids or frames if used as positives at the apex or points g. g. only the more readily
to allow for expansion without disturbing the lead base. The under or negative
grids or frames can be burnt on or attached both at g'. g' and at the upper edge
and at any
other point so as to be well retained in place; the perforations or
openings in these grids or frames are preferably mado conical or taper so that when

page_text: packed the material may be held in place and be prevented from falling through or
out of position.
Figure 3 shews various forms of grooves troughs or recesses which may be
formed at the upper parts or edges of the plates for containing or holding insulating
material In the various examples the insulating material is marked a. Figure 4
represents a plate with a strip of grooved wood or a band of India rubber or
other insulating material b placed or stretched over or round the edge thereof for
the purpose described-Figure 5 is a vertical section and Figure 6 is a plan of a
plate formed with an edging c upon which is placed an insulating material & which
when the plates are put together is interposed between the edgings of adjacent
plates as indicated in Figure 7. d² are openings which may be made in the lead
rim or through the insulating material to allow escape of gases and d³ is one of
the before mentioned lips or reservoirs for the purposes herein before mentioned.
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
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 bereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is:—
First In secondary batteries or electrical accumulators providing the platos or
elements when of suitable construction for the purpose with grooves recesses
corrugations overlappings projections ridges bent portions edges or their equivalents
at or round the edges or near thereto and containing or holding or being coated
with insulating materials or material of a nature to arrest electrical action or
leakage by moisture or capilliary attraction substantially as herein before described.
Second In secondary batteries or electrical accumulators providing the plates or
elements thereof when of suitable construction for the purpose with grooved pieces
of wood or insulite or bands or pieces of India rubber Gutta percha or the like
fitted or held at or over the edges of the plates substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and also as illustrated by Figure 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
Third In secondary batteries or Electrical accumulators forming the plates or
elements when of suitable construction for the purpose with edgings or rims by
which the plates or elements are supported by one another with insulating inaterial
placed between the said edgings or rims substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and also as illustrated by Figures 5. 6 and 7 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Scudamore Sellon have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this twenty second day of April One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
TATAT 2
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