IMPROVEMENTS IN PRIMARY BATTERIES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ROBERT ABRAM LEE, of 76 High Holborn London W.C.. Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PRIMARY BATTERIES
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the raising and depressing of both the containing
cells with the liquid, and also of the zincs and carbons, hereafter called the annodes
and cathodes, by means of their specific gravity (without the employment of springs
or other counterballances) especially in regard to the regulation of the speed of
electro motors.
In carrying out my invention, I place the cells (which may be of any number
desired) in a box, which should be of sufficient depth to allow the cells, and board
or frame containing the annodes and cathodes, to be lifted clear of each other in the
manner hereinafter described; on either side of this box at a suitable distance down
from, and horizontally to the top, I fix or support either two strips of wood or
metal parallel to each other at a distance apart, to form a slot and take sliding
studs or pins, or I fix or support in any other convenient manner to the box, a
alotted piece of wood or metal.
I next take eight rods of wood or metal (four of which are preferably longer than
the others) of a convenient length, and hinge them together at their ends; two
short and two long ones together, so that they form when opened a sort of diamond
shape frame, the eight piecos make two of these frames; the hinging of the frames
I attain by drilling a hole through either end of each rod, and inserting a pin
through the two rods at each angle of the frame; the hinge, pins in all cases are
made long enough to project about an inch beyond the frames, and two of these
projecting pins I insert into the slot of the piece of wood or metal, fixed or
supported on the box; these pins I will designate sliding centres of motion, the
other two pins at top and bottom of the diamond shape frame, are severally
connected, the lower one to a board or frame on which the cells stand, and the
upper one to a board or frame to which the annodes and cathodes are fixed; the
longer rods of the frame being downward, at the lower end of one of the rods of
each frame I fix or make solid with the rod in question, a lever which stands at
right angles to the rod, and is of such a length that it will project beyond the cells
it will be understood that there are two of these diamond shape frames with
a lever attached to either, and to the ends of the levers I fix a bar or rod which

page_text: - connects the two levers, so that they act simultaneously'; at any convenient position
on the rod, I fix a stud or projecting piece, of such a length that it will project
through a slot in the box before named.
It will be understood that the diamond shape frames, being hinged at either
corner are capable of being extended or collapsed, and so raising or depressing the
cells and annodes and cathodes simultaneously; the ratio of traverse being about
three to one (ie) if the cells rise or fall one inch, the annodes and cathodes will rise
or fall three inches, in such proportion that the tendency of the cells and annodes
and cathodes is to separate from each other, by the specific gravity of the cells and
liquid, being greater than that of the annodes and cathodes; the use of the
projecting stud being: to advance the cells and annodes and cathodes together, in
proportion to the amount it is held down, which can be done either by hand
or foot, or by weights, or notching the slot in box through which the stud passes,
or by a hook, or button.
In order to discribe the action of my invention; we will suppose that the cells,
and annodes and cathodes, are separated from each other, this being their normal
position, and it is desired to generate an electric current; I press the stud, outside
box down;
this imparts motion to the bar connecting the two levers, which are
fixed to the rods of the diamond shape frames; these levers being depressed, they
.throw the lower rods of the frame outwards, and these in their turn cause the
upper rods to extend at their centres of motion, causing the pins on which they
work to slido along the fixed slots on the box, and also lowering the top end, and
raising the bottom end of the frame, in such proportion as the stud may be
depressed. The cells.and annodes and cathodes,' by the gravity of the cells,
returning to their normal position, when the pressure is removed from the stud.
"

page_text: *COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ROBERT ABRAM LEE Engineer of 76 High Holborn London W.C. do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PRIMARY BATTERIES,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
Fascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is the raising and depressing of both the containing
cells with the liquid, and also of the zincs and carbons hereafter called the annodos
and cathodes by means of their specific gravity (without the employment of springs
or other counterballances) especially in regard to the regulation of the speed of
electro motors.
In carrying out my invention I place the cells (which may be of any number
desired) in a box which should be of sufficient depth to allow the cells, and board
or frame containing the annodes and cathodes, to be lifted clear of each othor in the
manner hereinafter described; on either side of this box at a suitable distance down
from and horizontally to the top, I fix or support two strips of wood or metal
parallel to each other at a distance apart, to form a slot and take sliding studs or
pins; or I fix or support in any other convenient manner to the box, a slotted piece
of wood or metal. I next take eight rods of wood or metal (four of which are
preferably longer than the others) of a convenient length, and hinge them together
at their ends two short and two long ones together, so that they form when opened
a sort of diamond shape frame, the eight pieces make two of these frames: the
binging of the frames I obtain by drilling a holo through either end of each rod and
inserting a pin through the two rods at each angle of the frame, the hinge pins in
all cases are made long enough to project about an inch beyond the frames, and
two of these projecting pins I insert into the slot of the piece of wood or metal
fixed or supported on the box; these pins I will designate sliding centres of motion,
the other two pins at the top and bottom of the diamond shape frame are severally
connected, the lower one to a board or frame on which the cells stand, and the upper
one to a board or frame to which the annodes and cathodes are fixed, the longer
rods of the frame being downward, at the lower end of one of the rods of each
frame I fix, or make solid with the rod in question, a lever which stands at right
angles to the rod and is of such a length that it will project beyond the cells; it
will be understood that there are two of these diamond shape frames with a lever
attached to either, and to the ends of the levers I fix a bar or rod which connects
the two levers so that they act simultaneously; at any convenient position on the
rod I fix a stud or projecting piece of such a length that it will project through a
slot in the box before named. It will be understood that the diamond shape frames
being hinged at either corner are capable of being extended or collapsed and so
raising or depressing the cells and annodes and cathodes simultaneously; the ratio
of traverse being about three to one, ie, if the cells rise or fall one inch, the
annodes and cathodes will rise or fall three inches, in such proportion that the
tendency of the cells and annodes and cathodes is to separate from each other by
the specific gravity of the cells and liquid being greater than that of the annodes
and cathodes, the use of the projecting stud being to advance the cells and annodes
and cathodes together in proportion to the amount it is held down which can be
J

page_text: done either by hand or foot or by weights, or notching the slot in the box through
which the stud passes, or by a hook or button.
In order to describo the nature of my invention; we will suppose that the cells,
and annodes and cathodes are separated from each other this being their normal
position, and it is desired to generate an electric current I press the stud outside
box down, this imparts motion to the bar connecting the two levers, which are
fixed to the rods of the diamond shape frame, these levers being depressed they
throw the lower rods of the frame outwards and these in their turn cause the upper
rods to extend at their centres of motion, causing the pins on which they work to
slide along the fixed slots on the box, and also lowering the top end and raising
the bottom end of the frame in such proportion as the stud may be depressed.
The cells and annodes and cathodes by the gravity of the cells returning to their
normal position when the pressure is removed from the stud.
In carrying out my invention, in some cases I leave out the top half of the
slotted piece of wood or metal fixed or supported on the box, as the weight of the
cells effectually keeps the sliding centres of motion on the lower half or slides;
I also curve the ends of these slides upwards and connect the lever that communi-
'cates with the treadle outside the box, to the top of one of the four rods which
form the diamond shape frame.
The accompanying Drawing which is a sectional elevation of the box showing
'the working parts, will serve the more clearly to show the nature of my invention.
A. A. is the box, B B the cells, B 1. B 1. the board or tray on which these stand,
O is the board or frame which carries the annodes and cathodes, D is the slide fixed
to the box used in place of the slotted piece of wood or metal, EE and F F are
the four rods forming a diamond shape frame, and hinged to the board or
tray B 1. B 1. at the lower end, and to the board or frame C at the upper end,
F1 is a rod fixed to or made solid with F to which is hinged G, this in its turn
being hinged to the trendle lever H, which has its fulcrum at H 1, I. I. is a guide to
keep the top centres of the rods F F in a vertical line, J J and K are rollers or
pulleys at the centres of motion to minimise friction.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
First. Suspending the cells and annodes and cathodes by means of rods or levers
so that they act simultaneously.
Second. Raising the annodes and cathodes by means of the gravitation of the
cells, in such manner that when the cells go downwards the greater weight of the
cells lifts the annodes and cathodes clear of the liquid in the cells.
Third. The general combination as hercin set forth.