IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF RECEPTACLES FOR SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL ACCUMULATORS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Gustav Binswanger and Thomas
Sexton Sarney at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th
April 1883.
GUSTAV BINSWANGER of 29 Aldermanbury in the City of London, and THOMAS
SEXTON SARNEY, of Camberwell in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF RECEPTACLES FOR SECONDARY BATTERIES OR ELECTRICAL
ACCUMULATORS "
Our Invention consists in a novel method of constructing receptacles for
Secondary batteries, in separate parts for the sides, bottom and ends, of substances
which shall be fluid-tight, be capable of resisting the action of acids and electrolysis,
and otherwise possess the well known qualities pertaining to materials intended
to be employed for the construction of such receptacles. The said materials formed
in separate parts, are afterwards secured or joined together at the sides, bottom
and ends, in the particular manner hereinafter described.
Amongst other substances to be employed for the sides, bottom and ends of such
receptacles we may employ for instance wood boards lined with vulcanized india
rubber, gutta percha, asbestos, or the compounds of these substances; or, the wood
may be lined or coated with any other material possessing the necessary qualities
to allow of the same being employed for such protective coating. Or we may
employ as the structural material, iron or other metal, with suitable internal
protective lining or coating. We may also employ as the structural material,
substances capable of being used as substitutes for ebonite, such as specially
prepared, impregnated wood. When we employ wood lined with the materials
or any of them hereinbefore specified, prepared wood, or similar materials, we
may either manufacture the same in long sheets and then cut or divide them into
the required sizes or lengths, or we may at once manufacture them to the required
sizes or lengths.
The method which we prefer to employ, with a view to ensure the joints being
perfectly fluid-tight and durable, is as follows: namely:-When wood is
employed, we use by preference, soft wood, such as pine, and we adopt a system
of grooving, bevilling and compressing the joints before the complete receptacle or
cell is put together, whereby the exciting fluid or fluids used therein (when the_
receptacle or cell is put together) on coming into contact with the interior thereof,
Price 211
:

page_text: will cause the jointed parts to expand and increase the security of the joints.
The said parts may either be compressed by means of presses with suitable dies,
or by bevilled rollers compressed by a spring, or screw to the desired form. The
sides of the improved cells or receptacles are grooved at the ends and bottom
thereof only. The bottom has its edges bevilled or wedge shaped and is caused
to enter the grooves formed in the sides and ends of the said cells or receptacles,
and the grooves are filled up with red lead cement. Bolts, with nuts, the former
entering through the sides but outside the boards forming the ends and bottom,
are then screwed up against clamping metal plates or bands, by which means all
the parts are drawn firmly together, thus forming a thoroughly sound receptacle or
cell, without any metal fastenings passing through into the interior, which would
be acted upon by the exciting fluid or fluids. With a view to further ensure the
joints being perfectly tight, impermeable to fluids, and capable of resisting the
action of electrolysis and of acids, we may interpose suitable packing between the
joints, either alone, or in addition to the red lead cement above referred to :-such
packing may consist of the following materials, as for instance, gutta percha,
pure india rubber, asbestos; or their compounds; or marinė glue or similar
substance.
If iron or other suitable metal is employed as the structural material, the boxes
or receptacles can be made according to the same manner as that described above,
but not compressed at the joints, the latter being filled up with jointing substances
as above described. We may also form such metal boxes, cells or receptacles, with
flanges to allow of their being bolted, screwed, or otherwise secured together.
Also, according to the nature of the material employed for the sides, bottom and
ends of the receptacles, as well as that for the packing of the joints, we may effect
the securing together of the same under a hot, or a cold process respectively:-
For instance if we employ gutta percha, we cut the same into thin sheets, place
them between the flanges (referred to in the last described method of construction)
bring them together, and at the same time heat the partially constructed receptacle.
The gutta-percha will then become soft and fill up perfectly the interstitial spaces
at the joints.