IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING & BREAKING CIRCUITS IN CONNECTION WITH THE CHARGING & DISCHARGING OF SECONDARY BATTERIES
Year: 1884

page_text: JOSEPH SAMUEL BEEMAN, 44 St. Oswalds Road West Brompton Civil Engineer
and Electrician do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING & BREAKING CIRCUITS IN CONNECTION WITH THE
CHARGING & DISCHARGING OF SECONDARY BATTERIES, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an arrangement or combination of, firstly, any well
known or suitable contact or circuit making & breaking apparatus, actuated by
gas pressure, the gas having been collected after being given off from one electrode,
or more, of a secondary battery; &, secondly, of an apparatus controlled by an
electro magnet actuated by the rise & fall of the E. M. f. of one cell, or more, of a
secondary battery, whereby the first apparatus cannot after breaking the circuit
establish it again until the second apparatus has, through its action, either allowed
the gas to escape, or removed the obstruction interposed through the action of the
first apparatus.
One method of carrying this invention into effect is to take; firstly-A closed
gas tight chamber or cover or gasometer, placed over one electrode, or more, of a
cell of a secondary battery (the said chamber being fitted if desired with a regulator
whereby the amount of gas retained can be regulated) wherein the gas or a portion
of the gas given off from the said electrode or electrodes during the process of
charging, is collected, & which gas on attaining a certain density exercises sufficient
pressure on a diaphragm or equivalent device, the said diaphragm or its equivalent
forming part of, or being fixed on to the aforementioned gas-tight chamber, & this
diaphragin or equivalent device by its rise & fall actuates a lever or its equivalent,
the lever or its equivalent forming part of a contact or circuit making & breaking
apparatus; & secondly,-An electro-magnet or its equivalent, actuated by any
desired variation in the Electro Motive force of one cell or more, whereby the
electro magnet releases or attracts an armature or its equivalent, which armature
is.fastened to a lever or equivalent device, the armature by its movement actuating
either or both the following, i.e. either an escape valve for the previously mentioned
gas, or a cantilever in two parts, the first part centred at one end to a support, the
second part centred at the end of the first part, which second part, although capable
J
079

page_text: of free movement upwards, cannot descend below a certain level owing to a stop
formed on the first part.
The lever referred to in the Contact Breaking & Making Apparatus usually
crosses the cantilever at right angles & when making contact is below it; when
the lever ises the cantilever is held down by the electro magnet & the lever thus
lifts the second part of the cantilever & passing it allows it to fall below the level
to which the lever has risen; the lever now cannot descend again until the electro
magnet has, through the fall of the E. M. f. of the battery, allowed the cantilever,
actuated by a spring or its equivalent, to rise, when its free end, having described
a certain arc, frees the lever & allows it to fall & again make contact, or by a
similar action of the magnet actuating a relief valve the gas is allowed to escape
the lever of the Contact Breaking & Making Apparatus completes the circuit.

page_text: I JOSEPH SAMUEL BEEMAN of 44 St Oswalds Road, West Brompton Civil
Engineer & Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING & BREAKING CIRCUITS IN CONNECTION WITH
THE CHARGING & DISCHARGING OF SECONDARY BATTERIES and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:—
This invention relates to an arrangement or combination of, firstly, any well
known or suitable contact or circuit making and breaking apparatus, actuated by
gas pressure, the gas having been collected after being given off from one electrode
or more of a secondary battery: and, secondly of an apparatus controlled by an
electro-magnet actuated by the rise & fall of the E. M. F. of one cell or more of a
secondary battery, whereby the first apparatus cannot after breaking the circuit
establish it again until the second apparatus has, through its action, either allowed
the gas to escape or removed the obstruction interposed through the action of the
first apparatus.
The annexed drawings will serve to illustrate various modes of performing my
invention, but I would remark that the devices shown may be modified without
departing from the nature of the invention. In the following Figs. like letters
refer to like or corresponding parts.
Figs. 1 & 2, being respectively plan & part section & part elevation, illustrate
a contact making & breaking apparatus capable of use with or in my invention.
The apparatus may be placed on the top of a gas-tight chamber A, which encloses
one or more electrodes B B of a cell of a secondary battery.
C is a diaphragm over a chamber D, into which the gas enters by the passage E.
This diaphragm C & chamber D may be replaced by any suitable equivalent, for
instance by a gasometer.
The gas after being given off for some time attains a certain density, which lifts
the diaphragm C or its equivalent, & upon the gas pressure being removed the
diaphragm C or its equivalent returns to its first position. The rise of C actuates
the lever F F centred at G on the support H, & breaks at the liquid connection I
the circuit Z TH FIT Y, in which circuit is included any suitable rocking or
other switch, or apparatus used for charging & discharging secondary batteries.
If the chambers A & D &. diaphragm C be perfectly gas-tight the lever F will
remain raised until the gas is let out. The lowering of the lever F at the right
time, & the consequent closing of the circuit, is one object of & is accomplished by
my invention.
Fig. 1b & Fig. 2b, being respectively plan & part section & elevation, illustrate
one application of iny invention whereby the lowering of the lever F at the right
time & consequent closing of the circuit is accomplished.

page_text: K is an electro-magnet or its equivalent with terminals T & T & is in a shunt
on one or more cells of a secondary battery. In this shunt I have a number of
artificial resistances by manipulation of which I can regulate the amount of current
flowing around K, & consequently can practically arrange at what fall of E. M. F.
of the one or more cells of the secondary battery that K shall release its armature
or equivalent L. L is attached to a lever centred at M, or equivalent device R, to
which is attached at one end an escape valve or equivalent device N, for the
previously mentioned gas. 00 are counterbalance weights or equivalents-springs
for instance could be used if suitable modifications were made.
The action of the combined apparatus is as follows-when the battery is ready
for a fresh charge L is not held down by K, & consequently N is open, &, no gas
being in the Chamber A, C is down; thus the circuit is complete & the charging
current flowing through the battery. The E. M. F. of the cells almost immediately
rises sufficiently to cause the energization of K which attracts L & thus closes the
valve N. The charging current continues flowing until sufficient gas is given off
from the electrodes to raise C & break the circuit ZTHG FIT Y, which in turn,
by means of the rocking or other switcb, diverts or stops the charging current.
Presuming that the chamber is gas-tight the charging current cannot again enter
until the gas has been let out. By the action of the rocking or other switch the
cells are presumed to be placed in the discharging circuit; when after a certain
quantity of electricity has been withdrawn, or time has elapsed, the E. M. F. falls,
K becomes weakened, the valve N opens, &, allowing the gas to escape, causes C to
descend & the circuit Z T H G &c to close, which in its turn actuates the rocking
or other switch, removes the battery from the discharging circuit, & causes the
charging current again to flow through the battery.
The above arrangement. shows the application of one part of my invention when
it is desirable to utilize all the gas given off in the chamber during the charging of
the battery. In practise this is not always found to be expedient, nor has it been
found possible always to ensure a gas-tight chamber. Another part of my invention
is an arrangement whereby C cannot rise until the gas is being given off at a
certain rate per minute, & having risen cannot fall again although the gas has
escaped, until the Battery is ready for a fresh charge.
Figs. 3 & 3b are plans illustrating an arrangement whereby my invention can
be put in practise. P is a regulator by which the amount of gas retained can be
regulated; a suitable form is shown in more detail in Fig. 8 described later on.
Fig. 3. is identical with Fig. 1a excepting that the end F¹ of the lever F is
* sometimes formed a little differently in order to facilitate its passage past the
end Q¹ of the canti-lever Q. Fig. 3b is identical with Fig. 1b excepting that the
valve N is dispensed with & K is lengthened. Crossing the levers R & F at or
about right angles is the cantilever in two parts QQ-Q being centred at W on
to Q&Q centred at S on to a support. In Fig. 4 an elevation of part of QQ¹
I will be seen, showing the stop U which is an integral part of Q & which prevents
Qdescending below a certain level though capable of free movement upwards.
The action of the combined apparatus is as follows:-When the battery is ready
for a fresh charge L is not held down by K, &, no gas being in the chamber A,
C is down & the circuit is complete & the charging current is flowing through the
battery. The E. M. F. of the cells almost immediately rises sufficiently to cause
the action of K which attracts L & thus allows the cantilever Q Q¹ which rests.
upon R to descend. Q₁ now rests upon the end F¹. The charging current continues
flowing until the gas given off from the electrodes is more than can pass through
the regulator P, when, through its pressure increasing, C rises, causing F F' also to
risc, & lift Q; this allows Qto pass its point F¹ & thus to fall below it. At nearly
the same moment the circuit Z THG &c is broken, which in its turn by means
of the rocking or other switch diverts or stops the charging current. The charging
current cannot again enter until Q1, the obstruction interposed, is removed. After
the E. M. F. of the cell has fallen as previously explained R rises & lifts Q Q¹

page_text: which in turn lifts F F whose point F¹ after describing a certain are passes Q1
& descends & the circuit is completed & as before explained allows the charging
current again to pass through the battery.
Fig. 5 is a plan view & Fig. 6 is an elevation of another arrangement whereby
5 my invention can be put in practise, in which the obstruction Q¹ & lever R are
combined in one.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of another arrangement whereby my invention can be put
in practise in which the obstruction Q & lever Fare combined in one, the operation
of Qin this case being somewhat different from its operation in previous cases.
The battery being ready for a charge & C being down & the current flowing, R is
drawn down by the energization of K, & its point meeting Q pushes it before &
keeps it down. When the pressure of the gas raises C, lifting F, on to the end of
which is centred, Q₁ moves somewhat on its centre W & slides past the end
of R, &, on being freed from it, is brought to a level or other desired position,
settled somewhat by the position of U, by the counterbalance weight O.
Fig. 8 is a part section & elevation of a form of regulator whereby the amount
of gas retained for actuating C can be regulated & is best constructed of glass or
porcelain. The opening "a" is expanded at "b" into a cone-shaped seating into
which an inverted cone "c" fits; the distance between "c" & "b" can be regulated
by the screw "d" to which the cone "c" is attached, & thus the progress of the
gas from "a" to the opening "e" into the atmosphere can be increased or
diminished.
Although I have throughout the drawings only shown one form of contact or
circuit making & breaking apparatus actuated by gas pressure, I wish it to be
understood that I do not limit myself to this form only, as several others can be
adapted for use in combination with my invention.
I do not claim the use of the contact or circuit making & breaking apparatus
actuated by gas pressure alone, but only when in the combinations substantially as
described.
I do not claim the use of the voltameter with diaphragm or equivalent with
the regulator for the gas, alone, but only in the combinations substantially as
described.
I do not claim an electro-magnet & valve alone but only in the combinations
substantially as described, & when the electro-magnet closes & opens the valve by
the rise & fall respectively of the E. M. F. of one or more cells.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said
Invention & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. I claim in combination with a cell of a secondary battery the employment of
an electro-magnet or equivalent, & means for energizing it by the rise of the E. M. F.
during the charging of the cell or cells, the said magnet being so arranged or
combined with mechanical & electrical contrivances that the charging current
baving been cut off, it cannot be restored until the E. M. F. of the cell or cells has
fallen, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination of two levers & an obstruction Q, as in Fig. 4, or equivalent
device, whereby when the end of the first lever has described a certain arc, it
cannot descend again until the end of the second lever has also described a certain
arc & removed the obstruction substantially as & for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
3. The combination of a gas-tight chamber enclosing one or more electrodes of
one cell of a secondary battery, a contact or circuit making & breaking apparatus
actuated by gas pressure, a gas escape valve closing an opening in the said gas-tight
chamber, an electro-magnet to control the said valve, & necessary electric circuits,
whereby during the time the battery is being charged & discharged the gas is
retained until, the E. M. F. of the cell or cells having fallen to a certain point, the
valve opens & allows the gas to escape, substantially as described.

page_text: 4. The combination of parts consisting respectively of a gas regulator valve, an
obstruction Q', or equivalent, an electro-magnet or equivalent controlled by the
rise & fall of the E. M. F. of one or more celle, & a contact or circuit making
& breaking apparatus actuated by gas pressure, when used in combination with a
chamber & one or more electrodes of a cell, combined substantially as in the various!
modifications herein described.