IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR APPARATUS FOR STORING OR CONSERVING ELECTRICITY
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wilson Swan, of the Town and County of
Newcastle-on-Tyne, Chemist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECONDARY BATTERIES OR APPARATUS FOR STORING OR CONSERVING
ELECTRICITY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wilson Swan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1881.
JOSEPH WILSON SWAN, of the Town and County of Newcastle on Tyne,
Chemist. IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR APPARATUS FOR STORING
OR CONSERVING ELECTRICITY."
This Invention has for its object the facilitating the construction of so called
secondary voltaic piles, and aims at the production of plates having surfaces
suitable for holding spongy lead or lead in a finely divided form. In carrying out
this Invention I prepare plates of lead having a cellular, corrugated, or grooved
surface, or surfaces of such a character as to be capable of retaining in the cells,
grooves, corrugations, or interstices, spongy or finely divided lead. When intended
for use a pair or a series of these plates may be placed in a suitable vessel, and
arranged and charged after the well known manner of arranging and charging
secondary piles or batteries, so as to act as a means of conserving or storing electrical
energy.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Wilson Swan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd November 1881.
JOSEPH WILSON SWAN, of the Town and County of Newcastle on Tyne,
Chemist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR APPARATUS FOR STORING
OR CONSERVING ELECTRICITY."
My said Invention has for its object the facilitating the construction of so called
secondary voltaic piles or batteries, and aims at the production of plates having
surfaces more suitable for holding spongy lead or lead in a finely divided form.
[Dui 31

page_text: In carrying out my said Invention I prepare plates of lead having a cellular,
corrugated, or grooved surface or surfaces of such a character as to be capable of
retaining in the cells, grooves, corrugations, or interstices spongy or finely divided
lead.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate by way of examples two forms of plates
constructed according to my said Invention.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and transverse vertical section
of a cellular plate; and Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a front elevation and
transverse vertical section of a corrugated or grooved plate; Figures 2 and 4
illustrate modifications of the plates shewn in Figures 1 and 2, and Figs. 3 and 4
respectively.
The plate shewn in Figures 1 and 2 is constructed with cells or cavities a for
the reception and retention of spongy lead, or lead in a finely divided form, and
the outer surfaces of the walls b of the cells may also be covered or coated with the
spongy or finely divided lead. The cells may be closed on one side, as shown at c,
in Figure 2º.
The plate shewn in Figures 3 and 4 is constructed with grooves a to be filled
with spongy lead, or lead in a finely divided condition, and the outer surfaces of
the ridges may also be covered or coated with lead in that condition. The ridges
may be formed on one side only of the plate, as shewn in Figure 4º.
b
It should be understood that the form of the cells, corrugations, or grooves may
be greatly varied without departing from the principle of my said Invention, the
object being to obtain an interstical construction of plate capable of affording a
very large amount of acting surface in a small compass, and to prevent the coating
of oxide or spongy lead from falling away from the plate as it would from a plain
vertical surface unless held in position by some material external to the said
coating. When intended for use a pair or a series of these plates may be placed in
a suitable vessel, and arranged and charged after the well known manner of
arranging and charging secondary piles or batteries so as to act as a means of
conserving or storing electrical energy.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, 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 herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is, constructing the plates of secondary batteries or apparatus for
storing or conserving electricity with cells, corrugations, grooves, or interstices,
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Wilson Swan, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOSEPH W. SWAN. (L.S.)