IMPROVEMENTS IN STORAGE OR SECONDARY BATTERIES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred. James Jarman Electrician Glenarın Road
Hackney London E-for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN STORAGE OR
SECONDARY BATTERIES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred James Jarman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th August 1883.
ALFRED JAMES JARMAN. Electrician Glenarm Road Hackney London E.
IMPROVEMENTS IN STORAGE OR SECONDARY BATTERIES
My Invention consists in improvements in storage or secondary batterics. In
forming these I use plates of ordinary commercial shoot lead, or they may be made
of silver lead alloy, this alloy being an admixture of lead and silver in suitable
proportions, to increase the conductivity of the plates, and lower the internal
resistance of the cell to any desired extent. These lead or silver alloy plates are
bent into a cylindrical shape, (or they can be made rectangular if desired) one
cylinder being shaped so as to coat the inside of the stonowaro cell, or trough, the
other cylinder occupying a central position in the jar, or trough; or they can be
made into a series of concentric cylinders, and joined up as desired
Between the cylinders, or plates, is packed a sufficient quantity of a special
preparation of lead, or lead alloy. which I call amorphous lead. or amorphous alloy,
made as follows. Commercial lead, or the alloy of silver, and lead is poured when red
hot into a solution of heated Alcohol and water; this produces a granular, or semi
granular metal; having no defined, or regular shape which I call amorphous lead,
or Lead alloy. To keep this amorphous lead in position, and contact; with the
lead plates: I pack the void space between the two cylindrical, or other shaped
plates, with spun glass, or glass wool, this however can be replaced by toy glass
beads, or by strips of wood; soaked in a hot solution of asphaltum dissolved in
benzole, either of these may form the insulating material, between the plates.
I prefer however, to use the glass wool because it permits perfect circulation, offers
but little resistance to the current, and is quite unacted upon by the sulphuric acid,
used to excite the battery. The cylindrical or rectangular plates may be perforated,
or punched if desired, but this is not absolutely necessary. I sometimes cover a
C

page_text: sheet of plain or perforated sheet lead; with amorphous lead, or silver lead alloy;
upon this I place a layer of glass wool; then a layer of amorphous lead or silver
alloy and upon this another sheet of perforated or plain lead, the whole is then
rolled up together, and connected up in the usual manner, after being placed in a
stonewaro cell, or trough. These plates can be made rectangular, and can be made
of any size desired; the exciting Quid employed being sulphuric acid, and
water
Another method of constructing theso batteries is as follows. A stono ware cell,
or wood, or other trough; is lined with sheet lead; which may be perforated if
desired, inside this lining is placed an internal cell preserving the outline of the
outer, one, whether circular or rectangular; between these cylinders, or plates, are
placed two thin tin cylinders or plates, bent so as to follow the outline of the cell;
the space between each tin, and lead plate is filled with amorphous lead, or lead
alloy, but the space between the tin plates, is packed with glass wool, or beads
pressed tightly down; the thin tin plates only act as separators in making up
the cell and upon being withdrawn leave the internal, and external lead plates,
coated with amorphous lead; or alloy, separated by a compact, but porous layer
of glass wool; or beads; which effectually prevents the falling down of either
metal, or oxide, and no short circuiting can take place between the plates.
I sometimes coat the lead plates with zinc by electro deposition, and precipitating
metallic lead thereon by dipping the zinc coated lead plates into solutions of the
soluable salts of lead.
To prevent the formation of lead sulphate when the battery is out of action, I
draw off the acid solution into any suitable receptacle a plug being provided in
cach cell for this purpose, or I accomplish the same end by lifting the plates bodily
out of the liquid by a rack or other suitable device When the battery is required
for use, the plates are lowered into the acid, or the acid poured in again
I sometimes use rasped lead, or lead silver alloy for lining the plates, this is
made by filing, or rasping ordinary sheet lead, or alloy, and is suitable for lining
lead plates, for my purpose or mixing with the amorphous lead, or alloy, as already
described.
I also employ cotton wool, or any suitable fibrous substance, to insulate the
plates after it has been treated, by immersion in a solution of sulphur, dissolved in
bisulphido of carbon; so that the whole of the fibro is covered, and permeated with
crystals of sulphur, If required the plates forming the battery, may be cast in
lead, or alloy, and can so form the outer containing vessel, or cell. Where stoneware
or wooden troughs are objectionable

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred James Jarman in the Patent Office on the 7th February
1884.
ALFRED JÄMES JARMAN Electrician Glenarm Road Hackney London E..
IMPROVEMENTS IN STORAGE OR SECONDARY BATTERIES
My Invention consists in Improvements in Storage, or Secondary Batterios.
In forming these I use plates of ordinary commercial sheet lead, or they may bo
made of silver lead alloy, this alloy being an admixture of lead, and silver, in
suitable proportions; to increase the conductivity of the plates, and lower tho
:internal resistance of the cell to any desired extent. These lead, or silver alloy
plates, are bent into a cylindrical shape, (or they may be made rectangular or other
shape if desired). One cylinder being shaped so as to coat the inside of the stone-
ware cell, or trough; the other cylinder occupying a central position in the jar, or
trough or they can be made into a series of concentric cylinders, and joined up as
desired. Between the cylinders, or plates, is packed a sufficient quantity of a special
preparation of lead, or lead alloy, which I call amorphous lead or, amorphous alloy
made as follows. Commercial Lead; or the alloy of silver, and lead; is poured
when red hot, into a solution of heated alcohol, and water, this produces a granular
or semi granular metal, having no defined, or regular shape which I call amorphous
lead or lead alloy. To keep this amorphous lead in position, and contact with tho
lead plates, I pack the void space between the two cylindrical, or other shaped
plates, with spun glass, or glass wool, this however can be replaced by toy glass
beads, or by strips of wood soaked in a hot solution of asphaltum, dissolved in
benzole either of these may form the insulating material between the plates, I
prefer however to use the glass wool, or beads, because it permits perfect circulation,
offers but little resistance to the current and is quite unacted upon by the sulphuric
acid, used to excite the battery. The cylindrical or rectangular or other shaped
plates, may be perforatod, or punched, if desired, but this is not absolutely
necessary; I sometimes cover a sheet of plain or perforated sheet lead; with
amorphous lead or silver lead alloy, and upon this I place a layer of glass wool,
then a layer of amorphous lead; or silver alloy, and upon this another sheet of
perforated, or plain lead, the whole is then rolled up together and connected up in
the usual manner, after being placed in a stoneware cell, or trough. The plates
can also be made rectangular, and can be made of any size desired, the exciting fluid
employed being sulphuric acid, 'and water,
Another method of constructing these batteries is as follows. A Stoneware cell,
or wood, or other trough, is lined with sheet lead which may be perforated if
desired. Inside this lining is placed an internal cell, preserving the outline of tho
outer one whether circular or rectangular, between these cylinders or plates are
placed two thin tin cylinders, or plates bent so as to follow the outline of the cell,
the space-between each tin, and lead plate is filled with amorphous lead, or lead
alloy, but the space between the tin plates is packed with glass wool; or beads
pressed tightly down, the thin tin plates only act as separators, in making up the
cell, and upon being withdrawn leave the internal and external lead plates coated
with amorphous lead, or alloy, separated by a compact, but porous layer of glass
wool, or beads, which offectually prevents the falling down of either metal or oxide,
and no short circuiting can take place between the plates; I sometimes coat the
lead plates with zinc by electro deposition, and precipitating metallic lead
thereon; by dipping the zinc coated lead plates into solutions of the soluable salts
of lead,
To prevent the formation of lead sulphate when the battery is out of action, I
draw off the acid solution into any suitable receptacle; a plug being provided in
each cell for this purpose. I accomplish the same end by lifting the plates bodily out

page_text: -
of the liquid by a rack, or other suitable device, When the battery is required
for use, the plates are lowered into the acid, or the acid is poured in again;
sometimes use rasped lead, or lead silver alloy for lining the plates, this is made by
filing or rasping ordinary sheet lead; or alloy and is suitable for lining lead plates
for my purpose, or mixing with the amorphous lead; or alloy, as already described.
I also employ cotton wool, or any suitable fibrous substance to insulate the plates
after it has been treated by immersion in a solution of sulphur; dissolved in
bisulphide of carbon; so that the whole of the fibre is covered and permeated with
crystals of sulphur; If required, the plates forming the battery may be cast in
lead or alloy, and can so form the outer containing vessel, or cell, where stone ware
'or wooden troughs are objectionable
In order that my Invention may be better understood, I will now explain the
same more particularly by the aid of the drawing-
Fig 1, and Fig 2, are plan and vertical section of one form of my invention;
A is the stoneware cell or trough; which is hero shewn of a circular shape, the
cells can however be made of any other shape, and be made of any good
non conducting substance-B is a cylinder, or lining of sheet lead, which may be
quite plain or perforated with holes if desired the space between it and the
stoneware cell, being filled with amorphous lead; C is a space filled with glass
wool, or heads or these may be replaced by wood strips soaked in asphaltum, or
other good insulating substance. D is a layer of the non integral or amorphous
lead, made by pouring molten lead into alcohol & water as described; E another
layer of glass-wool, beads or other porous insulating substance, F another lead
plate or cylinder, perforated, or not, and fillod with amorphous lead G which is
separated from the lead. by a layer of glass wool or beads. The two positive
plates B, and F, are connected by a strip of lead, or other suitable metal, and the
two negative layers of amorphous lead D, and Ġ by another strip, theso forming
the terminals of the cell. To prevent the formation of lead sulphate, when the
cells are out of action a plug hole H is provided, so that the exciting liquor may
be drawn off.
Fig 3-Shows another form of my invention; A is a stone ware cell, or other
trough; provided with a plug hole or cock H, and also another plug hole I,
Lead plates B B enclosing layers of amorphous lend are piled upon each other
separated by layers of glass wool or beads C; the bottom plate B rests upon some
glass, or porcelain rods; or wood strips, soaked in asphaltum, as already described
may be used. The bottom plate B is connected to an insulated wire which is led
out through plug hole I, another wire forming the opposite or negative pole being
fastened to the uppermost plate as shewn ;
Fig 4 Shews another form of my invention, consisting of a suitably prepared
wood, cbonite, stone, or other cell, lined with lead a series of load plates A
enclosing layers of amorphous lead forming the positive pole, are fastened to one
end of the lead lining of the box, and are coupled together, the negative plates B
also enclosing layers of amorphous lead-are also coupled, but are detached and
separate from the lead lining. The space between the plates may be packed with
glass wool, beads, or other insulating substance Sulphuric Acid and water being
used as the exciting fluid
Fig 5. The perforated porcelain cell A contains the plates, and insulating
material, between them; so that the whole can be lifted bodily out of the fluid,
when desired. thus preventing formation of Lead sulphate
Having now described my invention, and in what manner the same may be
carried out, I would have it understood that I lay no claim to any special shape,
or configuration, of cell, nor to the exact arrangement of parts as described, as
these may be varied in several ways, without affecting my invention, What I
consider novel, and desire to claim is
1 In a Secondary, Polarization, or Storage battery, the use of amorphous, or
non integral lead, or lead silver alloy prepared in the way and manner already
described.

page_text: 2nd In a Secondary Battery the use of spun glass, glass wool; or toy bends, for
the purpose of soparating the plates, or layers of amorphous lead, and
permitting the free circulation of the liquid substantially as described.
3rd. In a Secondary, or storage Battery, the metallic plates of which are contained
within stone, wood, or other cell, the plug hole; or cock or its equivalent
whereby the fluid excitant may be drawn off, substantially as described
In a secondary, or storage battery, the method or its equivalent, whereby tho
plates are lifted out of the fluid, when the battery is out of action
5th In a Secondary or storage battery, Cotton Wool dipped in a solution of
sulphur dissolved in carbon disulphide, such sulphured wool being used to
insulate the plates, or layers, substantially as described―
In Witness Whereof I the said Alfred James Jarman have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Thirty first day of January in the year of Our Lord 1884.
itness-
FRANCIS M ROGERS
21 Finsbury Pavt
EC
ALFRED, JAMES, JAKMAN. (L.S.)