Improvements in Portable Electric Primary Batteries.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
COMITERE DIFCILICATION.
Improvements in Portable Electric Primary Batteries.
J, CHARLES HAMILTON COLE, of Nassau Street, New York, United States of
America, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention 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 portable electric primary batteries of that class in which
the electrodes may be immersed in or removed from the exciting fluid of the battery
by the act of turning or reversing the battery, the object of the Invention being to
avoid the liability incidental to such batteries as hitherto constructed of the
exciting fluid. leaking from the battery to the detriment of the outside work done
thereby.
On the accompanying drawings, which represent the battery fitted for use as a
cycle-lamp, Fig. 1, represents a sectional elevation of a two-celled battery
embracing the present improvements, and Fig. 2, represents a plan thereof.
a, represents the cell made of vulcanized rubber; b, a tubular carbon electrode
secured therein as hereinafter described; c, a zinc electrode removably applied to
the cell; d, the exciting fluid; e, a reflector and incandescent lamp in circuit
with the battery; and f, means of applying the battery to a bicycle lamp-hook in
such manner that the battery can be reversed in position at the will of the cyclist
and secured in either of its reversed positions.
According to the invention; the carbon b, is made with circumferential corru-
gations b¹, and is fitted with an end projecting platinum contact point 63, adapted
to serve as an electric connection from the carbon within the cell to the circuit
connections without the cell; and the cell is moulded entire with but one
opening a¹, thereinto, serving for the placement and removal of the zinc and the
charging and emptying of the exciting fluid, and the carbon is fixedly located
within one end of the cell, with its contact 62, projecting therefrom, at the time and
by the operation of moulding the cell, whereby the rubber is caused to be formed
with internal corrugations a³, which engage with those 6', of the carbon, and which
serve, together with an inner ledge a³, and the cell-end to fixedly locate the
carbon and is also hermetically closed around the platinum 62, the cell, as thus
formed, being vulcanized with the carbon and its projecting platinum contact
point in situ. Each cell is also moulded integral with projecting bosses a*, a5,
which are screw-threaded and respectively adapted to receive metal screw
caps b, c. Each cap 63, screws down into contact with its platinum, point 62. The
cap 63, of one cell also screws down into contact with a circuit connection a, leading
to the cap c¹, and the zinc of the other cell, and the cap 63, of the latter cell screws
down into contact with the circuit connection ¹, leading to the lamp e, which is
supported by a metal frame ², which supports the cells and forms part of the
electric circuit. Each cap c', is formed with a projecting screw '², adapted to
engage with an arm 3, projecting from the zinc of its cell, and to be secured in
contact therewith by a nut c', the cap c¹, of one cell screwing down into contact
with the connection a, from the carbon of the other cell, and the cap c¹, of the
latter cell screwing down into contact with a connection 3, leading to the frame ³,
the circuit being completed through the lamp e.

page_text: In the circuit connections shown, the current, starting from the zinc of the
left-hand cell, passes through the fluid, the carbon and the contact 62, of that cell,
th connection, the arm c³, of the right-hand cell, the zinc, the liquid, the carbon
and the contact 2, of that cell, the connection', the lamp filament, the lamp
socket, the frame ², the connection 3, the arm, of the left-hand cell, and so
back to the zinc of that cell, completing the circuit. Other suitable circuit
connections may, however, be used.
The lamp e, may be mounted in an ordinary manner within a reflector
metallically connected with the frame a². The battery may be attached to a
bicycle-lamp hook by a socket f, carrying a pin f¹, about which the battery can be
turned or reversed, and any suitable locking details f2, serving to automatically
check the battery in either of its reversed positions.
The zinc of each cell is fitted with a projecting metal screw c5, which carries a
rubber plug 6, the arm c³, and a nut c. When the zinc is inserted in the cell, the
cell cpening a¹, is hermetically closed by the lateral expansion of the plug c, upon
the latter being compressed between the nut c', and the adjacent end of the zinc by
the act of screwing down the nut on the screw c³, in fixing the zinc in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
cíai is:-
1. The herein before described improvements, characterized by forming the
tubular carbon electrode with circumferential corrugations, and fitting it with an
eed projecting platinum contact point, and by moulding the cell entire with but
one opening for the placement and removal of the zinc electrode and the exciting
fluid, and by fixedly locating the carbon within one end of the cell, with its
platinum contact projecting therefrom, at the time and by the operation of
inoulding the cell, whereby the rubber is caused to enter the corrugations of the
carbon and to fixedly locate the latter thereby and between an inner ledge and the
cell-end, and to hermetically close around the projecting platinum point, the cell,
as thus formed and moulded integral with projecting bosses for the respective
terminals, being vulcanized with the carbon electrode and its projecting point
in itu, as set forth.
2. The means described, applicable to the projecting bosses of the cell, of
connecting the terminals of the respective cells with each other and the circuit
conrections, as set forth.
Toted this 10th day of Avust 1007
.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.