and Cells of Storage or Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar.,- 1889
Specification Accepted, 27th Apr.. 1889
and Cells of Storage or Secondary Batteries.
THOMAS JOSEPH HASLAM Junr. of the firm of Wm. R. Box & Coy. of 105
Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, and of No. 2 Belgrave Road Rashmines Wholesale
Manufacturer and Trader 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:--
The Frames Fig. 1, are made all or in part of Metallic Substances, or of timber
vulcanite, ebonite, or any other material unaffected by the solution of Electrolyte, and
are provided with lugs or projections A & B Fig. 2, on each side which come in
contact with corresponding lugs on the adjoining frames, see Fig. 6 and so keep the
active surfaces of the plates apart. On these frames a number of rods are strained,
C Fig. 3, which may either be all or in part metallic or of wood, ebonite, or any
suitable substance or substances placed in parallel lines and in upright or other
positions. On these rods are strung compressed spheres or polygons H Fig. 4
& Fig. 5, hereinafter termed beads which are composed of lead compounds or of such
other compound or compounds as are suited for the purpose. These beads are made
with or without skeleton supports.
The frames together with the strained rods and the strung beads Fig. 4 form the
plates.
The Positive and Negative plates in each Cell are severally connected together by
being soldered or joined to a lead or other suitable conductor as in Fig. 9. The Cells
are made all or in part of glass, timber, vulcanite or other suitable material and are
formed with or without a rounded groove D. Fig. 7. & F, Fig. 8. opening into the
Cell, running from top to bottom to hold the Hydrometer or Acidometer; or, with a
socket for the same purpose with an open tube attached E, Fig. 8, and introduced
into one side of the Cell near the bottoin. When opaque Cells or Cases are used the
condition of the Electrolyte can by this means be readily ascertained without the
necessity of the casing being removed.
The arrangement of the plates as in Figs. 1. 3. & 4, permits their being placed so
closely to each other, Fig. 6, as to minimise the internal resistance of the Cell and

page_text: thereby further greatly increases its efficiency and allows a much stronger current to
be employed both when charging and discharging. The Electrolyte may be either
acid, alkaline, or neutral.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1.
claim is :-
:-
That the Frames are made of such a form and material as before described Figs. 1.
2. 3, & 4 as to impart great additional strength and rigidity to the plates:-that the
employment of Beads of spherical or other described forms Fig. 5. presents the largest
surface possible of active material within a given space to the action of the charging
current that these beads of active material being strung upon rods, CFig. 3. are
not liable to be washed away by the boiling of the Electrolyte, nor are they liable to
displacement by expansion or contraction when sudden discharges are taken, nor by
the jolting to which they are subject when used for traction work. The Plates being
built up of these spheres or polygons as before described, buckling is obviated and
short circuiting caused by loosening and falling away of the active material is avoided.
Internal resistance of the cell. is lessened, thereby greatly increasing its efficiency,
and sudden heavy discharges can be taken without injury to the plates, thus dispensing
with the necessity of using Resistance Coils when driving Electro Motors, and by
this means the full power of the Storage battery can be switched on at the start.
When the plates require renewing this can be effected without difficulty by unskilled
labour and at trifling cost. Any one plate either Positive or Negative can be
temporarily removed from and replaced in the Cell without materially interfering
with the work of the Battery. These improvements add considerably to the life of
the Storage battery and go far towards inaking it indestructible.
The socket and tube, or the groove, being placed on the outer side of the Cell
Figs. 7.& 8. greatly facilitates the careful reading of the hydrometer and prevents
the possibility of an electric shock being received by the observer.
Storage cells made on the foregoing principle are much Lighter, Smaller, Cheaper,
and Simpler, than any at present in use and enable the Storage Battery to be employed
advantageously and economically for lighting, traction, and as a motive power, in
fact its utility is in every way vastly increased.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1889.