Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Electric Batteries.
I, MANES EPHRAIM FULD, 409, N. Paca Street, Baltimore, Maryland, United
States of America, General Manager of The Chloride of Silver Dry Cell Battery
Company, a Citizen of the United States, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in electric battery cells and means for
packing the said cells, and especially to "dry-cell" batteries whereby a group of
cells may be suitably secured to the cell support, and yet each cell may be con
veniently removed and another cell substituted therefor.
As the life of the small dry cells used in such batteries is more or less limited
and the battery or the individual cells thereof must be frequently renewed by the
substitution of new cells for the old, it is desirable that the cells be secured to
the support in such a manner as to be readily placed in position and removed,
so as to secure the proper connections with certainty, and without necessitating
either the return of the battery to the factory, or special skill on the part of the
operator.
Moreover it is desirable that the cell cases and other detachable parts may
be used over and over again, the cells themselves only being renewed. Each cell
case is provided with recesses at its upper edge, and an insulating cap, perforated
to receive the terminal wires and having ears adapted to project into said recesses,
is fitted on each cell forming a cover therefor, the said caps being held securely in
place by pins or screws projecting through the sides of the cell cases into the caps.
Detachably connected to the said cases are rods which serve as supports for the
cell case and as enlarged terminals for the cell or cells contained in the cell case.
My invention further embraces a novel method of sealing the cells. Broadly
this improved method of sealing a cell of the character specified consists in
inserting outside the battery fluid a mixture, which after being inserted forms a
hard sealing plug; inserting above the said hard plug a viscous plug; inserting
above the viscous plug a thin layer of plaster and allowing this to harden, and
then inserting above this a thicker layer of plaster and allowing it to harden,
after which the upper edges of the cell may be crimped; or the cell may be crimped
before the last plug is inserted.
My invention further embodies an improved method of connecting the separate
cells of a battery together, which consists in supplying the cells with enlarged
supporting terminals screwed into the cell caps and having their upper ends
screw-threaded. These screw-threaded portions of the terminals are passed through
a supporting plate and provided at their upper ends with nuts which securely

page_text: hold the terminal supports against the plate. Terminal posts are then screwed
into said supporting plate or cell support from above, and are connected by metallic
connecting plates in any desired combination.
My invention further embodies an improved method of separating the elements
of the cell which consists in providing the cells with non-conducting separating
plates supported by the elements of the cells approximately at the upper and lower
ends of the elements, the said plates each being recessed at one end where they
contact with the cell to compensate expansion.
Other novel features of my said invention as well as those above referred to,
will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings.
in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several
views:
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the cell support, shewing
three cells suspended therefrom, one of the cells being shewn in central vertical
section.
Figure 2 represents a plan view of the three cells shewn in Fig. 1, the cell
support being omitted..
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the cell cases.
Figure 4 represents a perspective view of the insulating cap for one of the
cell cases shewn in Figs. 1 to 3.
Figure 5 represents a vertical sectional view of a cell support with a larger
cell case suspended therefrom, which cell case is intended to contain a plurality
of cells.
Figure 6 represents a plan view of the cell case shewn in Fig. 5, as detached
from the cell support.
Figure 7 represents a perspective view of the cell case shewn in Figs. 5 and 6,
with the cap removed.
Figure 8 represents a perspective view of the insulating cap for the cell case.
shewn in Figs. 5 to 7.
Figure 9 is a plan view of the cell support shewing the arrangement of the
contacts or connections between cells.
Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the cell support, shewing
one of the large cell cases suspended therefrom and containing two cells, one
of which is shewn in central vertical section.
Figure 11 represents a section taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 10 and
looking in the direction of the arrow; and
Figure 12 is a plan view of the insulating plate separating the upper ends of the
elements, shewn in Fig. 1.
Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 4, A represents a cell case, made. pre-
ferably of metal and having its upper edges a¹ notched or recessed as at a and
provided with screw holes a³, see Fig. 3.
B represents the cell, which is preferably of glass or porcelain, and may be
made either of the ordinary cylindrical form, or its neck may be compressed in
the form of a truncated cone, as shewn in Fig. 1.
B¹ represents the electrolyte, (preferably a zinc sulphate solution. though other
solutions, if found better adapted, may be employed) in which the zinc element B
and chloride of silver element B3 are immersed. which elements are prevented
from touching each other by means of the insulating pieces B4 and B³ secured to
each end of the elements, see Fig. 1. These pieces B and B are notched as
at 75 to prevent them from expanding and breaking the cells.
The upper ends of the elements are connected to the terminals which pass
through the rubber sleeves 6º, and then as shown in Fig. 4 through the openings
in the cap C, having their ends finally secured beneath the lugs & which are made
integral with the rods D.
The cells are provided with four sealing plugs, the bottom one B being a
hard seal composed of resin and guttapercha melted and poured into the cell.
the said seal becoming hard when cool. Obviously, a seal of leather or paste-board

page_text: could be used at this point. Over this seal is a soft sticky seal B' composed of
resin dissolved in resin oil, though molasses, varnish, or the like may be used
instead of the resin solution. After the soft seal has been inserted, a thin layer
of plaster of Paris is placed on top of it, and upon setting, forms the seal 138.
This too, might be replaced by a disc of leather or pasteboard. Then, after the
seal B8 has become hard, the thick seal 139 of plaster of Paris is inserted and
allowed to set. The lower plaster seal relieves the pressure of the heavy top
seal B upon the soft seal 137. Obviously other plastic substances may be sub-
stituted for the plaster of Paris.
Whenever the cells have not the shape of a truncated cone at their upper ends
or the seals are not otherwise prevented from coming out, the upper edge of the
cell is indented on each side as seen most clearly at 6, Fig. 11. This indentation
in the glass of the cell being simply a means for preventing the seals from coming
out, may obviously be replaced by any other convenient means for accomplishing
the same result.
The caps Care provided with ears c adapted to fit into the recesses a of the
cell cases, and the cap is intended to be flush with the upper edge a¹ of the cell
case A.
The cap is held in place by screws passing through the screw holes a²
These caps are preferably made of vulcanized fibre, but ebonite or other suitable
insulating material may be used if desired.
The cell is suspended from the cap by means of the terminals b, and it is held
in place by the cell case and prevented from being broken by violent contact
with the sides of the cell case, by means of the absorbent packing F. This
packing is made absorbent so that in case the inner cell is broken by pressure
of gases generated by the electrolytic action, or by accident, or in case any of the
fluid in the cell is forced out through the sealing, this absorbent packing may
prevent the same leaking out past the cap to the injury of the other parts of the
apparatus.
Each cell case is suspended from the cell support E by means of the rods D
which serve not only as supports to the cell case, but also as enlarged terminals
or binding posts. The lower end of each of these rods D) is screw threaded as at di
and screws into the cap C, see Fig. 1, while the lug or boss d, preferably made
angular for convenience in screwing down the rod, is adapted to bear on and
hold the terminal b down firmly on the cap C, as shewn in Fig. 1.
The upper end of the rod 1) is also preferably screw threaded as at d² to engage
the nut D¹, by means of which the said rod is held in the cell support E. Instead
of this screw threaded portion 2 and the nut D', any convenient means of detach-
ably connecting the rod 1 to the cell support E may be adopted, if desired.
1 represents terminal contact posts, screw threaded as at d³ and adapted to
screw into the supporting plate E from above. Metallic contact strips d, pro-
vided with slots for the admission of the terminals, are adapted to connect
the terminals of the cells to each other and to the said terminal posts, all of which
is most clearly shewn in Figs. 1 and 9. The arrangement of the terminal posts,
as shewn, is simple, strong and effective.
Referring now particularly to Figs. 5 to 8 and Fig. 10, the cell case A' is made
large enough to contain two or more cells which may be connected together in
series or multiple, as is well known in the art within the cell case, and have their
terminals connected to the single pair of rods D, see Figs. 5, 6, 8 and 10. In
other respects, the insulating cap is secured in the cell case and connected to the
cell support in the same manner, as has already been described with reference
to Figs. 1 to 4.
In Fig. 10, which is a vertical central section of one of the double cell cases
and cells, B6, B7, B8 and 19 represent sealing plugs similar to those before shewn
and described in connection with Fig. 1. The zinc electrode B10 is, in this case,
semi-circular in cross section, or approximately so. The glass cells are enclosed
in the pasteboard wrappers or cylinders 600, which prevent adjacent cells from
striking each other and reduces the liability of breakage. The electrodes are held

page_text: apart at their lower ends by the insulating piece B¹. Absorbent packing is
placed above and below the cells to prevent breakage and to absorb any liquid
which may find its way to the interior of the cell case.
From the foregoing it will be evident that each cell case with the cell or cells
enclosed may be readily detached from the cell support, without disturbing the
other cell cases, and that a new cell case with cell or cells enclosed may be sub-
stituted therefor.
Furthermore it will be evident that the caps to the cell cases may be readily
removed when desired, and the contents of the cell cases may be readily changed,
and thus the same cell cases, caps, etc., maybe used over and over again.
It is obvious also that the cell proper is capable of many. modifications which
may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. The combination with a cell case, provided with recesses at its upper edge,
of an insulating cap perforated to receive the terminal wires and having ears
adapted to project into said recesses, with screws or pins projecting through the
sides of said case into said cap, and rods detachably connected to said cap and
adapted to serve as supports for the cell case and as enlarged terminals for the
cell or cells contained in the cell case.
2. The combination with an insulating cell support, of a cell case provided
with recesses at its upper edge, an insulating cap perforated to receive the terminal
wires, and having ears integral therewith adapted to project into the recesses in
the cell case, with screws or pins projecting through the sides of said case into
said cap, and rods detachably connected in said cap. and to said cell support, and
as enlarged terminals for the cell or cells contained in the cell case.
3. A battery cell of the character described, having non-conducting separating
plates supported by the elements of said cell approximately at the upper and
lower ends of said elements and separating them from each other and holding them:
at a fixed distance apart, the said plates each being recessed at one end where they
contact with the cell to compensate for expansion.
4. In a cell of the character described, the combination with the elements, of
the non-conducting notched plates separating the same, a hard sealing plug just
outside the battery fluid, a viscous plug resting upon said hard plug, a support-
ing plaster plug above said viscous plug, a sealing plaster plug above and resting
upon said supporting plug, indentations at the top of said cells to prevent the
displacement of said scals, a cell case enclosing one or more of said cells, a non-
conducting cap closing the upper end of said cell case, enlarged supporting ter-
minals secured to the said non-conducting cap, the terminals from said elements
connected to said supporting terminals, and said supporting terminals adapted
to be secured to the cell support.
5. The combination with the cells of an electric battery, of cell cases enclosing
said cells, said cell cases being provided with recesses in their upper edges, caps
enclosing the upper ends of said cell cases and extending into said recesses, enlarged
supporting terminals screwed into said caps, a cell support and removable devices
securing the said terminals to the said support.
6. The method of forming a battery cell, which consists in partly filling the cell
case with an electrolyte, inserting the elements therein at proper distances apart;
inserting a plastic seal and allowing the same to harden; inserting above this seal
a viscous plug; inserting above said viscous plug a thin layer of plaster of Paris
under a slight pressure, allowing this layer to harden; inserting above this layer
a thicker layer of plaster of Paris under pressure and indenting the upper end
of the cell case to prevent the said seals from becoming displaced..
7. In electric batteries the construction whereby a group of cells may be con-
veniently secured to one cell support such as E so that each cell may be con-

page_text: veniently detached therefrom and another inserted in its place the several details
being combined and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Noted this 2nd day of Santamber 1808
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees & Hull,
Agent for the Applicant.