Improvements in and relating to Storage Batteries.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1895
Improvements in and relating to Storage Batteries.
I, CHARLES STEPHEN WHEATLEY BROWN, Engineer 3 Ellacomb Villas,
Hertford Road, Lower Edmonton, Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
A method of constructing storage batteries in such a form that they shall be
capable of withstanding great vibration without deterioration.
To attain this end I make the positive element cylindrical and enclose it in an
envelope, or covering, of non-conducting material such as celluloid, perforated
with numerous holes to allow free access of the electrolyte to the active material.
The active material, may be any of those in use.
The conductor, or spreader, for the current extends longitudinally through the
centre of this cylinder and is made in the form of a number of wings projecting
radially from a common centre so as to carry the current into every part of the
active material, which surrounds it.
I then place this positive cylinder, or element, within a negative element, which
I make in the form of a tube of sufficient inside diameter to admit the positive
element, or cylinder, and completely surround it, leaving a space between the two
elements of one quarter of an inch all round.
I make this negative element of a tube of lead, or other suitable material, which
I perforate with numerous holes, countersunk both inside and outside.
paste, or otherwise cover, this tube, both outside and inside, with suitable active
material and enclose it in an envelope of perforated non-cor ducting material, which
covers both the inside and outside faces of the tube and forms a support to the
active material.
I affix suitable lugs or terminals to both elements.
I keep the two elements apart, and also make them form a mutual support, by
means of a helix of non-conducting material, such as vulcanite.
The non-conducting material used is in the form of a round rod of a diameter
equal to the space left between the two elements.
I put a similar helix on the outside of the negative element to form a support
between it and the walls of the containing box or cell.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of November 1894.
Improvements in and relating to Storage Batteries.
I, CHARLES STEPHEN WHEATLEY BROWN, of 3 Ellacomb Villas, Hertford
Road, Lower Edmonton, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer 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 has reference to an improved construction of storage battery
designed to withstand great vibration without deterioration.

page_text: For this purpose I construct and arrange the electrodes in the manner I will now
proceed to explain by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein
Fig. 1 18 a central vertical section and Fig. 2 a horizontal section, of a complete
cell.
Figs. 3 and 4 are external views of the conducting supports or grids of the
positive and negative elements respectively;
Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line x x of Fig. 3; and
Figs. 6 & 7 are respectively a side elevation and plan of a spacing coil used in the
construction of the cell.
The positive electrode or element is made of cylindrical form and comprises a
central conductor or spreader of suitable conducting material, for example, lead,
made in the form of a number of wings or blades 1, (Figs. 1, 2 & 3) that are
preferably perforated as shown, and which project radially from a common centre 1*
so as to efficiently conduct the current to and from the active material 2 which is
compressed between and around them as shown, so as to form a solid cylinder. The
positive electrode thus constructed is, preferably after being electrically formed,
enclosed in a cylindrical envelope or casing 3 of non-conducting material such as
celluloid, which is provided with numerous small holes 3 to allow free access of the
electrolyte to the active material 2. This material may be of any suitable kind
and such as is ordinarily employed for the purpose.
The positive electrode and perforated casing are placed within a negative electrode
or element which is made in the form of a tube of sufficient inside diameter to
admit the positive electrode and leave a space between the two of about inch all
round. This negative electrode comprises a tube 4 of suitable conducting material
for example lead, provided with numerous holes 4 that are countersunk at both
ends. This tube is pasted or otherwise covered both inside and outside, with
suitable active material 5 and enclosed within an envelope or casing 6 of perforated
non-conducting material which covers both the inside and outside surfaces of the
tube 4 and forms a support to the active material 5 applied to the two sides
thereof.
The two electrodes, which are provided with suitable lugs or terminals 7, 7*, are
maintained concentrically one within the other and arranged to form a mutual
support to each other, by means of a coil or helix 8 of non-conducting material
such as vulcanite, placed between them as shown. The coil or helix 8 thus also
serves to hold the casing 3 together in the event of its splitting longitudinally, and
so prevent active material thus escaping therefrom and short circuiting the electrodes.
The non-conducting material of which this coil or helix is made, is of circular
form in cross section, and has a diameter equal to the width of the space left
between the two electrodes, so as to tightly fit the electrodes. A similar coil or
helix 9 is placed on the outside of the casing 6 enclosing the negative electrode to
form a support between it and the walls of the containing box 10, and to hold the
outer wall of the casing in the event of its splitting. The two electrodes are
supported above the bottom of the box 10, so as to permit of free access of the
electrolyte to the annular space between the electrodes, by an insulating support
consisting for example of rods 11 of wood saturated with paraffin and arranged
cross-wise, and each threaded through a piece of india rubber tubing 11.
If desired the negative electrode may be surrounded by another electrode
similar to it and arranged as a positive electrode, so that the negative electrode
would then have a positive electrode opposed to each side of it.
As will be obvious, the diameters of the electrodes and the thickness of the
active material on the negative electrode, can be varied, to suit requirement.
Storage cells constructed as described are electrically formed in a manner now
well understood, and any number of them can be combined together to suit
requirement.
By the construction described it will be seen that the active material will be
effectually held in place even if subjected to considerable vibration, and this

page_text: without materially interfering with the free access thereto of the electrolyte with
which the cell is charged.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a storage battery, a pair of cylindrical concentrically arranged electrodes,
the inner one comprising a conductor or spreader having wings or blades embedded
in active material so as to form a solid cylinder that is enclosed within a perforated
cylindrical envelope or casing of non-conducting material, and the outer one
comprising a perforated cylindrical conducting tube covered on each side with
active material and enclosed within a perforated cylindrical envelope or casing of
non-conducting material that covers both the inside and outside surfaces of the
electrode, substantially as herein described.
2. In a storage battery, a cylindrical electrode having a spreader of suitable
conducting material made in the form of three or more radial blades or plates
embedded in the active material of which the electrode is composed, substantially
as described and shown.
3. In a storage battery the combination with concentrically arranged cylindrical
electrodes enclosed in perforated casings of non-conducting material, of coils or
helices arranged between the electrodes and between the outer one and the enclosing
vessel, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4. The improved storage cell herein before described with reference to and shewn
10 the drawings annexed.
I the drawingß annexeu.
Dated this 27th day of August 1895.
For the Applicant.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.