Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 21st Jan.. 1888
Complete Accepted. 2nd Mar., 1888
WILLIAM KINGSLAND (Electrician) 49 Cambridge Road Gunnersbury W. do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to that type of Secondary Battery which has for a negative
element or anode, a slab or plate consisting wholly of active material, contact with
which is effected by means of some inoxidizable metal, preferably platinum foil, and
my object is to minimise the amount of platinum required, and to use it-to the best
advantage.
In order to effect this I employ contact pieces or strips of platinum foil which aro
clamped on to the anode by means of nuts or bolts made of ebonite or other suitable
material, and I use in conjunction with these a washer or cover or backing for the
platinum on that side which is not in contact with the anode, small pieces or strips of
the same material as the anode, cut to the requisite shape and size so as to cover the
platinum, which is thus in contact on each side with active material.
In constructing a cell containing two or more anodes, I sometimes clamp the anodes
together in pairs with the platinum between, so that one piece of platinum may serve
as a contact for two plates, or where it is desirable to have a cathode on each side of
every anode I employ the aforesaid strip of active material as a backing for the platinum
and I place the two anodes so that one strip of active material may serve as a
backing for the platinum contact on each anode, or 1 may employ two or more strips
of active material to form a backing for the platinum contacts and also to separate tlie
anodes so as to permit of a cathole being placed between them.
I may also include the cathode in the above arrangement, and clamp it between the
two anodes, making use for this purpose of the same nuts or bolts which hold the anodes
and their contacts together, suitable holes being made in the cathode for this purpose.
In this case it will be necessary to employ a strip of some suitable insulating material
such as ebonite, or preferably India-rubber or Asbestos at those points where the
cathode would otherwise be in contact with the active material of the backings.
In clamping the plates together I also employ India-rubber or Asbestos in the form
of a washer underneath the heads of the nuts or bolts, or between the backing strips
in order to give a certain amount of elasticity to the combination, and to allow for
expansion and contraction of the plates.
11007

page_text: -
Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
I, WILLIAM KINGSLAND, of 49 Cambridge Road, Gunnersbury, in the County of
Middlesex Electrician 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 that type of secondary battery which has for a negativo
clement or anode, a slab or plate consisting wholly or mainly of active material such
for example as an agglomerate of peroxide of lead, electrical contact with which, is
effected by means of some inoxidizable metal preferably platinum foil, and my ohjeet
is to minimise the amount of platinum required and to use it to the best advantage.
The electrical contacts to which this invention relates are those joining the electrodes
from cell to cell or with the main working conductors of the apparatus.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 represents in perspective a portion of an anode composed of a slab or plato
of active material and shewing the contact arrangement according to my invention;
Figure 2 is a partial vertical transverse section, and Figure 3 is a side elevation of
same with the plate D removed, and shewing the bolt Cin cross section. Figure 4
shews a similar form of connection in longitudinal and vertical cross section arranged
according to my invention and as applied to two plates. Figure 5 is a plan, and
Figure 6 is a vertical section on the line X Y Figure 5, shewing a different arrange-
ment of contacts. Figure 7 is a plan of another somewhat similar arrangement, and
Figure 8 is a sectional view shewing another arrangement for connecting two plates.
According to my invention 1 employ contact pieces or strips of platinum foil A
which are clamped on to the anode B by means of nuts or bolts C made of ebonite or
other suitable material, and I use in conjunction with these a washer or cover or
backing D for the platinum on that side which is not in contact with the anode, and
this washer, cover, or backing, is composed of one or more small pieces or strips of
the same material as the anode, cut to the required shape and size, so as to cover the
platinum or contact piece A which is thus enclosed on each side with active material.
In constructing a cell containing two or more anodes B, I sometimes, as shewn at
Figure 8, clamp the anodes together in pairs with the platinum between, so that one
piece of platinum may serve as a contact for two plates, or when it is desirable to
have a cathode B' on each side of every anode B 1 employ the aforesaid strip or
washer of active material D, as is shewn at Figures 4, 5 and 6, for a backing for
the platinum, and I place the two anodes B B so that one strip of active material D
may serve as a backing for the platinum contacts on each anode B, or 1 may
employ two or more strips or washers of active material to form a backing for the
platinum contacts and also to separate the anodes so as to permit of a cathode being
placed between them.. I may also include the cathode B' in the above arrangement,
and as is shown at Fig. 7 clamp it between the two anodes B B making use for this

page_text: purpose of the same nuts or bolts (which hold the anodes B B and their contacts A A
together, suitable holes being made in the cathode B' for this purpose.
In this case it will be necessary to employ a strip of some suitable insulating
material as at D D' such as ebonite, or preferably india rubber, or asbestos, at those
points where the cathode would otherwise be in contact with the active material of the
backings.
In clamping the plates together I may also employ india rubber or asbestos in the
form of a washer as shewn at C Figures 5 and 7, underneath the heads of the nuts or
bolts, or they may be applied in place of the insulating strip D' in order to give a
certain amount of elasticity to the combination and to allow for expansion and
contraction of the plates.
I am aware that it has been proposed to employ platinum in the construction of
secondary batteries I lay no claim to the use of platinum per se, but by my invention
I am able to utilize its valuable qualities in a special and economical manner, and
it is the means which I employ for such purpose which forms the essential feature
of my invention.
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 claim is :-
First In secondary batteries, the contact strips or pieces of platinum foil clamped
to the anode, with a washer or strip of similar material to the anode, whereby the
platinum foil is in contact with active material on each side, substantially as set
forth.
Second In secondary batteries, the nuts or bolts for clamping the platinum foil
contact pieces, in combination with the washers or strips of similar material to the
anode, as and for the purposes set forth.
Third In secondary batteries, clamping two or more anodes together with or
without a cathode or cathodes between same having platinum contact pieces in com-
bination with two or more backings of active material and held or supported by
insulated bolts and nuts and elastic washers, and provided with insulating pieces when
necessary, all substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and
illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of Lenua 1000