IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR MAGAZINES OF ELECTRICITY
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scudamöre Sellon, of Hatton Garden, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES
OR MAGAZINES OF ELECTRICITY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scudamore Sellon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th September 1881.
JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR MAGAZINES OF ELECTRICITY."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
batteries known as secondary batteries and employed for the purpose of storing or
magazining electricity, and it consists in the employment of terminal plates or
elements composed of two or more metals, either consisting of plates or sheets
of metals made to adhere by mechanical pressure or otherwise, or by the employ-
ment of metallic plates consisting of an alloy or alloys, or of metallic plates or
terminals or elements consisting of one or two or more metals; as before mentioned,
either with or without the use and application of an amalgam.
Also in the formation, construction; and use of any of the before mentioned
metallic combinations, either in the form or forms referred to in my Provisional
Specification dated 10th September 1881; or when in the form of wire tubing or
strips, or when either woven, plaited, braided, or otherwise interwoven or converted
into a metallic fabric.
Also in the construction and use of terminals or elements of a woven metallic
fabric composed of and produced from lead when in the state or condition of wire
strip, tubing, or other divided form, such, for example, as lead in the form of
plate, disc, shot, or in any other form strung upon or brought into contact with
a wire or wires whether of lead or of other metal or alloy constituting a terminal
element.
It will be found that when such metallic fabrics, forms; or products are employed,
either as simple elements or as supports for other materials or compounds, a large
and highly retaining surface will be obtained.
In the manufacture of such before mentioned woven metallic fabrics, forms, or
products I employ the before referred to metallic wire strip, tubing, plates, discs,
shot, or other form either smooth, indented; roughened, or fluted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Scudamore Sellon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th March 1882.
JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR MAGAZINES OF ELECTRICITY."
My present Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrange-
ment of batteries known as secondary batteries, and used for the purpose of storing
or magazining electricity, and it consists in the employment of plates or elements
.composed of two or more metals of which lead and antimony are essential, and
either consisting of plates or sheets of metals made to adhere by mechanical
pressure or other equivalent means, or by the employment of metallic plates
consisting of alloys of lead and antimony.
And my said Invention also relates to the formation, construction, and use of the
before mentioned metallic combinations, either in the form or forms described in
the Specification to my former Letters Patent, dated the Tenth September, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one, No. 3926, or when in the form of wire
tubing or strips, or when either woven, plaited, braided, or otherwise interwoven
or converted into a metallic fabric.
Further in the construction and use of elements of a woven metallic fabric
composed of and produced from lead when in the state or condition of wire strips,
tubing, or other suitable divided form presenting a large retaining surface which
may be smooth, roughened, or indented as desired.
In carrying out this part of my Invention I use for the manufacture of my
plates an alloy of lead with antimony for the purpose of giving increased durability
and also increased hardness in order to prevent the contortions or changes of shape
which the plates (especially those used as positives) undergo during their formation.
For the above named purposes I prefer to add a percentage or antimony, say, five
to twenty five per cent., but a greater or less percentage may be employed.
And in order that the other parts of my said Invention may be fully understood
I shall now_proceed-more-particularly-to-describe-the-same,-and-for-that-purpose-
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a side elevation of an element
or plate of a secondary battery composed of a number of perforated lead strips
(having suitable surfaces) or of metal fabric in accordance with one part of my
present Invention.
Figure 2 shews a modified arrangement of the above, in which the perforated
lead strips or metallic fabric are strung or affixed to carbon rods or other suitable
supports.
And Figure 3 illustrates a further modification, in which the battery element or
plate is composed of a number of perforated lead tubes of any suitable section.
Referring to Figure 1 of the Drawings I form the elements or plates, according
to one arrangement, of perforated lead in the condition of strips A having smooth,
roughened, corrugated, or indented surfaces, or any suitable woven fabric or form
suitably prepared, may be employed so as to retain the material to be packed
therein or thereon, and attached at the sides, ends, top and bottom (and if desirable
intermediately), or in any convenient position to pieces, rods, or tubes B of lead or
.other suitable metal, and then packed with finely divided material c already
prepared or hereafter to be rendered active.
According to the modified arrangement shewn at Figure 2, I employ lead in the
same condition as above, but strung on or affixed to rods of carbon D with side or

page_text: top and bottom pieces of lead cast on or affixed thereto forming a strong frame-
work d upon, against, or into which the spongy or other material c is packed.
Figure 3 shews another arrangement in which an element or plate is formed of
perforated lead tubes E of round or other suitable section packed with the
material c already prepared or to be rendered active with side pieces of lead F
affixed to or cast thereupon, and with or without a centre wire core support of
metal or carbon. In all these forms described the lead may be either unalloyed or
(if possible) alloyed, as hereinbefore described. It will be obviously understood
that many other forms of plates might be adopted in accordance with my said
Invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First. The use in secondary batteries or magazines for storing electricity of plates,
elements, or supports constructed or composed of alloys of lead with antimony,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Secondly. The employment of plates or elements composed of perforated strips,
tubes, pieces, or woven fabrics of lead or of the above alloy, either separately or
combined and affixed to, supported by, or strung upon rods, bars, or pieces of
carbon, lead, or other suitable metal, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Scudamore Sellen, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
JOHN S. SELLON. (L.S.)