Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Charging Accumulators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Charging Accumulators.
We, HARRY BARRINGER Cox, of The Cox Laboratory, St. Albans, in the County
of Herts, Electrician, and THE COX THERMO-ELECTRIC COMPANY LIMITED, of 4
Victoria Mansions, in the City of Westminster, 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:-
As is well known electric accumulators are usually charged by coupling them
together in series and connecting them with an electric generator. This plan
requires a generator of greater voltage than the resulting combined voltage of the
cells comprising the accumulators being charged.
Also, it is well known to those skilled in the art, that thermo-electric batteries,
as at present constructed, can be made to produce a current of large volume but
comparatively low voltage, with a higher fuel efficiency than can be produced with
high voltage dynamo electric machines.
Now this invention has reference to means whereby a number of accumulator
cells can be charged from an electric generator of lower voltage than the normal
voltage of the accumulator plant by successively placing the accumulator cells
either singly or in relatively small groups into circuit with the low voltage generator
for a predetermined period of time, so that the current from the generator shall
be concentrated for such period of time on each accumulator cell, or relatively
small group of the accumulator cells in turn until the entire accumulator plant is
charged, although perhaps the voltage of the entire plant may be many times
greater than that of the generator employed for charging the plant, and which may
advantageously consist of one or more thermo-electric generators.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood the same will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein
Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically, the simplest form of apparatus for carrying
out my invention.
Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically the improved system, with the time switch or
distributor shown diagrammatically and in perspective, the actuating mechanism
therefor being shown in plan.
In the drawings, 2, indicates a thermo-electric generator which is preferably
employed in carving out the invention, although it is not desired to limit the
invention to such a generator of electrical energy. a a, indicates a battery or plant
of secondary, storage, or accumulator cells which are connected in series in the main
or working circuit 7.
5 and 6, are two connecting wires electrically connected to two movable contacts 3
and 4, respectively and to the terminals of the electric generator 2. A pair of
stationary contact plates h, bl, are respectively connected to the positive and nega-
tive poles of each accumulator cell, or group of accumulators cells a.
In Figur 1. the contact plates b. b, of each pair, are arranged side by side.
and the pairs of such plates are arranged in parallel rows, as shown, the plates
of each pair being respectively connected with the opposite poles of the correspond-
ing accumulator cell or group of cells by wires 8 and 9. In this foure of the

page_text: drawing, the positive plates 6, excepting the first one, are shown connected by
wires 10 to the negative plate and wire 9 of the next adjacent forward pair
of plates so that one wire 8 or 9 serves, as shown, for two adjacent accumulator cells
or groups of cells. In Fig. 1, a is intended to indicate a single accumulator cell,
or a group of such cells, or in other words, such a number of cells us it is desired
to place in circuit with the electric gonerator at one time. It will thus be seen
that each pair of plates bb' represent the terminals of an accumulator composed of
one or more cells.
The voltage of the generating plant may not in itself be sufficient for Lighting
one lamp in the working circuit, so that it is the object of this system to concentrate
the current from the generator in each accumulating cell for a certain period of
time, so that the combined voltage accumulated in all the cells shall be sufficient
to light a number of lamps or perform other service in the working circuit 7.
To this end the contacts 3, 4 are moved into electrical engagement with the first
pair of contact plates b, b, so that the current from the generator 2 passes through
the wire 5, contacts 3 and 6, connection 8, the corresponding accumulator cell or
group of cells a, wire 9, contacts and 4, and wire 6 back to the generator. The
movable contacts 3, 4 remain on the said stationary contacts b, b, for a length of
time sufficient to properly charge the particular accumulator cell or group of cells a
connected with the particular pair of contacts b, b. When this period of time
expires, the contacts 3 and 4 are caused to move from the first set of contacts b, b',
to the second set of contacts b, b, thereby throwing the first accumulator cell or
group of cells out of circuit with the generator 2, and placing the second accumulator
cell or group of cells in circuit therewith for a suitable time. This action is
repeated in connection with each pair of contacts 7, 61
The movable contacts 3 and 4 remain on each pair of stationary contacts bb1
for the same length of time so that each accumulator cell or group of cells is in
circuit with the electric generator 2 for the same period of time whereby the
accumulator cells are charged practically equally.
In carrying the invention into practical use, any suitable mechanism may be
provided to automatically move the contacts 3, 4, from one pair of accumulator
contacts to the next and so on, so as to permit each accumulator cell or group
of cells to remain in circuit with the generator 2 for a predetermined period of
time.
I do not wish to limit myself to any particular construction of time distributing
mechanism, or switch mechanism, and the mechanism hereinafter described is
merely intended to illustrate by way of example one construction of such mechanism
that can be employed, as clock mechanism, or any other source of power can be
employed to operate the contacts 3, 4; or electro-magnetic mechanism can he
employed for a like purpose.
In Figure 2 there is shown mechanism for automatically distributing the
electrical energy from the electric generator 2 to each accumulator cell or group
of cells in succession, for a specified and predetermined period of time; or, in other
words, what might be termed a time switch mechanism is provided which concen-
trates the energy of the electric generator on each one of the accumulator cells
or groups of cells of the series successively and for a predetermined period of time
so that all the cells, or groups of cells, are charged equally.
Referring to Fig. 2, the contacts b, bare preferably made in the form of seg-
mental plates, are arranged in two annular series or rings arranged one auove the
other, the said plates being connected up with the accumulator cells as hereinbefore
described in connection with Figure 1, or in any other suitable manner to attain the
result desired.
Mounted centrally within the rings of contact plates 6 b¹, is a vertical shaft e
which is preferably formed of insulating material, and carries the two insulated
contacts 3, 4, which in this example, are formed as spring brushes engaging the
inner edges of the respective contact plates b, b', the arrangement being such that

page_text: as the said shaft revolves, the said spring brushes will move along the inner edges
of the said plates and will jump or snap from one to the other, the inner edges
of the said plates being preferably made concave as shown.
The shafte is also provided with two metallic rings 11 and 12 which are in-
sulated from each other. The ring 12 is electrically connected by a wire 15 with
the contact brush 4, and the ring 11 is electrically connected with the brush 3,
by a wire 16.
The positive pole of the clectric generator 2 is connected by the
wire 5 with a brush 14 that is in constant electrical connection with the disc 11,
and the opposite pole of the generator is connected by the wire 6 with a brush 13,
that is in constant electrical connection with the disc 12. With this arrangement,
as the shaft revolves, the circuit is closed from the electric generator 2 through
the wire 5, brush 14, disc 11, wire 16, brush 3, and the particular contact plato b
on which the said brush 14 is for the time being bearing, the corresponding
accumulator cell a (or group of cells) and back through the corresponding plate b₁,
brush 4, wire 15, disc 12, brush 13, and wire 6 to the generator 2.
A suitable clock mechanism, such as h, can be geared to the shaft e to rotate the
same so that the brushes 3, 1, shall remain in contact with each pair of plates b, b',
a like length of time, say, for instance, forty minutes; that is to say the brushes
take about forty minutes to pass along the entire length of each pair of metallic
plates b. 1, thereby concentrating the energy of the generator 2 on each accumulator
cell or group of cells for that duration of time. The generator 2 or source of
electrical energy can be made up of one or more single generators. If several
individual generators are employed they can be coupled together to meet the
requirements of the particular case, for instance in series or in multiple.
It is evident that various changes and modifications can be made in the forms,
constructions and arrangements of the parts hereinbefore described without de-
parting from the spirit and scope of this invention, hence we do not wish to limit
ourselves to the particular constructions herein set forth but consider ourselves
entitled to all such changes as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what wo
claim is:
1. Means or apparatus for charging accumulators wherein insulated contacts
are electrically connected to the accumulator cells so as to form pairs of contacts
for the opposite poles of the successive cells or groups of cells, and two insulated
brushes are electrically connected to a source of electrical energy so as to form
opposite terminals thereof and are caused to move in electrical connection with the
successive pairs of contacts, the arrangement being such that the brushes are moved
at intervals from one pair of insulated contacts to another pair so that the successive
accumulator cells or groups of accumulator cells will be charged in regular suc-
ression, substantially as described.
2. Apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim in which the pairs
of insulated contacts are arranged in annular rows or rings and the pair of insulated
brushes are mounted to rotate concentrically to the annular rows or rings of contacts
so as to successively connect each pair thereof with an electric generator, sub-
stantially as described.
3. Apparatus of the kind referred to in claim 1 in which the pairs of contacts
are arranged in two rows or series and the accumulators aro divided into similar
sets that are arranged in series with each other and the opposite poles of each of
which are electrically connected to the successive contacts in one row or series each
of which contacts is connected by a cross connection to that one of the contacts
in the other row or series of contacts that forms part of an adjacent pair of contacts,
the arrangement being such that each pair of contacts form the terminals of a set
of accumulators, and each of the contacts in the first mentioned row or series forms
a terminal for two adjacent sets of accumulators, substantially as herein described.

page_text: 4. In apparatus for charging accumulators, switch apparatus constructed arranged
and operating substantially as described and shown.
5. For charging accumulators, apparatus constructed, arranged and operating
substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 29th day of June 1897.
For the Applicants
W. LLOYD WISE
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.