IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR APPARATUS FOR STORING ELECTRICITY."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Charles Tilston Bright, of 31, Golden Square
London, Knight, for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES
OR APPARATUS FOR STORING ELECTRICITY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd June 1882
Sir CHARLES TILSTON BRIGHT, of 31 Golden Square London, Knight IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR APPARATUS FOR STORING ELECTRICITY
My invention consists of improvements in secondary batteries or accumulators
for the storage of electricity derived from a primary generator, such as dynamo-
electrical machines, galvanic batteries, or other sources of electricity.
The improvements have for their object the lessening of the weight and space
required for a given surface of the elements employed, and augmenting the effective
action for receiving, storing, and utilising the charges of electricity; while also
simplifying and economising the construction and preparation of the secondary
batteries.
In carrying out the first part of my improvements, each division or cell of my
secondary battery is separated by a porous diaphragm into two parts, which are
filled or nearly so by a great number of small spherical granules made of any
suitable conductor.
Electrical connexion is made with the two masses of spherical granules in each
side of the cell by means of electrodes communicating with them.
I find the ordinary small lead shot, although containing a very little arsenic, to
be very suitable as spherical granules, and in using them I employ electrodes made
also of lead, and sulphuric acid diluted with water as the conducting fluid in
the cells.
The second part of my improvements consists in covering the surfaces of the
spheres employed with a coating of dioxide of lead by one of the two following
processes. The first process consists in converting the surface of the spheres into

page_text: a carbonate of lead by exposure to the action of the vapours of acetic acid, and of
carbonic acid, treating the coating of carbonate of lead so produced with chlorine
gas. The second process consists in converting the surface of the spheres into a
protoxide of lead by exposure to heat and the air and afterwards to chlorine gas.
This part of my improvements is adaptable to secondary batteries where other
forms of lead are employed.
The third part of my improvements consists in mixing dioxide of lead in powder
with the granules of lead, and this improvement is applicable to other forms of
secondary battery, as where wire, network, or other arrangements of lead surfaces
(where small interstices can be filled up) are employed.
The above processes are applied to the lead used in one of the parts of
each cell

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th November 1882.
Sir CHARLES TILSTON BRIGHT of 31 Golden Square London, Knight IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SECONDARY BATTERIES OR APPARATUS FOR STORING ELECTRICITY
My invention consists of improvements in secondary batteries, or accumulators
employed for the storage of electricity which is derived from dynamo-electrical
machines, galvanic batteries or thermo-electrical generators.
The improvements have for their object the lessening of the weight and space
required for a given surface of the elements employed, and auginenting the effective
action for storing the electricity, and also simplifying and economising the
construction and preparation of the secondary batteries.
In carrying out the first part of my improvements each division or cell of my
secondary battery is divided by a porous diaphragın into two parts of about equal
dimensions each of which is filled or nearly so by a number of feaden granules and
sulphuric acid diluted with water.
Electrical connexion is made with the two masses of granules by means of
electrodes consisting of leaden plates, one of which is placed in each part of
the cell.
The second part of my improvements consists in covering the surface of lead
employed in secondary batteries with dioxide of lead by first exposing it to the
warm vapours of acetic acid and carbonic acid gas (and thus converting the outer
surface into carbonate of lead) and afterwards treating it with chlorine gas which
may be done in the same manner as lime is treated in the manufacture of bleaching
powder
The third part of my improvements consists in mixing dioxide of lead in the
form of powder with the leaden granules hereinbefore described, so as (together
with the acidulated water) to fill up the interstices between the granules, and this
improvement is applicable to other forms of secondary batteries, as for example
where wire network or other arrangements of leaden surfaces (in which cells or
interstices are capable of being filled up) are employed.
Having thus described the nature of iny said Invention and the best means I am
acquainted with of carrying it into effect I wish it to be understood that what I
claim is :-
First. The combination in secondary batteries or accumulators of leaden granules
and cells divided into two parts by porous divisions.
Second-The treatment of lead employed in the construction of secondary
batteries by the process described under the second part of my improvements
Third The employment of dioxide of lead in the manner described in the third
part of my improvements
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir Charles Tilston Bright have hereto set my
hand and seal this twenty ninth day of November in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
CHARLES. T. BRIGHT (LS.)