Electrolyte release valve and vent for reserve battery

Claim 1

IN A RESERVE TYPE ELECTRIC BATTERY HAVING A BATTERY COMPARTMENT IN THE LOWER PART THEREOF AND AN ELECTROLYTE COMPARTMENT ARRANGED ABOVE THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT, A COMBINED VALVE AND GAS VENT FOR RELEASING THE ELECTROLYTE TO ACTIVATE THE BATTERY AND FOR VENTING GASES GENERATED THEREIN, COMPRISING AN OPEN-ENDED SLEEVE HAVING AN ENLARGED CUP-SHAPED UPPER END PORTION, THE TOP WALL AND FLOOR OF THE ELECTROLYTE COMPARTMENT HAVING VERTICALLY ALINED OPENINGS THEREIN, SAID SLEEVE EXTENDING THROUGH AND MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING IN SAID TOP WALL WITH THE OPEN TOP THEREOF EXPOSED EXTERIORLY OF THE BATTERY AND DEPENDING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID COMPARTMENT BUT TERMINATING SHORT OF THE FLOOR THEREOF, A VALVE STEM ARRANGED FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID SLEEVE AND EXTENDING INTO THE CUPSHAPED PORTION AND BEYOND THE BOTTOM END OF SAID SLEEVE, A VALVE PLUG WASHER AFFIXED TO THE BOTTOM END OF SAID STEM, A FLEXIBLE SHEATH EXTENDING FROM SAID WASHER TO SAID SLEEVE ENCLOSING THE OPEN BOTTOM END OF SAID SLEEVE, MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID WASHER IN FLUID-TIGHT CONTACT WITH THE PERIPHERY OF SAID OPENING IN THE FLOOR OF SAID ELECTROLYTE COMPARTMENT, AND NORMALLY COCKED SPRING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID VALVE STEM UPWARDLY TO OPEN THE VALVE AND RELEASE ELECTROLYTE FROM SAID ELECTROLYTE COMPARTMENT UPON THE TRIGGERING OF SAID SPRING MEANS, SAID VALVE STEM HAVING AN AXIAL BORE THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH PROVIDING A VENT PASSAGEWAY CONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF THE BATTERY WITH THE ATMOSPHERE WHEN THE VALVE IS IN OPEN POSITION.