US3897269A — Storage battery construction and method of making…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 213 words

THE METHOD OF MAKING A STORAGE BATTEY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: PROVIDING AN OPEN TOP STORAGE BATTERY CASE HAVING A PARTITION OF INSULATING MATERIAL WHICH DIVIDES THE CASE INTO AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS, SAID PARTITION HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH: PROVIDING BATTERY ELEMENTS, SAID ELEMENTS EACH INCLUDING A CONNECTOR STRAP THEREON HAVING A CONNECTOR LUG WITH A SEALING FACE THEREON, EACH CONNECTOR LUG HAVING AN INTEGRAL PROJECTION OF LEAD MATERIA THEREON EXTENDING FROM THE SEALING FACE THEREON: POSITIONING SAID BATTERY ELEMENTS IN EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS WITH SAID PROJECTIONS POSITIONED IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID PARTITION WALL, THERE BEING AN AREA OF REDUCED CROSS SECTION AT THE AREA OF CONTACT: PASSING AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH SAID PROJECTIONS TO SOFTEN THE CONTACT PORTIONS OF SAID PROJECTIONS INTO A DEFORMABLE MASS AND CAUSE THEM TO FUSE TOGETHER, COMPRESSING SAID CONNECTOR LUGS TOGETHER WHEN SAID PROJECTIONS ARE IN A SOFTENED STATE TO FORCE THE SEALING FACES OF THE CONNECTOR LUGS INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PARTITION WALL: AND MAINTAINING SAID CONNECTOR LUGS UNDERCOMPRESSION FOR A PEROID OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW SAID SOFTENED LEAD MATERIAL TO HARDEN TO A POINT WHERE SAID SEALING FACES ON SAID LUGS WILL BE PERMANENTLY MAINTAINED IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PARTITION WALL.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 213 words

THE METHOD OF MAKING A STORAGE BATTEY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: PROVIDING AN OPEN TOP STORAGE BATTERY CASE HAVING A PARTITION OF INSULATING MATERIAL WHICH DIVIDES THE CASE INTO AT LEAST TWO SEPARATE COMPARTMENTS, SAID PARTITION HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH: PROVIDING BATTERY ELEMENTS, SAID ELEMENTS EACH INCLUDING A CONNECTOR STRAP THEREON HAVING A CONNECTOR LUG WITH A SEALING FACE THEREON, EACH CONNECTOR LUG HAVING AN INTEGRAL PROJECTION OF LEAD MATERIA THEREON EXTENDING FROM THE SEALING FACE THEREON: POSITIONING SAID BATTERY ELEMENTS IN EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS WITH SAID PROJECTIONS POSITIONED IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID PARTITION WALL, THERE BEING AN AREA OF REDUCED CROSS SECTION AT THE AREA OF CONTACT: PASSING AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH SAID PROJECTIONS TO SOFTEN THE CONTACT PORTIONS OF SAID PROJECTIONS INTO A DEFORMABLE MASS AND CAUSE THEM TO FUSE TOGETHER, COMPRESSING SAID CONNECTOR LUGS TOGETHER WHEN SAID PROJECTIONS ARE IN A SOFTENED STATE TO FORCE THE SEALING FACES OF THE CONNECTOR LUGS INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PARTITION WALL: AND MAINTAINING SAID CONNECTOR LUGS UNDERCOMPRESSION FOR A PEROID OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW SAID SOFTENED LEAD MATERIAL TO HARDEN TO A POINT WHERE SAID SEALING FACES ON SAID LUGS WILL BE PERMANENTLY MAINTAINED IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PARTITION WALL.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 162 words

A method for making a storage battery comprising the steps of: providing an open top storage battery case having a partition therein of insulating material which divides the case into at least two separate compartments, said partition having an aperture therethrough; positioning battery elements in each of said compartments, said elements each including a connector strap thereon, said connector straps each having a connector lug with a sealing face, an integral projection of lead material on each sealing face in contact with each other through the partition aperture; passing an electric welding current through said projections; and squeezing said connector lugs together during and immediately subsequent to the application of the electric welding current to force the molten lead of the weld area into sealing engagement with the wall of the aperture, to force the sealing faces of the connector lugs into sealing engagement with opposite sides of the partition wall, and to weld said lugs together and maintain said sealing engagements.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 162 words

A method for making a storage battery comprising the steps of: providing an open top storage battery case having a partition therein of insulating material which divides the case into at least two separate compartments, said partition having an aperture therethrough; positioning battery elements in each of said compartments, said elements each including a connector strap thereon, said connector straps each having a connector lug with a sealing face, an integral projection of lead material on each sealing face in contact with each other through the partition aperture; passing an electric welding current through said projections; and squeezing said connector lugs together during and immediately subsequent to the application of the electric welding current to force the molten lead of the weld area into sealing engagement with the wall of the aperture, to force the sealing faces of the connector lugs into sealing engagement with opposite sides of the partition wall, and to weld said lugs together and maintain said sealing engagements.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method according to claim 2 and wherein the volume of said projections is slightly greater than the volume of said aperture.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 173 words

The method of making a storage battery comprising the steps of: providing an open top storage battery case having a partition therein of insulating material which divides the case into at least two separate compartments, said partition having an opening therethrough; providing battery elements, said elements each including a connector strap thereon and said connector straps each having a connector lug with a sealing face thereon, there being lead projection material extending from said sealing faces for electrically connecting said straps; positioning one of said battery elements in each of said compartments with said projection material extending through the partition opening between said lugs; passing an electric welding current through said projection material to soften such material into a deformable mass; and squeezing said connector lugs together during the application of the electric current to force the softened projection material into sealing engagement with the wall of the partition opening, said squeezing being effective to force the sealing faces of the connector lugs into sealing engagement with opposite sides of the partition wall.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 173 words

The method of making a storage battery comprising the steps of: providing an open top storage battery case having a partition therein of insulating material which divides the case into at least two separate compartments, said partition having an opening therethrough; providing battery elements, said elements each including a connector strap thereon and said connector straps each having a connector lug with a sealing face thereon, there being lead projection material extending from said sealing faces for electrically connecting said straps; positioning one of said battery elements in each of said compartments with said projection material extending through the partition opening between said lugs; passing an electric welding current through said projection material to soften such material into a deformable mass; and squeezing said connector lugs together during the application of the electric current to force the softened projection material into sealing engagement with the wall of the partition opening, said squeezing being effective to force the sealing faces of the connector lugs into sealing engagement with opposite sides of the partition wall.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 107 words

The method of making a sealed electrical connection through an aperture in a wall of a storage battery comprising the steps of: providing a metal conductor at each end of said aperture, each of said conductors having a lead projection formed thereon and projecting therefrom; positioning said conductors with said projections in contact Pg,20 with each other through said aperture; passing an electric welding current through said projections to soften said projections into a deformable mass; and pressing said conductors together during the application of the electric welding current to weld said projections together and to force the softened lead into sealing engagement with the partition aperture.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 107 words

The method of making a sealed electrical connection through an aperture in a wall of a storage battery comprising the steps of: providing a metal conductor at each end of said aperture, each of said conductors having a lead projection formed thereon and projecting therefrom; positioning said conductors with said projections in contact Pg,20 with each other through said aperture; passing an electric welding current through said projections to soften said projections into a deformable mass; and pressing said conductors together during the application of the electric welding current to weld said projections together and to force the softened lead into sealing engagement with the partition aperture.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 215 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising; providing a hole through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments, providing opposed connector elements having tapered shanks and non-mating end portions wherein the diameter of said shanks permits entry of the shanks into said hole, entering said tapered shanks into said hole from opposite sides of said dividing wall so that the non-mating end portions thereof contact one another, applying force simultaneously from opposed directions to said shanks for causing said non-mating ends to contact one another, passing a welding current through the junction of the opposite ends of said shanks sufficient to cause resistance welding of said shanks one to another for forming a unitary electrical connection therebetween and substantially simultaneously causing said tapered shanks to seal against the walls of said hole and to distort within the hole for filling same and to deform for forming an additional seal against opposite sides of the wall by maintaining said force application, eliminating said welding current and maintaining said force application at opposite ends of said shanks until the welded connection therebetween has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal with said wall.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 215 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising; providing a hole through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments, providing opposed connector elements having tapered shanks and non-mating end portions wherein the diameter of said shanks permits entry of the shanks into said hole, entering said tapered shanks into said hole from opposite sides of said dividing wall so that the non-mating end portions thereof contact one another, applying force simultaneously from opposed directions to said shanks for causing said non-mating ends to contact one another, passing a welding current through the junction of the opposite ends of said shanks sufficient to cause resistance welding of said shanks one to another for forming a unitary electrical connection therebetween and substantially simultaneously causing said tapered shanks to seal against the walls of said hole and to distort within the hole for filling same and to deform for forming an additional seal against opposite sides of the wall by maintaining said force application, eliminating said welding current and maintaining said force application at opposite ends of said shanks until the welded connection therebetween has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal with said wall.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 167 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through a hole in the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising; positioning a two part connector element on opposite sides of said hole means on each of said connector element parts to permit its entry into said hole, positioning first portions of each of said connector element parts in said hole in abutting relationship applying force from opposite ends of said connector element while heating the same by means of a welding current for causing softening of said connector element and welding of the parts of said element while distorting the same sufficiently to fill tightly the hole with said connector material and to cause second portions on said connector to seal against opposite sides of said wall, and then de-activating the welding current while maintaining said application of force until the welded connector has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal with said wall.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 167 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through a hole in the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising; positioning a two part connector element on opposite sides of said hole means on each of said connector element parts to permit its entry into said hole, positioning first portions of each of said connector element parts in said hole in abutting relationship applying force from opposite ends of said connector element while heating the same by means of a welding current for causing softening of said connector element and welding of the parts of said element while distorting the same sufficiently to fill tightly the hole with said connector material and to cause second portions on said connector to seal against opposite sides of said wall, and then de-activating the welding current while maintaining said application of force until the welded connector has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal with said wall.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 215 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising; providing a hole through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments, providing opposed connector elements having tapered shanks and non-mating end portions wherein the diameter of said shanks permits entry of the shanks into said hole, entering said tapered shanks into said hole from opposite sides of said dividing wall so that the non-mating end portions thereof contact one another, applying force simultaneously from opposed directions to said shanks for causing said non-mating ends to contact one another, passing a welding current through the junction of the opposite ends of said shanks sufficient to cause resistance welding of said shanks one to another for forming a unitary electrical connection therebetween and substantially simultaneously causing said tapered shanks to seal against the walls of said hole and to distort within the hole for filling same and to deform for forming an additional seal at opposite sides of the wall by maintaining said force Application, eliminating said welding current and maintaining said force application at opposite ends of said shanks until the welded connection therebetween has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal with said wall.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 215 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising; providing a hole through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments, providing opposed connector elements having tapered shanks and non-mating end portions wherein the diameter of said shanks permits entry of the shanks into said hole, entering said tapered shanks into said hole from opposite sides of said dividing wall so that the non-mating end portions thereof contact one another, applying force simultaneously from opposed directions to said shanks for causing said non-mating ends to contact one another, passing a welding current through the junction of the opposite ends of said shanks sufficient to cause resistance welding of said shanks one to another for forming a unitary electrical connection therebetween and substantially simultaneously causing said tapered shanks to seal against the walls of said hole and to distort within the hole for filling same and to deform for forming an additional seal at opposite sides of the wall by maintaining said force Application, eliminating said welding current and maintaining said force application at opposite ends of said shanks until the welded connection therebetween has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal with said wall.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 242 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through the dividing wall between respective battery elements disposed in two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising: providing a hole through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments, providing opposed connector elements having upstanding opposed lug members on each side of said dividing wall each connected to the battery element in its respective cell compartment, providing on said lug members shaped projection portions to permit entry into said hole, positioning said parts of said projection portions in said hole from opposite sides of said dividing wall so that the opposed ends of said projection portions contact one another, applying force simultaneously from opposed directions to said lug members for causing said projection portions to contact one another, passing a welding current through the junction of the opposite ends of said projection portions sufficient to cause resistance welding of said projection portions one to another for forming a unitary electrical connection therebetween and substantially simultaneously causing said projection portions to seal against the walls of said hole to distort within the hole for filling same and to deform for forming an additional seal against the opposite sides of the wall by maintaining said force application, eliminating said welding current and maintaining said force application on said lug members until the welded connection between the projection portions has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 242 words

In a method for making a fluid tight, low resistance electrical connection through the dividing wall between respective battery elements disposed in two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising: providing a hole through the dividing wall between two independent cell compartments, providing opposed connector elements having upstanding opposed lug members on each side of said dividing wall each connected to the battery element in its respective cell compartment, providing on said lug members shaped projection portions to permit entry into said hole, positioning said parts of said projection portions in said hole from opposite sides of said dividing wall so that the opposed ends of said projection portions contact one another, applying force simultaneously from opposed directions to said lug members for causing said projection portions to contact one another, passing a welding current through the junction of the opposite ends of said projection portions sufficient to cause resistance welding of said projection portions one to another for forming a unitary electrical connection therebetween and substantially simultaneously causing said projection portions to seal against the walls of said hole to distort within the hole for filling same and to deform for forming an additional seal against the opposite sides of the wall by maintaining said force application, eliminating said welding current and maintaining said force application on said lug members until the welded connection between the projection portions has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 9 further comprising: providing said opposite projection portions with non-mating configurations, and limiting the entry of said projection portions into said hole by abutting said ends within said hole.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 9 further comprising: limiting the entry of said connector elements by abutting said lug members against said dividing wall; and, distorting with said welding current portions of said connector elements adjacent said hole to form an additional seal against the opposite sides of said dividing wall.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 199 words

In a method for making a fluid-tight, low resistance electrical connection through a hole in the dividing wall between respective battery elements in two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising: providing connector elements having opposed lug members on either side of said dividing wall each connected to the battery element in its respective cell compartment, providing a connector portion on each of said lug members and positioning said connector portion adjacent said hole from opposite sides thereof, positioning each of said connector portions so as to permit entry into said hole, entering said connector portions into said hole so that said connector portions contact one another within said hole, applying force to said connector elements while heating the same by means of a welding current for causing softening of said connector portions and welding of said connector elements while distorting the same sufficiently to fill tightly said hole with said connector element material and to cause portions of said lug members to seal against opposite sides of said wall, and then de-activating the welding current while maintaining said application of force until the welded connector has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 199 words

In a method for making a fluid-tight, low resistance electrical connection through a hole in the dividing wall between respective battery elements in two independent cell compartments of an electric storage battery, the steps comprising: providing connector elements having opposed lug members on either side of said dividing wall each connected to the battery element in its respective cell compartment, providing a connector portion on each of said lug members and positioning said connector portion adjacent said hole from opposite sides thereof, positioning each of said connector portions so as to permit entry into said hole, entering said connector portions into said hole so that said connector portions contact one another within said hole, applying force to said connector elements while heating the same by means of a welding current for causing softening of said connector portions and welding of said connector elements while distorting the same sufficiently to fill tightly said hole with said connector element material and to cause portions of said lug members to seal against opposite sides of said wall, and then de-activating the welding current while maintaining said application of force until the welded connector has cooled sufficiently to maintain the fluid tight seal.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 12 further comprising: forming said connector portions as integral projections with extremities thereof extending toward each other from said lug members.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 13 further comprising: forming non-mating configurations on the opposed extremities of said connector portions; and Limiting the entry of said connector portions into said holes by abutting said non-mating end portions within said hole.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-07-28	1979-01-27	1979-07-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-07-28	1983-01-27	1983-07-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-07-28	1987-01-27	1987-07-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Storage battery construction and method of making same

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