Storage battery construction

Claim 1

In a storage battery having a generally rectangular thermoplastic container defined by a pair of opposite side walls, a pair of opposite end walls and a bottom, a series of parallel partition walls extending between the side or end walls and dividing the container into a series of cells, an electrode stack within each cell including alternately disposed positive and negative plates with a separator between each adjacent pair of plates, the positive and negative plates having lugs extending upwardly and offset laterally from the midpoints of their upper edges with the positive and negative lugs disposed in two spaced parallel rows, the electrode stacks in adjacent cells disposed in opposite orientation such that each row of lugs includes alternate cell groups of positive and negative lugs, the lugs of each cell group of common polarity interconnected by a conductive strap, one conductive strap of each end cell group and both conductive straps of each intermediate cell group having a conductive intercell connection through a partition wall to the conductive strap of the adjacent cell group of opposite polarity, and the other conductive straps of the cell groups in each of the two end cells of the container being provided with integral upwardly extending intermediate terminal posts of opposite polarity; an improved cover, venting and terminal assembly comprising: (a) a primary container cover including downwardly depending edge portions and intermediate ribs adapted to overlie the upper edges of the container walls and partition walls, respectively, and to be attached and uninterruptably sealed thereto; (b) the primary cover including a substantially planar top surface portion adjacent the container wall opposite the intermediate terminal posts; (c) a series of integral sleeves extending downwardly from the underside of the planar top surface portion, each sleeve adapted to provide access to a cell for filling the same with electrolyte and for allowing the egress of gases from the cell; (d) a pair of exterior battery terminals; (e) a pair of terminal bushings molded into the primary cover, each adapted to provide electrical connection between an intermediate terminal post and an exterior battery terminal; (f) an outer secondary cover adapted to overlie the primary cover and to be attached to the container; (g) vent means in the secondary cover in communication with the integral sleeves to provide for the egress of cell gases to atmosphere; and, (h) terminal openings in the secondary cover for the exterior battery terminals.