The Automobile Storage Battery Part 2

The jars which contain the plates, separators, and electrolyte are made of a tough, hard rubber compound. They are made either by the moulding process, or by wrapping sheets of rubber compound around metal mandrels. In either case the jar is subsequently vulcanized by careful heating at the correct temperature.

The battery manufacturers do not, as a rule, make their own jars, but have them made by the rubber companies who give the jars a high voltage test to detect any flaws, holes, or cracks which would subsequently cause a leak. The jars as received at the battery maker's factory are ready for use.

Across the bottom of the jar are several stiff ribs which extend up into the jar so as to provide a substantial support for the plates, and at the same time form several pockets below the plates in which the sediment resulting from shedding of active material from the plates acc.u.mulates.

Covers

No part of a battery is of greater importance than the hard rubber cell covers, from the viewpoint of the repairman as well as the manufacturer. The repairman is concerned chiefly with the methods of sealing the battery, and no part of his work requires greater skill than the work on the covers. The manufacturers have developed special constructions, their aims being to design the cover so as to facilitate the escape of gas which acc.u.mulates in the upper part of a cell during charge, to provide s.p.a.ce for expansion of the electrolyte as it becomes heated, to simplify inspection and filling with pure water, to make leak proof joints between the cover and the jar and between the cover and the lead posts which project through it, and to simplify the work of making repairs.

Single and Double Covers. Modern types of batteries have a single piece cover, the edges of which are made so as to form a slot or channel with the inside of the jar, into which is poured sealing compound to form a leak proof joint. This construction is ill.u.s.trated.

in Exide, Fig. 1.5; Vesta, Fig. 264; Philadelphia Diamond Grid, Fig.

256; U. S. L., Figs. 11 and 244; and Prest-0-Lite, Fig. 247, batteries. Exide batteries are also made with a double f.l.a.n.g.e cover, in which the top of the jar fits between the two f.l.a.n.g.es. In single covers, a comparatively small amount of sealing compound is used, and repair work is greatly simplified.

In the Eveready battery, Fig. 262, compound is poured over the entire cover instead of around the edges. This method requires a considerable amount of sealing compound.

The use of double covers is not as common as it was some years ago.

This construction makes use of two flat pieces of hard rubber. In such batteries a considerable amount of sealing compound is used. This compound is poured on top of the lower cover to seal the battery, the top cover serving to cover up the compound and brace the posts. Fig.

10 ill.u.s.trates this construction.

[Fig. 10 Cross-section of Gould double cover battery]

Sealing Around the Posts. Much variety is shown in the methods used to secure a leak proof joint between the posts and the cover. Several methods are used. One of these uses the sealing compound to make a tight joint. Another has lead bushings which are screwed up into the cover or moulded in the cover, the bushings being burned together with the post and cell connector. Another method has a threaded post, and uses a lead alloy nut with a rubber washer to make a tight joint.

Still another method forces a lead collar down over the post, and presses the cover down on a soft rubber gasket.

Using Sealing Compound. Some of the batteries which use sealing compound to make a tight joint between the cover and the post have a hard rubber bushing shrunk over the post. This construction is used in Gould batteries, as shown in Fig. 10, and in the old Willard double cover batteries. The rubber bushing is grooved horizontally to increase the length of the sealing surface.

[Fig. 11 U.S.L. cover]

Other batteries that use sealing compound around the posts have grooves or "petticoats" cut directly in the post and have a well around the post into which the sealing compound is poured. This is the construction used in the old Philadelphia Diamond Grid battery, as shown in Fig. 254.

Using Lead Bushings. U. S. L. batteries have a f.l.a.n.g.ed lead bushing which is moulded directly into the cover, as shown in Fig. 11. In a.s.sembling the battery, the cover is placed over the post, and the cell connector is burned to both post and bushing.

[Fig. 12 Lead bushing screwed into cover]

In older type U. S. L. batteries a bushing was screwed up through the cover, and then burned to the post and cell connector.

An old type Prest-O-Lite battery used a lead bushing which screwed up through the cover similarly to the U. S. L. batteries. Fig. 12 ill.u.s.trates this construction. The SJWN and SJRN Willard Batteries used a lead insert. See page 424.

The modern Vesta batteries use a soft rubber gasket under the cover, and force a lead collar over the post, which pushes the cover down on the gasket. The lead collar and post "freeze" together and make an acid proof joint. See page 413. The Westinghouse battery uses a three part seal consisting of a lead washer which is placed around the post, a U shaped, soft gum washer which is placed between the post and cover, and a tapered lead sleeve, which presses the washer against the post and the cover. See page 417.

[Fig. 13 Cross section of old type Willard battery]

The Prest-O-Lite Peened Post Seal. All Prest-O-Lite batteries designated as types WHN, RHN, BHN and JFN, have a single moulded cover which is locked directly on to the posts. This is done by forcing a solid ring of lead from a portion of the post down into a chamfer in the top of the cover. This construction is ill.u.s.trated in Fig. 247.

Batteries Using Sealing Nuts. The Exide batteries have threaded posts.

A rubber gasket is placed under the cover on a shoulder on the post.

The nut is then turned down on the post to force the cover on the gasket. This construction is ill.u.s.trated in Fig. 239. The t.i.tan battery uses a somewhat similar seal, as shown in Fig. 293.

Some of the older Willard batteries have a chamfer or groove in the under, side of the cover. The posts have a ring of lead in the base which fits up into the groove in the cover to make a tight joint.

This is ill.u.s.trated in Fig. 13. The later Willard constructions, using a rubber gasket seal and a lead cover insert, are ill.u.s.trated in Figs.

278 and 287.

Filling Tube or Vent Tube Construction. Quite a number of designs have been developed in the construction of the filling or vent tube. In double covers, the tube is sometimes a separate part which is screwed into the lower cover. In other batteries using double covers, the tube is an integral part of the cover, as shown in Fig. 10. In all single covers, the tube is moulded integral with the cover.

[Fig. 14a Vent hold in U.S.L. battery]

Several devices have been developed to make it impossible to overfill batteries. This has been done by the U. S. L. and Exide companies on older types of batteries, their constructions being described as follows:

In old U. S. L. batteries, a small auxiliary vent tube is drilled, as shown in Fig. 14. When filling to replace evaporation, this vent tube prevents overfilling.

[Fig. 14b Filling U.S.L. battery]

A finger is placed over the auxiliary vent tube shown in Fig. 14. The water is then poured in through the filling or vent tube. When the water reaches the bottom of the tube, the air imprisoned in the expansion chamber can no longer escape. Consequently the water can rise no higher in this chamber, but simply fills up the tube. Water is added till it reaches the top of the tube. The finger is then removed from the vent tube. This allows the air to escape from the expansion chamber. The water will therefore fall in the filling or vent tube, and rise slightly in the expansion chamber. The construction makes it impossible to overfill the battery, provided that the finger is held on the vent hole as directed.

[Fig. 14c Filling U.S.L. battery (old types)]

Figure 15 shows the Non-Flooding Vent and Filling Plug used in the older type Exide battery, and in the present type LXRV. The new Exide cover, which does not use the non-flooding feature, is also shown. The old construction is described as follows:

[Fig. 15a Sectional view of cover in older type Exide battery.

Top view of cover and filling plug, plug removed]

[Fig. 15b Old and new Exide covers]

From the ill.u.s.trations of the vent and filling plug, it will be seen that they provide both a vented stopper (vents F, G, H), and an automatic device for the preventing of overfilling and flooding. The amount of water that can be put into the cell is limited to the exact amount needed to replace that lost by evaporation. This is accomplished by means of the hard rubber valve (A) within the cell cover and with which the top of the vent plug (E) engages, as shown in the ill.u.s.trations. The action of removing the plug (E) turns this valve (A), closing the air pa.s.sage (BB), and forming an air tight chamber (C) in the top of the cell. When water is poured in, it cannot rise in this air s.p.a.ce (C) so as to completely fill the cell. As soon as the proper level is reached, the water rises in the filling tube (D) and gives a positive indication that sufficient water has been added. Should, however, the filling be continued, the excess will be pure water only, not acid. On replacing the plug (E), valve (A) is automatically turned, opening the air pa.s.sages (BB), leaving the air chamber (C) available for the expansion of the solution, which occurs when the battery is working.

Generally the filling or vent tube is so made that its lower end indicates the correct level of electrolyte above the plates, In adding water, the level of the electrolyte is brought up to the bottom of the filling tube. By looking down into the tube, it can be seen when the electrolyte reaches the bottom of the tube.

Vent Plugs, or Caps. Vent plugs, or caps, close up the filling or vent tubes in the covers. They are made of hard rubber, and either screw into or over the tubes, or are tightened by a full or partial turn, as is done in Exide batteries. In the caps are small holes which are so arranged that gases generated within the battery may escape, but acid spray cannot pa.s.s through these holes. It is of the utmost importance that the holes in the vent caps be kept open to allow the gases to escape.

Case

The wooden case in which the cells are placed is usually made of kiln dried white oak or hard maple. The wood is inspected carefully, and all pieces are rejected that are weather-checked, or contain worm-holes or knots. The wood is sawed into various thicknesses, and then cut to the proper lengths and widths. The wood is pa.s.sed through other machines that cut in the dovetails, put the tongue on the bottom for the joints, stamp on the part number, drill the holes for the screws or bolts holding the handles, cut the grooves for the sealing compound, etc. The several pieces are then a.s.sembled and glued together. The finishing touches are then put on, these consisting of cutting the cases to the proper heights, sandpapering the boxes, etc.

The cases are then inspected and are ready to be painted.

A more recent development in case construction is a one-piece hard rubber case, in which the jars and case are made in one piece, the cell compartments being formed by rubber part.i.tions which form an integral part of the case. This construction is used in several makes of Radio "A" batteries, and to some extent in starting batteries.

[Fig. 16 Exide battery case]

Asphaltum paint is generally used for wooden cases, the bottoms and tops being given three, coats, and the sides, two. The number of coats of paint varies, of course, in the different factories. The handles are then put on by machinery, and the case, Fig. 16, is complete, and ready for a.s.sembling.

a.s.sembling and Sealing

The first step in a.s.sembling a battery is to burn the positive and negative plates to their respective straps, Fig. 5, forming the positive and negative "groups", Fig. 2. This is done by arranging a set of plates and a strap in a suitable rack which holds them securely in proper position, and then melting together the top of the plate lugs and the portion of the strap into which they fit with a hot flame.