US2185102A - Vent and filling means for storage battery cells - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 26, 1939. E. GRAF 2,185,102

VENT AND FILLING MEANS FOR STORAGE B. *\TTERY CELLS Filed Da e. 20, 1957 g w Efrzeqzfra/ Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AND FILLING MEANS FOR STORAGE BATTERY CELLS Application December 20, 1937, Serial No. 180,682 (c1. lee-17s) 3 Claims.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide simple and reliable and comparatively inexpensive means for automatically closing the ancillary vent when the plug is removed to permit the cell to be filled only to the required level and for opening the ancillary vent at other times.

, Another object of the invention is to house said means within the tubular neck structure that projects from the faces of the cell-cover at the rim of the filling opening through the cover Y so that the parts comprising the means are not in the way and are not exposed to breakage and loss.

Another object of the invention is to provide means of the character referred to and of which the parts or elements are of such form that they can be readily and inexpensively molded or made of suitable materialfsuch as hard rubber.

.0 Other objects of the invention will appear from the following. description at the end of which the invention will be claimed.

Generally stated, the invention consists in a neck extending inward from the cover and hav- 8' ing an inturned suppofl and having openings in its wall which should be closed when the cell is being filled and opened at all other times; closures for said openings comprising spaced segments conforming to the wall of the neck and 80 movably supported by said support; a resilient member arranged inside said segments and adapted to bias them into position for closing said openings and said sections provided with stops arranged in the openings and with arms ll extending upwardly into range of the vent plug by which they are positioned to uncover the openings but permitting the resilient member to position themto close the openings when the vent plug is removed.

40 The invention also comprises the improvements to be presently described and finally claimed.

In the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof and in which:

46 Figure 1 is a section taken crosswise of the cell cover and showing filling means embodying fea tures of the invention with the filling plug in position and with the ancillary vents open.

Figure 2 is a. similar view showing the position 60 of the parts when the plug is removed and the ancillary vents are closed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of-Figure 2 looking upward, and

Figure 4 is a side view of one of the closure ll members.

' the plug ll.

Referring to the drawing:

l indicates an internally threaded tubular neck extending outward from the rim of the filling opening 2 of the cover'3 of the cell. 4indicates a tubular neck having an inturned flange'S and 5 extending inward from the rim of the filling opening 2. The inwardly extending neck 4 is provided through its curved wall with openings 6 constituting an ancillary vent which should be closed when the cell is being filled and opened 10 at other times. I are closures for the openings 0" and they comprise spaced tubular segments conforming to the curved faceof the inner wall of the inwardly extending neck and they are movably supported by the flange 5. 8 is a tubular 16 cylinder arranged inside the segments 1 and it is made of resilient material, as soft rubber, adapted to bias the segments into position for closing the openings or ports 6. The segments 1 are also provided with arms 9 extending into the external neck I and into range of a skirt l0 depending from the filling plug ll. Beveled surfaces are provided between the surface of the skirt Hi and the arms 9 so that the segments are positioned to uncover the openings when the plug II is in the outwardly extending neck I.

12 are stops projecting from the segments 1 and they are arranged in the openings 6 so that they prevent rotation of the parts. Of course the stops l2 are smaller than the openings 6 in which 80 they are arranged.

It will be noted that the described means, namely the arm 9 and ring or hollow cylinder 8, and the flange 5 are disposed inside of the neck 4 and are, therefore, housed in it and protected 85 by it from breakage and loss.

It may be remarked that the stops l2 also serve to prevent accidental detachment of the segments I and of the ring 8. The operation of the device may bedescribed as follows: Referring to Figure 1 [the auxiliary ports or vents 6 are uncovered by the segments 1 which are held in position to uncover them by the skirt ID on In this position there is afforded a passage for the escape of gas from the gas space A of the cell. This passage is by way of the openings 6, the space between the surfaces of the segments and the neck 4 and the space l2 between the segments 1 and thence through the hollow plug II and out by'the aperture I3. When the cell is to be filled the plug II is removed and the parts occupy the position shown in Figure 2. In this position the ancillary vents or ports 6 are closed because they are covered by the curved faces of the segments 1 so that when is the cell is being filled the liquid rises to a level at which it is visible from the outside of the cell at which point the filling is stopped, but the liquid cannot rise into the gas space A since the normal exit for the gas through the openings 6 is closed.

1. Vent and filling means for storage battery cells comprising in combination, a vent plug, an internally threaded tubular neck extending inwardly through the cover of the cell to the normal level of the electrolyte and having an inturned support, said inwardly extending neck having through its curved wall openings communicating with the interior of said cell at'a point beneath the cover and outside said neck and communicating with the exterior of said cell and which should'be closed when the cell is being filled and open at other times, closures for said openings comprising spaced tubular segments conforming to the curved face of the inner wall of the inwardly extending neck, and movably supported by said support, and a resilient member arranged inside said segments and adapted to bias them into position for closing said openings, said segments provided with arms extending into the range of the vent plug of the cell, there being a beveled surface provided between the plug and the arms whereby the segmcnts are positioned to uncover the openings when the plug is in closing position in the neck.

2. Vent and filling means for storage battery cells substantially as described in claim 1 and in which the segments are provided with stops arranged in but smaller than the openings to oppose rotation of the segments.

3. Vent and filling means for a storage battery cell having a cover and containing electrolyte comprising, walls defining a tubular duct extending through the cover to the normal electrolyte leve1,' "a'v'ent opening through said walls below the under surface of the cover, a rigid valve member supported within the duct and confronting the vent opening and adapted to rock on its support to open and close the vent opening, a resilient member stressing the valve member to vent-closing position, and a vent plug adapted when inserted in the duct to rock the valve member to vent-opening position.

ERNEST GRAF. 25

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