Of course the battery connects to the output, not the input.
The circuit limits the charging to (9.1V - 0.7V for the diode)/15mA, plus or minus 5%.
But which kind of battery? A 7.2V Ni-Cad or an 8.4V Ni-MH?
A 7.2V Ni-Cad has 6 cells and charges to 8.4V so 8.4V (it might be 8.0V) might be too...