Improvement in Electrical Accumulators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 19th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
Improvement in Electrical Accumulators.
We, ROBERT RITTER VON BERKS Factory Director and JULIUS RENGER Factory
Inspector both of VI Gyáruteza 20 Budapest in the Empire of Hungary, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an electric accumulator which is characterised by the
peculiar shape, arrangement, insulation and connection of the electrode plates
composing the same.
The new accumulator is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections ;
Figure 3 is a plan of the accumulator; whilst
Figure 4 illustrates two cross sections of a portion of the plates.
As shown in these figures, the plates a are supported on glass bars b. Each of
these bars b is made wider at the bottom for the purpose of safe support, but is
provided at the top with an edge b¹ so that it touches the electrode plate a only in one
point the said electro plate terminating also in an edge a¹. For the purpose of
ensuring the proper distance of the several plates from one another, the glass bars b
are provided with projections 62 between which the electrode plates are so arranged that
the projections 62, as will be seen from Figure 3, come in contact only by means of
their vertical edges with the two adjacent electrode plates. The bars c are similarly
constructed, and are laid transversely over the upper edges of the plates, and by
means of their downwardly extending projections c² serve to ensure equal distance
apart of the plates in a similar manner as do the projections b².
By means of this arrangement the contact surfaces of the bars with the plates are
reduced to a minimum; and notwithstanding the perfectly secure support and
insulation of the plates, the acid is still enabled to envelop the said plates on almost
the whole of their surfaces. Further the edges b¹ and the points of the projections b²,
have also the advantage that any portions of the active mass which may crumble
away and fall down between the plates will not remain suspended between the same but
will fall to the bottom and therefore be out of the scope of influence of the plates. As
shown in Figure 2, the electrode plates are connected or coupled up in such a manner
that the plates of the one pole are connected at the bottom, whilst the plates of the
other pole are connected at the top, with the main lead or circuit conductors d, d,
respectively, whereby a perfect uniform action of the acid is effected.
Experience has shown that the action of the acid upon the active mass of the
several plates is not uniform, but is stronger at the point of exit of the current,
whether such point of exit be at the top or at the bottom, and the said action becomes
gradually weaker as the distance from the point of exit increases. This gives rise to
warping of the plates and therefore indirectly to short-circuiting and to crumbling of
the active mass.
In order that the active mass shall be caused to adhere as securely as possible to the
lead frame or skeleton, the plates are made in cross section of the forms shown in
Figure 4, which consist of a base plate e to which there are connected the ribbed
projections or extensions of that are provided with longitudinal grooves g, whereby
the active mass is firmly held between the ribs. In the negative plates which require

page_text: a larger amount of active mass than do the positive plates, the distance between the
ribs is greater than in the case of the positive plates; the arrangement being such
that in order to have a sufficient degree of stiffness, smaller ribs f1 are provided
between every two ribs f. The plates are provided along all their four edges with
rims or fillets a² which also serve to stiffen the plates.
We, ROBERT RITTER VON BERKS, Factory Director, and JULIUS RENGER, Factory
Inspector, both of VI Gyaruteza 20, Budapest in the Empire of Hungary, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to an electric accumulator which is characterised by the
peculiar shape, arrangement, insulation and connection of the electrode plates
composing the same.
The new accumulator is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections ;
Figure 3 is a plan of the accumulator; whilst
Figure 4 illustrates two cross sections of a portion of the plates.
As shown in these figures, the plates a are supported on glass bars b. Each of these
bars b is made wider at the bottom for the purpose of safe support, but is provided at
the top with an edge b¹ so that it touches the electrode plate a only in one point the
said electro plate terminating also in an edge a¹. For the purpose of ensuring the
proper distance of the several plates from one another, the glass bars b are provided
with projections 6 between which the electrode plates are so arranged that the
projections 62, as will be seen from Figure 1, come in contact only by means of their
vertical edges with the two adjacent electrode plates. The bars c are similarly
constructed, and are laid transversely over the upper edges of the plates, and by
means of their downwardly extending projections c³ serve to ensure equal distance
apart of the plates in a similar manner as do the projections b².
By means of this arrangement the contact surfaces of the bars with the plates are
reduced to a minimum; and notwithstanding the perfectly secure support and
insulation of the plates, the acid is still enabled to envelop the said plates on almost
the whole of their surfaces. Further the edges b¹ and the points of the projections b²
have also the advantage that any portion of the active mass which may crumble away
and fall down between the plates will not remain suspended between the same but
will fall to the bottom and therefore be out of the scope of influence of the plates.
As shown in Figure 2, the electrode plates are connected or coupled up at diagonally
oppositely situated points, that is the plates of the one pole are connected at the
bottom, whilst the plates of the other pole are connected at the top, with the main
leads or circuit conductors d d respectively, whereby a perfectly uniform action of the
acid is effected.
Experience has shown that the action of the acid upon the active mass of the
several plates is not uniform, but is stronger at the point of exit of the current,
whether such point of exit be at the top or at the bottom, and the said action becomes

page_text: gradually weaker as the distance from the point_of_exit_increases. -This- gives rise to
warping of the plates and therefore indirectly to short-circuiting, and to crumbling
of the active mass.
In order that the active mass shall be caused to adhere as securely as possible to
the lead frame or skeleton, the plates are made in cross section of the forms shown in
Figure 4, which consist of a base plate e to which there are connected the ribbed
projections or extensions that are provided with longitudinal grooves g, whereby
the active mass is firmly held between the ribs. In the negative plates which
require a larger amount of active mass than do the positive plates, the distance
between the ribs f is greater than in the case of the positive plates; the arrangement
being such that in order to have a sufficient degree of stiffness, smaller ribs f' are
provided between every two ribs f. The plates are provided along all their four edges
with rims or fillets a² which also serve to stiffen the plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
(1) In electrical accumulators, connecting the electrode plates of the different
poles with the corresponding main leads or conductors at diagonally oppositely
situated points as and for the purpose set forth.
(2) An electrical accumulator having the electrode plates of the different poles
connected with the corresponding main leads or conductors at diagonally oppositely
situated points and holding and supporting the said electrode plates which are formed
with knife edges upon similar knife edges formed on glass bars, the said bars having
projections for the purpose of holding the electrode plates at the proper distance
apart.
(3) In electrical accumulators forming the electrode plates from lead plates
provided with transverse ribbed projections or extensions provided with grooves
for the purpose of securely holding the active mass in position thereon.
(4) Electrical accumulators constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown.
d this 19th day of October 1897.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.