IMPROVED MACHINES FOR MAKING BATTERY PLATES
Year: 1888

page_text: We, OSCAR EDWIN MADDEN of Mount Pleasant Avenue Boston, in the County of
Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Electrician, and ALBERT
FRANKLIN MADDEN of Mount Prospect Avenue Newark, County of Essex, State of
New Jersey, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for "IMPROVED MACHINES FOR MAKING BATTERY PLATES"
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention is an improvement in apparatus for pressing the plates or supports
to which an active or absorptive material is applied in the process of manufacturing
secondary battery elements.
The form of the plate or support we prefer is that of a plate having numerous
closely arranged cells, receptacles or perforations separted from each other by walls
of uniform thickness, and we prefer to form such a plate from a sheet or plate of
lead.
The apparatus embraces a die which consists of two series of parallel strips or
plates; one series the desired thickness of the walls between the perforations, the.
other series of plates having a series of teeth or projections, each projection being
separated from the one immediately adjoining by a space equal to the desired
thickness of the walls between the perforations, the form and size of these teeth or
projections being the form and size of the desired perforatians or cells to be made
in the plates. These strips, formed as described, are placed parallel in a metal frame
of considerable strength and solidity; they are adjustable with respect to the space
between any two strips and one series of strips are movable vertically to act as
ejectors for the pressed plate, while the other series remains substantially fixed.
There is a groove around the entire die designed to give the required outline to the
plate; and there is a plunger having a flat face or surface with a rim fitting into
the said groove, the face or contact surface of the plunger is roughened or serrated
so as to prevent the lead from spreading; this plunger is operated by suitable
hydraulic or steam power to press the lead into the die; and there is a cutter

page_text: moving over the face of the die after the plunger is withdrawn which operates to
remove the surplus lead from the face of the die.
The accompanying drawing illustrates our invention.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete apparatus excepting the plunger; fig. 2 is
a cross section on the line 2, 2, fig. 1; fig. 3 is a plan view of the die and operative
mechanism in more detail; fig. 4 is a cross section on line, 4, 4, figs. 3 and 5; fig. 5
is a side view showing the means for operating the ejectors by an eccentric move-
ment; fig. 6 shows the face of the plunger having a roughened, serrated or gripping
surface.
In Fig. 1 F is a frame of iron or steel having considerable strength or solidity;
it is preferably formed from a casting, substantially square, with a square opening.
Referring to figs. 2 and 3 D and d are two series of strips; together they form
the principal part of the die; they are arranged parallel and alternately as shown in
fig. 1; the outline of both series is shown by d fig. 2; D however, has a series of
teeth or projections 'b, figs. 2 and 3, the space between two teeth b is equal to the
desired thickness of the walls between the cells, receptacles, or perforations of the
finished product and the plate d is the same thickness.
The frame F fig. 2 upon two opposite sides of the rectangular opening is provided
with shoulders S S₁ all plates D and d are provided with similar shoulders or
projections at opposite ends taking against shoulders S S₁ but there is a space s st
between the shoulders of plates d and the shoulders S S¹ to allow of a vertical
movement for these plates."
Referring to figs. 2 and 5 all plates are perforated with round holes ; one hole
near each end; all plates. D are perforated with oval holes in line with holes in d.
There are two rods R R¹, the rod R extends completely through the holes in one
end of both series of strips D and d; the other rod R' extends completely through
the holes in the other end of both series of strips D and d; these two rods are
given a reciprocating movement sidewise by the mechanism next described.
A A are arms having four hubs or bearings B B', in the frame F, Figs. 4 and 5,
projections therefrom are united by pitmen P and P¹ the free ends of arms A
and A have a reciprocating movement. The rods R and R' are eccentrically
placed in bearings or boxes in the rotary bearings B B'; the result is that when
arms A and A¹ are reciprocated rods R R move up and down and move plates d
having round holes up and down, the extent of movement being about equal to
the longer axis of the oval holes in plates D which remain at rest.
I are slabs of iron the upper surface of which contains a groove g formning
the rim or boundary of the finished product the groove forming a continuation
thereof and uniting the groove g in I and I¹ is in the end of the plates D and d we
may thus vary the dimensions of the finished product by taking out two, four or more
plates D and d and placing them behind the plate I¹, the die is thus completed but
contracted i all elements I, 1, D, d, have slight spaces between their meeting
surfaces except at points near opposite edges for mechanical reasons and to provide
for a slight spring desirable to perfection in the action.
In order that no material may be forced between the sections of the die it is
necessary to press the contact surfaces tightly together. To accomplish this the
surface of towards the surface of and the surface of frame F are inclined to
each other, as shown, and a wedge W extending nearly the length of the plates to
produce an even pressure is operated by a pair of cam surfaces e c¹ and a crank or
handle a held in position by set nuts n.
Qis a plunger or any suitable means for forcing material into the die; it has
a rim fitting into groove g this forms the outline of the plate and prevents the
material from spreading; the face of the plunger Qis serrated, indented or cut
substantially as shown in fig. 6 so that a grip or hold may be taken
material, this also acts to prevent it from spreading.
upon
the
After the material, as lead let us suppose, has been forced into shape in the die
and the plunger withdrawn there remains some surplus material between the plunger
and the die to remove this we provide a table-t in-line with the surface of the

page_text: die; and a knife K caused to move across such surface under guides G G¹
by suitable means consisting of fixed rack movable rack attached to the knife,
wheel w and arm a.
The apparatus operates as follows: assuming that to start the plates D d are
firmly and tightly forced together and that the plates d are at their lowest position;
metallic lead in any desired form or shape cast, rolled or pressed is placed upon
the die and the proper power applied to the plunger Q; Qis now elevated and the
arm a operated causing the knife to pass over the surface of the die and remove
the surplus material e; the arm a¹ is then turned releasing wedge W and removing
lateral pressure from the plates; the arm A is now operated by depressing it thus
causing rods R R to rise carrying with them plates d and ejecting the finished
product.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. An apparatus for pressing or stamping secondary battery plates consisting of
a die composed of two series of parallel strips one series being the complementary
part to the other series in combination with a plunger to appply the required power
or pressure.
2. In an apparatus for the described purpose a die in two or more sections each
section consisting of a series of substantially parallel strips one of which sections is
movable with respect to the other for the purpose of ejecting the finished product
combined with means for applying the required power or pressure, substantially as
described.
3. In an apparatus for the described purpose a die in two or more sections each
section consisting of a series of substantially parallel strips one of which sections is
adjustable latitudinally with respect to the other, so that the said sections may
be either clamped together or rendered free to move combined with a suitable
device to apply the required power or pressure, substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for the described purpose a die baving two complementary
sections, each section composed of a series of substantially similar elementary parts
the number of which may be varied to vary the size of the product combined with
a suitable device to apply the required power or pressure, substantially as
described.
5. A die having two complementary sections, cach section consisting of a series
of substantially similar plates or clementary parts, said sections being movable
with respect to each other in two directions, combined with a suitable device, as
a plunger, for applying the power or pressure, substantially as described.
6. In an apparatus for the described purpose a frame of iron; having shoulders
upon two opposite sides; a die fitting therein composed of two or more comple-
mentary sections each section consisting of a series of substantially similar plates
or clementary parts having a shoulder taking against the shoulders of the said
frame; means for adjusting the position of said sections with respect to each other
and a plunger operating to force.the metal into the die.
7. In an appartus for the described purpose a frame of iron having shoulders
upon two opposite sides; a die fitting therein composed of two or more comple-
mentary sections each section composed of a series of substantially similar elementary
parts having shoulders taking against the shoulders of the frame, the elementary
parts of one series being movable with respect to those of the other series whereby
the finished product may be ejected; and a suitable device for forcing the metal into
the die.
8. In an apparatus for the described purpose the combination of a die having
the form of the desired product; a power driven plunger for forcing the
metal into the die; and a knife or plane moving over the surface of the die to cut
away or remove the surplus material.

page_text: 9. In an apparatus for the described purpose a die having substantially the form
of the desired product combined with a plunger for forcing the metal into the
die ;
said plunger having a roughened or serrated face whereby spreading is
prevented, substantially as described.
10. In a die for the described purpose the combination of two series of parallel
and complementary sections each element of one series having one or more round
holes each element of the other sections having one or more oval holes; one or
more rods passing through the elements of both sections and means for reciprocating
such rod or rods latitudinally.
11. A die composed of two complementary sections, each section consisting of a
series of substantially similar elementary parts, the elementary parts of one section
differing in form or outline with respect to those of the other section, and being
arranged in alternation therewith in combination with an adjustable frame for
confining a variable number of said elementary parts, and a suitable device for
forcing the metal into the die, substantially as described.
OSCAR EDWIN MADDEN.
ALBERT FRANKLIN MADDEN.