Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 11th Mar., 1887
Complete Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
I, CORNELIUS SMITH of 10 Church Road, De Beauvoir Town, Kingsland, N. do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY
BATTERIES to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the plates, or elements, used in secondary
batteries, the object being to present a maximum of exciting surface to the action of
the electrolytic fluid, and to render the same portable and cheap of production.
For the purpose of this invention the body, or frame, of the plate, or element, is
constructed of lead, either by casting or other suitable process, and is preferably made
in the form of a shallow rectangular frame, divided into any desired number of
compartments or panels, by means of suitable bars, or division pieces, extending from
top to bottom, and from side to side, of the frame.
These bars form an integral part of the frame and are cast, or otherwise formed,
with it during the process of manufacture.
The bars may run parallel to the sides of the frame, in which case the compartments
or panels would be rectangular in section or they may have any desired degree of
obliquity to the sides of the frame the boundaries of the panels being then similarly
oblique in section.
For a circular plate, or element, the body, or frame, would take the form of a ring
of lead of sufficient depth, the compartments or panels being formed between suitable
concentric rings and radial bars, or division pieces, all the parts being cast, or other-
wise formed, together, as in the previous case.
Into each of the compartments, or panels, so formed, alternate slips of thin lead and
asbestos paper are placed until it is filled, and to ensure each compartment or panel
being quite full the alternate slips are preferably first arranged in a cramp or other

page_text: suitable device and then placed in their respective compartments or panels while under
a certain amount of compression.
When completed the plates, or elements, are immersed in a suitable electrolytic
fluid and formed" in the usual manner.
When required to form a battery of two or more plates, or elements, they are spaced
apart by rods of vulcanite, or other suitable insulating material, on which are placed
washers or discs of insulating material to serve as distance pieces, the rods either
passing through openings in the frames or fitting in recesses in them, provision being
made in either case to secure them in place.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
do
I, CORNELIUS SMITH of 10 Church Road De Beauvoir Town, Kingsland N.,
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 improvements in the plates, or elements, used in secondary
batteries, the object being to present a maximum of exciting surface to the action of
the electrolytic fluid and to render the same portable and cheap of production.
For the purpose of this invention the body or frame of the plate, or element, is
constructed of lead, either by casting or other suitable process, and is preferably made
in the form of a shallow rectangular frame, divided into any desired number of
compartments or panels, by means of suitable bars, or division pieces, extending from
top to bottom and from side to side of the frame.
These bars form an integral part of the frame and are cast or otherwise formed
with it during the process of manufacture.
The bars may run parallel to the sides of the frame, in which case the compartments
or panels would be rectangular in section or they may have any desired degree of
obliquity to the sides of the frame, the boundaries of the panels being then similarly
oblique in section.
For a circular plate, or element, the body, or frame, would take the form of a ring
of lead of sufficient depth, the compartments or panels being formed between suitable
concentric rings and radial bars, or division pieces, all the parts being cast, or other-
wise formed together as in the previous case.
Into each of the compartments or panels so formed, alternate slips of thin lead
preferably lead foil and asbestos paper or other substance such as peroxide of lead (the
latter when used being in the form of powder paste or paint) are placed until it is
filled, and to ensure each compartment or panel being quite full the alternate slips or
layers are preferably first arranged in a cramp or other suitable device and then
placed in their respective compartments or panels while under a certain amount of
compression.
In order to secure a good contact the strips may be fused or soldered to the frame.
When completed the plates or elements are immersed in a suitable electrolytic fluid
and formed" in the usual manner.
When required to form a battery of two or more plates, or elements they are spaced
apart by rods of vulcanite, or other suitable insulating material, on which are placed
washers or discs of insulating material to serve as distance pieces, the rods either
passing through openings in the frames or fitting in recesses in them, provision being
made in either case to secure them in place.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a part plan of a battery constructed in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a section taken on the line X. X. Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a section taken on the line Y. Y. Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section taken on the line Z. Z. Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a plan of one of the strips of lead foil.
In these figures a is a grating with rectangular openings which are filled in the
manner described with strips of lead (Figure 5.) The plates a when so made and
filled up are inserted into grooves formed in guides made of vulcanite or other
suitable non-conducting material. c. c. are perforated sheets of vulcanite or other
material which placed between each pair of plates serve to prevent their circuiting by
reason of dirt or scaling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I am aware that it has
before been proposed to use as the plates of secondary batteries frames of lead divided
into rectangular and other shaped compartments I therefore make no general claim to
these and I am also aware that it has been proposed to place in such compartments
oxide of lead consolidated into blocks or spirals of lead and asbestos paper and the
like and I therefore make no claim to these arrangements but what I claim is :-
1. A plate of a secondary battery consisting of a lead frame with its compartments
filled with strips of thin lead separated from each other by other substances sub-
stantially as described.
2. A. plate of a secondary battery consisting of a lead frame with its compartments
filled with alternate strips of thin lead and either asbestos paper or peroxide of lead
substantially as described.
3. The process of manufacturing the plates of secondary batteries by arranging a
number of strips of thin lead separated from each other by other substances in a cramp
or other device and placing them in the compartments of a lead frame whilst under
compression substantially as described.
4. Secondary batteries substantially as described and shown in the drawings,
Dated this 10th day of March 1887
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.