Improvements in or relating to Electric Accumulators or Storage Batteries.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1897
Loft 11th Fob 1898-Accepted. 9th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Accumulators or Storage
Batteries.
I, OTTO LINDNER, Engineer, of 41 Rue Gallait, of Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to create very light electric accumulator plates
possessing nevertheless a great electric power storage capacity. It is known that
the chemical reaction upon the plates of secondary electrical batteries does not
exercise in depth but upon a very slight thickness. Therefore, the quantity of
active material attached artificially to the accumulator plates, only needed to be of
an extremely thin layer provided: the active material adhering firmly upon said
plate.
It is also known, that plain support-plates for the active material are possessing
advantages over grid and like support-plates. However up to now it has not
been possible to produce plain support-plates for accumulators light enough and
provide same with a thin layer of firmly adhering active material. In order to
provide for accumulator plates possessing the said two advantages, of being
Light and powerfull, I procede in the following way: Upon metal plates (tinned)
I cause to adhere by soldering a thin uniform layer of steel filings (more or less
rough) or filings of another hard metal, or I may cement by means of gutta-percha,
a specially prepared flint-paper upon plates.
Between two plates prepared in either of the aforesaid manner, a sheet (plate)
of lead is placed and the whole passed between rollers; (cylinders) but other presses
may be used. After a few passing back and forward, the surface of both sides of
the sheet of lead has literally become "spongy" and entirely covered with in-
numerable small irregular cavities and without the slightest even surface between
same.
It goes without saying that the surface of an accumulator plate being prepared
in such a manner will hold the artificially applied active material better than
by any other mechanical device, in fact the active material becomes absolutely
incrustated into the sheet of lead and covering thus the entire surface of an ac-
cumulator plate with a thin layer of the active material. For the sake of rigidity
the plate (sheet of lead) may receive a frame, by casting or otherwise, of hardened
lead, or the plate may be placed between two grates of hardened lead, ebonit, or
other material. Should the artificially applied active material being consumed
natural
after a certain time, the sheet lead plate will have since long undergone a
formation" and will therefore continue to serve until it is completely used up. Of
course, my mechanical procedure of rendering the surface of sheet lead "spongy"
for the purpose of giving a perfect hold to the active material artificially applied
upon, can also be used upon plates (sheets) consisting of any alloys of lead. Said
procedure of rendering the surface spongy" may also be applied to accumulator
plates intended to be covered with oxydes by "natural formation."
وو
In consequence of the very thin layer of active material and its perfect adherence
upon the sheet support-plate of my invention, the same may receive any shape of

page_text: forme even after the active material being applied to, and without the latter
coming off. Instead of surrounding the sheet lead plate with a frame, or placing
the same between grates in order to give it the necessary rigidity, the latter may
be obtained in the following way: Upon each side of a thin plate of ebonit, glass,
or any convenient and certain acids resisting material, is cemented by means of
gutta-percha (or other substance) a sheet lead plate with "spongy" surface pro-
duced according to my procedure. In order that said sheet lead plate may adhere
firmly upon the rigid support plate, the side of the former which comes into contact
with the cementing substance is to be very finely grooved or rendered "
as for the reception of the active material. In the manner described, two sheet
lead plates may be cemented back to back without any other rigid support-plate
between the two. In both cases, the two sides of the accumulator plate are formed
of one single sheet of lead folded in two, or the sheets may be soldered together
along the edges. A certain margin may be left upon the sheet lead plate without
being rendered "spongy," such margin may afterwards be folded several times in
order to form a good conductor for the electric current to the entire plate.
Dated the 19th
100%
spongy
33
Improvements in or relating to Electric Accumulators or Storage
Batteries.
I, OTTO LINDNER, Engineer, of 41, Rue Gallait, of Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, 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:-
Hitherto lead electrodes (accumulator-plates) have rather been too expensive if
belonging to the "Plante" type owing to the long time and the amount of elec-
tricity it takes to obtain the "natural formation" of such electrodes, even if aided
by the best known chemical process, or, if of the "Faure" type they have been
found too havy for many purposes and of relatively short life.
The object of my invention therefore is to produce at low cost an electrode for
storage batteries which, though light possess great capacity and may be used
either, as a "Plante" type and as such will accomplish its natural formation"
"
in a very short time, or as a Faure" type of lightness and durability unknown
as yet.
I attain this object by proceeding in the following way:-I prepare matrices
by securing into or upon the surface of a plate, or a roller, (by means of soldering,
cementing or otherwise) "irregular particles" of metal, minerals or other hard
substance in the shape of filings, crushings, chips or like. The necessary "irregular
particles may also be produced, intead of applied, upon the matrices (if of
metal) by hashing conveniently its surfaces.
""
Between two matrices prepared in aforesaid manner a sheet of lead (which is to
become my electrode) is placed and pressure applied to the matrices in order to
cause the myriades of irregular small sharp metal (or other) particles to impress
into the soft sheet of lead.
After shifting slightly the sheet of lead and repeating several times the impression
between said matrices, the surface on both sides of the sheet of lead has literally
become "spongy," its entire area being covered with innumerable irregular torn
small holes or cavities without the slightest part of even surface between same.
If my electrode obtained by above described process is now to be used as a

page_text: "Plante" type it possesses the quality of an extraordinary quick "natural forma-
tion." Repeated comparative experiments have prooved, that electrodes of the
present invention accomplish "natural formation" five (5) times quicker than
other electrodes of the Plante type known up to now.
"
If my electrode is to be treated as a Faure" type, a somewhat liquid paste of
the necessary oxide of lead is applied upon the spongy surface, preferably with a
rubber brush or a rubber scraper. The plate (or electrode) may then be brought
into a press in order to force the lead oxide better into the irregular torn small
cavities. At same time more rigidity may be given to the electrode by corrugating
the same.
The active material (lead oxides) artificially applied upon the said
spongy surface becomes, after having dried, absolutely incrustated into the
electrode.
Of course my electrode may receive any form or shape in outline when built
up into storage batteries and may also be prepared or combined with alloys of
lead or other substances.
I am aware that prior to my invention lead electrodes have been made and used
with striped, ribbed, grooved or otherwise rolled or cut and also needle-pricked
surfaces for the purpose of holding the artificially applied active material (lead
oxides) or for the purpose of enlarging its surface area. I therefore do not claim
uneven surfaces upon lead electrodes broadly as my invention but:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare, that what
I claim is:-
1st. In electric storage batteries (or accumulators) lead electrodes provided with
a spongy surface (obtained mechanically) formed of small irregular torn cavities
with no even or regular surface space between same, for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth.
2nd. In connexion with electrodes for electric storage batteries: matrices which
surfaces are composed of (or upon which are produced) irregular particles of metal,
mineral or other hard substance, for the purpose of producing spongy surfaces
upon lead electrodes for the purpose and in the manner hereinbefore set forth.
3rd. Lead electrodes provided with a spongy surface obtained by mechanical
process and for the purpose of accelerating "natural formation" as set forth.
4th. Lead electrodes provided with a spongy surface obtained by mechanical
process and for the purpose of retaining in its irregular torn cavities lead oxides
artificially applied in the manner and for the purpose herein before set forth.
Dated this 10th day of February 1898.