Improvements in or connected with Electric Accumulators.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Originai Specification as it stands after further
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as allowed by the
decision of the Comptroller General of the 25th day of October 1898.
Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Accumulators.
I, JULES JULIEN, of 279, Chaussée d'Anvers, Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The powerful accumulator formed by the improved electrodes of large capacity
which constitute the object of this invention, is based on Planté's system, that is
to say a lead accumulator having a positive electrode of natural peroxide and a
negative electrode of plombiferous material, such as oxide of lead for instance, but
which are both characterised first by a special individual construction and secondly
by their combination in an equally specially constructed battery.
The object of this improved construction of electrodes is the formation of batteries
laving an extraordinary surface and capacity, that is to say, effectively maximums,
and the use for this object for the positive electrode of plates of lead or laminated
lead alloys, instead of lead castings with the view of avoiding all the inconveniences
inherent in these latter, whilst the negative electrode becomes, so to speak, a solid
body of plombiferous material. There is thus created a lead accumulator capable
of being charged and discharged under the largest quantity of ampères without the
least inconvenience as regards the preservation of electrodes which are of an
unalterable stability.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a transverse section and
Figure 2 a plan view of one sheet of lead.
Figure 3 a view in perspective of a sheet pile or positive electrode.
Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a cylinder of plombiferous material.
Figure 5 is a view in perspective of several cylinders threaded on their conducting
rod.
Figure 6 is an elevation and
Figure 7 a transverse section of a series of cylinders forming a plate.
Figure 8 is a perforated sheet of lead of the positive electrode.
Figure 9 is a group of pencils of ploinbiferous material forming the negative
electrode and
Figures 10 and 11 are respectively vertical and horizontal sections of the two
elements grouped in batteries.
Figure 12 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the parts or elements in
their receptacle.
The construction of the positive element or electrode is characterised in principle
by the piling or horizontal superimposing of an indefinite number of sheets of

page_text: rolled lead or lead alloys, the external contour being circular, hexagonal, tetragonal
or of any other suitable shape, and grooved or corrugated on the surface as shown
in Figures 1, 2 and 3, in order to form narrow interstices between the superposed
sheets to give access to the electrolyte for the formation of peroxide. This latter
action may be accelerated by dipping the lead plates before or after being placed
in a pile, in a fluid paste of oxide of lead salts, or even preferably in a fluid paste
of active material obtained from worn out accumulators, and allowing thus of the
latter being advantageously utilized. For this object this waste from the active
material is finely pulverised and pounded with the addition of water in a mortar or
other suitable apparatus until a light and homogeneous bath is formed into which
the channelled plates are dipped in order to cover them with a fine coating of this
material. All the strips or sheets of this battery or block are then soldered by
their edges to strips or bands of lead surrounding and externally enclosing the pile
of plates and connected with one another and with a terminal with which all the
plates (sheets) are thus electrically connected forming an electrode or element
having a maximum surface and capacity and a perfect unalterability, because it'is
easily understood that whatever may be the action of mechanical deformation pro-
duced by the electrolyte on each of the plates individually, it will be always
aunulled by the compactness of the construction itself which always maintains
the peroxide in intimate contact with the superposed plates, seeing that it is
impossible for it to separate itself therefrom by reason of the piling together, so
that this construction dispenses with any frames or other like means for maintain-
ing the elements freely immersed in the electrolyte.
With positive olectrodes piled in a square, cylindrical or prismatic block of the
novel kind described there may be employed in co-operation negative electrodes of
any suitable construction and large capacity, such for instance as the ordinary
negative plates, but I preferably employ in this case a negative electrode of plom-
biferous compound of special construction and large capacity.
These are formed by moulding litharge or other plombiferous compound in paste
or a state of fusion into the form of small cylinders or prisms L perforated in their
axes, in such a way as to have solid walls. These tubular bodies are well dried
after having been moulded and then strung with friction on conducting rods C of
stable metal of suitable length (Figures 4 and 5). If it be desired to make these
electrodes or elements co-operate with the positive element or electrode of full
form hereinbefore described, a sufficient negative electrode surface may be formed
by connecting (or uniting) in a grate a series of rods C having a common terminal
and stringing on the rods the aforesaid tubular bodies of plombiferous material in
such a way as to touch with their perimeters and thus to form a thick and grooved
plate of large capacity and stability, Figures 6 and 7.
Nevertheless I prefer to combine the two elements or electrodes herein before
described in a special manner that is to say, so that the two elements form a single
block limited by the contours of the positive element thus enabling the greatest
possible number of elements to be packed into a minimum of space and electrolyte.
For this object the lead sheets P are each perforated with a series of openings O,
Figure 8, so that after they have been piled up, the positive electrode is traversed
by a series of vertical channels of a section similar to that of the external contour
or generally speaking of any suitable section or number (nine in the present
example) of which the internal perimeter formed by the edges of the plates
replaces the surface lost by the cutting out of the pieces of the plaie.
In the centre of each of these channels O a negative pencil L of the system
herein before described, is inserted and each of their rods C connected by bars E
grouped at the terminal, thus forming a bundle of pencils Figure 9, simply inserted
as negative electrode in the channels of the positive electrode and forming one body
with it, Figures 10 and 11. It is seen how advantageous this arrangement is -in
the sense that, each of the negative pencils being entirely surrounded by the
positive electrode, the extent of surface is enormous for a very small volume."
It is further seen that in order to form a battery it is sufficient to place the

page_text: elements side by side in the receptacle in such a way as to fill it almost entirely
and reduce the quantity of electrolyte employed to the proportion actually
necessary.
Figure 12 shows a plan view of the arrangement of some forms of batteries which
owing to their construction by horizontal superposition of sheets, may assume any
suitable forms constituting Planté accumulators of very great effect, very solid, of
low cost of production and capable of being employed with advantage for all
suitable industrial purposes.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Accumulators.
I, JULES JULIEN, of 279, Chaussée d'Anvers, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Engineer, 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 stateinent:-
The powerful accumulator formed by the improved electrodes of large capacity.
which constitute the object of this invention, is based on Planté's system, that is to
say a lead accumulator having a positive electrode of natural peroxide and a
negative electrode of plombiferous material, such as oxide of lead for instance,
but which are both characterised first by a special individual construction',
aud secondly by their combination in an equally specially constructed
battery.
The object of this improved construction of electrodes is the formation of batteries
having an extraordinary surface and capacity, and the use for this object for the
positive electrode of thin plates of lead or laminated lead alloys, instead of lead
castings with the view of avoiding all the inconveniences inherent in these latter,
whilst the negative electrode becomes, so to speak; a solid body of plombiferous
material. There is thus created a lead accumulator capable of being charged and
discharged with the largest quantity of ampères without the least inconvenience
as regards the preservation of the electrodes which are of an unalterable
stability.
In the drawings, accompanying the provisional specification,'
Figure 1 is a transverse section; and
Figure 2, a plan view of one sheet of lead;
Figure 3, a view in perspective of a sheet pile or positive electrode ;
Figure 4 is a view in perspective of a cylinder of plombiferous material;
Figure 5 is a view in perspective of several cylinders threaded on their
conducting rod;
Figure 6 is an elevation; and
Figure 7 a transverse section of a series of cylinders forming a plate';
Figure 8 is a perforated sheet of lead of the positive electrode;
Figure 9 is a group of pencils of plombiferous material forming the negative
electrode; and
Figures 10 and 11 are respectively horizontal and vertical sections of the two'
elements grouped in batteries;
Figure 12 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the parts or elements.
in their receptacle.

page_text: The construction of the positive element or electrode is characterised in principle
by the piling or horizontal superimposing of an indefinite number of sheets of
rolled lead or lead alloys, the external contour being circular, hexagonal, tetragonal
or of any other suitable shape, and grooved or corrugated on the surface as shown in
Figures 1, 2 and 8, in order to form narrow interstices between the superposed sheets
to give access to the electrolyte for the formation of peroxide. This latter action may
be accelerated by dipping the lead plates before or after being placed in a pile, in a
fluid paste of oxide or lead salts, or even preferably in a fluid paste of active
material obtained from worn out accumulators, and allowing thus of the latter being
advantageously utilised. For this object this waste from the active material is
finely pulverised and pounded with the addition of water in a mortar or other
suitable apparatus until a light and homogeneous bath is formed into which the
channelled plates are dipped in order to cover them with a fine coating of this
material. All the strips or sheets of this battery or block are then soldered at
their edges to strips or bands of lead binding together and externally confining the
pile of plates and connected with one another and with a terminal with which all
the plates (sheets) are thus electrically connected forming an electrode or element
having a maximum surface and capacity and a perfect unalterability, because it is
easily understood that whatever may be the action of mechanical deformation produced
by the electrolyte on each of the plates individually, it will be always annulled by
the compactness of the construction itself, so that this construction dispenses with
any frames or other like means for maintaining the elements freely immersed in
the electrolyte.
With positive electrodes piled in a square, cylindrical or prismatic block of. the
novel kind described there inay be employed in co-operation negative electrodes of
any suitable construction and large capacity such for instance as the ordinary
negative plates, but I preferably employ in this case a negative electrode of
plombiferous compound of special construction and large capacity.
These are formed by moulding litharge or other plombiferous compound in paste
or a state of fusion into the form of small cylinders or prisms L perforated in their
axes, in such a way as to have solid walls. These tubular bodies are well dried
after having been moulded and then strung with friction on conducting rods C of
stable metal of suitable length (Figures 4 and 5). If it be desired to make these
electrodes or elements co-operate with the positive element or electrode of full form
herein before described, a sufficient negative electrode surface may be formed by-
connecting (or uniting) in a grate a series of rods C having a common terminal,
and stringing on the rods the aforesaid tubular bodies of plombiferous material in
such a way as to touch with their perimeters and thus to form a thick and grooved
plate of large capacity and stability, Figures 6 and 7.
Nevertheless I prefer to combine the two elements or electrodes herein before
described in a special manner that is to say, so that the two elements form a single
block limited by the contours of the positive element, thus enabling the greatest
possible number of elements to be packed into a minimum of space and electrolyte.
For this object the lead sheets P are each perforated with a series of openings O,
(Figure 8), so that after they have been piled up, the positive electrode is traversed
by a series of vertical channels of a section similar to that of the external contour
or generally speaking of any suitable section or number (nine in the present
example) of which the internal perimeter formed by the edges of the plates replaces
the surface lost by the cutting out of the pieces of the plate.
In the centre of each of these channels O a negative pencil L of the system
herein before described is inserted and each of their rods C connected by bars E
grouped at the terminal, thus forming a bundle of pencils Figure 9, simply inserted
as negative electrode in the channels of the positive electrode and forming one body
with it, Figures 10 and 11. It is seen how advantageous this arrangement is in
the sense that, each of the negative pencils being entirely surrounded by the
positive electrode, the extent of surface is enormous for a very small volume.

page_text: It is further seen that in order to form a battery it is sufficient to place the
elements side by side in the receptacle in such a way as to fill it almost entirely and
reduce the quantity of electrolyte employed to the proportion actually necessary.
Figure 12 shows a plan view of the arrangement or grouping together into
batteries, of a number of different forms of the improved couples or elements
which owing to their construction by horizontal superposition of sheets, may
assume any suitable forms constituting Planté accumulators of very great effect,
very solid, of low cost of production and capable of being employed with advantage
for all suitable industrial purposes. In this figure each block P represents a couple
of elements combined as hereiu before set forth, the connections being omitted to
show more clearly some of the various forms which the blocks may assume.
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 what
I claim is :-
1. In a Planté accumulator, a positive electrode formed by the horizontal
superposition of an indefinite series of thin finely grooved or corrugated rolled
sheets of lead or lead alloys, having any suitable contours, with or without a fine
coating of active material applied to assist the formation, and electrically connected
together and with the terminal by bands of lead enclosing the block of superposed
plates, such electrode being provided with a series of vertical channels or passages,
and inserting in the latter a corresponding number of pencils of negative material
connected in a group, with the object of reducing to a minimum the space occupied
by the battery and the quantity of electrolyte in which it is immersed, substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.