Improvements in Machines for and the Method of Making Electrodes for Storage Batteries.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for and the Method of Making Electrodes
for Storage Batteries.
We, WILLIAM WALLACE HANSCOM and ARTHUR HOUGH, both of 612, O'Farrell
Street, in the City of San Francisco and State of California, United States of
America, Electrical Engineers, 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 improvements in machines for and method of making
electrodes for storage batteries, and more particularly to a machine for con-
structing the active material in said electrodes.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a machine constructed in conformity with this
invention, being partly cut away to show the construction of the mould, and
pressing mechanism.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged detail of the mould, and that part of the mechanism
herein termed the plunger head and stripper.
Fig. 3, is a side view of a pellet, as produced by this mechanism.
Fig. 4, is a side elevation of a plate constructed in accordance with this
invention.
Fig. 5, is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line, X—I.
Fig. 6, is a cross-section of the pellet showing its condition after being moulded
and set.
Fig. 7, is a cross-section of the pellet showing its condition after being re-
duced to spongy lead on the edge, the heavier shading being used to indicate
the reduced material.
Fig. 8, is a cross-section of the pellet showing its condition after the spongy
lead has been compressed to metallic lead,--the heavy solid lines on the outer
edge being used to indicate the metallic lead.
Fig. 9, is a cross-section in detail of a portion of the plate showing the pellet
held in the support or frame.
To facilitate the description of the drawings, we have designated the various
parts by distinguishing letters. The mould, A, is a hollow cylinder opened
at both ends. The lower end is closed by the bottom, B, the central portion
of which is raised to extend a short distance into the mould, A, and is provided
with a series of perforations to receive the pins with which the plunger is pro-
vided to form the perforations X and Y. The circulation perforations Y are
made cone-shape, the larger opening in the perforation being at the bottom. This
construction is provided to prevent the accumulation of material in the perfora-
tions which might choke the perforations.
In operation, the mould, A, and the bottom, B, are placed together as shown
in Fig. 1. A measured quantity of dry litharge is introduced into the mould
from the top. A suitable quantity of a solution of sugar and sulphate of
ammonia is then poured in upon the dry powdered litharge; those being the
components of the material, to become active, in the electrode as constructed
by us.

page_text: The mould, A, and bottom, B, are now placed upon the base plate, C, of the press,
suitable guides being provided in the base-plate, C, and bottom, B, to form an
accurate adjustment for the mould upon the base-plate to secure the alignment
of the perforations in the bottom, B, and the pins for forming the circulation
perforations in the pellet.
Mounted upon the base-plate, C, is the pressing mechanism. This consists
of a heavy screw, D, which is threaded, as shown in Fig. 1, of drawings, and
extends through a stationary press-nut, E, and is securely fastened to the lower
end by a rotatable joint to a cross head, F.
The press-nut, E, is mounted on suitable standards, G, G, to which it is secured
by screw nuts, H, H. The standards operate as guides for the cross head in its
rise and fall as the screw, D, is rotated. The screw, D, is rotated by means of
the hand wheel, I, the diameter of which is large to give considerable leverage
to the pressure. The fall of the cross head, F, is regulated by stops, K, K,
which may consist of loose collars adapted to fit over the standards, G, G, or
may be enlarged portions of the standards. At the upper end they form an
abutment or shoulder, against which the cross-head, F, descends and forms the
limit of its downward stroke.
Upon the bottom of the cross-head is securely fastened the plunger, L, secured
to the cross-head by means of fastening devices, L¹. To the lower end of the
plunger, L, are secured the pins, M, M. These are secured by means of the
block, N, which is screwed into the lower end, and forms the lower face of the
plunger, L. The block, N, is provided with suitable perforations to receive
the shank of the pins, M, M, snugly. The heads of the pins, M, M, when they
are inserted through the block, N, rest on the upper side, and when the block, N,
is screwed into position the heads of the pins strike against and are held firmly
by the bottom to the threaded perforations in the end of the plunger, into which
the block, N, is screwed.
When the bottom, B. is adjusted by means of the guides referred to, the
perforations in the said bottom, are, as stated, aligned with the pins, M, M. The
screw, D, being now rotated by means of the hand-wheel, I, the cross-head, F,
is carried downward, the plunger, L, entering the mould, A. The pins, M, M,
extend through the soft material or moistened litharge and into and through the
perforations in the bottom, B. before the plunger comes in contact with the
material which is to be pressed. By this means, it will be seen, the pins are
not deflected from their course, and are therefore in position and firm, before
the pressure is applied to form the pellet.
As the plunger, L, descends from this point, the material in the mould is
pressed into a hardened condition, the pressure being regulated so as to produce
the required pressure to render the material sufficiently firm to handle.
When the plunger, L, has been depressed to the limits of the stroke of the
cross-head, F and the pressure necessary to compress the pellet into the con-
sistency mentioned has been reached; it becomes necessary to take the pellet
out of the mould. This is accomplished by an added mechanism which we term
the stripper mechanism.
The stripper mechanism consists in the plate, 0, which is perforated to pass
over the pins, M, M. It is provided with a spindle. P; which at the top is pro-
vided with a head R. The plunger L and block N are suitably perforated to
permit this spindle P to pass through the same snugly. The head R, which is
secured to the top of the spindle P rests in a perforation S in which it is guided.
The head R is limited in its downward movement by the top of the plunger
block. When the bottom of the head R rests upon the top of the plunger L
the bottom of the plate is extended past the ends of the pins M, M. These
parts are depressed by means of the rod T the upper end of which is provided
with a suitable screw threaded portion which is threaded in a perforation bored
centrally through the screw D. At the upper end of the threaded portion of
the rod T is a small hand wheel U by means of which the rod is rotated.
As

page_text: the rod T is rotated the head R is depressed by it to the limit of the play of the
head R; but when the rod T is rotated in the reverse direction, which raises the
said rod the head R and its connected parts, the spindle P and plate are
not raised thereby. The only office of the rod T is thus to depress these parts.
When the pellets are manufactured by the machine herein described, they are
placed upon triangular racks, and permitted to set and harden. The large
central perforation X and the small circulation perforations Y are formed in
the pellet simultaneously with the stamping or pressing of the same.
The pellet
at that time cannot be said to be exactly dry, for the liquid which is to moisten
the pellet has been introduced to it before; but the steps of the operation are
so close in point of time, that the moisture is distributed throughout the litharge
composing the pellet as much by the pressure, as by absorption. When the
die descends upon the pellet, the pins forming the small circulation perforations
extend through the material composing the pellet while it is in its unpressed
form. The pressure is brought upon this material while these pins are in the
pellet. The perforations X are provided to permit the pellets to be placed upon
a suitable metallic rod in series, or piled on one another to be placed in the
electrolyte to be electrolytically reduced. We have discovered that, by wrapping
the aggregated pellets with a continuous wire about the outside, and connecting
the wire in the charging circuit a rapid reduction of the outer edge of the pellets
may be effected. This, however, is not essential as the current may be con-
veyed through the central rod. When the pile of pellets has been reduced on
its outer surface, (which is the edges of the individual pellets,) and this reduc-
tion has been extended inward towards the center of the pile, or centre of the
pellets, for about one-eighth of an inch, the pile is removed and the pellets are
ready for the next step in the method which is the compressing the spongy
lead, to which the edges of the pellets have been reduced, to metallic lead. This
is accomplished by clamping the pellets on a mandrel, or rotating machine, and
pressing a suitable roller against the edge while the pellets are rotated. This
compresses the spongy lead to metallic lead.
When a sufficient number of pellets, V, have been provided in the manner
described, they are set in a mould and spaced therein so that they nest together
as closely as possible to permit the molten lead of the frame, Z, to flow round
and about them. The spaces between the pellets are made as narrow as possible,
to have as little lead in the frame, as will serve the purpose of supporting the
plate and convey the current away from the pellets. The frame, Z, is formed
by heating the lead of which it is formed to a great heat and pouring it into the
mould which is shaped to give the shape shown in the drawings. The heat of
the lead is sufficient to melt the edges of the pellets and cause a weld between
the same and the frame. This weld forms practically an integral union of the
frame and pellets and removes the possibility of the formation of sulphate of
lead between the active material and the frame.
By the construction, thus far described, there is produced a plate in which the
active material is set in a frame or support and is joined to the frame by an
5. integral or welded joint. Also the entire surface of the pellets of active material
is exposed to the electrolyte, and not, as heretofore, partly covered by the
frame, Z.
To provide for a more thorough and complete contact between the electrolyte
and pellets, the latter are provided with perforations, X, which in the drawings
are shown as extending through the pellets, V. By this construction the entire
body of the pellets is subjected to the action of the electrolyte, and thereby,
equalizing the charge and discharge from the same.
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
5 we claim is:-

page_text: battery electrodes, the combination, of a suitable mould; with a plunger
provided with suitable pressure mechanism and adapted to be extended
into the said mould; and pins set in a plate and adapted to be extended through
the material to form the pellet prior to the pressure being applied thereto by the
said plunger, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for making pellets of active material for storage battery
electrodes, the combination, of a suitable mould; with a plunger provided with
suitable pressure mechanism and adapted to be extended into the said mould;
a bottom for the said mould provided with a series of perforations; and a series
of pins set in the said plunger and aligned with the perforations in the said
bottom and adapted to extend through the same, substantially as described.
3. In a machine for making pellets of active material for storage battery
electrodes; the combination, of a suitable mould; with a bottom for said mould
provided with a series of perforations; and a pressure mechanism provided with
a plunger adapted to be extended into and withdrawn from the said mould; and
stops or arresting devices to limit the extension of the plunger into the said
mould, substantially as described, whereby measured quantities of material may
be given the same pressure.
4. In a machine for making pellets of active material for storage battery
electrodes, the combination, of a suitable mould; with a plunger provided with
suitable pressure mechanism and adapted to be extended into the said mould
a predetermined distance; a bottom for the said mould provided with a series
of perforations; and a series of pins set into said plunger and aligned with
the perforations in the said bottom and of sufficient length to extend through
the said perforations prior to the face of the plunger coming in contact with the
material to be pressed, substantially as described.
5. In a machine for making pellets of active material for storage battery
electrodes, the combination, of a suitable mould; with a plunger provided with
suitable pressure mechanism and adapted to be extended into the said mould a
predetermined distance; a bottom for the said mould provided with a series
of perforations; a series of pins set into said plunger and aligned with the
perforations in the bottom; a stripper mechanism consisting in a plate perforated
to extend over the said pins and to form the face of the plunger, and a suitable
mechanism for extending the said plate beyond the ends of the said pins, sub-
stantially as described.
6. The method of manufacturing electrodes for storage batteries consisting in
placing dry powdered litharge in suitable moulds, then moistening the said
litharge with a solution of sugar and sulphate of ammonia; then pressing the
said litharge and liquid to form a hardened pellet; then drying the said pellet;
then reducing the edge of the pellets to spongy lead by electrolysis; then pressing
the edge of the pellets to a metallic condition; then assembling the said pellets;
and then casting a metallic lead frame or support about the edges of the assembled
pellets said lead being heated sufficient to melt the pressed edges of the said
pellets, substantially as described.
7. The method of constructing electrodes for storage batteries consisting in
placing dry powdered litharge in suitable moulds; then moistening the said
litharge with a solution of sugar and sulphate of ammonia; then pressing the said
litharge and liquid to form a hardened pellet; then drying the said pellets; then
assembling the said pellets by laying the sides of the same together and exposing
the edges then partly reducing the assembled pellets to spongy lead by electro-
lysis; then pressing radially the edges of the pellets; then assembling the said
pellets in the arrangement they are to assume in the electrode; and then casting
a metallic lead frame or support about the edges of the pellets said lead being
heated sufficient to partly melt the pressed edges of the said pellets, substantially
as described.
8. The method of manufacturing electrodes for storage batteries consisting
in placing dry powdered litharge in suitable moulds; then moistening the said

page_text: litharge while in the mould with a suitable solution; then pressing the said
litharge and liquid to form a hardened pellet; then drying the said pellets;
then assembling the said pellets in the form of a column by laying the pellets
one on another with their sides abutting and their edges exposed; then placing
the column in an electric circuit by connecting a terminal to the outside of the
column and passing a current of electricity through it while in a suitable electro-
lyte to reduce the outside of the column or the edges of the pellets prior to the
body of the pellets; then assembling the said pellets in the arrangement they are
to assume in the electrode and then casting a metallic lead frame or support
about the edges of the said pellets, said lead being heated sufficiently to partly
melt the said pressed edges of the pellets substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of October 1899.
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
Agents for Applicants, 17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.