Improvements in Electric Storage Cells.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Electric Storage Cells.
I, CHAIMSONOVITZ PROSPER ELIESON, of 75, Edith Road, West Kensington, in
the County of London, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to electric storage cells or accumulators of the type
known as the Plante accumulator, and have for their objects the better mechani-
cal construction of the lead plates and of their attachments, giving them greater
strength and durability, and the better ensuring of the regular subjection of the
internal of the plates to the electrochemical process known as formation by the
protection of their outer surfaces during that process.
According to my improved construction thin sheet lead is perforated with holes,
and corrugated by passing it through rollers or in other known manner.
Corrugated perforated sheets of this nature are then assembled in the following
manner. Pieces are cut of the required size, some having the corrugations
vertical, others horizontal, and are laid upon one another alternately, so that
each piece with vertical corrugatious stands between two pieces with horizontal
corrugations, an outer sheet of about double size being then wrapped round
the assembled pieces to hold them together as hereinafter described.
The outer wrapping or sheet has its edge folded or rolled in and secured or
tacked at the edge at several spots by autogenous soldering commonly known as
lead-burning which may be effected in the usual way by the flame of a hydrogen
blow pipe, or, preferably, by the use of a well-heated copper bit resembling
soldering iron.
a
The assembled sheets thus secured in their outer wrapping of corrugated and
perforated lead are then further secured by leaden rivets placed through them at
suitable distances apart, the rivets being also secured by autogenous soldering.
The top and bottom edges of the plate are then firmly secured together by auto-
genously soldering to them suitably formed leaden pieces or armatures of channel-
form provided with sweating lugs. The said armatures or channel-pieces are
also provided with the appropriate projections or lugs for making connections
between the several plates in a battery, and in some cases with projections to
serve as feet or supports.
A form of armature or channel-piece suitable for the top edge of a plate, is
provided with pairs of lugs to grasp the assembled sheets, and with a projection
or lug above for making connection with the other plates of the set.
The form of armature or channel-piece which I prefer to provide for the lower
edge has those plates which are to act as positives in my cells, flat underneath.
The armature or channel-piece which I prefer for the lower edge of those plates
which are to act as negatives, is provided not only with pairs of lugs on its
upper side to grasp the assembled sheets, but also with projections or feet on
which to stand in the cell.
The rivets for securing the plates are at one end provided with heads and

page_text: I, CHAIMSONOVITZ PROSPER ELIesox, of 75, Edith Road, West Kensington, in
the County of London, Electrical 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 statement:--
My improvements relate to electric storage cells or accumulators of the type
known as Plante accumulators, and have for their objects to improve the mechani-
cal construction of the lead plates and of their attachments, thereby giving them
greater strength and durability than heretofore, and to subject the interiors of
the plates more uniformly than hitherto to the electrochemical process known
"formation."
05
According to my invention an accumulator plate is built up of several layers
of perforated and corrugated sheet-lead the said layers being so placed relatively
with one another that the corrugations of one layer cross or are at an angle
to those of adjacent layers, the several layers being secured together by lead
rivets. To the top and bottom of the several layers so united are autogenously
soldered armatures or channel-pieces of lead. To protect the outer surfaces of
the plates in order that the interiors thereof may be uniformly subjected to the
electrochemical action apply during the process of formation an exterior
coating of protecting varnish.
་
"
"
To enable my invention to be fully understood will describe the rame by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :—
Figure is a sectional elevation of a lead plate with its attachments con-
structed according to my invention; and
Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the plate without the attachments, drawn
to a larger scale than Figure 1:
over the projecting stems of the rivets at the other end are slipped leaden washers
which are melted by autogenous soldering to the stems and to the adjacent parts
of the assembled sheets. The pairs of lugs which project over the plate from
the armatures at the top and bottom are also "burned" into metallic communi-
cation with the plate, the melted parts acting as rivets to hold the structure
together, and affording a good electrical connection.
I sometimes attach or tack the channel-pieces to the outer layer of sheet lead
at several spots by autogenous soldering.
After these processes have been sufficiently completed the plate is preferably
rolled or pressed in a stamping press to secure a general flatness or at least to
reduce any parts that may project too highly.
"
The plate thus put together and secured by autogenous soldering is then well
varnished over with a suitable bituminous or resinous varnish, and is then sub-
jected in suitable cells to the electrochemical process of formation." The object
of the preliminary varnishing is to ensure that the said process of formation
shall take place first in the interior of the plate where surfaces are exposed at
its interstices before the outside is attacked. After the process of formation has
been completed, the varnish, or so much of it as has not disintegrated is removed
by rubbing or otherwise.
Dated this 12th day of October 1897.

page_text: Figures 3, 4 and 5 are end views of the attachments hereinafter described.
In carrying out my invention a series of pieces a, a, a of thin sheet lead of the
required size and perforated with holes and corrugated (by passing through
rollers or in other known manner) are laid upon or against one another, so that
each piece with say vertical corrugations is adjacent to another piece or pieces
with say horizontal corrugations and then an outer sheet also perforated and
corrugated is preferably wrapped around the assembled pieces to hold them
together.
This outer wrapping or sheet has its edge folded or rolled in as shewn at c
and secured or tacked at several spots by autogenous soldering commonly
known as lead burning which may be effected in the usual way by the flame
of a hydrogen blow pipe, or preferably, by the use of a well-heated copper bit
resembling a soldering iron.
The assembled sheets a, a thus secured in their outer wrapping of corrugated
and perforated lead bare then further secured by lead rivets d, d passed through
them at suitable distances apart.
These rivets are at one end provided with heads and over the projecting stems
of the rivets at the other ends are slipped leaden washers which are melted by
autogenous soldering to the stems and to the adjacent parts of the assembled
sheets.
The top and bottom edges of the plate are then firmly secured together by
applying to them leaden pieces or armatures e, f preferably of channel-form as
shewn, the said armatures being preferably united with the plate at several
points as at e, f by autogenous soldering.
In order to obtain a good electrical connection between the several sheets or
layers of a plate and the armatures the latter are preferably provided with pairs
of sweating lugs . which project over the plate at the top and bottom and
these lugs are united with the several layers in the following manner, that is to
say, a hydrogen flame or a hot bit is brought into contact with cach lug so as
to melt a hole through it and into the plate and whilst in this melted condition
lead is burned in until the cavity is filled up. After the lugs on one side of
the plate have been "burned" as described the plate is turned over and the
operation is repeated upon the lugs on the other side. in Figure 1 indicate
the burned' in portions which perfectly unite the armatures or conductors
with the several layers.
In order, further to ensure the uniform distribution of the electric current
over the plate and the consequent uniform charging and discharging at all points
I advantageously "burn" the lateral edges of the several sheets or layers of a
plate together. In some cases also I burn" the sheets together at the top
and bottom edges before the armatures are applied.
The armature or channel-piece e is provided with a projection or lug such
ash for making connections between the several plates in a battery.
The arma-
ture or channel-piece f which I prefer to provide for the lower edges of those
plates which are to act as positives in my cells are flat underneath, as shewn in
Figure 5, whilst the armatures or channel-pieces for the lower edges of these
plates which are to act as negatives are preferably provided with projections or
feet i, on which to stand in the cell as shewn in Figures 1 and 4.
After the described processes of construction have been completed the plate
is preferably rolled or compressed in a press to secure a general flatness or at
least to reduce any parts that may project too highly.
The plate thus put together and secured by autogenous soldering is then well
varnished over or coated with a suitable bituminous or resinous varnish or the like
and is then subjected in suitable cells to the electrochemical process of "forma-
tion." The object of the preliminary varnishing is to ensure that the said
process of formation shall take place first in the interior of the plate where
surfaces are exposed at its interstices before the outside is attached." After the

page_text: process of formation has been completed, the varnish, or so much of it us has
not disintegrated is removed by brushing or otherwise.
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 an electric accumulator or storage cell a plate consisting of several layers
of perforated and corrugated sheet lead arranged so that the corrugations of
adjacent plates cross or are at an angle to one another and of leaden rivets which
pass through the said layers the several layers being electrically united by auto-
genous soldering, substantially as described.
2. In a plate for an electric accumulator or storage cell the combination of
several layers of perforated and corrugated sheet lead rivetted together and arma-
tures or channel-pieces of lend laid across and autogenously soldered to the said
layers at the top and bottom, substantially as described.
3. In a plate for an electric accumulator or storage cell formed of several layers
of perforated and corrugated sheet lead united together, an exterior coating of
varnish or material to protect the exterior of the plate during the process of
"formation," substantially as described.
Dated the 12th day of July 180S.