IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY OR STORAGE BATTERIES FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF ELECTRICITY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John Cheesbrough of the Office for Patents
15 Water Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster Consulting Engineer
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY OR STORAGE BATTERIES
FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF ELECTRICITY" Communicated to him from
abroad by Asahel Knowlton Eaton of Brooklyn in the County of Kings and
State of New York United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John Cheesbrough
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th September 1882.
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH, of the Office for Patents, 15, Water Street,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer
SECONDARY, OR STORAGE BATTERIES FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF ELECTRICITY
[Communicated to him from abroad by Asahel Knowlton Eaton of Brooklyn ia
the County of Kings and State of New York United States of America]
"
The subject of this present Invention is a novel and efficient form of secondary,
or storage battery.
The batteries of this type which have heretofore been in use contain generally
plates of lead in various forms, and an electrolytic solution, such as dilute sulphuric
acid, or a plate of lead and a plate of copper in an electrolytic solution, such as of
sulphate of copper, of sulphate of zinc, or of similar metallic salt.
The object of this Invention is to obviate certain inherent objections to these
forms of battery and to produce cells of great efficiency and small cost, which are
readily and easily charged and freely and evenly discharged.
When both plates are formed of lead great difficulty is encountered in forming,
or preparing the plates. On the other hand when a copper plate is employed in a
metallic solution it is difficult to obtain a steady discharge, probably for the reason
that in the preliminary process of charging, the metal from the solution is deposited

page_text: on the copper so solidly that it is not readily dissociated in the subsequent operation
of discharging the cells.
To avoid these objections, there is employed, in conjunction with an electrode of
suitable metal and a solution of sulphate of copper, sulphate of iron, or other
metallic salt, an electrode composed of comminuted, or finely divided conducting
material. Upon this, as an electrode, the metal from the solution is deposited in
such manner that it is readily given back and the battery by this means rendered
capable of giving a steady and even current.
The conditions under which the application of this improvement to the construc-
tion of storage batteries is designed, are as follows.
As the positive electrode any of the metals heretofore employed for this purpose
are used, the plan of construction of the cells being modified to meet the require-
ments of particular cases. In practice amalgamated lead plates are preferred, or an
electrode formed of spongy lead.
When amalgamated lead plates are used they are enclosed in asbestos board,
cloth, or similar material so that each will be contained in a sheathing, which is
the equivalent of a porous cup. As many of these as may be necessary, or conve-
nient are placed in a containing vessel and the space between them filled in with a
suitable quantity of comminuted, or finely divided conducting material, using for
this purpose carbon and preferably ordinary retort carbon either alone or mixed
mixed with finely divided metal.
The lead plates are connected to form one pole and a strip of copper, or other
metal is embedded in the layers of carbon to form the other pole.
The cell is then completed by the addition of the solution of the electrolyte.
This may be sulphate of iron, of copper, of zinc, or other metallic salt.
Instead of enclosing the lead plates in sheathing of non conducting porous
substances as above, ordinary porous cups may be employed. When this is done
it is advisable to use acidulated water in the porous cups in which the lead plates
are immersed, the outer space being filled with solution of sulphate of copper, or
other metallic salt. The best results are obtained by the employment of an electrode
of spongy lead in place of the amalgamated lead plates above described either
enclosed in the porous sheathing, or immersed in acidulated water in porous cups.
This sponge is produced in the following manner.
A thin sheet of lead with large perforations is employed as the conducting
support for the sponge.
To attach the spongy mass two pieces of sheet zinc of the same size as the
perforated plate are covered on one side with japan, or other varnish for the pro-
tection of that side from chemical action, on the bottom of a shallow platter one
piece of zinc is laid with the varnished side down, on this is laid the perforated
lead plate and over the latter is laid the other zinc plate with the varnished side
up. The plates thus arranged in the shallow vessel are covered with a solution of
acetate of lead which is immediately decomposed by the zinc, the lead deposited
upon the sides of the skeleton plate in the form of a thick layer of fine spongy
crystalline lead.
The spongy plates thus formed are enclosed in sheathings of asbestos board, or
suspended in porous cups and used in conjunction with an electrode of powdered,
or crushed carbon in the same manner as the amalgamated plates above described.
When batteries thus constructed are to be used, they are first connected with a
primary, or galvanic battery, a dynamo electric machine, or other source of current,
whereupon the electrolysis of the metallic solution results in the deposition of the
metal upon the divided carbon, the oxidation of the lead surfaces to peroxide and
the change of the solution used to acidulated water.
In the discharge of the accumulated energy the metal is re-dissolved and
dissociated from the carbon and the solution returns to its original condition. It is
important, however, to use an amount of solution so large that the copper is not
wholly precipitated, as the loss, or leakage by remaining charged a long time is
diminished thereby.

page_text: In the above carbon is named as the material composing the negative electrode.
It is evident however, that other conducting substances, such as platinum, or copper
may be used in a finely divided state, either with or without an admixture of
granulated carbon. It is preferred however to use finely divided carbon, and the
finer the better, as the negative electrode, and a solution of sulphate of copper as
the electrolyte. The main advantages of such use are that the copper under the
influence of the current is distributed over a very large surface, is in a very loose
porous condition and re-dissolves readily, and also in the great reduction in the
weight of the battery.
Before putting the pounded carbon in the cells it is partially coated with copper
as this is found to be attended with advantageous results.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick John Cheesbrough in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th March 1883.
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH, of the Office for Patents, 15, Water Street,
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECONDARY, OR STORAGE BATTERIES FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF ELECTRICITY."
A communication to me from abroad by Asahel Knowlton Eaton, of Brooklyn, in
the County of Kings and State of New York, United States of America.
The subject of the present Invention is a novel and efficient form of secondary,
or storage battery. The batteries of this type, which have heretofore been in use
contain generally plates of lead in various forms and an electrolytic solution such
as dilute sulphuric acid, or a plate of lead and a plate of copper in an electrolytic
solution, such as of sulphate of copper, of sulphate of zinc, or of similar metallic
salt, the object is to obviate certain inherent objections to these forms of battery
and to produce cells of great efficiency and small cost, which are readily and easily
charged and freely and evenly discharged. When both plates are formed of lead,
great difficulty is encountered in forming, or preparing the plates. One the other
hand when a copper plate is employed in a solution of a metallic salt, it is difficult
to obtain a steady discharge probably for the reason that in the preliminary process
of charging, the metal from the solution is deposited on the copper so solidly that
it is not readily dissociated in the subsequent operation of discharging the cells.
To avoid these objections, there is employed, in conjunction with an element of
suitable metal and a solution of sulphate of copper, sulphate of iron, or other
metallic salt, an element composed of comminuted, or finely divided conducting
material. Upon this as an electrode, the metal from the solution is deposited in
such manner that it is readily given back and the battery by this means rendered
capable of giving a steady and even current.
The conditions under which the application of this improvement is applied to
the construction of storage batteries are as follows
As the negative element there is used any of the metals heretofore employed for
this purpose, the plan of construction of the cells being modified to meet the
requirements of particular cases. In practice it is preferred to use amalgamated
lead plates, or an electrode formed of spongy lead. When amalgamated lead plates
are used, they are enclosed in asbestos board, cloth, or similar material so that each
will be contained in a sheathing which is the equivalent of a porous cup. As many
of these as may be necessary, or convenient are placed in a containing vessel and
the spaces between them are filled in with a suitable quantity of a comminuted,
or finely divided conducting material, using for this purpose carbon and preferably
ordinary retort carbon, either alone, or mixed with finely divided metal. The lead
plates are connected to form one pole and a strip of copper, or other metal is
embedded in the layers of carbon to form the other pole. The cell is then completed
by the addition of the solution of the electrolyte. This may be sulphate of iron, of
copper, of zinc, or other metallic salt.
Instead of enclosing the lead plates in sheathings of non conducting porous
substances, as above, ordinary porous cups may be employed.
When this is done,
it is advisable to use acidulated water in the porous cups, in which the lead plates
are immersed, the outer space being filled with solution of sulphate of copper, or
other metallic salt. The best results however are obtained by the employment of
an element of spongy lead in place of the amalgamated lead plates above described,
either enclosed in the porous sheathings, or immersed in acidulated water in porous

page_text: cups. This sponge as set forth is produced in the following manner: a thin sheet of
lead with large perforations is employed as the conducting support for the sponge.
To attach the spongy mass, two pieces of sheet zinc of the same size as the
perforated plate, are covered on one side with Japan, or other varnish for the
protection of that side from chemical action. On the bottom of a shallow platter
one piece of zinc is laid with the varnished side down. On this is laid the perfo-
rated lead plate and over the latter is laid the other zinc plate with the varnished
side up.
The plates thus arranged in the shallow vessel are covered with a solution
of acetate of lead, which is immediately decomposed by the zinc, the lead being
deposited upon both sides of the skeleton plate in the form of a thick layer of fine
spongy crystalline lead. The spongy plates thus formed are enclosed in sheathings
of asbestos board, or suspended in porous cups and used in conjunction with an
electrode of powdered, or crushed carbon in the same manner as the amalgamated
plates above described.
When batteries thus constructed are to be used they are first connected with a
primary, or galvanic battery a dynamo electric machine or other source of current,
whereupon the electrolysis of the metallic solution results in the deposition of the
metal upon the divided carbon, the oxidation of the lead surfaces to peroxide and
the change of the solution used to acidulated water. In the discharge of the
accumulated energy, the metal is re dissolved and dissociated from the carbon and
the solution returns to its original condition. It is important however, to use an
amount of solution so large that the copper is not wholly precipitated, since the
loss, or leakage by remaining charged a long time is diminished thereby.
In the above, carbon is named as the material composing the positive element.
It is evident however that other conducting substances such as platinum, or copper
may be used in a finely divided state either with, or without an admixture of
granulated carbon. It is preferred however to use finely divided carbon, and the
finer the better, as the positive element and a solution of sulphate of copper as the
electrolyte. The main advantages of such use are that the copper under the
influence of the current is distributed over a very large surface is in a very loose
porous condition and re dissolves readily, and also in the great reduction in the
weight of the battery. Before putting the powdered carbon in the cells, it is
partially coated with copper as it is found that this is attended with advantageous
results.
In the accompanying Drawings there is illustrated the general forms of battery
above described
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a cell containing a number of amalgamated, or
spongy lead plates A enclosed in sheathings of asbestos_board B. The layers of
carbon are designated by the characters C C; and D E the connections for the
plates and the carbon layers respectively, which constitute the poles of the battery.
In Figure 2 which is designed to illustrate the arrangement of parts in a battery
containing a porous cell, A is the negative element, whether amalgamated, or
spongy lead; B¹ the porous cup and C the powdered carbon. The connection may
be made from the carbon by a rod of carbon E' instead of the copper wires used in
the other forms of battery.
It is evident that the form, or arrangement of the several parts of the cells may
be greatly modified without affecting this Invention.
Without reference therefore to the special construction of the battery what I
claim as new and the Invention cominunicated to me by my Foreign Corre-
spondent is:
First In a secondary, or storage battery the combination of a metallic element
capable of being rendered electro-negative by the passage through it of an electric
current in the manner described, an electrolytic solution of metallic salt and a
positive element composed of comminuted, or powdered conducting material, as
set forth.
Second In a secondary, or storage battery the combination of a metallic element
capable of being rendered electro-negative by the passage through it of an electric

page_text: current in the manner described an electrolytic solution of metallic salt and a
positive element composed of comminuted, or powdered carbon.
Third In a secondary, or storage battery the combination of a negative element
of lead an electrolytic solution of metallic salt and a positive element composed of
comminuted powdered carbon.
Fourth In a secondary, or storage battery the combination of a negative element
composed of spongy lead, a solution of sulphate of copper and a positive element of
comminuted, or finely-divided carbon, or carbon and metal in a loose state as
set forth.
In Witness whereof, I, the said Frederick John Cheesbrough have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH (L.S.)