Improvements in the Method of Electrolytically Reducing Plates of Metallic Salts to a Metal State to "Form" the Electrodes of Secondary or Storage Batteries. TO THE OFRYAGE BATTERI
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 16th Nov., 1889
COME LITE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Electrolytically Reducing Plates of
Metallic Salts to a Metal State to "Form" the Electrodes of
Secondary or Storage Batteries.
1, STANLEY CHARLES CUTHBERT CURRIE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain,
but now residing at the City of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, and
State of Pennsylvania, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF ELECTROLYTICALLY REDUCING
PLATES OF METALLIC SALTS TO A METAL STATE TO
THE ELECTRODES OF
SECONDARY OR STORAGE BATTERIES, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statements:-
"FORM
2:
My invention has relation to a certain new and novel method of reducing plates
formed more particularly of metallic salts by electrolysis to a metallic state or
condition to forin the electrodes of secondary or storage batteries.
Metal plates for use as electrodes of secondary or storage batterics have been made
by subjecting one or more salts of a metal or metals in variable proportions to fusion
and then in the cooling of the mass causing the same to assume a solid crystallized
form, when a frame of suitable material was cast around the plate and then reduced to
a metallic state by electrolysis, whereby was produced a porous crystallized metal
plate or electrode having substantial strength.
In the instance of a plate to be used for a secondary or storage battery composed
of a salt of lead, a bad conductor of electricity, to be reduced to a state of porous
metallic lead by electrolysis, it is important that the reduction should be effected
evenly and uniformly over the entire surface of the plate. If the plate in its pre-
liminary state in the form of a salt of lead, a bad conductor of electricity, be held in
a frame of a good conducting metal or material, such as metallic lead, reduction will
commence to take place from the edges of the salt plato in the direction of the centre
thereof and this not only consumes much time, but moreover, causes a reduction of
the plate to take place across the line of cleavage or crystallization or pores thereof,
in a properly constituted plate.
The principal object of my invention is to overcome the above mentioned objection-
able results and to not only hasten, facilitate and attain a more perfect electrolytic
reduction of a plate composed of one or more metallic salts of low electrical con-
ductivity, to a metallic state, but to prevent the plates from buckling, bending and
warping during reduction and to cause reduction to take place in the direction of the
line of cleavage or of the pores of the plate.
My invention consists in increasing the effective area of the electrical conducting
material of the plates during the reduction to a metallic state, by causing the
reduction to commence over the entire surface and gradually work its way through
the plate in the line of cleavage or crystallization, thereby materially lessening the
time required to reduce the plates and giving as a product plates of a superior
character for use as the electrodes of a secondary or storage battery.
My invention furthermore consists in supporting and firmly holding the plates
during their electrolytic reduction, whereby superior plates are produced.
My invention may be carried into effect as follows:-
Two systems of plates are immersed in a vase containing water and sulphuric acid
in the proportion of 10 per cent. more or less.
To hasten or facilitate and finally attain a more perfect electrolytic reduction of the
salt or crystallized plates each is mounted in a vase between two plates composed
preferably of a metal the same as the crystallized plate is a salt of or other suitable

page_text: material, and said plates firmly pressed against the faces of the crystallized plates.
These metal or conducting plates in contact with the faces of the crystallized plates
are provided with square, circular or other preferred shaped holes or instead of per-
forated metal plates, a series of metallic rods may be used for obtaining a good
contact with the active matter or conducting materials of the salt plates to be reduced.
Preference, however, is given to the use of perforated plates for the purpose because
most excellent results can be obtained. Alongside and in contact with each of the
perforated metal plates is placed an insulating plate or rod composed of rubber or
other suitable material. Against this rod or perforated plate of insulating material
and separated by the same from the perforated metal plate is placed a solid plate of
ordinary lead or other material of equal dimension. The plates having been mounted
in the vase in the manner described the system of crystallized plates. and of course
with the perforated metal plates in contact with the faces thereof are connected
through a wire with the negative electrode of a dynamo or other source of electricity
while the system of solid metal lead or other plates are connected through a wire with
the positive electrodes of the same and in the electrolytic reduction allowed to take
place, the system of crystallized plates are reduced to a metallic state. The system of
plates constituting the anodes are of course insulated from those constituting the
cathodes.
The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more fully under-
stood taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof; and
in which
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a system of crystallized plates partially broken
away and mounted in a fluid in a vase and the said plates having on each of their
sides or faces and in contact therewith a perforated metal plate and a perforated
insulating plate or rod resting against each of the perforated metal plates and with a
system of metal plates next to the said insulating pieces.
Fig. 2, is a perspective view of a single crystallized plate partially broken away
with a thin perforated metal plate in direct contact with each face thereof and with
an inverted U-shaped insulating piece fitted over the crystallized and the thin per-
forated plates in contact therewith and also showing the solid lead plates of equal
dimension with the crystallized plates pressing against the sides or faces of each
inverted U-shaped insulated rod.
Fig. 3, is a side elevation of a plate provided with a series of round holes arranged
in rows for contact with each face or side of the salt or chloride plate to be reduced
to a metallic state.
Fig. 4, is a similar view of a plate made of lead or other material provided with
square holes disposed diagonally or transversely throughout the plate.
Fig. 5, is a similar view of a metal lead or other plate provided with vertical slits
or openings therein; and
Fig. 6, is a side elevation of a crystallized plate with a frame cast around the same
and provided with a terminal having a binding screw for connecting a wire therewith
and illustrating a crystallized metal plate that has undergone electrolytic reduction.
Referring to the drawings A, is a vase in which the respective plates are mounted
immersed in a suitable fluid. a and a¹, are insulating bars in the bottom of the vase
and on which the respective plates are mounted. and b, are vertical insulating
bars or rods disposed so as to properly insulate the outer plates from the sides of
the vase A. B represents the perforated metal plates composed of lead or other
suitable material of any of the forms illustrated in figs. 3, 4 and 5, for mounting
in contact with the crystallized plates to be reduced. C represents a crystallized
plate having a frame c, cast or otherwise formed around the same with a terminal c¹,
and a binding screw c³, with which a wire d, is connected from the negative
electrode of a dynamo not shown. D is a perforated insulating plate of rubber or
other material occupying a position on each side between the perforated metal lead
or other plate B, and the solid metal lead plate E, with a terminal e, to which a
wire e¹, is attached from the positive electrode of a dynamo, not shown. The two

page_text: systems of plates properly insulated from the bottom and sides of the vase are
held firmly in position in the vase A, in order to avoid bulging, warping, buckling
and bending of the plates to be reduced to a metallic state.
The crystallized salt plates having been reduced to a metallic state in substantially
the manner hereinabove described, the matter foreign to the particular metal
required in them may be readily eliminated by removing said crystallized metal
plates into another vase and mounting them in a fluid therein properly insulated
from metal lead or other plates and the bottom and sides of the vase and connecting
the terminals of the two systems of plates through wires with the electrodes of a
dynamo, that is, with the system of metal lead or other plates connected with the
negative electrode of the dynamo and the system of crystallized metal plates with the
positive electrode of the dynamo, whereby a superior type of porous crystallized metal
plates is obtained for use as the electrodes of a secondary or storage battery.
I desire it to be distinctly understood that my invention does not comprehend
broadly a porous crystallized metallic plate, but my invention embraces simply the
method hereinbefore described of reducing such type of plates among others to a
metallic state to form the electrodes of a secondary or storage battery.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. In the method of electrolytically reducing plates composed of one or more salts
of a metal or metals to a metallic state, mounting the plates to be reduced in contact
with perforated metal plates or devices insulated from metal plates, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2. In the method of electrolytically reducing plates composed of a salt or salts of a
metal or metals to a metallic state, mounting in a fluid in contact with the faces or
sides of the plates to be reduced perforated metal plates, insulating plates interposed
between said perforated plates and metal plates and causing the reduction of said
plates composed of a metallic salt or salts, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3. The method of reducing crystallized plates to a metallic state, which consists in
immersing in a fluid a system of perforated plates in contact with the crystallized
plates forming cathodes and insulated from a system of metal plates forming the
anodes and then connecting said cathodes and anodes with a generator, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The method of electrolytically reducing crystallized plates to a metallic state,
which consists in immersing in a fluid a system of perforated metal plates in contact
with the crystallized plates and a system of metal plates insulated from said perforated
opposing plates of similar material and then connecting the cathodes and anodes with
a generator, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The method of electrolytically reducing crystallized plates to a metallic state,
which consists in immersing in a fluid, a system of crystallized plates having
perforated metal plates in contact with the faces thereof and perforated insulating
plates interposed between said perforated metal plates and solid metal plates and
then causing the reduction of said crystallized plates, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
6. The method of electrolytically reducing crystallized plates to a metallic state,
which consists in immersing in a fluid a system of crystallized plates in contact
with perforated metal plates or devices and with perforated insulating plates or
devices interposed between said perforated metal plates and a system of metal
plates of the same or other material and then causing said crystallized plates to
be reduced to a metallic state, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. The method of electrolytically reducing plates composed of one or more
salts of a metal or metals to a metallic state, which consists in immersing in a
fluid the plates composed of one or more salts in contact with perforated inetal

page_text: plates, insulated from the metal plates and then causing their reduction to a
inetallic state and eliminating extraneous matter therefrom, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
"
In witness whereof, 'I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two
subscribing witnesses.
Dated this 8th day of October 1889.
TYDER