Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Electric Accumulators.
Year: 1892

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 8th day of June 1894, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, an Amendment of this
Specification.
Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Electric
Accumulators.
°
We CHARLES THÉRYC and ALFRED OBLASSER, both of 96 Boulevard
Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electric accumulator
which will hereinafter be described in detail.
The electrodes of our improved accumulator are surrounded by a perforated
envelope, sheath or wrapper of an insulating material or non-conductor of electricity,
composed of flexible or preferably rigid sheets of celluloid, india-rubber, ebonite,
gutta-percha, fibrolithoid, vulcanized fibre or other compound constituted by the
same or other materials which are sufficiently good insulators.
These envelopes have for their object to hold the active material, which enables
the weight of the heavy metallic supports or plates employed in Faure and other
accumulators to be reduced, which supports were designed to contain the active
material and had to be thick enough for receiving a sufficiently large quantity of
materials.
After the active material has been introduced into the envelope surrounding a
central rod serving as a collector the element thus constituted is subjected to the
action of an hydraulic press in order to form a single piece. By our improved
method of manufacturing accumulators we obtain very light apparatus with a much
higher capacity than the accumulators heretofore employed. The figures which
we give show the superiority of our accumulator, and this superiority is due to our
improved method of manufacture.
Among the insulating materials above enumerated celluloid is that which we
preferably use for the manufacture of the envelopes, sheaths or wrappers. This
material is in fact superior to the others both as regards the resistance it offers to
the action of the acids and to electric actions and the convenience of manipulation
in the construction of the envelopes.
The
The celluloid employed is specially manufactured for this purpose; it is not
mixed with white lead, metallic salts or oxides, pine-soot or like substances.
celluloid which we use is manufactured with pure cellulose, agglomerated by a
fatty substance, camphor being the most suitable up to the present time. The
useful thickness of the sides of the envelopes, sheaths or wrappers may be varied
from some tenths of a millimetre to some millimetres according to the dimensions,
thickness and weight of the electrodes which they are to contain.
In carrying our said invention into practice we perforate the sheets of celluloid
by means of a machine having rollers or combs provided with points which
constitute puncheons.

page_text: The holes are as small and as near together as practicable for preventing the
falling through them of considerable quantities of oxides or active material.
When the sheets have been perforated they are cut to dimensions which may be
varied according to the size of the electrodes for which they are designed.
The sheets thus cut to size are then softened by immersion in hot or boiling
water or in steam, or by any other appropriate means, to render them specially
malleable.
On their removal from the boiling water the sheets are folded upon an iron
mould of variable thickness. The edges of the folded sheet are then coated by
means of a special paste or cement having a base of celluloid. When the edge of
the envelope has been prepared the lower or bottom part is first closed by a small
shaped piece of celluloid which is not perforated and which is fixed by means of
the paste or cement having a base of celluloid. The upper part is closed by the
same means after the introduction of the electrode into the envelope.
Another mode of preparing the envelopes consists in softening a cylinder or tube
of celluloid by immersion in hot water so as to be able to give the cylinder the
form of a parallelopiped or any other appropriate form which, after the cooling of
the celluloid, will remain intact. The extremity or extremities which bave
remained open are finally closed as before.
The envelopes may also be obtained by united sheets of celluloid previously cut
to the desired dimensions and softened by ordinary means for giving them the
desired shapes.
The union of the sheets of celluloid constituting the sides and bottom may be
effected by means of stitches with threads of celluloid, asbestos or other filaments
But it is
which are more or less unattackable by acids and electric currents.
preferable to unite the sides by means of a paste or cement which has a base of
celluloid.
Another mode of preparing the envelopes consists in placing in a kind of mould
a perforated sheet of celluloid which has previously been softened. By means of a
plate the said sheet is then forced into the mould and assumes the interior form of
the latter. The edges of the two sheets obtained in this manner are united to
form a continuous envelope of suitable section.
The paste or cement having a base of celluloid may also serve for closing the
openings provided for the introduction of the electrodes. For this purpose it is
sufficient to simply deposit at these openings one or more sufficiently thick layers
of the paste or cement which as it dries makes an hermetic joint.
The filling of the envelopes, irrespective of the mode of preparation used, may
take place in various manners. We will set forth in succession the several modes
of filling which may be employed.
One of these modes consists in introducing into the envelope a rod or grate of
antimoniated lead the form of which may be greatly varied. Through the upper
opening left free at the time of the preparation of the envelopes, which opening
has also served for the introduction of the clectrode, I introduce oxides either in
the moist state as a paste or in the dry state as powder, and the envelope thus
filled is then passed through a guage which compels the excess of active material
to leave the envelope. During the filling the sides of the envelope are separated
so as to make it assume a suitable form. If the oxide has been introduced in the
dry state the envelope is soaked for one or two minutes in acidulated water which
produces the pastiness.
According to another mode the rod or plate constituting the electrode is placed
in the envelope which is then completely closed. Then the envelope is put in a
box filled with oxide in the form of powder after which a shaking motion is
imparted to the box to compel the oxide to pass through the holes and thus fill the
envelope.
A third mode consists in introducing the envelope, closed on all sides and
provided with its rod, into a trough filled with acidulated water mixed with a
certain quantity of oxide. By agitating the water with a stick the oxide passes

page_text: into the envelope through the holes and finally fills it completely. Blocks of oxide
may be made to enclose the rod and introduced into the envelopes. In the case of
envelopes presenting the form of vessels each vessel may be filled with oxide in
the form of a paste aud at the moment when the sides are united the rod or plate
is inserted.
If spongy lead is employed as an active material we immerse an envelope which
is entirely closed and provided with its rod, in an electrolytic bath. The spongy
lead is deposited upon the rod, the operation being stopped when the deposit appears
sufficient. The envelope is then plunged into boiling water for softening it, and
next subjected to a small pressure to make it regular.
When the envelopes are filled they are submitted to the action of an hydraulic
press so as to give them the desired regularity, thickness and compression. Then
the electrodes are allowed to dry for twenty-four hours, whereupon the upper part
is closed by a cap made of two parts, the edges of which are fastened by means of
a paste or cement having a base of celluloid. The accumulator is then completely
finished.
The envelopes, sheaths or wrappers, instead of being single like those herein-
before described, may be multiple, that is to say several of them may be placed
one upon the other, separated or not by the aid of rods of celluloid. In addition
to the advantages already stated envelopes, sheaths or wrappers of celluloid have
the valuable quality of adapting themselves by their elasticity to the increasing
or swelling which takes place at the time of the formation and operation of the
accumulators. For maintaining between the electrodes the desired distance we fix
upon the lateral faces of the envelopes, by means of a suitable cement having a
base of celluloid, rods the thickness of which is adapted to the distance to be
maintained and the expansions to be provided against.
As above stated the envelopes, sheaths or wrappers may be made of ebonite or
vulcanized and hardened india-rubber. In this case the preparation of the
envelopes is effected as hereinafter set forth.
We first procure sheets of soft india-rubber of a superior quality. These sheets
cannot be perforated as they do not, possess sufficient rigidity, and the points of
the perforating tool traverse the sheets without producing the effect of the punch
and the holes close up again by reason of the elasticity of the material.
To obtain a favourable result we subject the sheets of india-rubber to a
vulcanizing operation which is stopped when the rigidity and hardness are sufficient
for enabling the piercing of the holes to be effected by means of a perforating
machine, but the sheet of india-rubber must also possess flexibility enough not to
break when it is bent or folded and, to enable it to be fastened by means of a solution
of india-rubber and benzine. When the sheets of incompletely vulcanized and
sufficiently rigid india-rubber have been perforated they are cut to dimensions
suitable for each kind of envelope and are folded upon a former to give them the
desired shape, whereupon the edges are fastened with a solution of india-rubber
and benzine and the bottoms fixed in the same manner.
The envelopes thus folded and cemented are then subjected to a complete
vulcanization which transforms them into ebonite. The filling takes place in the
same manner as in the case of envelopes made of celluloid.
The mounting of the electrodes is effected by the aid of connecting strips
consisting of antimoniated lead and provided with holes through which pass the
heads of the rods which are fixed upon the strips by causing the parts to be fastened
to melt.
By the method of manufacture herein specified in detail we can obtain accu-
mulators of a much higher capacity than those heretofore known. The capacity
of our accumulators is twenty-five ampere hours per kilogramme of electrodes, and
we realize therefore a saving varying from four hundred to two hundred per cent.
in comparison with the known accumulators. For supporting our assertion it is
sufficient to state the capacities of the principal accumulators, which are as follows,

page_text: that is to say, Faure-Sellon-Volckmar from 8 to 9 ampere hours, Tudor 6 ampere
hours, and Julien from 12 to 14 ampere hours.
Dated this 14th day of November 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COME DEI MOTIVATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Electric
Accumulators.
We, CHARLES THERYC and ALFRED OBLASSER, both of 96 Boulevard
Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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 :-
Our invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electric accumulator as
hereinafter described.
The electrodes of our improved accumulator are surrounded by a perforated
envelope, sheath or wrapper of an insulating material or non-conductor of
electricity, composed of flexible or preferably rigid sheets of celluloid, indiarubber,
ebonite, guttapercha, fibrolithoid, vulcanized fibre or other compound constituted by
the same or other materials which are sufficiently good insulators.
These envelopes have for their object to hold the active material, which enables
the weight of the heavy metallic supports or plates employed in Faure and other
accumulators to be reduced, which supports were designed to contain the active
material and had to be thick enough for receiving a sufficiently large quantity of
materials.
After the active material has been introduced into the envelope surrounding a
central rod serving as a collector the element thus constituted is subjected to the
action of a hydraulic press in order to form a single piece.
By our improved method of manufacturing accumulators we obtain very light
apparatus with a much higher capacity than the accumulators heretofore employed.
The figures which we give show the superiority of our accumulator, and this
superiority is due to our improved method of manufacture.
Among the insulating materials above enumerated celluloid is that which we
preferably use for the manufacture of the envelopes, sheaths or wrappers. This
material is in fact superior to the others both as regards the resistance it offers to
the action of the acids and to electric actions and the convenience of manipulation
in the construction of the envelopes.
The celluloid employed is not mixed with white lead, metallic salts or oxides,
pine-soot or the like substances. The said celluloid is manufactured with pure
cellulose, agglomerated by a fatty substance camphor being the most suitable up to
the present time. The useful thickness of the sides of the envelopes, sheaths or
wrappers may be varied from some tenths of a millimetre to some millimetres
according to the dimensions, thickness and weight of the electrodes which they are
to contain.
In the accompanying drawings we have represented by way of example the several
phases of our process of manufacture.
Figure 1 shows the form of the envelope after it has been folded upon the form
or mould the said envelope being shown open.
Figure 2 shows the final form of the envelope.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the piece of celluloid designed to close the
bottom of the envelope.
Figure 4 shows the envelope with the edges and bottom thereof soldered.

page_text: Figure 5 represents an envelope into which the plate constituting the electrode is
introduced part of the said envelope being broken away to show the said plate.
Figure 6 shows the form of the envelope adapted for introducing the active
material by hand.
Figure 7 is a detail view of the envelope and the pieces designed for closing the
upper part of the same after it has been filled.
Figure 8 shows the accumulator filled and closed at the upper part by the pieces
represented in Figure 7.
Figure 9 shows the final form of an element completely finished and provided
with pieces of celluloid designed to maintain the two adjacent elements at the
proper distance apart when they are put in a battery.
Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the elements in the
battery.
Figure 11 is a detail in perspective of the iron mould or form round which the
sheet of celluloid is wound.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the sheet of celluloid after being wound upon
the mould.
Figures 13 and 14 show details of a mould and die for enabling curved sheets
of celluloid to be obtained, which, after being united in pairs constitute an
envelope and
Figure 15 is a perspective view of an envelope so formed.
In carrying our said invention into practice we perforate the sheets of celluloid
by means of a machine having rollers or combs provided with points which
constitute a punching device.
The holes are as small and as near together as practicable for preventing
considerable quantities of oxides or active material falling through them.
When the sheets have been perforated they are cut to dimensions which may be
varied according to the size of the electrodes for which they are designed.
The sheets thus cut to size are then softened by immersion in hot or boiling
water or in steam, or by any other appropriate means to render them specially
malleable.
On their removal from the boiling water the sheets are folded upon an iron
mould A Fig. 11 of variable thickness. The edges of the folded sheet B are
When
then coated by means of a paste or cement having a base of celluloid.
the edge of the envelope has been prepared the lower or bottom part is first
closed by a small U shaped piece C, Figure 3 of celluloid which is not
perforated and which is fixed by means of the paste or cement having a base of
celluloid. The upper part D is closed in a similar manner after the introduction of
the electrode into the envelope.
:
Another mode of preparing the envelopes consists in softening cylinder or
tube of celluloid by immersion in hot water so as to be able to give the
cylinder the form of a parallelopiped or any other appropriate form which, after
the cooling of the celluloid, will remain intact. The extremity or extremities
which have remained open are finally closed as before.
The envelopes may also be obtained by uniting sheets of celluloid previously
cut to the desired dimensions and softened by ordinary means for giving them
the desired shapes.
The union of the sheets of celluloid constituting the sides and bottom may
be effected by means of stitches with threads of celluloid, asbestos or other
filaments which are more or less unattackable by acids and electric currents.
But it is preferable to unite the sides by means of a paste or cement which
has a base of celluloid.
Another mode of preparing the envelopes consists in placing in a kind of
mould E represented in Figures 13 a perforated sheet of celluloid which has
previously been softened. By means of a die F Figure 14 the said sheet is
then forced into the mould and assumes the interior form of the latter. The

page_text: edges of two sheets obtained in this manner are united to form a continuous
envelope having a section as shown in Figure 15.
The paste or cement having a base of celluloid may also serve for closing the
openings provided for the introduction of the electrodes. For this purpose it is
sufficient to simply deposit at these openings one or more sufficiently thick layers of
the paste or cement which as it dries makes an hermetic joint.
The filling of the envelopes, irrespective of the mode of preparation used, may
take place in various manners. We will set forth in succession the several methods
of filling which may be employed.
One of these methods consists in introducing into the envelope a rod or grate G
of antimoniated lead (Figure 5) the form of which may be greatly varied.
Through the upper opening left free at the time of the preparation of the envelopes,
which opening has also served for the introduction of the electrode, I introduce
oxides either in the moist state as a paste or in the dry state as a powder, and the
envelope thus filled is then passed through a gauge which compels the excess of
active material to leave the envelope. During the filling the sides of the envelope
are separated or bulged out so as to make it assume a suitable form as indicated in
Figure 6.
If the oxide has been introduced in the dry state the envelope is soaked for one
or two minutes in acidulated water which produces the pastiness.
According to another method the rod or plate constituting the electrode is placed
in the envelope which is then completely closed. The envelope is then placed in a
box filled with oxide in the form of powder after which a shaking motion is
imparted to the box to compel the oxide to pass through the holes and thus fill the
envelope.
A third method consists in introducing the envelope, closed on all sides and
provided with its rod, into a trough filled with acidulated water mixed with a
certain quantity of oxide. By agitating the water with a stick the oxide passes in
to the envelope through the holes and finally fills it completely. Blocks of oxide
may be made to enclose the rod and are introduced into the envelopes. In the case
of envelopes presenting the form of vessels each vessel may be filled with oxide in
the form of a paste and at the moment when the sides are united the rod or plate
is inserted.
If spongy lead is employed as an active material we immerse an envelope, which
is entirely closed and provided with its red, in an electrolytic bath. The spongy
lead is deposited upon the rod, the operation being stopped when the deposit
appears sufficient.
The envelope is then plunged into boiling water for softening
it, and next subjected to a small pressure to make it regular.
When the envelopes are filled they are submitted to the action of an hydraulic
press so as to give them the desired regularity, thickness and compression. The
electrodes are then allowed to dry for twenty-four hours whereupon the upper part
(if not already closed) is closed by a cap H made of two parts, Figure 7 the edges
of which are fastened by means of a paste or cement having a base of celluloid.
The accumulator is then completely finished and presents the form represented in
Figure 8.
The envelopes sheaths or wrappers, instead of being single like those hereinbefore
described, may be multiple, that is to say several of them may be placed one upon
the other, separated or not by the aid of rods of celluloid. In addition to the
advantages already stated envelopes, sheets or wrappers of celluloid have the
valuable quality of adapting themselves by their elasticity to the increasing or
swelling which takes place at the time of the formation and operation of the
accumulators. For maintaining the desired distance between the electrodes we fix
upon the lateral faces of the envelopes, by means of a suitable cement having a
base of celluloid, rods I (Fig. 9) the thickness of which is regulated by the distance
to be maintained and the expansions to be provided against.
As above stated the envelopes, sheaths or wrappers may be made of ebonite or

page_text: vulcanized and hardened india-rubber. In this case the preparation of the
envelopes is effected as hereinafter set forth.
We first procure sheets of soft india-rubber of a superior quality. These sheets
cannot be perforated as they do not possess sufficient rigidity, and the points of the
perforating tool traverse the sheets without producing the effect of the punch and
the holes close up again by reason of the elasticity of the material.
To obtain a favourable result we subject the sheets of indiarubber to a vulcanizing
operation which is stopped when the rigidity and hardness are sufficient for enabling
the piercing of the holes to be effected by means of a perforating machine, but the
sheet of indiarubber must also possess flexibility so as not to break when it is bent
or folded and to enable it to be fastened by means of a solution of indiarubber and
benzine. When the sheets of incompletely vulcanized and sufficiently rigid india-
rubber have been perforated they are cut to dimensions suitable for each kind of
envelope and are folded upon a former to give them the desired shape, whereupon
the edges are fastened with a solution of indiarubber and benzine and the bottoms
fixed in the same manner.
The envelopes thus folded and cemented are then subjected to a complete
vulcanization which transforms them into ebonite. The filling takes place in the
same manner as in the case of envelopes made of celluloid.
The mounting of the electrodes is effected by the aid of connecting strips
consisting of antimoniated lead and provided with holes through which pass the
heads of the rods which are fixed upon the strips by causing the parts to be
fastened to melt.
By the method of manufacture herein specified in detail we
can obtain
accumulators of a much higher capacity than those heretofore known. The
capacity of our accumulators is twenty-five ampère hours per kilogramme of
electrodes, and we realize therefore a saving varying from four hundred to two
hundred per cent. in comparison with the known accumulators. In support of this
statement it may be remarked that the capacities of the principal accumulators,
are as follows, that is to say Faure-Sellon-Volckmar from 8 to 9 ampère hours,
Tudor 6 ampère hours, and Julien from 12 to 14 ampère hours.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not
claim any electrodes which are not closed on all sides (as herein described) so that the
electrolyte can obtain access to the active material only through the perforations in the
envelope but, (subject to this disclaiming note,) what we claim is :-
First. The herein described method of manufacturing electric accumulators
which consists in forming, by moulding, from a thin perforated sheet of celluloid
free from white lead, an envelope or pocket the sides and bottom of which, are
united by a cement, in introducing into the said envelope through the end left open
a solid or open-work metallic plate and in filling the intermediate space with active
material as herein before described; such filling being effected by
Second. In the method of manufacturing electric accumulators described in
Claim the introduction into the envelope of the active material which is made
into a paste and introduced by hand or by depositing it by means of electricity (as
in an electrolytic bath) or holding it in suspension in water and compelling it by
agitation to pass into the completely finished and closed envelope through holes
provided in the sides thereof, or by agitating a completely finished envelope in a
box containing the active material in the form of powder, or by previously preparing
blocks of active material which are introduced directly into the envelope and then
subjecting the element thus constituted and provided with one or more envelopes to
pressure in a hydraulic press so as to consolidate the whole as herein described;
the said envelope (if not already so) being then closed on all sides as described.
Third: The employment of indiarubber ebonite gutta-percha, fibrolitheid
vulcanized fibre, or in general any insulating materials for the manufacture of
envelopes-designed-fer-containing the active-material, as hereinbefore specified.

page_text: Second. An electric accumulator formed of an open-work or solid metallic plate
surrounded with active material contained by an insulating perforated envelope,
the said accumulator being manufactured as herein described and subjected to the
action of a hydraulic press for consolidating the whole.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.