Improvements in and connected with Electrical Storage Batteries and Plates therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Electrical Storage Batteries
and Plates therefor.
I RANKIN KENNEDY of 33 Gladstone Street Bradford in the County of York
Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to obtain the maximum of storage capacity and
durability with the minimum of weight thus making my improved plates and
batteries specially suitable for traction purposes.
Now according to this Invention I make my improved plates of one sheet of lead
having two or more thicknesses or layers of perforated sheet lead covered with
red lead and litharge on each side thereof the perforated red lead covered sheets
being on one side of the central lead sheet and the litharge covered plates on the
opposite side thereof thus each plate has a positive and negative side.
The plates are prepared as follows-
After being cut to a uniform size the solid and perforated lead sheets are flattened
and soaked in a hot solution of nitric acid and water of 5% strength then washed
in clean water and the solid central sheet painted (while still wet) on one side with
a paint composed of red lead and dilute sulphuric acid of a strength equal to 13°
on Baumes Hydrometer. The other side of the sheet is painted with a paint
composed of litharge and dilute sulphuric acid of a strength equal to 24° Baume.
The sheet is then allowed to dry slowly. The perforated sheets are while still
wet coated with the red lead and litharge paints on both sides care being taken
not to fill up the perforations. Half the quantity of the perforated sheets are
painted with litharge and the remainder with red lead.
The sheets are allowed to dry slowly.
By coating the sheets as hereinbefore specified by painting litharge and red
lead on to chemically clean surfaces the coating combines with the lead sheet and
remains firmly attached thereto.
To form a complete plate I take a central lead sheet coated as hereinbefore
specified and place on each side of it one two three or more (according to the
required capacity of the plate) of the coated perforated sheets all the red lead
coated sheets being placed on the red lead covered side of the central sheet and all
the litharge covered sheets on the other side thereof.
The whole are then rivetted fused or soldered together to ensure electrical contact.
The completed plate is then made solid all round the edges by fusing or soldering
so that no liquid can escape from the plate.
The lead sheets used to form the plates are about 24 B. W. G. and the complete
plate is made up of a sufficient number of perforated sheets to bring the thickness
of the complete plate to about half an inch.
The perforations should be from 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch in diameter.
To form a Battery I take of the plates prepared as hereinbefore specified as many
as are required and two extra plates formed as hereinbefore specified with this

page_text: exception that the solid sheet is only painted on one side one sheet being painted
with red lead and the other with litharge and the perforated sheets are only placed
on the painted side of the solid sheet one complete plate being + and the other
The uncoated sides of the plates form the + and terminals of the battery.
The plates are then built up in pile form rubber washers being placed between
each plate to form a cell for the electrolyte each cell having a partially perforated
insulating diaphragm therein the perforations extending to within about half an
inch from the bottom of the cell so that a pocket is formed on each side of the
diaphragm at the bottom of each cell into which any scale or fragments that may
become detached from the plates falls and prevents them from short circuiting
the cell. A piece of wooden board or sheet of Vulcanite or other suitable non-
conducting material slightly larger than the plates is placed outside each terminal
plate and a piece of wire or metal strip is electrically connected by soldering or
otherwise to each terminal and brought through a hole in the non-conducting
sheets or boards and connected to binding screws attached thereto.
The whole is clamped together by bolts or screws passing through the non-
conducting boards or sheets.
Instead of flat perforated sheets on each side of the solid plate I may use
corrugated perforated sheets formed as hereinbefore specified on each side of the
central sheet thereby obtaining greater surface and capacity.
The Electrolyte used is perfectly dilute sulphuric acid.
T. E. HALFORD,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Electrical Storage Batteries
and Plates therefor.
I RANKIN KENNEDY of 33 Gladstone Street Bradford in the County of York
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:-
The object of this invention is to obtain the maximum of storage capacity and
durability with the minimum of weight thus making my improved plates and
batteries specially suitable for traction purposes.
Now according to this invention I make my improved plates of one sheet of lead
having two or more thicknesses or layers of perforated sheet lead covered with red
lead and litharge on each side thereof the perforated red lead covered sheets being
on one side of the central lead sheet and the litharge covered plates on the opposite
side thereof thus each plate has a positive and negative side. The plates are
prepared as follows. After being cut to a uniform size the solid and perforated
lead sheets are flattened and soaked in a hot solution of nitric acid and water of
5% strength then washed in clean water and the solid central sheet painted (while
still wet) on one side with a paint. composed of red lead and dilute sulphuric acid
of a strength equal to 13° on Baumes Hydrometer. The other side of the sheet is
painted with a paint composed of litharge and dilute sulphuric acid of a strength
equal to 24° Baume. The sheet is then allowed to dry slowly. The perforated
sheets are while still wet coated with the red lead and litharge paints on both sides.
care being taken not to fill up the perforations. Half the quantity of the perforated
sheets are painted with litharge and the remainder with red lead. The sheets are
allowed to dry slowly. By coating the sheets as hereinbefore specified by painting

page_text: litharge and, red lead on to chemically clean surfaces the coating combines with
the lead sheet and remains firmly attached thereto. To form a complete plate I
take a central lead sheet coated as hereinbefore specified and place on each side of
it one two three or more (according to the required capacity of the plate) of the
coated perforated sheets all the red lead coated sheets being placed on the red
lead covered side of the central sheet and all the litharge covered sheets on the
other side thereof. The whole are then rivetted fused or soldered together to
ensure electrical contact. The completed plate is then made solid all round the
edges by fusing or soldering so that no liquid can escape from the plate. The lead
sheets used to form the plates are about 24 B. W.G. and the completed plate is
made up of a sufficient number of perforated sheets to bring the thickness of the
complete plate to about half an inch. The perforations should be from 16 to
of an inch in diameter.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents section of a battery plate constructed according to this
invention.
Fig. 2 is cross section of Battery.
Fig. 3 is end view of same.
Fig. 4 is longitudinal section shewing rubber washers.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figs.
a is the central solid sheet 6 the litharge covered perforated sheets c the red lead
covered perforated sheets. To form a battery I take of the plates prepared as
hereinbefore specified as many as are required and two extra plates de formed as
hereinbefore specified with this exception that the solid sheet a is only painted
on the one side one sheet being painted with red lead and the other with litharge
and the perforated sheets are only placed on the painted side of the solid sheet
one complete plate being + and the other The uncoated sides of the plates
forming the + and terminals of the battery respectively. The plates are then
built up
in pile form rubber washers ff being placed between each plate to form a
cell for the electrolyte each cell having a partially perforated diaphragm g therein.
I take also two pieces of wooden board Vulcanite or other non-conducting
material slightly larger than the lead plates and bore a hole i through each
I then solder or otherwise electrically connect a wire or metal strip to the outside
of each of the terminal plates which strip after being passed through the holes
in the non-conducting supports h are connected to binding screws /
attached thereto. These insulating supports are then bolted or screwed
together by bolts or screws m distance pieces n being used to prevent
the plates from being crushed. The easiest way to build up the
battery is to lay one of the boards or vulcanite plates h flat on a
table or bench with the binding screw downwards and lay the terminal plate on
it. I next place thereon an indiarubber washer f in the shape of three sides of a
square or oblong according to the shape of the plates the said washers being the
same size as the plates. I then place a celluloid or vulcanite perforated dia-
phragm on the washer f, on the diaphragm I place another washer f then one
of the battery plates on the second washer. On this plate I next place a third
washer on that another diaphragm a fourth washer is placed on the diaphragm
the next plate on that and so on until the other terminal plate is at the top of the
pile uncoated side upwards. The other wood or vulcanite support is placed on the
terminal and the whole secured by means of bolts and nuts or screws m passing
through the non-conducting supports. When building up the battery care must
be taken that the plates are so arranged that all the litharge covered sides face one
way and the red lead covered plates the other way that is to say supposing the red
lead covered terminal is at the bottom all the plates as building goes on must be
placed red lead side upwards. The diaphragms are not perforated all over but
only to within about half an inch of the bottom of the cell thus forming a pocket
on each side of the diaphragm to catch any scale or fragment that may drop off
g

page_text: the plates and prevent them from short circuiting the battery or cells. The
electrolyte used is dilute sulphuric acid. Instead of flat perforated sheets I may
use corrugated sheets on each side of the central sheet treated and prepared as
hereinbefore specified thereby obtaining greater surface and capacity such an
arrangement is shewn by Fig. 5.
In some cases I may dispense with the central lead sheet and build up the coated
perforated lead sheets in plate form all the red lead covered sheets forming one
plate and all the litharge covered sheets forming the other plate. The said plates
being of the same polarity on each side thereof. These plates may be used in
ordinary battery boxes instead of the usual plates formed by filling metallic grids
with active material. I am aware that perforated metal plates and plates having
sides of different potentials have been used prior to my invention I do not therefor
lay any claim to these but
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 electrical storage batteries plates consisting of a central solid lead sheet
painted on one side with litharge and dilute sulphuric acid and on the other side
with red lead and dilute sulphuric acid and one or more layers or thicknesses of
perforated lead sheets also painted with litharge and red lead on each side of the
central sheet the litharge painted sheets being placed on the litharge painted side
of the central plate and the red lead painted sheets on the other side thereof the
whole being electrically connected and made solid round the edges by fusing or
soldering as herein before specified and for the purposes stated.
2. In electrical storage batteries forming the plates by cleaning lead sheets with
dilute nitric acid washing them in clean water and painting or coating them while
chemically clean and still wet with litharge and red lead and sulphuric acid and
afterwards drying the same as hereinbefore specified.
3. Electrical storage batteries consisting of lead plates having sides of opposite
polarity constructed and formed as hereinbefore described and claimed in combina-
tion with indiarubber washers and non-conducting diaphragms as hereinbefore
specified and for the purposes stated.
4. In electrical storage batteries forming two pockets or chambers insulated
from each other at the bottom of each cell by. means of a partially perforated
diaphragm substantially as and for the purpose stated.
5. In electrical storage batteries plates consisting of a central solid lead sheet
having sides of opposite polarity formed as herein before specified and one or more
perforated corrugated sheets coated as hereinbefore specified on each side thereof
all substantially as herein before specified.
6. The specific combination of parts constructed arranged and operating as
specified and shewn.
111 1
1
100%
T. E. HALFORD,
11 Furnival Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.