Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
I, CLEMENT PAYEN, of 10 Place Daumesnil, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved secondary battery or electric accumulator,
the characteristic feature of which consists in the special arrangement of its
constitutent elements.
In this improved accumulator, the "active material" formed in any appro-
priate manner, and preferably, of pure crystallized lead, or crystallized peroxide
of lead, is of a prismatic shape having either a grooved or corrugated surface, or
-seen in cross section--several branches. The face of the said "active material "
is so designed as to make a large surface contact with its conducting cover, while
presenting a large active surface to the electrolyte.
The conducting portion of each of these elements is a kind of sheath or cover
of any suitable metal capable of resisting the chemical action of the electrolyte
and the mechanical pressure due to the increase in volume of the "active material"
when subjected to the action of the said electrolyte.
Owing to this arrangement, the walls of the vessel which contains all the
elements are not subjected to any pressure and need not, therefore, be strengthened
in the manner usual with other apparatus of this kind.
In this improved accumulator, each element principally consists of a prism
of active material surrounded by a conducting jacket or cover.
This prism which preferably consists of pure crystallixed lead, or crystallized
peroxide obtained from the same material, may be triangular, quadrangular or
it may have a larger number of sides. Upon each face of this prism a wide
groove is so arranged that each prism of active material makes a very large
surface contact with the conducting jacket or cover and also presents a very
large surface to the action of the electrolyte.
The prisms may be provided with fluted or corrugated surfaces instead of with
wide grooves.
Thus with a small volume of active material a large conducting contact surface
and a large surface for the electrolyte to act upon, are obtained.
This
As has been hereinbefore stated, each prism is enclosed in a conducting jacket
or sheath of any suitable material, preferably of pure antimonial lead.
jacket or sheath is pierced with holes for the passage of the electrolyte and closely
embraces the conducting surfaces of the prism so that a perfect contact is
established.
The jacket or sheath is completely closed so as to resist the pressure due to

page_text: the increase in volume of the active material, when the latter undergoes the so-
called "
charging" operation or first peroxidation; thus the various elements
exert no pressure upon the walls of the receptacle enclosing them, and a rupture
of the latter need no longer be apprehended. This arrangement of prisms of
active material especially those of quadrangular form, enables me to obtain a
very large contact surface with the conducting jacket or sheath which acts also
as a support (thus I am enabled to work with currents of great intensity in
charging and discharging) and a very large surface is exposed to the action of
the electrolyte. Further, the jacket or sheath being unprovided with holes for
about an inch from its bottom, retains any powder that may be detached by dis-
integration from the prism of active material and thus prevents any liability to
derivation or short circuiting.
The various elements are grouped and connected to one another in any suitable
manner; for instance a battery may comprise six elements.
These elements are separated from one another by a sharp edged insulating
piece consisting of a central rod provided with branches inclined upwardly to
allow of the disengagement of the gas bubbles; also by transverse rods likewise
provided with sharp edges which rest upon the upwardly inclined branches.
The whole device is held in place, by strong elastic bands or by belts of any
suitable material.
The elements are placed into a receptacle of any appropriate insulating sub-
stance, for instance ebonite. In order to prevent the production of noxious effects
by the deposits accumulating at the bottom of the receptacle, the elements are
maintained at a certain distance from this bottom by means of small supports
of insulating material which rest in small recesses provided for this purpose in
the bottom of the receptacle; the whole device may in addition be fastened or
wedged in the upper part by means of small ebonite rings interposed between the
walls of the receptacle and the elements.
The result of this arrangement is, that the elements are completely insulated
from one another and secured perfectly in place, so that an accumulator of this
construction may be very easily and safely transported.
The elements may also be separated from one another by an insulating
diaphragm, pierced with holes for the passage of the electrolyte, the elements of
the same polarity being grouped and connected to one another in any suitable
manner.
I may also combine this device of prismatic elements, considered as positive
elements, with a suitably formed set of comparatively thick negative plates. For
this purpose these plates are provided with incisions or notches passing upward
for one half of their height.
By arranging the elements in this special manner, accumulators of a very.
high efficiency combined with a very small volume and especially of very small
weight can be obtained.
These elements may be formed of triangular prisms arranged in a circle and,
as has been herein before stated, separated from one another by insulating
diaphragms pierced with holes for the passage of the electrolyte.
This group
of compartment is, or may be divided by two, three or more tightly closed partition
walls so as to constitute as many accumulator elements as desired.
I may of course modify the shape, the dimensions and the accessory arrange-
ments of each of these elements according to the various purposes or applications
: in view.

page_text: I, CLEMENT PAYEN, of 10 Place Daumesnil, Paris, in the Republic of France,
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:.
This invention relates to an improved secondary batteries or electric accumu-
lator, the characteristic feature of which consists in the special arrangement of
its constitutent elements.
In this improved accumulator, the active material formed in any appropriate
manner, and preferably, of pure crystallized lead, or crystallized peroxide of lead,
is of a prismatic shape having either a grooved or corrugated surface, or seen
in cross section-several branches, the face of the said active material is so
designed as to make a large surface contact with its conducting cover, while
presenting a large active surface to the electrolyte.
The conducting portion of each of these elements is a kind of sheath or cover
of any suitable metal capable of resisting the chemical action of the electrolyte
and the mechanical pressure due to the increase in volume of the active material
when subjected to the action of the said electrolyte.
Owing to this arrangement, the walls of the vessel which contains all the
elements, are not subjected to any pressure and need not, therefore, be strengthened
in the manner usual with other apparatus of this kind.
To afford a clear idea of the subject of the invention I have represented the
latter in principle and by way of example only in the accompanying drawing
in which:
Figures 1 and 2 show in elevation and transverse section the constructional
arrangement of the prism of active material.
°
Figures 3 and 4 show in elevation and section a modified constructional form
thereof.
Figures 5 and 6 show in elevation and transverse section the conducting jacket
or cover and its contact making rod.
Figures 7 represents the complete arrangement of an element in elevation
having its conducting jacket or cover cut through and
Figure 8 a cross sectional view thereof.
Figure 9 shows in elevation a battery formed by six such elements the receptacle
therefor being shown in section.
Figure 10 is a side elevation thereof also with the receptacle in section.
Figure 11 is a plan of Figure 9.
Figure 12 shows in transverse section a modification of this arrangement.
Figure 13 represents another modification, provided with positive prismatic
elements and with negative plates.
Figure 14 is a detail view of these plates.
In these figures similar reference letters designate similar parts.
In this improved accumulator, each element principally consists of a prism a
of active material surrounded by a conducting jacket or cover b.
This prism a which preferably consists of pure crystallized lead, or crystallized
peroxide obtained from the same material, may be triangular, quadrangular or
it may have a larger number of sides. Upon each face of this prism a wide groove
is so arranged that each prism of active material makes a very large surface
contact c with the conducting jacket or cover and also prevents a very large
surface to the, action of the electrolyte.

page_text: The prisms a may be provided with fluted or corrugated surfaces instead of
with wide grooves such as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
Thus with a small volume of active material a large conducting contact surface
and a large surface for the electrolyte to act upon, are obtained.
As has been hereinbefore stated, each prism a is enclosed in a conducting
jacket or sheath b of any suitable material, preferably of pure anțimonial lead.
This jacket or sheath is pierced with holes e for the passage of the electrolyte
and closely embraces the conducting surfaces c of the prism so that a perfect
contact is established.
°
The jacket or sheath is completely closed so as to resist the pressure due to
the increase in volume of the active material, when the latter undergoes the
so-called "charging" operation or first peroxidation; thus the various elements
exert no pressure upon the walls of the receptacle enclosing them, and a rupture
of the latter need no longer be apprehended.
This arrangement of prisms of active material, especially those of quadrangular
form, enables me to obtain a very large contact surface with the conducting
jacket or sheath which acts also as a support (thus I am enabled to work with
currents of great intensity in charging and discharging) and a very large surface
is exposed to the action of the electrolyte. Further, the jacket or sheath being
unprovided with holes for about an inch from its bottom, retains any powder
that may be detached by disintegration from the prism of active material and
thus prevents any liability to derivation or short circuiting.
The various elements are grouped and connected to one another in any suitable
manner; as an example I have represented in Figures 9, 10 and 11 a battery
comprising six elements.
These elements are separated from one another. by a sharp edged insulating
piece consisting of a central rod provided with branches inclined upwardly to
allow of the disengagement of the gas bubbles; also by transverse rods h like-
wise provided with sharp edges which rest upon the upwardly inclined branches
of-the piece g.
The whole device is held in place by strong elastic bands i or by belts of any
suitable material.
The elements are placed in a receptacle j of any appropriate insulating sub-
stance, for instance ebonite; In order to prevent the production of noxious effects
by the deposits accumulating at the bottom of the receptacle, the elements are
maintained at a certain distance from this bottom by means of small supports k
of insulating material which rest in small recesses provided for this purpose in
the bottom of the receptacle j. The whole device may in addition be fastened
or wedged in the upper part by means of small ebonite rings interposed between
the walls of the receptacle and the elements.
The result of this arrangement is, that the elements are completely insulated
from one another and secured perfectly in place, so that an accumulator of this
construction may be very easily and safely transported.
The elements may also be separated from one another by an insulating diaphragni
pierced with holes for the passage of the electrolyte, the elements of the same
polarity being grouped and connected to one another in any suitable manner.
I may also combine this device of prismatic elements, considered as positive
elements, with a suitably formed set of comparatively thick negative plates 7,
Figure 13. For this purpose these plates are provided with incisions or notches
passing upward for one half of their height.
By arranging the elements in this special manner, accumulators of a very
high efficiency combined with a very small volume and especially of very small
weight can be obtained.
As shown in Figure 12 these elements may be formed of triangular prisms,
arranged in a circle and, as has been hereinbefore stated, separated from one
another by insulating diaphragms f pierced with holes for the passage of the
electrolyte. This group of compartments is, or may be divided by two, three or
1

page_text: more tightly closed partition walls so as to constitute as many accumulator
elements as desired.
I may of course modify the shape, the dimensions and the accessory arrange-
ments of each of these elements according to the various purposes or applications
in view.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
The improved electric accumulator characterised by the special arrangement
of its parts, substantially as above described with reference to the accompanying
drawing and for the purpose specified.
LOOT
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.