Improvements in Electrical Accumulators or Storage Batteries.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10:h Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1896-Accepted, 6th June, 1896.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Accumulators or Storage Batteries.
I BENJAMIN WILLCOX of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of London
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by La Société L'Accumulateur Fulmen of Paris
in the Republic of France) to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide an electrical accumulator or storage
battery which, owing to its improved construction and arrangement gives far better
results than those which have hitherto been accomplished with batteries of that
class.
"
In these storage batteries constructed in accordance with this invention the
"active or exciting material is retained in its supporting frames by a combination
of two envelopes or casings, one of which, being made of asbestos cloth, is in direct
contact with the said "active" material and completely surrounds the same, while
the other consists of perforated celluloid plates which are retained in contact with
the asbestos fabric, so as to prevent the "active" material from subsiding or
crumbling away, while ensuring at the same time the maintenance of the plane
shape of the two faces of each cell.
The framework or skeleton of the plate, may consist of a main frame wherein
stout transverse bars form secondary rectangular frames which, in their turn, are
fitted with somewhat thinner and shorter bars so arranged as to follow the direction
of the passing current.
Asbestos cloth free from any organic, animal or vegetable matter is made in the
shape of a seamless band or folded strip and the perforated celluloid is employed
in the shape of plane sheets, the dimensions of the perforations being only limited
by the necessity of counteracting the loss of toughness or firmness which the
asbestos cloth is liable to sustain in consequence of its prolonged immersion in the
aciduated fluid.
The grate or central core constructed of antimoniated lead and serving as a
current collector, may be made of various shapes according to the method of
application of the exciting material that is adopted. Thus it may be arranged in
the form of a rigid frame with longitudinal cross pieces or tie bars and transverse
cross pieces or tie bars forming rectangles fitted or tied with other thinner cross
pieces or tie rods, preferably arranged so as to follow the vertical direction of the
ascending current. Or it may be formed of a thin ribbed and open-work sheet of
lead; the thickness or depth of the plates being in all cases exactly determined by
the size of the stout bars."
The "active" or exciting material may be applied in the form of either powder
or paste, the latter form being.obtained by mixing and kneading any of the oxides
of lead in acidulated water. In applying this material the supporting grate or core
is placed upon one fold of the band of asbestos cloth such band being cut to a
sufficient length to admit of its being folded also over the other side of the plate.
The active material is deposited thereon either by sifting, if it be powder, or by
pouring while it is in a fluid state, if it be paste; it being then made level and
smooth by means of a flat plate which should be exactly flush with the stout bars
forming a gauge for determining the thickness or depth. The other portion of the
asbestos cloth is then folded down.

page_text: .
Both sides should then be examined to ascertain whether or not the lower
portion has been supplied with active material in a satisfactory manner and if
deficient which may be the case where the stout bars have interfered with the
proper application of the material, the supply is supplemented the asbestos cloth
being eventually removable from the paste or powder with the utmost facility.
After the "active" materiál has thus been applied, both sides of the plate are
covered with celluloid, hard rubber or ebonite, or any other material proof against
the action of the acid; such material being in all cases perforated, and kept tightly
compressed and in close contact with the asbestos cloth which they serve to
strengthen.
This result may be obtained by perforating the material, by means of a punch or
other suitable tool, and thus forming a number of small apertures, into which cross
pieces or tie rods of the same material are then inserted and secured to each
plate which may be done by means of a solvent of the material of which they
consist.
Or the two plates may be connected by means of small rods retained in position
or made mutually to support each other, by means of cross pieces or ties fixed to
these rods instead of being secured to the plates.
Or instead of making perforations in the material afterwards, a plate provided
with removable pins or pegs may be employed in the process of applying the
"active" material in which case there should be provided beforehand, in the
asbestos cloth band, suitable apertures for the passage of the said pins or pegs,
which are removed after the material has become solid and leave behind recesses
for the reception of the junction pieces.
Or there may be formed, in the process of casting the grate bars, eyes or
recesses, wherein the junction pieces or tie rods referred to are inserted beforehand,
so that in that case they themselves form substitutes for the removable pins or
pega.
The said junction pieces, however, in all cases answer the double purpose of
connecting to each other the two plates of material which serve to retain the asbestos
and of gauging the thickness or depth of the plates.
If the active material has been filled in in the condition of powder, sufficient
compactness is imparted to the plate by steeping it in acidulated water which will
cause the material to become firm, or to solidify, as it were. As this solidification
is attended with an evolution of heat, the operation may be performed between
two rigid plates, less sensitive to the action of heat than celluloid (say two
perforated ebonite plates).
Or the powder may be filled in laterally and vertically, in which case the grate
provided (as the case may be) with either vertical, or horizontal, stout cross bars
only, should be, during the operation, maintained between the two rigid supporting
plates fitted with pins or pegs serving to keep open the apertures for the reception
of the junction pieces. In this case, also, the asbestos cloth and its protective
casing need only be applied when the material has become quite dry; they being
substituted one by one, in succession for two auxiliary plates, which may be
employed over and over again an indefinite number of times.
In any case, it is important to limit the compression of the finished plates,-in
fact, to reduce such compression to the degree strictly requisite, so that upon
each face or side thereof may be a perfectly plane surface.
Where the material is filled in in the condition of paste (which should be fluid
for the purpose of filling) the faces are levelled or smoothed by any suitable
means where powdered material is filled in, it is only necessary to counteract the
tendency, which the material shows, to swell in the act of immersion, in order to
ensure both the required porosity and a sufficient levelling of the surfaces.
Dated this 10th day of January 1896
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn. Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in accumulat
I, BENJAMIN WILLCOX, of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of London
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by La Société L' Accumulateur Fulmen of
Paris in the Republic of France) 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 provide an electrical accumulator or storage
battery which, owing to its improved construction and arrangement, gives far
better results than have hitherto been accomplished with electrical accumulators or
storage batteries.
In electrical accumulators or storage batteries constructed in accordance with
this invention the active material or material to be rendered active is retained in
its supporting frame grating or the like by a combination of two envelopes or
casings, one of which, is made of asbestos cloth or fabric and in direct contact
with and completely surrounds the said active material or material to be rendered
active whilst the other envelope or casing consists of perforated celluloid plates
(or plates of equivalent material as hereinafter mentioned) which are retained in
contact with the asbestos cloth or fabric, so as to prevent the active material or
material to be rendered active from falling away and ensuring the maintenance of
the plane or level faces of the elements of each cell.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 is a cross section (on the line A B Figure 1)
of the supporting grating, framework or skeleton of the plate, consisting of a main
frame wherein stout transverse bars form secondary rectangular frames which, in
their turn, are fitted with somewhat thinner and shorter bars so arranged as to
follow the direction of the passing current.
Figure 3 represents the same grating or the like in horizontal section on the
line CD (Figure 1) it shewing clearly the shape of the thick bars which serve to
gauge the thickness or depth of the plate to be formed.
Figure 4 illustrates one method of fitting the asbestos cloth covering in position.
Figure 5 is an elevation, and Figure 6 is a cross section (upon the line E F,
Figure 5) illustrating the manner in which the two asbestos-supporting plates are
rigidly connected by square, round or flat rods, fixed to, or in, each of the protecting
plates by means of a solvent.
Figure 7 illustrates another method of connection by means of rods to which are
fixed transverse connecting or tie-rods; the object of this mode of connection being
to render the protecting plates independent of the connecting rods.
Figure 8 indicates the means employed for determining during the filling process,
the situation of the said connecting rods (which should pass through the material)
by the employment of removable pins or pegs secured to the base on which the
filling operation is performed.
Figure 9 shews a supporting grating or the like provided with eyes or recesses
for the reception of the connecting rods.
Figure 10 shews an asbestós cloth strip, perforated and folded, ready for use.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a plate provided with its asbestos cloth
covering, prior to the application of the perforated celluloid plate; and Figure 12
is a perspective view of one of the said perforated celluloid plates.

page_text: The asbestos cloth 1, free from any organic, animal, or vegetable, matter, is
made in the shape of a seamless band or folded strip, as shewn in Figure 10 and the
perforated celluloid is employed in the shape of sheets 2 (Figure 12), the dimensions
of the perforations being only limited by the necessity of counter-acting the loss of
toughness or firmness which the asbestos cloth is liable to sustain in consequence of
its prolonged immersion in the acidulated fluid. The envelope or casing need not
be closed on all its sides; it is preferable to leave it open at its upper end and at
each side so as to readily allow of the expansion of the plate. It is then made of
a single strip folded and suitably supported with cross bars or rods.
The grating or the like 3 is constructed of an alloy of lead and antimony aud
serves as a current collector, and it may be made of various shapes according to
the method of application of the active material than is adopted.
Thus it may be arranged in the form of a rigid frame with longitudinal cross
pieces or tie-bars 4 and transverse cross pieces or tie-bars 5, forming rectangles con-
nected with other thinner cross pieces or tie rods 6, preferably arranged vertically
so as to follow the direction of the current. Or it may be formed of a thin ribbed
and open-work sheet of lead or lead alloy the thickness or depth of the plates being
in all cases exactly determined by the size of the marginal parts and of the stout
bars 4 and 5.
The active material (or material to be rendered active) 7 may be applied in the
condition of either powder or paste, the latter condition being obtained by mixing
and kneading any of the oxides of lead in acidulated water. In applying this
material the supporting grating or the like is placed upon one fold of the band of
the asbestos cloth 1 such band being of a sufficient length to admit of its being
folded also over the other side of the plate as shewn by the arrow in Figure 4.
The active material or material to be rendered active is deposited thereon
either by sifting, if it be powder, or by pouring, while it is in a fluid state, if it be
paste; it being then made level and smooth by means of a flat plate which
should be brought exactly flush with the stout bars 4 and 5 which form a gauge
for determining the thickness or depth of the plate to be produced. The other
portions of the asbestos cloth 1 is then folded down.
The plate should then be examined to ascertain whether, or not, the active
material, or material to be rendered active, has been applied in a satisfactory
manner, and if it be deficient (which may be the case on the underside where
the stout bars have interfered with the proper application of the material) the
supply is supplemented, the asbestos cloth being very readily removable from
the paste or powder.
After the active material or material to be rendered active has thus been
applied both sides are covered by plates 2 of celluloid, hard rubber or ebonite,
or any other suitable material proof against the action of the acid, such material
being in all cases perforated, and kept tightly compressed and in close contact with
the asbestos cloth which they serve to strengthen.
This result may be obtained by perforating the celluloid or equivalent material,
by means of a punch, or other suitable tool, thus forming a number of small
apertures, into which cross pieces or connecting rods, such as 8, of the same
material are then inserted and secured to each plate which may be done by means
of a solvent of the material of which they consist (Figure 6).
Or the two plates may be connected by means of small rods or bars 9, retained
in position, or made mutually to support each other, by means of cross pieces
or connecting rods 8, fixed to the rods or bars 9, (Figure 7) instead of being secured
to the plates as in Figure 6.
Instead of subsequently making perforations in the material, a plate or bed
provided with removable pins or pegs 10 (Figure 8) may be employed in the
process of applying the active material or material to be rendered active, in which
case there should be provided beforehand, in the asbestos cloth, suitable apertures
for the passage of the said pins or pegs 10, which are removed after the

page_text: .material has become set and leave behind recesses for the reception or the
junction pieces.
2
Or eyes or recesses such as are shewn at 11 Figure 9 may be formed, in the
process of casting the supporting grating or the like, the cross pieces or connecting
rods referred to being inserted therein.
The said cross pieces or connecting rods in all cases answer the double purpose
of connecting to each other the two plates of material which serve to retain the
asbestos and of gauging the thickness or depth of the plates.
If the active material or material to be rendered active has been filled in, in the
condition of powder, sufficient compactness is imparted to the plate by steeping it.
in acidulated water which will cause the material to become firm, or solidify. As
this solidification is attended with an evolution of heat, the operation may be
performed between two rigid plates, less sensitive to the action of heat than celluloid
(say two perforated ebonite plates).
Or the powder may be filled in laterally and vertically, in which case the
supporting grating or the like is provided (as the case may be) with either
horizontal or vertical stout cross bars only and should, during the operation, be.
maintained between the two rigid supporting plates fitted with pins or pegs serving
to keep open the apertures for the reception of the junction pieces. In this case,
also, the asbestos cloth and its protective casing need only be applied when the
material has become quite dry; they being substituted one by one, in succession,
for two auxiliary plates, which may be employed over and over again in the
production of elements.
In any case, it is important to limit the compression of the finished plates,-in
fact, to reduce such compression to the degree strictly requisite, so that cach face
or side thereof may be a perfectly plane surface.
Where the material is filled in in the condition of paste (which should be
sufficiently fluid to allow of filling) the faces are levelled or smoothed by the
application of any suitable tool or appliance and deformation during drying may be
resisted by the application of a weight.
Where powdered material is filled in, it is only necessary to counteract the
tendency to swell which the material has on immersion, in order to ensure hoth the
required porosity and a sufficient levelling of the surfaces.
My foreign correspondents do not claim either the envelope or casing of asbestos
or the envelope or casing of celluloid or the like used separately as this is well-
known but only the combination of the two producing a compound casing in which
the asbestos prevents the falling away of the active material and the celluloid or
the like prevents deformation of the plate.
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 :-
1. The employment, in the manufacture of electrical accumulators or storage
batteries, of a compound casing, for retaining and fixing the active material or
material to be rendered active such casing being formed of asbestos cloth or fabric
and two perforated celluloid or equivalent plates.
2. The improved arrangement of electrical accumulators or storage batteries,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein the active material or material to be rendered active is retained upon the
support by means of a compound casing formed of a bag of asbestos cloth or fabric
encased in, or protected by, two perforated celluloid or like plates.
3. The improved electrical accumulator or storage battery comprising the
compound casing herein before described; such compound casing being retained in
position by means of cross pieces or connecting rods secured to the celluloid or like
plates either by other rods or bars or directly.
4. In electrical accumulators or storage batteries the improved means for

page_text: connecting or supporting the plates of celluloid or the like substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figure 6, in Figure 7, in Figure 8 and in Figure 9
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of April 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.