Improvements in or relating to Plates for Secondary Batteries or Accumulators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 22nd May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Plates for Secondary Batteries or
Accumulators.
I, HENRY TYRER CHESWRIGHT, of 15 Rue Mauberge, Paris, in the
Republic of France, 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 secondary batteries or accumulators of the Planté type
and has for its object to improve upon the construction and arrangement of the
plates employed therein. A plate constructed in accordance with this invention
comprises a series of lead ribbons or strips dependent from a conducting piece or
bar of lead or hardened lead, the upper end of each ribbon or strip being burnt
or (electrically) soldered into the conducting piece or bar aforesaid whilst its lower
end is left free. The connection of each ribbon separately to the conducting piece
assures an excellent electrical contact thus admitting of high rates of discharge
with minimum loss of current. The ribbons may be either plain, corrugated or
embossed, preferably alternately corrugated and embossed, and are arranged in a
series of groups separated by spaces. The plate thus roughly resembles a comb
from which teeth have been broken away at intervals. The ribbons being divided
up into groups separated by spaces and their lower ends being left quite free,
all possible expansion and extension both laterally and vertically are permitted
without distortion, warping or buckling of the plate taking place.
In conjunction with the plate constructed and arranged as above set forth, a
framework, bands, cage, or perforated envelope, of vulcanite or other non-conducting
material unaffected by acid is employed, said framework, bands cage, or perforated
envelope being of any suitable construction and placed around or applied to the
ribbons so as to prevent them from being laterally displaced and contacting with
the ribbons of an adjacent plate of different polarity. The said framework, bands,
cage, or perforated envelope is preferably held in position by connecting it in some
suitable manner with the conducting piece or bar.
I will now describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 is an elevation and Figure 2 a part sectional plan of an accumulator
plate constructed according to this invention.
Similar letters refer to like parts in both figures.
a is the conducting piece or bar and b b represent the lead ribbons or strips each
of which is separately burnt or electrically soldered at one end to the conducting
piece a so as to be dependent vertically therefrom, the entire series of ribbons a
being divided up into groups (of which any desired number may be employed)
separated by spaces c.
The lower ends of the ribbons are left quite free. d are
encircling bands of vulcanite, or other non-conducting material unaffected by acid,
which are applied to the ribbons a so as to prevent them from being displaced
laterally and brought into contact with an adjacent plate of opposite polarity. The
bands d are here represented as held in position by connecting them with rods e
(also of non-conducting material unaffected by acid) said rods being suitably
secured to and dependent from the conducting piece a. Any suitable construction
or form of frame, cage, or perforated envelope may be substituted for the bands d
illustrated.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
An accumulator or secondary battery plate composed of a series of lead ribbons
or strips dependent from a conducting piece or bar into which the upper end of
each ribbon is burnt its lower end being left free, the ribbons being further
arranged so as to form a series of groups separated by spaces and being prevented
from lateral displacement by a framework, bands, cage, or perforated envelope of
non-conducting material, substantially as described.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.