Improvements in the Production of Battery Plates or other Articles by Electrolytic or Chemical Deposition of Spongy Metal.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 21st July, 1500
Improvements in the Production of Battery Plates or other Articles
by Electrolytic or Chemical Deposition of Spongy Metal.
I, PABLO NEUMANN, of 3381, Calle Echevarría, Buenos-Aires, in the Argentine-
Republic, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved process of precipitating metals from their
solutions and of changing them, and the object of this process mainly applying
to the manufacture of accumulator-plates, is to produce upon sheet metal pieces
or plates a porous crystalline deposit or a spongy layer, the hardness of which
can be regulated according to requirement.
According to this invention a solution such as one of lead acetate is placed in
a centrifugal apparatus and the lead or other metal precipitated as a spongy
metal by the use of zinc or other metal or the spongy metal is eliminated from
the solution electrolytically and deposited upon the sheet metal pieces or plates
on the walls of the trough or tank of the centrifugal apparatus, and under the
simultaneous employment of the centrifugal action, the plates are subjected to an
electrolytical treatment, without a certain direction of the current being pre-
scribed seeing that it is advantageous under certain circumstances that the plate
to be produced, be either periodically or permanently taken as anode.
In this operation it is possible by simply altering the rotary speed of that
centrifugal apparatus to cause the deposit to become more or less hard. It is
suitable to gradually alter the density of the plate from the interior toward the
exterior by respectively reducing or increasing the rate at which the centrifugal
apparatus is rotated.
The advantages obtained from an accumulator plate produced according to this
improved process are numerous above all, the plate in the presence of a slight
internal resistance, receives, a great capacity owing to the slimness of the lead-
plate-core, and, moreover, the peroxide of lead is not broken off during the
forming process, owing to the fact that the change from pure lead into active
material can be effected very gradually.
DL1
OL
L
TI
1000
5 Improvements in the Production of Battery Plates or other Articles
by Electrolytic or Chemical Deposition of Spongy Metal.
I, PABLO NEUMANN, of 3381, Calle Echevarria, Buenos Ayres, in the Argentine
Republic, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.1

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to the deposition of metals from their solutions either
chemically or electrolytically and has for its object the deposition of such metals
in hard firm layers the upper or last layers however if desired being deposited
in a softer or spongy condition.
The invention consists in rotating the solution in such a manner that the
extracted metal at the moment of its extraction is immediately under the effect
of centrifugal force and is thereby deposited as a firm mass on the outer wall
of the rotating vessel containing the solution or on any articles placed against
the same.
The invention is especially applicable to the production of accumulator plates
but is equally applicable to the plating of any other articles which require a
coating or plating of metal the hardness of which it is desired shall vary.
If chemical means are employed such for instance as in the precipitation of
lead from a solution of lead acetate the solution is placed in a cylindrical vessel
which is rapidly rotated, the articles to receive the deposit being attached to the
walls of vessel and the metals being precipitated by the addition of zinc.
When working electrolytically the rotating drum forms the cathode and the
anode is introduced therein but insulated therefrom. This method is illustrated
diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein a drum or cylindrical
vessel a receives the electrolyte solution and is rotated by a spindle d. Inserted
therein but insulated therefrom is an anode c preferably in the form of a ring
or disc reaching almost to the walls of the cylinder in order that it is always in
contact with the solution even if the latter is forced by the centrifugal action
into the position indicated by the dotted lines. The articles 6 to be plated are
suspended in contact with the walls of the cylinder a. This method is especially
applicable to the production of accumulator plates as by varying the speed of
rotation of the vessel a the metallic deposit can be made more or less firm.
instance by gradually slowing down the speed a plate can be produced having a
thin hard foundation with outer layers of a gradually softer or more spongy
the thin hard
condition, an especial advantage with accumulator plates as
foundation offers slight interior resistance and the gradual transition from firm
to spongy material is a favourable condition for avoiding the crumbling away
of the superoxide.
For
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. An improved process for depositing and changing metals, applicable
to the manufacture of accumulator plates and other articles presenting this
characteristic feature that the depositing of the metal from respective solutions
is effected by chemical or electrolytical means and that the electrolytical treat-
ment of the plates is effected in a centrifugal apparatus, the action being such
that the degree of hardness of the coating or layer can be regulated according
to the rate of the rotary speed.
2. The improved process for the manufacture of accumulator plates sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street, Manchester,
Agents.