Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Electrodes of Large Dimensions for Accumulators, and to Supporting the same in their Cells.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1991
Complete Specification Left, 9th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Electrodes of
Large Dimensions for Accumulators, and to Supporting the same
in their Cells.
A communication by ARMAND VANDEN KERCкHOVE, of Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool and 6 Bank Street Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The construction in one piece and at a single casting of lead electrodes of large
dimensions for electric accumulators, presents numerous difficulties and inconveniences,
which prevent, so to speak, their being produced beyond certain limits of size.
The more the electrodes which are cast in one piece increase in size, the more
considerable becomes the dead weight of lead which enters into their construction
which is a point to be taken into consideration not only for enabling them to be
made and for giving them the necessary rigidity, but also with a view to their
conductibility and to the uniform distribution of chemical action in all parts of their
mass, which chemical actions if they were unequal would occasion malformations
and irregularities.
The object of this invention is to allow of the construction of rigid electrodes of
large dimensions to be accomplished without having occasion to fear the above
named inconveniences.
The invention consists in the adaptation of electrodes of normal dimensions easily
made and handled to cases or rigid gratings not easily put out of shape neutral as
regards chemical reactions; and that in such a way that each of their electrodes
preserves its insulated and independent action, and cannot exert either on the
grating or on the other electrodes action of a nature sufficient to produce
malformations. For instance, a frame of hardened lead cast in one piece may be
provided the sections of which are calculated to allow of its resisting mechanical
efforts. The normal electrodes are arranged in successive cases of the frame and
soldered at two points by one of their sides in such a way as to preserve between
their three other sides and the cross bars of the frame a sufficient space to allow of
dilation and extension. Small projections on the opposite sides of the edges of the
plate or of the cross bars of the frame and cast thereon at the same time prevent
the electrodes from becoming displaced during the working of the same.
The
squares, gratings or frame may be of any suitable form and composed of any
suitable material which offers sufficient rigidity, conductibility and neutrality to the
action of the electrolysis.
This invention also relates to a new arrangement for supporting in the cells
electrodes of large dimensions and it consists in allowing the electrodes to rest at
a greater or smaller number of points throughout their entire length, on strips of
glass, ebonite or any other insulating material or even on a series of insulating pegs
or wedges arranged in the same plane; the strips or wedges are placed in the
bottom of the cells and are of a height corresponding to the space which it is desired
to leave free between the bottom of the cells and the lower edges of the electrodes.
For instance an electrode may be supported along all its length by a strip of glass
held in a vertical position by grooves the prolongation of which serves to guide

page_text: the introduction of the electrode into the cell, and contributes together with the
adjacent grooves to maintain a regular space between all the plates.
Dated this 8th day of December 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Construction of Electrodes of
Large Dimensions for Accumulators, and to Supporting the same
in their Cells.
A communication by ARMAND VANDEN KERCKHOVE, of Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Man-
chester both in the County of Lancaster & 323 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex, Civil 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 construction in one piece and at a single casting of lead electrodes of large
dimensions for electric accumulators, presents numerous difficulties and inconveniences
and so they are thereby so to speak prevented from being produced beyond certain
limits of size.
The more the electrodes which are east in one piece increase in size, the more
considerable becomes the dead weight of lead which enters into their construction
which is a point to be taken into consideration, not only for enabling them to be
made and for giving them the necessary rigidity, but also with a view to their
conductibility and to the uniform distribution of chemical action in all parts of their
mass, which chemical actions if they were unequal would occasion malformations
and irregularities.
The object of this invention is to allow of the construction of rigid electrodes of
large dimensions to be accomplished without having occasion to fear the above
named inconveniences.
The invention consists in the adaptation of electrodes of normal dimensions easily
made and handled, to cases or rigid gratings not easily put out of shape and neutral
as regards chemical reactions so that each of these electrodes preserves its insulated
and independent action, and cannot exert either on the grating or on the other
electrodes action of a nature sufficient to produce malformations.
On the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 shows an arrangement of gratings in a frame A B C D of hardened
lead cast in one piece, the sections of which are calculated to allow of its resisting
mechanical efforts.
In Figure 2 the normal electrodes a b c d are arranged in successive cases of the
frame and soldered at two points a and b on one of their sides in such a way as to
preserve between their three other sides and the cross bars of the frame a sufficient
space e to allow of dilation and extension. Small projections i on the opposite
sides of the edges of the plate or of the cross bars of the frame, and cast thereon
at the same time, prevent the electrodes from becoming displaced when working.
The squares, gratings or frame may be of any suitable form and composed of
any suitable material which offers sufficient rigidity, conductibility and neutrality
to electrolytic actions.
This invention also relates to a new arrangement for supporting in the cells
electrodes of large dimensions, and it consists in allowing the electrodes to rest at a
greater or smaller number of points throughout their entire length on strips of
glass, ebonite or any other insulating material, or even on a series of insulating pegs
or wedges arranged in the same plane; the strips or wedges are placed in the

page_text: bottom of the cells and are of a height corresponding to the space which it is desired
to leave free between the bottom of the cells and the lower edges of the electrodes.
Figures 1 and 3 show an electrode supported along all its length by a strip of
glass L held in a vertical position by grooves r, the extended ends of which serve
to guide the introduction of the electrode into the cell, and contribute together with
the adjacent grooves to maintain a regular space between all the plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
1. The improvement in the construction of electrodes of large dimensions for
accumulators, consisting in placing in the cases of a rigid grating or frame a given
number of electrodes of any suitable size and preserving to each of them its
independent action, the whole producing an electrode of large dimensions and of
great electric capacity.
2. In the construction of electrodes of large dimensions, fastening the electrodes
in their cases by soldering them at one or more points on one of their sides to the
corresponding cross bars of the frame, and supporting them at other points by
means of little lugs projecting either from the electrodes or from the cross bars,
substantially as described.
3. The employment for supporting in their cells, large electrodes throughout
their entire length, of strips or wedges arranged in parallel planes to those of the
surface of such electrodes, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 7th day of September 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.