Improvements in the Manufacture of Plates for Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Plates for Secondary Batteries.
I, LEON CHAMPAGNE, of 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
--
This invention relates to improved plates for secondary batteries and a pro-
cess for their manufacture.
My novel plate is formed in one operation, by casting, with cells or recesses
the internal portion of which is larger than the sides, in such a manner as to
maintain the lozenge shaped pieces or blocks within the plate.
These recesses
My improved plate, comprises, a series of cells or recesses.
may be square but I may form them of any suitable shape, the characteristic
feature of these recesses residing, not in their external form, but merely in their
internal section which, is of greatest width in the centre, the apertures of each
recess upon both faces of the plate being of smaller dimensions.
There are at the present time secondary battery plates based upon the same
principle, but such plates have hitherto been constructed either in two parts
assembled and fixed together in any appropriate manner, or by means of a
single part provided merely with longitudinal bars not connected by cross-
pieces; these strips therefore possess no strength, and in either case the plates
are cast round the active substance. In accordance with my invention, on the
other hand, the plate is cast around blocks of a substance which is capable of
dissolving in such a manner as to form cells or recesses in the plate which are
subsequently filled with the active substance.
The mould enabling the formation of these plates consists of a cast metal
plate upon which I fix by means of screws a copper plate, this copper plate is
pierced with holes symmetrically arranged upon the plate and of which the
depth depends upon the thickness of the plate. These holes may be of any
appropriate shape, such as rectangular shape but they may with equal advan-
tage be round, hexagonal and so forth. Above this plate is fixed a second cast-
metal plate perforated in its central portion which exactly corresponds with
the portion of the plate in which are pierced the holes. This second plate is
provided with a groove, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.
Within each of the holes of the plate, I force a small mass of chalk or other
similar substance. This mass of chalk presents in the first place a rectangular
portion which exactly fits within the hole, then a shaped portion forming three
distinct parts; two parts which are bevel shaped and a central rectangular por-
tion between.
When all the holes have been provided with pieces of chalk I arrange above
them an asbestos pad or cushion, the lower face of which is applied upon the
upper portion of the pieces, and I press this asbestos pad against the mould by
means of a cast metal top which is recessed to enable the metal to flow.
Having arranged the mould in this manner I pour the molten metal through

page_text: the orifice. This molten metal spreads between the asbestos pad and the copper
plate occupying all the small interstices, whilst the air escapes through the
groove formed in the second plate. When cooling has taken place, I remove
from the mould and obtain a plate of which the whole of the recesses are pro-
vided with pieces of chalk; all the shanks of these pieces being, it will be
understood, embedded in the copper plate of the mould. In order to obtain
the finished plate, it is only necessary to remove the pieces from the recesses.
This cannot be effected by hand, as the central portion of the pieces is larger
than the lateral portions. In order to remove the pieces of chalk, it is only
necessary to soak the plate in dilute hydrochloric acid. The hydrochloric acid
attacks the chalk with great rapidity and it gradually dissolves and leaves the
recesses of its own accord. The plate is then entirely finished and it only
remains to fit to it the conductor.
As above stated I do not in any way limit myself, either as regards the form
of the recesses. or the form of the holes pierced in the plate. I may also modify
the substance employed for the formation of the pieces and to select any sub-
stance which, after the removal of the plate from the mould, may be readily dis-
solved, wither by means of an acid, or any other liquid.
It will of course be understood that the pieces of chalk or the like are shaped
beforehand in the desired manner.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Plates for Secondary Batteries.
I, LEON CHAMPAGNE, of 95, Boulevard Beaumarchais, 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 ascer
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to plates for secondary batteries and to a process for
manufacturing the same.
The improved plate is formed in one operation, by casting, with cells or
recesses the internal portion of which is larger than the sides, in such a manner
as to maintain the lozenge shaped pieces or blocks within the plate.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown by way of example a plate con-
structed in accordance with my invention and a mould by means of which it is
formed.
Figure is a front elevation of the improved plate partly in section.
Figure 2 is a section taken upon the line 1-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the mould for the manufacture of the plate repre-
sented in Figure 1.
and
Figure 4 is a section taken upon the line 3-4 of Figure
Figure 5 shows a detail of a core piece of chalk for use in connection with
the mould when the metal is cast in the casting of the plate.
My improved plate, comprises, a series of cells or recesses A which may be
square or of any other suitable shape, the characteristic feature of the "said
recesses consisting, not in their external form, but in their internal section
which, as shown in Figure 2 is of greatest width in the centre at
a; the aper-
tures a a¹ of each recess upon the faces of the plate being of smaller dimen-
sions.

page_text: There are at the present time secondary battery plates based upon the same
principle, but such plates have hitherto been constructed either in two parts
assembled, and fixed together in any appropriate manner, or in a single piece
provided merely with longitudinal bars not connected by cross-pieces; these
strips therefore possess no strength, and in either case the plates are cast around
the active substance. In accordance with my invention, on the other hand,
the plate is cast around blocks of a substance which is capable of dissolving in
such a manner as to form cells or recesses in the plate which are subsequently
filled with the active substance.
The mould for the manufacture of these plates consists of a cast metal.
plate B upon which I fix by means of screws C a copper plate D, (Figure 4),
this copper plate is provided with holes E symmetrically arranged upon the
plate and of which the depth depends upon the thickness of the plate. These
holes may be of any appropriate shape such as rectangular as shown in Figure 3,
or they may with equal advantage be made round, hexagonal or other shape.
Above this plate 1) is fixed a cast metal plate F perforated at its central por-
tion which exactly corresponds with the portion of the plate D in which are
provided the holes E. This plate F is provided at G Figure 3, with a groove,
the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.
Within each of the holes E of the plate, I force a core piece H of chalk or
other similar substance the form of which is exactly represented in Figure 5.
This core piece has a rectangular shank portion which exactly fits within
the hole in the plate D, and a head portion made up of three distinct parts:
two of which are bevel shaped, the third or central portion 4" being of
rectangular form.
When all the holes E have been provided with cores H, I arrange above
them an asbestos pad or cushion I, the lower face of which is applied upon the
upper portion of the said cores H, and I press this asbestos pad against the
mould by means of a cast metal top which is recessed at J¹ to form a gate to
enable the metal to be poured into the mould.
Having arranged the mould in this manner I pour the molten metal through
the said gate or orifice J. This molten metal spreads between the asbestos
pad I and the copper plate I occupying all the small interstices, whilst the air
escapes through the groove G formed in the plate F. When the plate has
cooled I remove the same from the mould and thus obtain a plate which is
identical with that shown in Figure 1, but of which the whole of the recesses A
are provided with cores H of chalk the shanks of such cores being embedded
in the copper plate D of the mould. In order to obtain the finished plate, it
is only necessary to remove these cores from the recesses A.
effected by hand, as the central portions of the cores H are larger than the
lateral portions ¹. The said cores however may be removed by soaking the
plate in dilute hydrochloric acid which attacks the chalk with great rapidity and
gradually dissolves the same causing it to flow from the recesses A. The plate
is then finished and only requires the conductor L fitted thereto.
This cannot be
I do not desire to limit myself, either as regards the form of the recesses A
or the form of the holes E in the plate D. I may make use of any suitable
substance for the formation of the cores H which, after the removal of the plate
from the mould, may be readily dissolved, either by means of an acid, or by any
other liquid.
It will of course be understood that the cores of chalk or the like are shaped
beforehand in the desired manner.
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. A plate for secondary batteries, formed in one piece of any suitable metal
and provided with cells or recesses of any appropriate form, the internal section

page_text: of which is largest at the centre, the apertures of the recesses upon the faces of
the plate being: smaller than the central dimensions thereof, with the object of
preventing the active material contained in the said recesses from falling there-
from.
2. The process of manufacturing plates for secondary batteries consisting in
pouring the metal intended for the formation of the plate into a mould provided
with cores of chalk arranged in the desired positions, such cores having an external
shape corresponding to the internal section of the recesses in the plate; the
plate, after casting, being removed from the mould together with the cores with
which it is provided which latter are then dissolved by any suitable re-agent.
3. In the process above described, the substitution for the cores of chalk of
cores made of any suitable substance capable of being subsequently removed by
means of a suitable re-agent.
Dated this 20th day of Datalia. 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.