Improvements in Electric Accumulators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
[Communicated from abroad by JOHN BURNS, of 64, Rue de Saintonge, Paris, in
the Republic of France, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Electric Accumulators.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 an improved accumulator more especially designed to
serve for use in electric traction.
The province of motor vehicles in all their forms, whether vehicles of fashion or
tramway-vehicles be in question, presents far more rigorous requirements than,
for example, the province of electric lighting. A battery, serving for the purpose
of traction, is expected to fulfil the following essential conditions:
A. A high efficiency relatively to the gross or total weight of the elements.
B. Great firmness or solidity.
C. Great facilities for keeping in repair.
D. The possibility of charging and discharging the batteries in a comparatively
short time.
E. To withstand frequent knocking which is absolutely exceptional in the case
of a fixed battery.
F. Low manufacturing cost.
I do not believe, that there exists an accumulator, which combines all these
qualities in an equal measure, as that which will now describe.
The greater part of the accumulators, known at the present time, may be
divided in two classes:
I. Accumulators, in which a pasty or sticky substance is used.
II. Accumulators, in which pure lead is employed.
In the first mentioned case a leaden frame, serves to maintain salts of lead in
a given position, the said salts being subjected to electrolytical action. These
accumulators present great inconveniences; the weight of the really active material
in these kinds of elements represents but a fraction of the total weight, while
that of the leaden frame attains in most cases nearly 40 per cent. of the whole
apparatus. These electrodes are bound to be rapidly deteriorated under the action
itself of the current, seeing that no practical means exists for fixing the oxides
upon the leaden frame in a solid and durable manner. The charges and dis-
charges of electric current produce a change in the volume of the salts of lead,
so that a disaggregation results in a comparatively short time. If one employs
electrodes, formed entirely of metallic lead, warping and deformation, so dangerous
to effective action and furability of the apparatus, very soon become manifest
and frequently occasion short-circuits between the electrodes. The elements are
incapable of retaining a utilizable charge, in which case it is necessary to use
such heavy elements, that their use for traction purposes is no longer possible.

page_text: Taking all these different circumstances into account, I have been led to contrive
an accumulator by employing different arrangements. My improved accumulator
is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, the several figures of which are here-
inafter referred to.
The positive electrode is formed by a series of horizontally superposed plates
variable in number. A corrugated plate H Figure 13 is placed upon a flat
plate G Figure 14 then a plate G upon another plate H; and so forth, until a
column of suitable height has been formed which is so composed, that each
corrugated plate lies between two flat plates and vice versa. Both sets of these
plates are cut out with a punch and have at their centre an opening I, see
Figures 3 and 4. After the plates G and H having been piled up in the manner
just indicated, the whole arrangement will present the form of a kind of flattened
leaden pipe, the sides of which are pierced with a very large number of small
transverse openings, forming as many semi-circular tubes.
J.
The object of this arrangement is, to ensure a perfect penetration of the
acidulated solution into all parts of the electrode, while nevertheless placing a
very large surface of metallic lead in contact with the liquid. Under these con-
ditions, there will be no longer any appreciable inactive parts in the electrode and
there is no more useless weight. The plates, moreover, have their longitudinal
axis provided with small cars J, which serve to solder the blades between one
another by means of a bar of lead E, which is utilized at the upper part of one
electrode as current-receiver and connection or joint.
We have solely considered the form, represented in Figures
and 4. I may
however, impart to the leaden plates just described, any other constructional
arrangement for instance by taking strips or bands of metal, three or four times
as long, and simply cutting out the inner openings. This arrangement will be
found useful, when the point in question is, to construct elements of very bigh
power. One may for this purpose place side by side any number of openings,
provided, that they are suitably spaced as shown in Figures 6 and 7.
The negative electrode shown in Figure 2, is totally different from the other;
the defects, which are found in plates, with a pasty substance used therein, that
is to say, with a base of salts of lead, do not here apply in the same measure, as
in the case of the positive electrode plates. In point of fact, an accumulator may
be compared with a real furnace or centre of combustion, in which the positive
electrode would form the combustible element or fuel, while the liquid would form
the oxydizing element. The function of the negative electrode is almost entirely
restricted to receiving the current.
Deformation and disaggregation need not be apprehended. Seeing, however,
the special object, for which my accumulator is intended, the same will, under
normal conditions, be liable to receive concussions and will be subject to such
violent vibrations, that it is indispensable that special precautionary measures
be taken with the view to imparting to it a particular solidity as well as to the
positive electrode. In order to attain this result, my negative electrode, therefore,
is constructed with a thin sheet or plate of lead, folded down upon itself, so as to
form a prism, the interior of which is hollow, forming a lead-pocket. The free
or open side, in the upward direction, is jointed in the ordinary manner.
hollow inner space, of about 5 millimetres is subsequently filled with salts of
lead, which are, in the ordinary manner, reduced to spongy lead; the whole is
suitably dried and compressed. The lead-cover has been previously pierced with
a large number of small holes, very closely approaching one another, and imparting
to it the appearance of a strainer. The object of these holes is, to enable the
acidulated liquid to easily enter the body itself of the electrode and of the active
material.
The
A leaden plate, arranged at the upper part, serves, as usual, for receiving the
current.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an element, showing a positive electrode with
its interior negative electrode. The whole arrangement of an accumulator element

page_text: must be composed of a positive plate, such as above described, and of three negative
plates. Two are then located at the left and right of the positive electrode, and
the third-after having been suitably furnished with india rubber rings or washers,
or with any other appropriate insulating medium, for preventing the coming into
contact with the positive electrode is placed in the interior of the oval space
reserved in the positive plates. I thus obtain a very considerable active surface,
which yet occupies a much smaller space than is the case of any other accumulator.
I may, however, construct an element, as represented in Figure 5, of a positive
multiple electrode (see Figures 6 and 7) receiving in each of the inner open parts
a negative electrode-plate. Elements of large yield may be thus constructed.
From the preceding it is thus evident, that with my improved accumulator, I
obtain, in the highest degree, all the advantages, required for electric traction-
purposes. The positive electrode possesses the maximum amount of active surface,
that can possibly be reached. It is only rendered unserviceable by wear and tear,
while no part
susceptible of being so deteriorated, as to give rise to interior
discharges between electrodes. The negative electrode is just as resistant; the
same will yield a maximum effect with the minimum weight. If necessary, the
above arrangement may be reversed, and in this case the positive electrode would
receive the form of the pocket.
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. In an electric accumulator the negative electrode, substantially constructed
as above stated and characterized by a leaden pocket pierced with any number of
holes, sufficient to enable the liquid to freely circulate, and in the interior of
which the active material is enclosed.
2. In an electric accumulator a positive electrode of an improved construction,
as represented in Figures 5 and 6 the characteristic feature being, that the plates
or blades, instead of being insulated as up to the present time, are cut down in
continuous plates, provided with a number of openings, corresponding to the
number of negatives, which the accumulator is intended to contain.
3. In an electric accumulator the positive electrode constructed substantially
as herein before stated, and characterized by a leaden pocket, pierced with any
suitable number of holes.
4. In an electric accumulator the combination of the negative elements, ascer-
tained in the first claim; with the positive elements ascertained in the second
claim; the whole, substantially as above described.
113
1
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.