Improvements in or relating to Electrical Accumulators or Storage Batteries.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electrical Accumulators or Storage
Batteries.
I, ALBRECHT HEIL, of Frankisch Crumbach, Grand Duchy of Hesse, German
Empire, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
11
This invention has reference to electrical accumulators or storage batteries.
The improved form of secondary battery which forms the subject of the present
invention differs from such batteries as hitherto known or employed in the fact
that it admits of attaining the maximum surface of active material with a com-
pletely regular distribution of such material, while in previously known secondary
batteries the division or distribution of the active material is not so uniform. The
improved secondary battery also possesses the great advantage over those hitherto
known that the plates composing the battery are so formed by means of a simple
process that they afford a thorough hold for the active material which they carry,
so that this cannot fall out of the plate.
The regularity of distribution of the active material is attained according to
the present invention by giving to the battery plates or grids, which may be cast
or pressed, the form of a honeycomb, that is to say the plates are composed of
regular hexagonal cells, cast or pressed with a frame or otherwise produced in a
frame, these cells being open at both sides and intended to receive the active
material. Only by means of the regular form of the hexagon which constitutes
each small cell can the frame or support for the reception of the active material
be utilized most uniformly and to the best advantage.
In order to afford the active material the necessary hold in the honeycomb cells
the plate or grid is submitted on both sides to an operation by which the walls
enclosing the cells are pressed out or flanged at their outer ends so that a ledge
or rim is produced from each of the walls towards the adjoining hexagonal cell ;
each cell has consequently besides its dividing walls a small hexagonal rim or
flange at the outer end, which serves to firmly retain the active material in the cell
at both sides.
This rim at each end of the cell may be produced by submitting the plate or
grid to the action of grooved or embossed rolls. The action may be repeated
several times and in varying directions of the plate with respect to the axis of the
roll, so that the rims are produced on all six sides of each cell. A contraction of
the outer ends of the small cells is thus produced by which the active material
subsequently inserted therein is securely held so that it cannot fall out by reason
of eventual soaking or immersion nor become detached from the grid as is the case
with other forms of grid.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Electrical Accumulators or Storage
. Batteries.
I, ALBRECHT HEIL, of Frankisch Crumbach, Grand Duchy of Hesse, German
Empire, Electrician, 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 has reference to electrical accumulators or storage batteries.
The improved electrical accumulator or storage battery which forms the subject
of the present invention differs from such accumulators or batteries as hitherto
known or employed in the fact that it admits of attaining the maximum surface
of active material with a completely regular distribution of such material, while in
previously known storage or secondary batteries the division or distribution of
the active material is not so uniform. The improved battery also possesses the
great advantage over those hitherto known that the plates composing the battery
are so formed by means of a simple process that they afford a thorough hold for
the active material which they carry, so that this cannot fall out of the plate.
The regularity of distribution of the active material is attained according to
the present invention by giving to the battery plates or grids, which may be cast
or pressed, the form of a honeycomb, that is to say the plates are composed of
regular hexagonal cells, cast or pressed with a frame or otherwise produced in a
frame, these cells being open at both sides and intended to receive the active
material. Only by means of the regular form of the hexagon which constitutes
each small cell can the frame or support for the reception of the active material
be utilized most uniformly and to the best advantage.
A portion of such a plate is shown in front view in Figure 1, and in section on
the line in Figure 2.
In order to afford the active material the necessary hold in the honeycomb cells
the plate or grid is submitted on both sides to an operation by which the walls
enclosing the cells are pressed out or flanged at their outer ends so that a ledge
or rim is produced from each of the walls towards the adjoining hexagonal cell;
each cell has consequently besides its dividing walls a small hexagonal rim or
flange at the ends and these rims serve to firmly retain the active material in the
cell at both sides of the plate.
These rims or flanges at the ends of the cells may be produced by submitting
the plate or grid to the action of grooved or embossed rolls. The action may be
repeated several times and in varying directions of the plate with respect to the
axis of the roll, so that the rims are produced on all six sides of each cell.
A con-
traction of the outer ends of the small cells is thus produced by which the active
material subsequently inserted therein is securely held so that it cannot fall out
by reason of eventual soaking or immersion, nor become detached from the grid
as is the case with other forms of grid.
A portion of a plate of this latter kind is shown in front view in Figure 3, and
in Figure 4 in section on line y y.
I am aware that attempts have previously been made to secure the active material
within cells of a battery plate as for example in the plate described in Specification
No. 3986 of 1888. But the method of forming and the construction of the plate
described in the said specification are capable of improvement in two respects.
In the first place the cells are formed with wedge shaped projections in the middle.
Now if the active material swells or increases during charging, it will press
against such wedge shaped projections, and thereby split and protrude through

page_text: the openings of the cells and consequently more or less drop out. Secondly the
grid or plate is cast with ribs, deeper than usual; this is of course necessary with
the old plan in order to form the wedge shaped projections in the
middle of the cell. This is not necessary with my mode of con-
structing and forming the hexagonal cells. I form the walls of my
cells not thicker than one millimeter and even less and of straight form and
by rolling the surfaces of my plates as hereinbefore described I do not alter the
shape of my thin and straight cell-walls, except that I produce small rims or flanges
at top and bottom of the cells, to keep the active material in place. The process
described in Specification No. 3986 of 1888 would simply crush my very thin
cell-walls. It is a great feature in my plates, that they are greatly reduced in
weight, and in spite of this lightness give perfect security for holding the active
material within the cells.
In my drawing I have shown the cells of my plate on an enlarged scale, to
clearly shew the form, but I repeat, that the walls of the cells should not exceed
one millimeter in thickness.
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 electrical accumulator or storage battery in which the grids or plates are
divided into regular hexagonal or honeycomb cells, for the purpose of effecting
uniform distribution of the active material carried therein, as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
2. Providing the cells of the grids or plates specified in Claim 1 with flanges or
rims at the ends for the purpose of affording a secure hold for the active material
carried in the cells, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4.
teed to or any way
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.