their Application to Primary and Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1886

page_text: their Application to Primary and Secondary Batteries.
I PHILIMOND BAILLY, Civil Engineer, of Ermont (Seine & Oise) France, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and' by the
following statement :—
The processes heretofore used and proposed for the manufacture of active plates
for primary and secondary chemical generators of electricity tend all to supply a
maximum active service under a given weight and volume and within the limits
of electrical conductibility and porosity which are essential conditions for the
productive capacity of the battery.
Referring more particularly to secondary batteries, the use therein of agglomerated
blocks of peroxide of lead chemically prepared such as Faure's blocks and of
chemical and mechanical products such as those of Planté have to a certain extent
produced some practical results, but they do not however much exceed the tenth
of the theoretical productive capacity of the weight of the electrodes. This serious
defect as well as the extreme fragility of these apparatus limit their use and form
an obstacle to their frequent application.
A long experience in the practical use of secondary batteries has led me to effect
an extreme division of the active mass used whose porosity and conductibility is;
not thereby impaired while it also retains the necessary solidity to serve in forming
a practical apparatus-I am thus enabled to obtain a utilizable yield and
especially a much greater duration than heretofore attained.
Filamentous shavings from ordinary rolled lead of commerce are obtained by
means of a plane or of any other suitable tool or apparatus. These filamentous
shavings having a woolly consistence are lined with felt and formed into plates of
suitable shape and dimensions or inserted into spaces formed for such purpose.
These plates consisting of leaden filaments plaited or intermingled with one
another may serve as cathodes or may be applied upon a conducting electrode
carrying a terminal, or a part of these filaments may be joined to a metallic
conductor serving as a collector.
With such electrodes thus prepared I am enabled to construct secondary batteries
or by subjecting them to a previous oxidizing operation I can use them as
depolarizing means for primary batteries of any known construction.
}

page_text: But in all cases it is essential that the conductors which it will be found
advantageous to make of larger size than that of the felted filaments should enter
into the mass and be in sufficient numbers as to ensure a rapid dispersion of the
current both when charging and discharging while there exists sufficient con-
ductibility.
A mere frame or a plate are not sufficient to obtain a satisfactory result which
can only be produced by making use of the above novel arrangement the
advantages of which I lay claim to. I also claim the protection of the law for the
manufacture of this leaden felt by means of filaments obtained by the process
described and for the construction of primary or secondary generators of electricity
with such material having the shape herein after described or any other similar
shape.
One or several porous vases of suitable form is or are surrounded with such
leaden felt which serves as cathode or may be connected to a collecting conductor
the whole being enclosed in an impermeable envelope or in any suitable receiver.
In the porous vase filled with a suitable liquid or with diluted sulphuric acid is
immersed a ball made of these leaden filaments or a piece of amalgamated zinc or
sodium forming the negative pole of the primary or secondary battery thus
conducted. The advantages of this arrangement are many. The apparatus is
solid and can be easily transported, as the enclosed peroxide cannot become
detached from the electrode and no short circuiting can take place within the
battery while the latter can be regenerated by an electric current.
By means of a peculiar arrangement herein after described and suitable for
commercial purposes I am able to avoid any loss of electric energy when the
circuit is opened, particularly in the case when the amalgamated zinc or sodium
form a part of the battery.
For this purpose I withdraw either one or the two electrodes which form a sort
of cartridge from the action of the liquid:
5.
1. By raising them above the level of the exciting fluid, the bottom of the
porous vase being perforated for this purpose;
2. By using an appendage in the shape of an india rubber or other and
impermeable bag capable of being folded after the manner of the bag of a
pair of bellows so that the liquid may be contact with the electrodes when.
the battery is lowered and may fall back in the bag when the said battery
is raised (Fig. 2 d and h);
3. The bottom of the vase or cartridge which is supposed to be impermeable
communicates by means of a flexible pipe with a reservoir containing the
exciting liquid or capable of discharging such liquid into the battery
according to the difference of levels formed between the two (Figs. 3 db c).
This arrangement will be of practical use when the battery is formed of a
certain number of cells.
The exciting liquid may be discharged into the battery by means of compressed
air, of a piston of a float or of any suitable device.
I claim a patent for the generators above described in combination with known
means but forming a novel working arrangement based upon the rapid and
improved manufacture of electrodes, the mode of regenerating the component
elements or cells by the electric current and the special arrangement for dis-
charging or removing the exciting liquid in order to obviate a loss of electric
energy.
Furthermore and especially the manufacture of primary and secondary batteries
by means of porous vases of cylindrical or other suitable form and material, in
such a manner that the active material being held by the said vases and the
envelope may not become detached therefrom thus rendering my apparatus capable
of longer duration and avoiding the rapid deterioration produced by the salts.
becoming detached in batteries of other form.
Another advantage in making use of only one porous compartment is that the
latter may be hermetically closed by an india rubber or other stopper allowing a

page_text: passage only to the electrode and to a tube through which the gases are permitted
to escape. When this tube is closed the gases force the liquid contained in the
porous and perforated vase gradually disclosing the electrode so that the current is
broken and the element or cell ceases to operate.
The same object may be carried out by forcing compressed air into the porous
vase and the latter being connected with the zinc need only be raised out of the
liquid in order to break or moderate the action.
An arrangement has been proposed which is similar to that of apparatus serving
for the production of light by means of hydrogen, the electrode which requires to
be protected being isolated in a non porous receiver. It is however superfluous to
point how great is the difference between my improved solution and porous
receiver and the arrangement referred to the first being vastly superior to the
latter since instead of limiting the action to the lower surface of the electrode it
allows such action to take place upon the whole surface owing to the porosity of
the vessel which forms no obstacle thereto such obstacle existing on the contrary
when non porous vases are employed.
As the quantity of gas evolved from the electrode is in a determined ratio with
the number of coulombs absorbed by the element or cell, this arrangement likewise
allows the charging to be automatically regulated and enables the electrode to
withstand any local action at the end of such charging.
Another advantage of this arrangement is that it permits by rendering the
active material independent of the receiver containing the liquid to readily
transport such material either at the workshop or to the consumer without
being compelled to likewise transport the receiver and the liquid, thus avoiding
trouble and expense.
The fact of being able to only transport the active material without either
liquid or receiver is a novel conception of commercial value and which I absolutely
claim.
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. The use in batteries of electrodes made of lead plates cut into coarse
filaments or tapes to act as conductors which are interwoven with lead wool
substantially as described.
2. The use of removable porous receptacles with or without holes, for secondary
batteries so as to avoid the detachment of the active material from the lead plates.
GEO. DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.