An Improved Electrode for Secondary Datteries.
Year: 1896

page_text: An Improved Electrode for Secondary Datteries.
I, HENRY WOODWARD of 235, Macdonnell Avenue, Parkdale, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, Doctor of Medicine; do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to devise a tubular electrode which will expose as
large a surface of active material to the electrolyte as possible and it consists
essentially in placing in a lead tube provided with a lead core, pellets of red oxide of
lead arranged in layers separated from one another by plates of lead substantially as
hereinafter more particularly described.
The leaden tube is perforated and preferably corrugated or fluted longitudinally to
increase its surface. The top and bottom of this tube may be made of lead or, if
desired, of some inactive material such as ebonite. A ribbon of lead forming &
central core extends through the tube and projects upwardly therefrom to form a
point of connection when the battery is in use. The filling of the electrode is com-
posed of a number of layers of pellets of red oxide of lead separated by leaden plates
slipped over the core and fitting the inside of the tube. The division of the filling
into a series of layers prevents the interstices between one layer of pellets being filled
up by the pellets of the layer next above.
From this construction it follows that the electrolyte has free access to all the
filling or active material contained in the tube which, as is well understood, is a most
important consideration in an electrode for secondary batteries.
Rings of vulcanite are placed round the top and bottom of the tube to prevent the
other electrode from coming in contact therewith.
Although the best results will be obtained by making the tube and plates of lead,
yet good results might be obtained if they were made of vulcanite, papier-maché, or
other inactive material. I describe the filling as being of red oxide of lead, but other
materials used in the electrodes of secondary batteries might be substituted for the
red oxide as a filling.
The same construction may be adopted for the positive and negative electrodes but
the construction described is particularly adapted for use in a cell in which one
central electrode is surrounded by a number of other tubes composing the electrodes
of opposite name. The tubes of the inultiple electrode may be constructed on a
similar principle, but this construction is not so essential as it is in the larger central
electrode.

page_text: An Improved Electrode for Secondary Batteries.
I, HENRY WOODWARD of 235, Macdonnell Avenue, Parkdale, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, Doctor of Medicine; 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 object of my Invention is to produce a tubular electrode which will expose as
large a surface of active material to the electrolyte as possible and it consists
essentially in placing in a lead tube provided with a lead core, pellets of red oxide of
lead arranged in layers separated by plates of lead substantially as hereinafter more
particularly described.
The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing form-
ing part of this Specification in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an
electrode constructed in accordance with my Invention. Figure 2 is a detail vertical
section.
A is a leaden tube perforated with holes a and preferably corrugated or fluted
longitudinally. The top B and the bottom C of this tube may be made of lead or, if
desired, of some inactive material such as ebonite. A ribbon of lead D forming a
central core extends through the tube and projects upwardly therefrom to form a
point of connection when the battery is in use. The filling of the electrode is com-
posed of a number of layers E composed of pellets of red oxide of lead packed as close
as possible together in single layers separated by leaden plates F fitting upon the core D
so as to make electrical contact therewith, the plates F alsó fitting the inside of the
tube A, a few only of the layers of pellets E and of the plates F being shewn in
the drawing. The division of the filling into a series of single layers E prevents the.
interstices between the pellets of one layer being filled up by the pellets of the layer
next above, whilst the division plates F ensure electrical connection of all the pellets
with the central core. The perforations in the envelope A should be smaller than the
pellets E so as not to allow them to fall out.
From this construction it follows that the electrolyte has free access to all the filling
or active material contained in the tube which, as is well understood, is a most
important consideration in an electrode for secondary batteries.
Rings G of vulcanite are placed round the top and bottom of the tube A to prevent
the other electrode from coming in contact therewith.
Although the best results will be obtained by making the tube A of lead yet good
results might be obtained if it were made of vulcanite, papier-maché, or other
inactive material.
I have described the filling as being of red oxide of lead but other materials used
in the electrodes of secondary batteries might be substituted for the red oxide as
filling.
The same construction may be adopted for the positive and negative electrodes but
the construction described is particularly adapted for use in a cell in which one
central electrode is surrounded by a number of other tubes H composing the
electrodes of opposite name, the corrugations of the envelope A affording space for a
corresponding number of electrodes H, the whole being contained in an outer vessel
I containing the electrolyte. The tubes of this multiple electrode may be con-
structed on a similar principle to that above described but this construction is not so
essential as it is in the larger central electrode.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An electrode for secondary batteries comprising a central ribbon of lead forming

page_text: a core, a filling formed of pellets of oxide of lead divided into layers by plates of lead,
and a perforated tube or envelope enclosing the whole substantially as specified.
2: An electrode for secondary batteries comprising a central ribbon of lead forming
a core, a filling formed of pellets of oxide of lead divided into layers by plates of lead,
and a perforated tube or envelope enclosing the whole, the said perforated tube or
envelope being corrugated and the dividing plates shaped to fit therein substantially
as specified.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.