Applicable to Primary Batteries.
Year: 1885

page_text: Applicable to Primary Batteries.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SECONDARY
BATTERIES PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO PRIMARY BATTERIES (a communi-
cation from abroad by Edmond Julien of Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium
Engineer) to be as follows:-
Hitherto lead chemically pure or approaching thereto has been used for the
manufacture of the blades or plates of accumulators or secondary batteries.
Experience has shown that this lead does not resist the destructive oxydising
action which is produced during the operation of charging and discharging and in
consequence, the parts lose their shape and spread out and spoil in a short time,
finally peroxidising, and becoming inert or useless. It is chiefly owing to this
drawback that accumulators such as those of Faure have not yet found industrial
applications corresponding to their advantages.
The object of the present invention is to provide a remedy for the drawback
above alluded to, and to produce at the same time a serviceable and durable
accumulator.
The invention comprises three principal improvements which are preferably
employed simultaneously but which may also be used separately, namely
a. The
composition of the plate supports. b. The arrangement of these plates. c. The
composition of the conducting fluid.
To obtain plates or supports which will not oxidise, an alloy of lead, antimony
and mercury is made use of, a suitable mixture is:
Lead 96 parts by weight.
Antimony 3
Mercury 1 "
"
"
"
"
"
These proportions are variable within certain limits according to the object

page_text: The plates made of this new metal and furnished with pure or mixed metallic
salts, such as minimum litharge or the like giving similar electric effects form
admirable accumulators of inalterable set and of great durability. The blades
which are no longer subject to deformation or dilatation and consequently uphold
better the active matters may have any desired shape, be perforated or the like.
Another advantage arising from the use of the alloy is a sensible decrease in the
weight of accumulator requisite for a given power, also an improved current,
greater yield, and less resistance, the electro-motive force of a couple which
previously rarely reached 2,20 Volts attaining 2,40 Volts.
The arrangement of the plates, serving as supports for the active substances,
exerts a great influence on the duration of accumulators.
In plates usually made of gridiron shape, the active material is liable to detach
itself from the support because the conductors which embrace the active matter
have cutting edges, and that under these conditions these edges act as knives or
sharp edges; this drawback is obviated by arranging the conductors forming the
gridiron so as to present a flat or curved surface. This is of especial importance
because the nature of these new supporting plates permits of the smallest possible
thickness being given to the accumulator plates.
For
As insulators for maintaining the plates at the required distance from each other,
buttons of ebonite caoutchouc or other suitable material are made use of, attached.
to one of the plates, or else by caoutchouc rings surrounding the plate.
joining the plates of the same kind in an accumulator, the usual formation of
sulphate at this point is avoided by using wires covered with gutta percha and
connected to a common terminal.
This arrangement has moreover the advantage of enabling the plate to be dis-
placed freely, which is especially necessary in accumulators with blades of pure
lead.
Hitherto the conducting fluid employed in these batteries has usually been water
acidulated with sulphuric acid, with this liquid whatever be the material employed
there are produced under certain conditions, and especially when the apparatus is
worked hard, effects of polarisation which it is desirable to avoid. To remedy this
inconvenience whilst retaining the usual liquid, a variable proportion of peroxide of
hydrogen H, O, is added. The mixture constitutes a new liquid conductor and
forms with sulphuric acid a sulphate of peroxide of hydrogen: the proportion of
peroxide of hydrogen, to be added in a given time varies according to the efficiency
required. The action of this liquid upon the electrodes is essentially depolarising,
and permits of the electric current being greatly increased in a given time whilst
the electro motive force is maintained constant and in obtaining in consequence a
better yield than that realised hitherto; the same principle is applicable with lesser
yields for improving the flow. It should be remarked that the use of the new
liquid has the further advantage of permitting the weight of the batterics to be
diminished for a given efficiency in a given time which is of great importance in
.practice.
Although the solution of peroxide of hydrogen is especially suitable for
secondary batteries; it may also be used with all batteries, primary or otherwise,
the production of peroxide of hydrogen, rendering the liquid depolarising being
obtainable by an acid, a salt or compound having the property of easily parting
with its oxygen either by electrolysis or by chemical re-action.

page_text: Applicable to Primary Batteries.
J, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst P.A. of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and 323 High
Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication from abroad by Edmond Julien of Brussels
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Hitherto lead chemically pure or approaching thereto has been used for the
manufacture of the blades or plates of accumulators or secondary batteries.
Experience has shewn that this lead does not resist the destructive oxydising
action which is produced during the operation of charging and discharging, and
in consequence the parts lose their shape and spread out and spoil in a short time,
finally peroxidising, and becoming inert or useless. It is chiefly owing to this
drawback that accumulators such as those of Faure have not yet found industrial
applications corresponding to their advantages.
The object of the present invention is to provide a remedy for the drawback
above alluded to, and to produce at the same time a serviceable and durable
accumulator.
The invention comprises three principal improvements which are preferably
> employed simultaneously, but which may also be used separately, namely
a. The composition of the plate supports.
b. The arrangement of these plates.
c. The composition of the conducting fluid.
To obtain plates or supports which will not oxidise, an alloy of lead, antimony
and mercury is made use of: A suitable mixture is
Lead 96 parts by weight.
Antimony 3
Mercury 1
"
">
"
"2
"
"
These proportions are variable within certain limits according to the object in
O view, whether the plates be destined for the development of power, or light etcetera.
The plates made of this new metal and furnished with pure or mixed metallic
salts, such as minium litharge or the like giving similar electric effects from
admirable accumulators of inalterable set and of great durability. The blades
which are no longer subject to deformation or dilatation and consequently uphold
5 better the active matters, may have any desired shape, be perforated, or the like.
Another advantage arising from the use of the alloy is a sensible decrease in the

page_text: The arrangement of the plates serving as supports for the active substances exerts
a great influence on the duration of accumulators. In the accompanying drawings
various forms of plates, plain or perforated which have given good results, are
shewn.
Figure 1 represents in section a plain corrugated plate serving as a support to
the active matter Figures 3, 4, and 5 shew in section various kinds of perforated
blades; Figure 6 shews the mode of connecting the blades of an accumulator, a is
the support, b the active material, c the insulators, d the conducting wires and
e the terminal; Figure 2 shews a portion of the active material detached.
In plates usually made of gridiron shape, the active material is liable to detach
itself from the support because the conductors which embrace the active matter
have cutting edges, specially in the arrangement shewn at Figure 2 and that under
these conditions these edges act as knives or sharp edges: this drawback is obviated
by arranging the conductors forming the gridiron so as to present a flat or curved
surface as shewn in Figures 3, 4 and 5. This is of especial importance because the
nature of these new supporting plates permits of the smallest possible thickness
being given to the accumulator plates. The Figures shewn are all intended as
types, it being obvious that any other suitable shapes having plane or curved
surfaces may be employed.
As insulators for maintaining the plates at the required distance from each other,
buttons of ebonite, caoutchouc or other suitable material are made use of, attached
to one of the plates as shown in Figure 6 or else by caoutchouc rings surrounding
the plate. For joining the plates of the same kind in an accumulator, the usual
formation of sulphate at this point is avoided by using wires covered with gutta-
percha and connected to a common terminal as shewn at Figure 6.
This arrangement has moreover the advantage of enabling the plate to be
displaced freely, which is especially necessary in accumulators with blades of pure
lead.
Hitherto the conducting fluid employed in these batteries has usually been water
acidulated with sulphuric acid with this liquid whatever be the material employed,
there are produced under certain conditions, and especially when the apparatus is
worked hard, effects of polarisation which it is desirable to avoid. To remedy
this inconvenience, whilst retaining the usual liquid, a variable proportion of
peroxide of Hydrogen H. O₂ is added. The mixture constitutes a new liquid
conductor and forms with sulphuric acid a sulphate of peroxide of hydrogen: the
proportion of peroxide of hydrogen to be added in a given time varies according
to the efficiency required. The action of this liquid upon the electrodes is essentially
depolarising, and permits of the electric current being greatly increased in a given
time whilst the electro-motive force is inaintained constant, and in obtaining in
consequence a better yield than that realised hitherto the same principle is
applicable with lesser yields for improving the flow. It should be remarked that
the use of the new liquid has the further advantage of permitting the weight of
the batteries to be diminished for a given efficiency in a given time which is of
great importance in practice.
'
.
Although the solution of peroxide of hydrogen is especially suitable for secondary
batteries it may also be used with all batteries, primary or otherwise, the production
of peroxide of hydrogen rendering the liquid depolarising being obtainable by an
acid, a salt or compound having the property of easily parting with its oxygen
either by electrolysis or by chemical reaction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, 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. The combination of parts forming an improved accumulator or secondary
battery, the plates of which are composed of an alloy of lead, antimony, and quick
silver supporting the active material composed of a metallic salt or salts in a bath

page_text: preferably containing a suitable proportion of peroxide of hydrogen substantially
as described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. In the manufacture of plates for secondary batteries and the like, the use
of an alloy of lead, antimony, and mercury, preferably in the proportions indicated
above.
3. In secondary batteries and the like, the use of plates composed of an alloy of
lead, antimony and mercury, coated with an active material composed of a pure or
mixed metallic salt.
4. In primary or secondary batteries, the use in the conducting liquid of a
variable proportion of peroxide of hydrogen for the purpose of counteracting the
polarisation.
5. In secondary batteries the use of corrugated plates constructed as described
and shewn at Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
6. In secondary batteries, the use of perforated plates, designed to replace sharp
angles opposite each other by plane or curved surfaces, substantially as described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
7. The improved method of joining together plates of the saine denomination
by means of flexible conductors covered with gutta percha, and joined at a common
terminus, substantially as described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
T
1
A 1002
WP. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.