Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Secondary Batteries.
I, JOSEPH SKWIRSKY, of Praga Kepna, No. 15, at Warsaw, Russia, Engineer,
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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in secondary batteries with a
view to produce lighter and stronger cells than hitherto obtained; all the improve-
ments made in secondary batteries heretofore constructed have been merely based,
in the generality of cases, on the particular shape given to the alveolae cavities,
grooves and the like of the plates intended for strongly holding and enclosing
the oxide tablets or active mass.
The improvements forming the object of this invention are:-
1. The production, by means of a suitable mechanical combination, of elec-
trodes having a greater power than those of the existing secondary batteries.
2. The utilization-as an electrode-of the inner surface of the battery surface
or casing.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascer
tained reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 2 a sectional plan of one form of battery.
Figs. 3-9 are detail views of various parts or modifications of the same.
Figs. 10 and 11 represent a modification of the form of the battery.
Figs. 12-15 are also detail views.
My new secondary battery consists of a central column or electrode A (Figs. 1
and 2) around which are arranged several cylindrical electrodes C, D, E, F, inserted
one within the other; all these electrodes being mutually isolated by ordinary
glass or wooden forks coated with paraffin and shewn in side view in Fig. 4, and
in plan in Fig. 5.
The use of these forks allow, a. The keeping of the cylindrical electrodes at
a given height; b. The keeping of the intervals between adjoining cylindrical
electrodes of a constant size; c. The insulation of the cylindrical electrodes one
from the other, and of the cylindrical receptacle or jar B (Figs. 1 and 2) which
is analagous to the cylindrical electrodes.
This receptacle or vessel B has likewise a cylindrical shape and its inner sur-
face is utilized as an electrode.
The resistance or mechanical power of a cylindrical body being considerably
greater than that of a plate, sheet, band, or wire like body, the new shape given
to my electrodes is a guarantee of their strength, thus enabling them to withstand
the greatest mechanical and chemical effects or strains while enabling me to con-
struct very light electrodes having thin walls; as cylindrical electrodes are not
liable to lose their shape or bulge out in parts on account of an unequal chemical
action upon the two faces of the electrode.
I have mentioned plates, sheets, bands, strips, or wires because the "Faure"

page_text: cells are plates, whereas in the original "Planté" cells the electrodes are merely
coiled rectangular sheets; the electrodes of "Arnold" and "Fanime"
are made
of leaden wires, and those of "Bloch" termed "shuttle electrodes" are constructed
of leaden bands or strips.
The central column A (Figs. 1 and 2) may assume the form of a solid rod
(Fig. 1) or that of a number of superposed discs a (Fig. 8) these dises forming
each a grating of lead which encloses the oxide of lead tablet or tabloid (see detail
side and plan views in Figs. 12 and 13).
To prevent short circuiting in consequence of the active mass becoming de-
tached from the dises and dropping off; the disc column a may be placed in a
cylinder B provided with numerous perforations (see Figs. 8 and 9) in which the
active mass dropped from the discs a to the bottom of the perforated cylinder
is designated by the letter . The leaden cylinder B forming a single electrode
with the column of dises, the active mass which has dropped to the bottom of
the said cylinder will continue to operate.
The central column may also be formed of a perforated cylinder B² (Figs. 6
and 7) filled up with tablets or tabloids b¹ of oxide of lead or other active mass.
As already stated in the foregoing, the cylindrical form shown in Figs. 1 and 2
is the best form to adopt for the electrodes C, D, E, F, and for the outer casing or
receiver B which forms likewise one electrode. They may however likewise be
made to assume a square shape, (see Figs. 10 and 11) or any other suitable form.
The electrodes C, D, E, F, form each an outer cylindrical body of lead closed
in all round. The surface of each electrode, which is cylindrical, is covered all
over with alveolae or perforations; the alveolae are produced mechanically by
pointed tools which while perforating the lead produce serrations, barbs, or teeth
(Figs. 14 and 15) so that the leaden cylinder is smooth over its outer periphery
and serrated over its inner periphery the teeth or serrations of the inner surface
of the cylinders are covered with active mass i.e. oxide of lead, and they serve to
retain such mass in position and to insure a proper contact with the leaden cylin-
der, in such a manner that the outer surface of each cylinder represents a smooth
cylindrical leaden body covered over with alveolae or cavities full of active mass,
whereas the inner surface of this cylindrical body is entirely covered over with
active mass.
The vessel or receiver B of these secondary cells is almost similar to the cylin-
drical electrodes; it has the form of a cylindrical receptacle of lead (Fig. 1)
the inner surface of which is toothed and covered with a layer of mass e in order
to be utilised as an electrode. The teeth destined to hold and retain the active
mass in the inner surface of the cylindrical vessel d are formed by mechanical
means and their peculiar shape is shown in Fig. 3. These indentations are pro-
duced by a known process, such as a pointed or other suitable instrument, and
are not claimed as new.
The employment of insulation forks, shewn in elevation in Fig. 4 and in plan
in Fig. 5, for separating the electrodes in the secondary batteries, is not new. Tt
is only mentioned in this specification because their employment in combination
with the cylindrical electrodes is advantageous.
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
1. The improvements.in electric accumulators or secondary batteries, character-
ized by the use of electrodes of cylindrical form inserted one within the other
around a central or column-like electrode, the cylindrical vessel containing all
the electrodes of one cell and being likewise utilized as an electrode, substantially
as described.
2. In secondary cells such as above claimed, the use of cylindrical electrodes
consisting of a perforated cylindrical sheath or jacket of lead the inner side of

page_text: which is alone covered over with a layer of active mass, so that after inserting
each cylindrical electrode into another, each inner layer of active mass is placed
opposite a leaden grating, substantially as described.
3. In secondary battaries such as above claimed the use of a central electrode
formed either by a leaden rod or by a leaden hollow column containing active
mass substantially as described.
4. In secondary batteries such as above claimed, the use of a leaden cylindrical
vessel or jar the inner surface or periphery of which is covered with a layer of
active mass, held and retained in position by teeth or serrations produced on the
surface of the lead by suitable mechanical means substantially as herein described
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated 20th February 1899.
GEORGE DOWNING & SONS,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.