Means for Producing Battery Electrodes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Means for Producing Battery Electrodes.
I, THEODORE ARTHUR WILLARD, a Citizen of the United States, residing at
No. 1268, Superior Street, in the City of Cleveland, County of Cuyahoga, and
State of Ohio, United States of America, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
―
My invention relates to means for producing battery electrodes.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine, and Fig. 2 is a
side elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 is a cross section of a portion of the machine on line 3, 3, Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the machine showing the parts about as they appear
as in Figs. 1 and 5.
Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional elevation on line, 5, 5, Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a cross section of the supporting bed and of a plate thercon to
receive the cutting tool, a section of which is shown at the left of the figure.
Fig. 7 is a similar section to Fig. 6, but in this case one side of the plate has
been developed and the other side is under development, and the cutting tool is
at the left.
Fig. 8 is an edge view of the electrode after it has been turned from the
machine and its edges have been straightened.
Figs. 9 to 15 inclusive, are views of different styles of the leaf cutting tool
alone or associated with other parts. Thus, Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the
cutting and forcing tools together as in use and a section of a plate on which they
are operating.
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the cutting tool alone.
Figs. 11 is a perspective view of the same tool as Fig. 10, with a modified
form of associated tool, and Fig. 12 shows the parts seen in Fig. 11 in working
position on a section of plate.
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the leaf cutting or
shaving tool inverted so as to disclose the flat inclined bottom surface thereof
which travels on the uncut stock.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation looking in from the right on Fig. 9, the tool traveling
in the direction of the arrow.
Fig. 14 is an elevation of a modified form of tool having a rotating blade.
Fig. 15 shows the same cutting tool as Fig. 12, and other figures, but with
a still further modification of forcing tool.
A represents the base or bed of the machine, and B the frame work thereof.
The base A is a substantial bed, adapted to be placed upon any suitable support
and carries the horizontal eliding table C. For this purpose, the base A has
transverse channels to receive the tongues 2 of the table C, which slide therein.
Obviously, the tongues and grooves might be on reverse parts.
Two distinct sets of mechanisms now come into use one to move the table C
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077

page_text: laterally after each return of the cutting tool, and the other to actuate the
cutting tool. Both mechanisms receive power from the drive wheel, E, pinion F
and gear wheel G having a crank arm 4, which operates the head H through
connecting rod K. With this head are directly or indirectly connected the means
which operate the feed mechanism of the carrying table C as hereinafter described,
and the said head is fixed rigidly to the sliding support N, which has tongue
and groove connection with the longitudinal bar 5 of the frame, B, Fig. 3, and
slides back and forth thereon subject to the limitations of the crank 4 and
connecting rod K. Greater or less stroke of these parts is obtained by adjusting
the rod Kinto one or another of the series of holes in the crank arm 4.
The head H carries the cutting tool, M, which is provided with two special
supports in said head to give it the requisite adjustments and movements. Thus,
to set the tool to the desired depth of work, I provide the part 7, adapted to be
raised and lowered by the hand screw 8. Then, in order that the tool may be raised
from the stock on the return stroke, so that it will not drag over the work, the
tool is fixed in a pivoted and swinging member 10, suspended from its top and
adapted to bear against the part 9 in its forward movement and to be swung
and carried as in Fig. 2 in its return movement.
To thus carry the tool at an inclination over the electrode or lead plate P, I
provide the support 10 with a laterally projecting pin 12, Fig. 3, which is
adapted to engage over the top of the spring metal carrier 15 secured along the
lower inner edge of frame bar, 5, and which, in any event is equal in length to
the width of plate P. The outer free end of spring carrier 16 is bent inward
into the path of pin 12, and the carrier is so constructed than when the said
pin passes to the front of the point 10 the said point will spring in behind the
pin. Then, to enable the pin to ride up onto the carrier on its return stroke
the point 16 is inclined downward to engage beneath the pin.
Then when the head reaches the starting position again, as in Fig. 1, the
tool swings off the carrier and is ready for work as before.
or
both,
Now, in order that the feed of the bed C may be carried on simultaneously
and automatically with the operations of the tool M, I have arranged feed
mechanism comprising the laterally extending bar or plate R, which
is engaged rigidly with head
the sliding bar N, or
and I connect with the free end of said bar the slotted link, S, which operates
the ratchet mechanism. that governs the feed. Supported in suitable bearings on
the base A is journaled a transverse shaft T, and on the near end of this shaft is
keyed a ratchet wheel W having occasional teeth 22. On the same shaft by the
side of wheel W is a free rotating arm V, with the upper end of which is connected
the link S. This arm has a spring pressed pawl or dog 24 at its side adapted to
engage the teeth 22 and to turn the wheel W more or less by such engagement
according to the space between the teeth. This particular wheel is provided
with two long spaces 25 and four short spaces 26 between the long ones.
when the dog engages over a long space it will rotate the wheel W further than
when it engages or compasses one of the shorter spaces, and this gives the
desired movement to the table, C, which carries the electrode. Thus, for example,
suppose I desire every fifth leaf thrown up by the cutting tool to be materially
heavier than the intermediate leaves, so as to form a support for the active
material when the said leaves are converted. This arrangement or spacing of
the teeth assures such action, and a perfect uniformity of action over the entire
plate. I might have different arrangements of teeth and so cut more or fewer
leaves 27 between the supporting ribs 28, if desired. So might I also arrange
to cut thinner or thicker intermediate leaves, if desired.
Hence,
The slotted link S enables me to stop the arm V in its back throw wherever
I desire, and thus cause the dog 24 to have more or less sweep or movement
back over the wheel W. As it is shown here the stop is so arranged that the
dog has sweep enough to traverse the space 25 between teeth 22 when it reaches
said space but not enough to cover the greater distance there is between two of

page_text: the shorter spaced teeth. The difference is seen in Fig. 2, where the dog is at
the limit rearward and must go forward to engage the next tooth. The stop 30
is adjustable over the fine toothed segment 31 by thumb wheel 32 and pinion 33,
and a spring lock, 34, Fig. 4 engages in the notches in the periphery of wheel 32
to prevent its turning.
It should be understood that the electrode produced by this machine is designed
to be supplied electrically with active material, or in other words, to be con-
verted by what is known as the Plante method. Hence I provide for very thin
leaves, and I can make them as thin as a sheet of paper, if necessary. Not only
this, but they are made of uniform thinness from edge to base, so that all parts
of a leaf and all the leaves will form together. The cutting tool M has an
inclined undercutting edge, 40, and an inclined front side 41 retreating laterally
and upwardly from the said edge, and corresponding substantially to the angle
of inclination which it is desired to give to the leaf thrown up by the tool. The
inclination of the edge 40 from its entering point a to its deepest point at 6 is
equal to the depth to which the leaf is to be cut.
The rear and bottom side q or surface of the tool M is flat and inclined laterally
as seen in the inverted perspective view of the lower end of the tool, Fig. 12,
and the angle of inclination of the bottom side q is different from the front
side 41. The cutting edge 40 is therefore inclined two ways, from entering point a
to deepest point 6 and also in respect to the line of travel.
But in the production of the leaves in this way I have encountered more or
less tendency toward ragged and uneven edges, and hence employ with the cutting
tool what I term a forcing tool, which is adapted to even and practically square
the edges of the leaves. One form of such tool is shown at 44, Figs. 9 and 13,
where an otherwise flat tool is shown, having its lower end bent inward at
right angles into the recess in tool M across the line of its cutting edge. The
effect of this tool on the leaf is seen in Fig. 13, where the original elevation
of the leaf after it comes from the blade is shown at c, and its depressed and
evened edge after it passes the forcing tool is seen at d. The effect of this tool
on the leaves is further seen in Fig. 9, where the edges are shown both even
and square. Figs. 11 and 12 are modifications of the forcing tool in which the
said tool 45 has its lower end bent outwards and its front engaging edge ġ
beveled as shown.
Fig. 15 shows still another modification of forcing tool #6, having a roller h
at its bottom to engage and even the edge of the leaf.
Fig. 14 shows a modification of cutting tool, having a standard M¹ and an
inclined circular or disk shaped rotating blade 60, with an inclined or beveled
upper edge in corresponding to the inclination 41 in the other tool.
In Figs. and 7I show the table C and the lead plate P from which the
electrode is produced. In Fig. 6 the plate P is supposed to be under the action
of tool M, and leaves 27 are being thrown up therefrom, while in Fig. 7 this
side is completed and turned to the bottom and leaves 27 are being cut on
the other side, which is now above. It will also be noticed that in Fig. 6 the
edges of plate p are bent downward, while when the plate is inverted the same
edges are again as bent downward, as appears in Fig. 7. This is done in both
cases in order to leave a thickened edge for the electrode as seen in a finished
element, Fig. 8. In the first place a suitable tool is used to hammer or bend
down the two edges as in Fig. 6, and the top side of the plate being then cut into
leaves, the plate is reversed and the edges are forcibly bent in the other direction
and then the other side is reduced to leaves. In this way I can cut practically
the whole body of the plate into leaves and yet allow sufficient support about the
sides to give the requisite strength to the element. Indeed, I have cut the
leaves entirely through the center of the plate and obtained excellent results, the
occasional transverse supporting ribs 28 in that case being frequent and strong
enough to support the active material developed from the leaves.
One or both of the jaws 57 are adjustable as seen in Fig. 4, and a cam 59

page_text: serves to press them into engagement with the plate and hold it firmly to action
of the cutting tool.
It will be noticed that I can cut or shave the leaves from plate P at even less
than an angle of 45° is desired, as seen in Fig. 9.
The shaft T is threaded as seen in Fig. 4 and engages nut 20 in the hanger 21
pendent from table C. Wheel W being keyed on shaft T the rotation of said
shaft will act on nut 21 and correspondingly move the table C. The shaft T has
a crank handle 29 through which said shaft may be rotated in either direction
independently of the wheel W, the dog 24 being raised when a reverse movement
occurs.
In Fig. 14 the shoulder 51 serves to even and square the edges of the leaves,
cut by blade 50).
If preferred the forcing medium for the edge of the leaves may be made
integral with the standard of the cutting tool, and in Fig. 11 and 12, this tool
takes on the character more especially of a blade which by its bevel edge g
shaves off the ragged edge of the leaf before the said edge passes beneath the
tool. This bevel edge, furthermore, is lower than the opposite or rear edge Bo
that it will do practically all the work that is done to the leaf. In Figs. 9
and 13 the front edge of tool 44 is bighost and the rear lowest, but in this case
no metal is cut away from the edge of the leaf.
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. In a machine to develop leaves from the surface of metal plates, the table
and means on the table to support and lock a flat plate, in combination with a
shurp edged cutter having its cutting edge at an angle to the plane of the plate
and gradually deepening from front to rear, and means to cause said cutter to
operate on the plate at varying distances apart at fixed intervals, substantially
as described.
2. A cutter for producing leafed battery plates having a cutting edge inclined
downward from front to rear and a bearing surface on its bottom inclined laterally
and an inclined top surface, substantially as described. .
3. A cutter for producing battery electrodes from metallic plates, having
cutting edge at an inclination to a vertical plane and gradually sloping from
its highest to its lowest cutting point and having a flat bottom bearing surface
inclined laterally to ride on the plate and an inclined top surface at a different
inclination from said bottom surface to turn the leaf, substantially as described.
4. A leaf cutting tool for buttery plates, having a flat bottom and an inclined
top surface at an inclination to said bottom, in combination with a tool to even
the edges of the leaves located within said recess, substantially as described.
5. The combination of a leaf cutting tool having an inclined cutting edge and
an inclined top surface, in combination with a leaf evening tool supported by the
side of the said cutting tool and having its engaging portion above the said
inclined top surface in position to even the edges of the leaves as they are out,
substantially as described.
.
6. In a machine for making battery plates, a tool to shave the plate into thin
leaves, in combination with a tool to even the edges of the leaves as they are
cut, substantially as described.
Dated this 7th do ut Documbi 1900