Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Plates, Grids, or Supports for Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Feb., 1894-Accepted, .14th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Plates,
Grids, or Supports for Secondary Batteries.
I FRANK KING of 4 Great Winchester Street in the City of London Electrical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to manufacture plates grids or supports for
secondary batteries in a more rapid efficient and economical manner than is the case
with the casting processes hitherto adopted for the manufacture of such plates grids
or supports.
According to my invention I effect the economical, efficient and rapid production
of the plates grids or supports by rolling them from the metal (usually lead) from
which they are formed which rolling I preferably effect in such a manner that the
plates grids or supports leave the rolls or the last of a series of rolls in a complete
and separate form.
The plates grids or supports can be rolled direct from the pig metal by passing
it through rolls which are so shaped as to by successive rollings prepare and shape
the metal so that it is presented to the final roll or rolls in such a condition as to
readily receive the required shape from the said final roll or rolls. This required
shape may be any usual or suitable shape but I will describe an arrangement
suitable for producing plates or supports with longitudinal parallel ribs thereon on
both sides from which the application of my invention to the production of plates
grids or supports generally will also be understood.
The preliminary rolls may be arranged in any suitable manner so as to gradually
reduce the metal fed successively between them to the shape most convenient to be
operated upon by the final rolls.
These final rolls may be shaped or constructed as follows for the production of
longitudinally ribbed plates or supports as aforesaid. The rolls are each provided
with a number of circumferential ribs or projections extending round the circum-
ference of the rolls for a distance corresponding to the lengths of the ribs of the
plates. On either side of the ribs are grooves formed in the rolls corresponding to
two sides of the frame of the plate and there may be a groove or grooves midway
or at other suitable positions between these so as to form strengthening ribs for the
plates. The side grooves and the groove or grooves between them (if there be
such groove or grooves) run into grooves in the rolls which grooves are situated
parallel with the axis of the rolls and transversely of the ribs these grooves
forming the other sides of the frame of the plate or support. The faces of the
rolls between the adjacent parts which form complete plates preferably meet with an
edge sufficient to sever the plates from each other. The outer ends of the rolls also
meet except at such places (usually on one side) where the connecting lugs are to
be formed at which places recesses are made corresponding to these lugs. The rolls
are preferably so made that they accommodate on their peripheries ribs and grooves
sufficient to make more than one plate at each rotation of the rolls.
As the metal is rolled and leaves the rolls in the form of plates grids or supports
the said plates grids or supports may be conducted therefrom by any suitable
means.
When it is desired that the edges of the ribs be turned down or deflected this
may be effected by passing the plates grids or supports or causing them to pass
between devices or surfaces which are so situated and arranged that as the plates
grids or supports pass or are passed, therebetween, the edges of the ribs are turned
down to form a cross section of rib well adapted to contain and retain the active

page_text: material which is placed or formed on them. If but one of the rolls be provided
with the devices described it will be evident that plates or supports ribbed on one
side only will be produced and that the shape of the plate grid or support can be
varied by varying the shape of the rolls.
Dated this 19th day of May 1893.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Plates,
Grids, or Supports for Secondary Batteries.
I FRANK KING of 4 Great Winchester Street in the City of London, Electrical
Engineer 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 :-
My invention has for its object to manufacture plates grids or supports for
secondary batteries in a more rapid efficient and economical manner than is the
case with the casting processes hitherto adopted for the manufacture of such plates
grids or supports.
According to my invention I effect the economical efficient and rapid production
of the plates grids or supports by rolling them from the metal (usually lead) from
which they are formed which rolling I preferably effect in such a manner that the
plates grids or supports leave the rolls or the last of a series of rolls in a complete
and separate form. The plates grids or supports can be rolled direct from the pig
metal by passing it through rolls which are so shaped as to by successive rollings
prepare and shape the metal so that it is presented to the final roll or rolls in
such a condition as to readily receive the required shape from the said final roll
or rolls.
The required shape may be any usual or suitable shape but I will describe an
arrangement suitable for producing plates or supports with longitudinal parallel
ribs thereon on both sides from which the application of my invention to the
production of plates grids or supports generally will also be understood..
The preliminary rolls may be arranged in any suitable manner so as to gradually
reduce the metal fed successively between them to the shape most convenient to
be operated upon by the final rolls. These final rolls may be shaped or constructed
as follows for the production of longitudinally ribbed plates or supports as aforesaid.
The rolls are each provided with a number of circumferential ribs or projections
extending round the circumference of the rolls for a distance corresponding to the
lengths of the ribs of the plates. On either side of the ribs are grooves formed
in the rolls corresponding to two sides of the frame of the plate and there may be a
groove or grooves midway or at other suitable positions between these so as to form
strengthening ribs for the plates. The side grooves and the groove or grooves
between them (if there be such groove or grooves) run into grooves in the rolls
which grooves are situated parallel with the axis of the rolls and transversely of
the ribs these grooves forming the other sides of the frame of the plate or support.
The faces of the rolls between the adjacent parts which form complete plates
preferably meet with an edge sufficient to sever the plates from each other.
The outer ends of the rolls also meet except at such places (usually on one side)
where the connecting lugs are to be formed at which places recesses are made
corresponding to these lugs.
The rolls are preferably so made that they accommodate on their peripheries
ribs and grooves sufficient to make more than one plate at each rotation of the
rolls,
As the metal is rolled and leaves the rolls in the form of plates grids or supports

page_text: means.
the said plates grids or supports may be conducted therefrom by any suitable
When it is desired that the edges of the ribs be turned down or deflected this
may be effected by passing the plates grids or supports or causing them to pass
between devices or surfaces which are so situated and arranged that as the plates-
grids or supports pass, or are passed therebetween, the edges of the ribs are
turned down to form a cross section of rib well adapted to contain and retain the
active material which is placed or formed on them.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings represent vertical sections at right.
angles to each other and Figure 3 a plan of an arrangement of rolls for rolling
grids or plates for secondary batteries according to my invention.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively an end elevation and a longitudinal section of
one of the finishing rolls drawn to a larger scale.
Figures 6 and 7 are similar views shewing a modified construction of the finishing.
rolls.
Figure 8 shews a development of one of the finishing rolls and Figure 9 is a
transverse section on the line 1-2 Figure 8.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 A is a strong cast iron frame in which are
mounted in bearings a b two pairs of rolls B and C. The rolls B are plain,
cylinders between which the lead or other metal sheet from which the plates are.
to be made is fed and from which it passes through a guide D to between the
rolls C which give to the plates the required finished shape. The rolls C as shewn
more clearly in Figures 4 and 5 are provided with circumferential serrations or
ribs c and with knives or cutting edges d arranged longitudinally at suitable
distances apart round the circumference of the rolls to sever the sheet as it passes
between the rolls into plates of the required size, circumferential cutting edges e
are also provided near the ends of the rolls which as the sheet passes between them
trim or finish the edges of the plates which are at right angles to the edges of the
plates severed by the cutters d.
The plates as they pass between the rolls C are formed on both sides thereof
with ribs or serrations corresponding in size and shape to the spaces between the
ribs or projections c on the rolls and the thickness of the metal forming the backing
or support for the ribs or serrations will depend upon the distance apart at which
the rolls C are set. The cutters d and e may be formed in one with the rolls C. or
the cutters d may be formed on or carried by separate pieces or bars as shewn at *
having dove-tails formed thereon to fit into dove-tail recesses in the rolls, whereby
the cutters may be readily removed when worn and replaced by fresh oues or for
the adaptation of different depths of cutting blades to suit different distances apart.
to which the roll C may be adjusted.
If strengthening ribs are required to be formed on the plates gaps are formed in
the ribs or serrations c as shewn at f for instance so that solid ribs corresponding in
shape to the gaps will be formed on the rolled plates. Each plate as it passes.
from between the rolls C tilts into and slides down a shoot and
may have the
edges of the ribs or serrations thereon turned over by heading lips h so as to render
the said ribs or serrations more effective for retaining the active material placed in
the spaces between the said ribs. The rolls B and C are geared together so as to
rotate at uniform speeds and may be driven from any suitable motor by means of
gearing or otherwise. Instead of forming the ribs or serrations c on the rolls C as
shewn in Figures 1 to 5 they may be formed by sheet metal rings or discs cas
shewn in Figures 7 and 8 the thickness of the discs or rings corresponding to the
spaces or interstices between the ribs or serrations to be formed on the plates the
thickness of the said ribs or serrations being regulated by distance pieces or discs c*
interposed between the rings c the discs c² being so much less in diameter than the
discs or rings c according to the required depth of the ribs or serrations to be
formed on the plates.
C
The rings or discs c² are placed in position on the centre part C² of the rolls
which centre part is for this purpose made separate from and of smaller diameter

page_text: than the ends C, the said ends being connected to the centre part by bolts E passed
therethrough and through holes in the discs e and c³ and secured by nuts F so as to
hold the whole rigidly together. The circumferential cutters or cutting edges e
for trimming and finishing the edges of the plates may be formed on the rolls cas
shewn or be fitted thereto by any convenient means.
As shewn in the drawings the rolls C are constructed to form three complete
plates at each revolution and each plate is formed with a strengthening rib and
with two tabs or lugs by which to support the plates when in use. These tabs
or lugs are formed by cutting edges on the rolls C as shewn in the section
and developed plan of one of the rolls in Figures 8 and 9.
It is obvious that the rolls C may also be made for producing only one plate or
two plates or more than three plates at each revolution and without strengthening
ribs or with more than one strengthening rib in each plate and that if but one of
the rolls be provided with the devices described it will be evident that plates or
supports ribbed on one side only will be produced and that the shape of the plate
grid or support can be varied by varying the shape of the rolls.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The manufacture of plates grids or supports for secondary batteries by the
process of rolling substantially as herein before described.
2. Rolls for rolling plates grids or supports for secondary batteries the said rolls
being formed and arranged to co-operate substantially as herein before described.
3. Apparatus for the rolling of grids or supports for secondary batteries the said
apparatus consisting of the arrangement and combination of parts substantially as
herein before described.
Dated this 10th day of Wobmory 1801
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.