Improvements in the Manufacture of Elements or Plates for Secondary Batteries or Electric Accumulators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left. 30th Jan. 1899-Accented. 4th Mar 1899
Date of Application, 25th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left. 30th Jan 1899-Accented, 4th Mar 1899
Improvements in the Manufacture of Elements or Plates for
Secondary Batteries or Electric Accumulators.
I, FRANK KING, of 4, Gt. Winchester Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
-
My invention relates to the manufacture of elements or plates for secondary
batteries or electric accumulators wherein the useful and effective area of the
active material is increased by means of a number of perforations through or
interstices in the mass of such active material and my present invention consists
of means whereby the said perforations or interstices are made or formed.
According to my said invention I subject the plate (when freshly pasted with
the material to become active) to pressure with the intervention of a semi-elastic, or
compressible, material, such as felt, asbestos, or the like, and, while the paste is
under such compression and in a plastic condition I perforate or make interstices
in the paste by means of a number of needles, or punches, passing through, and
working more, or less, freely in, the compressing plates of a press. By introducing
the needles, or punches, into the mass of the paste or pellets thereof while the
plate as a whole is under compression and while the paste is soft and unset I avoid
the risk of rupture of the pellets of paste or of the breaking away of the paste from
the supporting grid or the like.
While the whole is still under pressure the needles or punches are withdrawn and
the pressure may then be relieved and the plate be removed when the pasted material
will be comparatively hard and nearly dry and the perforations or interstices as
nearly as possible perfect in form and position.
I sometimes perforate the mass by means of a set or series of needles or punches
arranged to pass right through from one side or I may perform the operation
by applying the needles or punches to both sides or surfaces of the paste so that the
said needles or punches either meet in the mass or pass each other at pre-arranged
distances.
By lessening the length of the stroke of the said needles or punches I can reduce
the perforations to mere cellular interstices.
5-11
1
1000
Improvements in the Manufacture of Elements or Plates for
Secondary Batteries or Electric Accumulators.
I, FRANK KING, of 4, Great Winchester Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
lo hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
037

page_text: to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement-
My invention relates to the manufacture of elements, or plates, for secondary
batteries, or electric accumulators, wherein the useful and effective, area of the
active material is increased by means of a number of perforations through, or
interstices, in, the mass of such active material, and my present invention cousists
of means whereby the said perforations, or interstices, are made or formed.
According to my said invention I subject the plate (when freshly pasted with
the material to become active) to pressure with the intervention of a semi-elastic, or
compressible material such as felt, asbestos, or the like, and while the paste is
under such compression and in a plastic condition, I make interstices in the paste
by passing a number of pointed needles through the paste so that the said needles
form the perforations by pressing aside the material as they pass through it and
not by removing any of the material. The said needles, work more, or less, freely
in, the compressing plate, or plates, of a press. By introducing the needles, into
the mass of the paste, or pellets, thereof while the plate as a whole, is under com-
pression, and while the paste is soft- and unset; I avoid the risk of rupture of the
pellets of paste, or of the breaking away of the paste from the supporting grid or
support, the needles on the contrary pressing the material more firmly in contact
therewith.
While the whole is still under pressure the needles are withdrawn and the
pressure may then be relieved and the plate be removed when the pasted material
will be comparatively hard, and nearly dry, and the perforations or interstices, as
nearly as possible perfect in form and position.
I sometimes perforate the mass by means of a set, or series of pointed needles,
arranged to pass right through from one side; or I may perform the operation
by applying the needles, or punches, to both sides, or surfaces of the paste the
said needles being pointed at reverse sides so that the pointed ends overlap each
other when the needles meet within the material.
By lessening the length of the stroke of the said needles I can reduce the per-
forations to any extent even to mere cellular interstices.
The accompanying sectional diagram illustrates means for carrying out my
invention.
FF
A represents part of the pasted plate, or element, to be perforated.
B1 B2 are the layers of felt, asbestos, or equivalent material, which lie between
the plate, or element, and the plates of the press.
CC are the plates of the press which may be moved towards and away from each
other by any convenient means usually adopted in presses.
ce are the holes through the plates CC through which the pointed needles pass
the said holes acting as guides and supports to the said needles when passing
through the felt, or equivalent material B₁ and the pasted material B in the plate A.
eee are the needles carried by the needle plate F.
The operation is as follows:-The plate or element A with the open portion of
its grid-like structure filled with the pasted material B, is placed on the lower
plate C of the press, there being however a layer of felt or equivalent material (B)
between it and the said plate C. A similar layer of felt or equivalent material, B2
is placed on the plate, or element A, and the plates OC are brought nearer together
by any suitable means such as are usually employed in a press and a large quantity
of the liquid is thereby expelled, from the paste, in the element or plate. The
needle plate F is then moved so that the needles pass through the guide holes c
and through the felt or equivalent material and through the active material or
paste which they press away from them and compact in their passage but do not
remove any of the material.
The needles are then withdrawn by the reverse movement of the needle plate F
and afterwards the pressure on the plate, or element, is withdrawn by separating
the plates CC of the press and the plate, or element, A, with its paste, or active
material formed with passages therethrough as described, is removed.

page_text: I have shewn the needles as penetrating from one side but they can penetrate
one set from one side and another set from the other side being pointed so that the
points of the respective sets will pass at the side of each other where the sets of
needles meet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
In the manufacture of elements, or plates for secondary batteries, or electrical
accumulators passing pointed needles into, or through the active material whilst
it is in a plastic; or semi-plastic state, and whilst it is under pressure with the
intervention of a semi-elastic, or compressible material so as to form passages
through the material by pressing or compacting the material aside without
removing any of it, substantially as, and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this 30th day of January 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.