An Improvement in Plates for Secondary Batteries.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Plates for Secondary Batteries.
I, ARTHUR HOUGH of No. 49 Houston Road, Forest Hill in the County of
Surrey, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
The object of my invention is to construct plates for secondary batteries in such
a manner that the lead and lead oxide are firmly supported by a frame of high
conductivity and that the plates are of great strength with comparatively little
weight.
For this purpose, I coat good conducting wire, preferably copper, with lead, by
drawing it through a bath of lead which is not in a fluid condition but nearly at its
setting point. I draw down the coated wire to a suitable gauge, and form of it a
gauze or network to constitute the frame of a plate. I fill in the meshes of this
frame and cover it with lead oxide, preferably coarse flake litharge mixed with
finely ground litharge, applied in a dry state. The plate is then placed between
sheets of felt or the like, moistened with dilute sulphuric acid, and after about six
hours it is removed from the felt and left to dry and set for about twelve hours.
The litharge, which is in a hard and very porous condition, is then reduced to
spongy lead in the usual manner. The wire employed as above described may
be an alloy of copper and the lead used for coating it may be alloyed with
antimony.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1892.
ABEL & IMKAI,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Plates for Secondary Batteries.
I ARTHUR HOUGH of 49 Houston Road Forest Hill in the County of Kent
Electrician 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 :-
The object of my invention is to construct spongy lead plates for secondary
batteries in such a manner that the electrolytically formed spongy lead shall be
firmly supported by a frame of high conductivity and that such plates shall be of
great strength with comparatively little weight.
For this purpose I coat copper or other suitable wire having strength and high
conductivity with lead or lead alloy, by drawing such wire through a bath of lead
or lead alloy, at such a temperature that it is not in an absolutely fluid condition,
but nearly at its setting point.
The wire so coated is then redrawn to a suitable guage and woven into a gauze
or net work. The gauze is then cut into pieces of a suitable size and stiffened with
lead or lead alloy round the edges, suitable lugs being also attached.
The frame or support thus made is then filled with dry powdered litharge of
a suitable kind and placed between layers of felt or other suitable material,
moistened with dilute sulphuric acid or a solution of some suitable setting salt.
When the plates are sufficiently set they are placed in an electrolytic bath and
reduced to spongy lead in the usual manner.

page_text: 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. A spongy lead plate for secondary batteries made substantially in the manner
described.
נ.י.ת
1
ca
ARTHUR HOUGH.