Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 26th Apr.,
1890
Improvements in Electric Batteries.
Í,CLEMENT PAYEN, a citizen of the Republic of France, but now residing at the
City of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, and state of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Chemist and Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC BATTERIES, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following
statement-
My invention relates in general to what is commonly termed a secondary or
storage battery; and especially to the preparation of plates to constitute the
elements or electrodes thereof.
Heretofore the elements of secondary or storage batteries have been known under
two general heads; first, the method of Faure in which the active material or material
to become active as a paste or in granular form has been applied mechanically to a
supporting frame; and second, the method of Plantè in which the active material has
been rendered porous and formed by electro-chemical action.
My invention relates more particularly to the latter type of battery and the
principal object is to provide a crystallized metal plate or element which when
ready for formation is composed of acicular or needle-like crystals disposed side by
side or approximately so within and throughout the structure but separated from one
another by cells; the said crystals extend from the sides or faces of the plate or
other structure to or beyond a median line thereof, where the crystals become inter-
laced with each other. The general disposition or arrangement of the acicular
crystals in the plate or other structure is at or substantially at right angles to the
principal plane thereof. In the separation of the acicular crystals of the plate by
cells, the plate is rendered highly porous so that the enlargement of the metallic
crystals by their absorption of oxygen in the formation of oxide obviates buckling
and warping of the plates or elements; and moreover, when provided with supporting
frames obviating bursting thereof due to the fact that space enough is presented
within the body of the plates or other structures to permit of expansion. The
respective crystals expose their surfaces to the action of oxygen in such a manner as
to afford an easy exit for the latter and by the reduction of the oxide due to the
discharge of the battery the crystals are contracted, thereby again leaving the cells in
proper condition for re-charging the battery.
My invention consists in fusing with a metallic salt a metal or metals or a salt or
salts of such metal or metals or mixtures or combinations in variable proportions of
two or more of them, then discharging the mass into a mold or other vessel to cause
the crystals composing said mass in cooling rapidly or otherwise to assume a solid
crystallized form in a structure and then reducing the plate or other structure to a
metallic state and by the operation driving out matter foreign to the particular metal
required, whereby after washing will be produced a porous crystallized metal plate
having substantial strength and especially adapted for use as an element of a secondary
or storage battery.
My invention further consists in providing a secondary or storage battery in which
cracking, peeling and warping of the plates or elements are obviated, and the battery
thereby rendered much more efficient owing to the large percentage of active matter
or material offered for accumulating the energy of the charging current and the
ntensity of the electric charge and discharge increased without affecting the strength
of the plates or elements thereof.
The principal characteristic features of my invention having been pointed out, I
will now proceed to describe the method of constructing a porous crystallized metal
lead plate or element.

page_text: I take for the base, à charge. of chloride of lead (Pbcl,) and to which I add a
suitable amount or percentage of chloride of cadmium or of chloride of zinc or of
metallic ziuc; the said chloride or chlorides or metal or either or both may be added
before or during the fusion of the mass in any preferred manner, but I however,
prefer to add the chloride of cadmium or chloride of zinc or metal zinc or either or
both gradually during the fusion of the chloride of lead. The proportion of chloride
of cadmium and chloride of zinc or of metal zinc to the charge of chloride of lead
will in each case depend upon the degree of porosity and strength required in the
plate or element. I have obtained also good results by the substitution of other
metallic salts in combination with the chloride of lead in the production of a porous
crystallized metal plate. The simple addition of cadmium to a charge of chloride of
lead enables a crystallized plate to be obtained which is not hygroscopic, and this is a
very necessary condition, especially when it is desired to form a frame around the
same to adapt it for use as an element of a secondary battery.
While I have described a particular metallic salt for illustrating my invention, still
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of such salt with the salts
of other metals or a metal or metals to obtain as a product a porous crystallized
metal plate, because my invention comprehends the fusing with the salt of a metal one
or more other metallic salts or a metal or metals or one or more metallic salts and a
metal or metals, and then causing the mass to become crystallized in the cooling of
the same and subsequently reducing the cast structure to a metallic state by
electrolysis or chemical action or both and with foreign matter not forming a com-
ponent part of the metal required eliminated therefrom during the process of
reduction or eliminated by fusion, volatilization or sublimation, whereby after
washing in any suitable manner the product arrives at a porous crystallized metallic
state.....
The crystallization of the fused mass composed of chloride of lead and chloride of
zinc or metallic zinc or chloride of cadmium or both chlorides may be carried out in
a mold. The mold to which preference is given is one made of either brass or
bronze and composed of two symmetrical sides or sections of either equal or unequal
thicknesses of metal.
.f
When a fused-mass is poured into a two-part mold of equal thicknesses of metal,
the mass will commence to cool from each side and the crystals composing the same
will meet or unite with each other at their summits, sides or facets forming columns
throughout the mass and the columns of crystals thus formed from the respective
sides of the mold-meet or unite at the median line of the plate or other structure.
On the other hand if the parts of the mold are of unequal thicknesses of metal the
crystals of the mass will commence to cool therein from the side having the greater
thickness of metal, and will meet the mass forming in columns from the opposite side
of the mold beyond the median line of the plate or other structure.
While preference is given to a mold having the two sides of equal thicknesses of
metal, for causing the mass or compound in cooling therein to assume a crystallized
acicular form from the sides or faces of the structure to a median line therof; where
they interlace with each other, still I do not wish to confine myself to such type of
mold as a good plate may be obtained in a mold in which the sides are of unequal
thicknesses of metal.
The plate having assumed a crystallized form may then be placed in another mold
and lead or other material or materials cast around the crystallized plate in any
preferred manner.
A series of the above mentioned chloride plates may then be reduced to a metallic
state by electrolysis or chemical action or both or after reduction of such plates by a
single electrolysis, the matter foreign to the metal required may be eliminated by
fusion, volatilization or sublimation, producing thereby porous crystallized metal
plates of substantial strength. When electrolysis is resorted to for the reduction
of the chloride plates to a metallic state they are immersed in an electrolytic
bath arranged as cathodes therein, in the ordinary and well understood manner.
Having thus explained the method of constructing a porous crystallized metal lead

page_text: plate.to form an element of a secondary battery according to my invention I will now
refer to the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated my invention in a form
found practically efficient; and in which
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a cell with two systems of porous crystallized
metallic plates insulated from one another and from the cell and said view showing
my improved electrical accumulator in a form ready to receive electrical energy
for use.
Fig. 2, is a perspective view of a form of cell for mounting the systems of crystallized
plates or elements in, for the storage of electrical energy.
Fig. 3, is a similar view of one of the crystallized porous métallic plates
made according to my invention and provided with a frame having a conductor;
and
Fig. 4, is a perspective view of an insulating device used in connection with the
crystallized plates as an electrical accumulator.
Referring to the drawings A, is a cell of glass or other suitable material. B, is a
crystallized porous metallic plate having a frame b, cast around the same and
formed preferably integral therewith at one of the corners of the same is a con-
ductor c, with an eye c¹, for the reception of a wire d. This wire is held in position
therein by means of a set screw e.
F, is an insulating device of rubber or other preferred material and consisting of
a rectangular-shaped bar f, having a series of vertical rods f¹. G and G³, are glass
insulators resting in recesses f², formed in each of the horizontal bars f, of the
insulating devices F.
The two systems of porous crystallized metal plates or elements B and B¹, herein-
before described are mounted in the cell A, containing a fluid insulated from each
other and the cell and the current is passed through said plates or anodes and
cathodes by means of wires 1 and 2, connected respectively with the positive and
negative poles or electrodes of a dynamo, whereby electrical energy may be readily
stored up in the said plates or elements for use.
Expansion of the plates or elements mounted in battery which always occurs in all
batteries will take place in mine vertically instead of laterally, whereby the respective
plates or elements thereof will be preserved intact without flaw, crack or breakage.
If lateral expansion was permitted fissures or cracks would be formed in the plates
and result in a short time in their total destruction.
Conductibility which is desirable in the highest degree both in the electrical charge
and discharge is attained in a maximum degree in the use of plates made according
to my invention, due to the metallic contact subsisting between the atoms of the plates.
The electrical capacity of the plates and their rate of discharge is higher than in
those heretofore used, owing to their porosity and general construction. Moreover,
the charging of the battery is effected in much less time and the discharge
accomplished with greater facility and without fear of disintegration.
The crystallized metal plates or elements instead of being provided with a support-
ing frame may have a conductor of platinum wire or other material inserted directly
into them and the plates or elements used quite as effectually mounted in battery.
Owing to the strength of the plates their life and capacity for use is much prolonged
beyond those as heretofore made for such purposes.
While I have described the porous crystallized metal plates in their special
application to form the plates or elements of a secondary battery, still I do not wish to
be understood as limiting myself to their use only in such type of battery as they are
equally applicable to other kinds of electric batteries.
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 battery element consisting of a porous crystallized plate composed of active

page_text: 2. A battery element consisting of a porous metal plate having the crystals
existing in columns therein, substantially as described.
3. A battery element consisting of a metal plate having the crystals existing in
acicular form with cells between them and the plate provided with a supporting frame,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4
4. A battery element consisting of a metal plate having the crystals existing in
columns therein and cells between them and the plate provided with a frame having a
lug, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. An electric battery composed of two systems of porous crystallized metal plates
mounted in a cell containing a fluid and said plates held firmly in position therein
insulated from each other and the cell, substantially as described.
6. An insulating device consisting of a horizontal bar provided with a series of
vertical rods, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. An insulating device consisting of a horizontal tapering bar provided with
recesses in the surface thereof and vertical rods formed integral with said bar,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated. at Philadelphia. Pa. this First day of November
1000
CLEMENT PAYEN.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.