Improvements in Electric Battery Plates.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Battery Plates.
I, EDWARD PRESTON USHER, of Grafton, Worcester County, State of
Massachusetts, United States of America Lawyer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the plates of secondary or storage batteries, and
consists in the improved plates herein set forth and in the described method of
making such plates. .
Briefly stated my invention is embodied in a battery plate having a marginal
frame with open interior spaces, and one or more cross-bars spanning it, broad
lateral surfaces of finely perforated lead foil adhering to and supported by said
frame and cross-bars, and a filling of dry powdered oxide of lead packed into
the enclosed spaces. These cross-bars are preferably vertical, connecting the top
and bottom of the frame at intervals, and deeply grooved or formed with edge
flanges, such grooves or the spaces between the edge flanges of the upright bars
forming wells for the acid to rise in, and through which it may be agitated when
desired. Instead of the vertical bars, one or more oblique cross bars may sub-
divide the space enclosed by the marginal frame. The edges of the plates are
sealed with a quick-hardening acid-proof gum.
My novel method of making these peculiar plates involves the preparation of
the marginal frame with its cross bars, and open spaces each side thereof, coating
one face of the frame and bars with adhesive matter and applying thereto a broad
sheet of lead foil, then filling the open spaces with dry oxide of lead, and covering
the same and the frame surface with a sheet of lead foil adhering to the frame
and bars, sealing the edges of said sheet and finely perforating it, to admit the
acid of the enclosed active material.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1. is an elevation of the skeleton frame in the best form for a positive plate,
and Fig. 2. a transverse section thereof.
Figs. 3 and 4 are like views of the completed positive plate.
Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of a modified form, adapted for a negative
plate.
In carrying out my invention in its best form, I first prepare a metallic skeleton
lead plate as shown in Figures 1 and 2, having a marginal frame A and flanged.
and grooved vertical bars B. B. with open space CC between them. The
grooves b between the edge flanges of the bars B B constitute open vertical wells,
in which the acid may rise and circulate. This form of plate, I use preferably as a
positive.
Taking this skeleton plate, I cover one of its surfaces with glue and press thereto
a sheet Ď of lead foil molded or formed of such size and surface configuration as to
cover the entire plate, and to bridge over the open spaces C C, and fit down into
the grooves b, the foil being held to the metallic frame and bars securely by the
glue. I then turn the plate over and fill all the spaces C C with a dry powder E,
Fig. 4. consisting of some oxide of lead; and then, having covered all the metallic
surface of that side of the plate with glue, I press upon it a similar sheet of lead
foil D, shaped and prepared to fit into and upon the skeleton plate, so as to cover
the entire plate and extend over the active material E, said foil being as before
held at all points to the frame or plate by the glue. I then dip the edges of the
plate in a gum made of sulphur resin, pitch, beeswax and tallow so as to cover the
surface about of an inch, as at F. See Figs. 1, 3 and 5. The above mentioned
gum is preferably composed of two parts each of beeswax, pitch and resin and one
027

page_text: part each of sulphur and tallow, all thoroughly mixed and commingled, and applied
while very bot. These proportions may however be somewhat varied. This gum
is of a liquid character and very sticky when hot but hardens and becomes firm
when cold, and being insoluble in the acid holds the foil in place even if the
glue is attacked, while at the same time it covers the edges with an insulating
coating.
For a negative I may cast a plate as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the cross bar
being placed obliquely and not necessarily grooved. One entire surface of the
plate and cross-bar I then coat with the glue and press as before a sheet of lead
foil of the proper size so as to cover the entire area of the plate. I then turn this
over and fill the spaces C C with a dry powder consisting of some oxide of lead
and then, coating the metallic lead surface of frame and bar with glue I press
thereon another sheet of lead foil of the proper size so as to cover the entire area
of the plate and enclose the active material E. I then dip the edges in the gum
as in the case of the positive plate.
I then prick full of small holes the surface of the foil which covers the lead
oxide both in the positive and negative plates and seal these holes with a mucilage
wash which is readily dissolved when the plates are immersed in the acid, thus
exposing the active material enclosed to the usual action of the electrolyte.
Taking these plates I arrange them into a cell and interpose wooden separators
between them, in accordance with my practice as set forth in my application for
Patent No. 14815 August 16th 1892 on Storage Batteries" filed simultaneously
herewith.
66
I have found this to be an effective cell and to be inexpensive and easy to
manufacture.
The use of lead foil as a wrapper, in distinction from even the thinnest of
metallic sheet lead, is a marked advantage of my invention. Its lightness, cheap-
ness, facility of applying by glue to the frame, and its ready perforation without
power is of great importance; and the added fact that the foil itself becomes dis-
integrated and a part of the active material of the positive plate when formed,
emphasizes its value. An ordinary sheet-lead wrapper, even when perforated,
would be a barrier, interfering greatly with the efficiency of the plate; and the
method of construction described could not be successfully followed with common
sheet lead
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;-
First The battery plate described, consisting of the marginal frame with open
interior spaces-and one or more cross bars, the perforated lead foil wrapper as
distinguished from ordinary sheet lead, adhering to said frame and bars, and the
filling of active material within said spaces and enclosed by said perforated foil,
the edges of said plate being sealed by an acid-proof gum, substantially as set
forth.
Second-The method of making battery plates which consists in casting a
marginal frame with one or more cross bars joined thereto, and with open spaces
between said bars and frame, coating one side of said frame and bars with an
adhesive substance and applying a leaf of lead foil thereto, then filling the open
spaces of the frame with a powdered oxide of lead, then applying over the same
another leaf of lead foil, similarly caused to adhere to the frame and bars, then
sealing the edges of the plate with acid-proof gum, substantially as set forth.
L 3
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

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