Improvements in and connected with Metallic Ribbon, particularly adapted for Battery Plates but useful also for other purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in and connected with Metallic Ribbon, particularly
adapted for Battery Plates but useful also for other purposes.
I, JOHN CHARLES HOWELL, of 24, Queen Victoria Street, London, Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a form of spiral wound metallic ribbon particularly
adapted for forming secondary battery plates but useful also for other
purposes such as for primary batteries or for other uses where it is desired to
produce an extended surface for a given weight of metal. The invention being
described for use in a secondary battery its application for other purposes will
be evident.
It has long been known that to provide for economical working in electrolytic
cells when heavy currents are employed the electrodes should present as large a
surface as possible to the electrolyte, but great difficulties have been encountered
in getting this extended surface without impairing the electrical continuity and
the mechanical strength of the electrode for a given weight of metal.
According to this invention such extended surface is obtained by so coiling
and spacing a metallic ribbon that it becomes a plain or crinkled spiral with a
central hole therethrough in which a core can be cast making close electrical
contact with the interior edges of the ribbon or external strips or a surrounding
tube perforated or not may be employed and the core omitted. A number of
such coils can be connected to a metallic frame so as to form a plate of any desired
dimensions, or each coil may form an electrode of itself.
One method by which such coils suitable for accumulator purposes can be
obtained is to fix a lead or other suitable metallic tube to a mandrel which can
be revolved, and by placing across the end of the tube an acute angled knife or
cutter which can be advanced in a direction parallel to the axis of the tube, at
rates which can be varied say from one-hundredth of an inch to one-six hundredth
of an inch to one revolution of the tube. The rate of feed as between the knife
and tube will depend upon the metal to be cut and upon whether a plain or
crinkled spiral is to be produced.
As the tube is cut a ribbon of metal is produced which tends to curl round a
second mandrel arranged to form a continuation of the axis of the tube. This
mandrel may be made to be rotated or not and can be withdrawn as the length of
the coil increases. The character of the coil so produced depends upon the amount
of the second mandrel's rotation, and the extent of its withdrawal if the coil is
attached to it as compared with the length of ribbon produced.
If the rotation or withdrawal of the second mandrel be such that the coil be
wound thereon without what may be called back pressure the surfaces of the
metal spirals will be comparatively smooth while if the mandrel taking up the coil
has a slower rotation or withdrawal the ribbon is crinkled or bent to and fro
CD

page_text: upon itself thus producing a series of spaces or interstices between the coils which
will permit a comparatively free access of the electrolyte to all parts of the coil.
Dated the 23rd day of December 1897.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agent, London, for the Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Metallic Ribbon, particularly
adapted for Battery Plates but useful also for other purposes.
I, JOHN CHARLES HOWELL, of 24, Queen Victoria Street, 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:-
This invention relates to a form of spiral wound metallic ribbon particularly
adapted for forming secondary battery plates or electrodes, but useful also for other
purposes such as for primary batteries or for other uses where it is desired to
produce an extended surface for a given weight of metal. The invention being
described for use in a secondary battery its application for other purposes will
be evident.
It has long been known that to provide for economical working in electrolytic
cells when heavy currents are employed the electrodes should present as large a
surface as possible to the electrolyte, but great difficulties have been encountered
in getting this extended surface without impairing the electrical continuity and
the mechanical strength of the electrode.
According to this invention such extended surface is obtained by so coiling
and spacing a metallic ribbon that it becomes a plain or crinkled spiral with a
central hole therethrough in which a core can be cast making close electrical
contact with the interior edges of the ribbon or external strips, or a surrounding
tube perforated or not may be employed and the core omitted. A number of
such coils can be connected to a metallic frame so as to form a plate of any desired
dimensions, or each coil may form an electrode of itself.
To clearly explain the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawing
in which
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of a metal tube from which the ribbon is to be made.
Fig. 2 is an end, view of same.
Fig. 3 represents a battery plate formed of seven coils of spiral ribbon and a
surrounding framework.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the way the ribbon appears when wound upon a
mandrel
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of same.
Fig. 6 shows the ribbon when held in position by external strips.
Fig. 7 is an end view of same.
Fig. 8 shows in side elevation two lengths of spiral ribbon mounted upon a
common core, and
Fig. 9 represents upon a larger scale a view of a short length of such ribbon
upon a core.
One method by which such coils suitable for accumulator purposes can be
obtained is to fix a lead or other suitable metallic tube a to a mandrel which can
be revolved, and to place across the end of the tube an acute angled knife or

page_text: cutter which can be advanced in a direction parallel to the axis of the tube, at
rates which can be varied say from one-hundredth of an inch to one-six hundredth
of an inch to one revolution of the tube. The rate of feed as between the knife
and tube will depend upon the metal to be cut and upon whether a plain or
crinkled spiral is to be produced.
As the tube is cut a ribbon of metal is produced which tends to curl round a
second mandrel b arranged to form a continuation of the axis of the tube. This
mandrel may be made to be rotated or not and can be withdrawn as the length of
the coil increases. The character of the coil so produced depends upon the amount
of the second mandrel's rotation and the extent of its withdrawal if the coil is
attached to it as compared with the length of ribbon produced.
If the rotation or withdrawal of the second mandrel be such that the coil be
wound thereon without what may be called back pressure, the surfaces of the
metal spirals will be comparatively smooth, while if the mandrel b taking up the
coil has a slower rotation or withdrawal the ribbon c is crinkled or bent to and fro
upon itself as most clearly seen in Fig. 9, thus producing a series of spaces or
interstices between the coils which will permit a comparatively free access of the
electrolyte to all parts of the coil.
The ribbon c so coiled can be supported by external strips d and end pieces e or
by a surrounding perforated pipe not shown, but it will generally be found prefer-
able to mount them on cores f, and a number of such cores carrying the ribbon c
can be formed into a battery plate by casting or otherwise securing a frame
such cores.
to
It has hitherto been proposed to use perforated and recessed plates of various
kinds for battery work, and also it has been proposed to have a core with a screw
thread or worm around it, and also it has been proposed to mount a series of
separate washers of various forms upon a core, but so far as it is believed no one has
heretofore proposed to produce a continuous spiral ribbon from a single tube, and
mount such ribbon upon a core or frame securing continuity of metallic contact
and an extended metallic surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The process of producing battery plates or electrodes which consists in cutting
spirally a metallic tube and causing the continuous ribbon so, produced to be
wound upon a core or mandrel substantially as described.
2. The process of producing battery plates or electrodes which consists in cutting
spirally a metallic tube and causing the continuous ribbon so produced to be
wound upon a core or mandrel giving less surface speed than the tube so as to
produce a crinkled or waved ribbon substantially as described.
3. The process of producing battery plates or electrodes which consists in cutting
spirally a metallic tube and securing the continuous ribbon so produced upon or
to a core or frame, substantially as described.
4. As an article of manufacture a battery plate or electrode composed of a
spirally wound continuous metallic ribbon mounted upon or secured to a core or
frame substantially as described.
021
1
1000
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agent, for the Applicant.