Improvements in or relating to Secondary or Storage Batteries.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 17th Dec.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Secondary or Storage Batteries.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of 18,
Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by George J. Miller, of
Kenton, Ohio, in the United States of America, Electrician), 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 improvements in storage batteries, and it consists
first in a new method of recessing or grooving a storage battery element or
electrode, whereby it is adapted to receive the active material; second, in said
storage battery element or electrode, so grooved or recessed, as an article of
manufacture; third, in the combination with a secondary battery electrode; of
a perforated metallic casing or envelope of like material adapted to aid in
retaining the active material in place, and at the same time permit free access
of the electrolytic fluid to all parts of the electrode or plate.
Heretofore two difficulties met with in the use and construction of a secondary
battery element or electrode have been to efficiently groove or recess the elec-
trode without weakening the same, and to provide means for holding and
protecting the active material in the grooves or recesses on the face of said
electrode without increasing the resistance of the electrode.
Heretofore and before my invention, the solid metallic plate or electrode of a
secondary battery so far as I am aware, has been prepared and adapted to hold
said active material either by sawing, chiseling or otherwise removing the
material of the plate or electrode to form grooves or recesses on the face thereof.
This removal of the material from the face of the plate in order to form the
grooves or recesses greatly weakens the plate, and makes it liable to buckle or
bend under certain conditions as when the storage battery is overcharged or too
suddenly discharged. Also heretofore the grooves have not of themselves
sufficiently retained the active material on the face of the electrode,
By my improved method of manufacturing a secondary battery element I
produce a strong electrode and also provide means for retaining and protecting
the active material on the face of said electrode.
I will now describe my improved method of manufacturing storage or secon-
dary battery elements. I take a plate of some suitable material, preferably
metallic lead, and by means of suitable tools and machinery (not shown) stamp
punch or indent grooves or recesses in the face or faces of the plate. It will
thus be seen that by my process of punching or indenting the grooves, I am
enabled to produce a stronger and tougher electrode, from the same thicknes of
plate than is possible where the grooves are produced by sawing or otherwise
removing the material of the plate and also the groooves may be formed at any
desired angle to the axis or to the face of the plate, and may be undercut if
desired, so as to form pockets to hold the active material.
By my improved process it will also be seen that I am able to groove or recess

page_text: the face or faces of the plate to a greater or less extent and therefore by leaving
certain narrow portions or strips of the faces, unpunched or unstamped ribs may
be produced around the margin of a face or at intervals longitudinally or trans-
versely thereof as may be desired. These ribs extending as they may through
the thickness of the plate strengthen the same and prevent it from buckling
under severe or abnormal strain. Further it will be observed that by my process
of punching or indenting said grooves or recesses, I am not only able to make
them of any desired form or cross section, but may also arrange them in colunins
each column of grooves or recesses being separated from its neighboring column
by a strengthening rib, and the grooves or recesses of one column may be
arranged so as to be opposite the unstamped spaces separating the groove of an
adjacent column.
My improved article of manufacture consists of a storage battery element or
electrode of suitable material, such as metallic lead, provided by the process
above described with grooves or recesses for holding active material; and also of
.said plate so grooved and having portions left unstamped or unrecessed to form
strengthening ribs as hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the
drawings.
aly invention further consists in the combination with a central or core plate
preferably of metallic lead provided with grooves or recesses of a perforated
envelope or case which is adapted to aid in holding the active material in place
in the grooves or spaces of said core plate but sufficiently removed therefrom to
permit of the free circulation and action of the electrolytic fluid. Said metallic
casing also affords a large working surface without increasing the resistance of
the cell.
My invention further consists in certain features of construction and combina-
tions of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out.
In the drawings Fig. I is a view in side elevation, of a battery electrode
embodying my invention and having one corner of the casing broken away to
show more clearly the central or core plate and also the separators.
Fig. II is a view in side elevation of the central or core plate illustrating my
method of grooving punching or indenting portions of the face and of leaving
strips of the same unstamped or unindented to form strengthening ribs.
Fig. III is a cross section taken on the line of Fig. I. Fig. IV is a cross
section taken through yy of Fig. I. Fig. 5 is a cross section of a plate showing
one method of forming the grooves so that they will incline inwardly at an
angle to the face of the plate thus forming retaining pockets. Fig. VI is an
end view showing a cell in cross section and an end view of two of my improved
electrodes assembled therein separated by a grid of vulcanite rubber or other
suitable insulating material.
In the drawings A represents a plate of suitable material adapted to form a
secondary battery electrode, preferably a metallic lead plate. This plate A is
provided with one or more series of grooves or recesses a adapted to receive and
retain active material for the well known purpose of forming the electrodes. These
grooves are produced by stamping punching or indenting the face of the plate
at desired intervals by means of any suitable tool or machine operated by hand
or power and adapted to the purpose. The grooves a are shown in cross section
in Fig. III as arranged at right angles to the vertical axis of the plate and
approximately parallel to the face thereof. This however is not essential as the
said grooves or recesses may be curved or arranged at any desired angle to said
axis, and of any desired form in cross section. For instance as illustrated in
Fig. IV of the drawings, the grooves or recesses a may be formed so as to incline
downward at an acute angle to the face of the plate whereby pockets are formed
to more positively retain the active material in place and when formed in
columns as illustrated in Figs. I and II the groves or indentations of one
column may be arranged so as to be opposite to the spaces which are flush with
the face of the plate in an adjacent column.

page_text: By having certain portions of the face unrecessed or unindented I am able to
form a margin around the face of the plate as at bb and 62, Figs. I and II
and in the same way strengthening ribs left at predetermined intervals between
the series of grooves as at 63 64. These ribs may extend in a horizontal or vertical
direction and the ribs on one face may be so arranged as to correspond to ribs
on the opposite face or said ribs may be so. arranged that a series of indentations
on one face may be backed by a strengthening rib on the opposite face.
B represents a metallic envelope or casing preferably formed of sheet lead and
preferably constructed Ụ shape in cross section as illustrated and having elec-
trical connection with the electrode or core plate A. Said envelope serves two
purposes first as before described it is adapted to hold the active material in
place on the electrode or core plate A, without increasing the resistance of the
electrode; second it adds to the working surface of the electrode thus greatly
increasing its electrical capacity. This envelope is constructed as follows: A
sheet of suitable metal of the desired thickness having been first perforated and
preferably roughened on its face is then bent on its center line and folded over
the bottom of the core plate A in such a manner as to substantially cover both
of the indented or grooved faces of the plate A. It will be seen that a cross
section of the envelope taken either on a horizontal of a perpendieular line
according as the sheet metal is folded around the bottom or around a side,
respectively of the core plate will be U shaped.
or
While I prefer to use a single. envelope formed of one-sheet of metal as
described on account of its simplicity of structure and the ease with which the
core plate may be removedor. inserted without disturbing any part of the
envelope, this construction is not essential as the same result may be accom-
plished by covering each face of the plate A with a separate perforated sheet of
metal, prepared as described heretofore. These separate sheets of metal
covering plates may be connected together or to the core plate in any suitable
manner as by bolts or clamps or may be held in their proper position by the
pressure or surrounding bodies. This envelope may be used with any form or
construction of an electrode where it is necessary or advantageous to support or
protect the active material in the grooves of the electrode. Also one of these
envelopes, containing a core plate may be inserted in turn in one or more
a similar envelopes. The core plate and the successive envelopes all being in
electrical connection as provided will.thus form a single compact electrode with
a very extensive working surface.cal
In order to separate the envelopes B from the working surface of the plate A,
I provide thin strips D preferably of sheet lead or other suitable material. These
strips. are inserted between the sides of the envelope C and the electrode or core
plate A. I prefer to make these strips in the form of an inverted U and drop
them down over the core plate, the bent or middle portion of the strips thus
rest on the top edge of the core plate which prevents the strips from slipping
down or becoming disarranged. These strips, separate the envelope and plate
sufficiently to allow of the free circulation and action of the electrolytic fluid
to all parts of the electrode. As these strips D are of metal electrical contact
is obtained through them between the plate A and the envelope B.
or
C represents suitable lugs formed at the top or upper portion of the plate
electrode for the purpose of making mechanical and electrical connections.
E represents an insulator for separating and insulating the elements
when placed in a cell, as illustrated in Fig. I of the drawings. This insulator E
is preferably made grid shape being provided with a number of perforations
between the horizontal and vertical bars thereof and may be made of vulcanite
or other suitable insulating material adapted to properly insulate the elements
from each other, and to stand the action both chemical and electrical of the
battery.
It will be understood that the cell F illustrated in Fig. VI is what is usually

page_text: termed the insulating box or cell of a storage battery in which are placed the
electrodes or elements and also the electrolytic fluid.
It will further be understood that before the various parts of the electrode,
viz; the central plate A envelope B and separating strips D) are joined or
assembled together the grooves in the plate A are filled with suitable active
material, peroxide of lead or litharge according to the desired polarity of the
electrode, or said grooves may be filled by the chemical action of the electrolytic
fluid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The herein described process of preparing metallic plates for secondary or
storage battery elements, consisting in stamping or depressing the surface thereof
to form grooves, recesses or pockets substantially as and for the purpose
described.
2. The herein described process of forming grooves pockets or recesses for
holding active material in a metallic plate for storage battery use, consisting in
punching or indenting said grooves or recesses in the surface of said plate, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The herein described process of manufacturing secondary or storage battery
electrodes, consisting in punching depressing or indenting pockets, grooves or
recesses for holding active material over portions of the face of said electrode
and leaving other portions unpunched or unindented to form strengthening ribs
substantially as described.
4. The herein described process of manufacturing a secondary battery elec-
trodes consisting in forming by pressure in the surface of a metallic plate
pockets grooves or recesses, of any desired shape or cross section for holding the
active material whereby the plate itself is strengthened or toughened by the
process of forming said grooves substantially as described.
5. As a new article of manufacture a secondary battery element or electrode
having grooves recesses or pockets in the face thereof formed by depressing
portions of said face, substantially as described.
6. As a new article of manufacture,. a metallic plate for storage batteries
provided with grooves, recesses or pockets for holding active material formed by
'punching or indenting the same in the surface of the plate without removing
any of the material thereof substantially as described.
7. As a new article of manufacture in storage battery electrodes, a metallic
plate having a part of its surface punched, indented or recessed to form recesses
grooves or pockets for holding active material and a part thereof unpunched or
unindented to form strengthening ribs, substantially as shown and described.
8. A storage battery electrode consisting of a metallic plate provided with two
or more columns of grooves pockets or recesses arranged in series, the latter
being formed by indenting or punching certain portions of the surface of said
plate and said columns being separated by ribs formed by the unpunched por-
tions of said surface substantially as described.
9. A storage battery electrode consisting of a metallic plate provided with
grooves, pockets or recesses formed by indenting or punching the same in the
surface of the plate and having a marginal border of unpunched or unrecessed
material substantially as described.
10. A secondary or storage battery electrode consisting essentially of an inner
or central core piece adapted to receive and retain the active material and an
outer perforated metallic envelope having mechanical and electrical connection
with said core or center piece, substantially as set forth.
11. A storage battery electrode consisting essentially, of a grooved or indented
metallic core or center piece and a metallic envelope partially enclosing said

page_text: center or core portion said envelope being perforated and having mechanical and
electrical connection with said core-piece substantially as set forth.
said
12. An electrode or storage battery comprising a metallic center or core piece
a perforated envelope and metallic separating strips located between
envelope and core piece substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
13. In a
storage battery the combination with an insulating cell or box; of
two metallic electrodes, both of said electrodes comprising an inner metallic core
adapted to receive and retain the active material perforated metallic envelopes
surrounding or partially surrounding said coro piece said envelopes having
mechanical and electrical contacts with either respective cores and a perforated
insulating piece between the envelopes of the respective electrodes, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.