US700959A - Process of uniting battery-plates. - Google Patents

Description

No. 700,959. Patented May 27, I902.

w. F. J.YLUTZ.

PROCESS OF UNITING BATTERY PLATES.

(Application filed m. 14, 1901. (N0 BL) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

"m: norms PETERS co Puma-mm WASNINGTON. n c.

No. 700,959. Patented May 27, I902.

w. F, LUTZ. PROCESS OF UNITING BATTERY PLATES.

(Application filed Feb. 14, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Nl'lih STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM FRED JOHN LUTZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO HANS 'ADAM S CHLOETZER AND JOHN HENRY GEORGE LUTZ,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRooEss OF UNITING BATTERY-PLATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,959, dated May 27, 1902. Applicatio fil d February 14, 1901. Serial No. @7375. on) specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1,- WILLIAM FRED JOHN LUTZ, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State'of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in" Processes of Uniting Battery-Plates; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel process or method of uniting lead battery-plates by a connecting bar or bond, the same being more especially designed for connecting the individual plates with a bar or bond of like metal in such manner that the metal of the plate and the bar or bond will in the finished product be integral and homogeneous.

In carrying my novel process or method into practice I proceed generally as follows: The battery-plates of like polarity are first arranged and suitably supported side by side in the relation to each other which when connected they occupy in the battery cell. Thereafter the parts of the plates to which the connecting-bar is to be joined are sub jected to heat of a flame directed thereupon and raised in temperature to the point of fusion or until the metal of the plates is fused. At the time such fusion of the plates takes place the metal is confined or prevented from escaping, and while the molten metal formed by so fusing the plate is still in its molten condition the additional metal necessary for forming the connecting-bar is brought into contactxwith the fused parts of the plate, or, in other words, added to the fused metal of the plates themselves, sothat as a result of the process upon the cooling of the fused metal of the plates, together with the added metal, the bar formed by the added metal will be integrally connected and homogeneous with the several plates.

The process above described may be carried into efiect in several waysas, for instance, the plates themselves or the portions of the plates adjacent to the points at which the connecting-bar is to be attached thereto may be buried in or surrounded by amass of sand, which latter at the place Where the bar is to beformed is so shaped as to'form a recess or mold, into which parts of the plate project. A heating-flame may then be directed into the mold against the parts of the plate exposed therein and so as to fuse the same, and an additional quantity of fused metal necessary to form-the connecting-bar is then poured into the mold. Uponthe cooling of the metal the connecting-bar will be integrally joined to the plates. A similar result will be obtained if the plates are formed originally with projecting integral arms, and said arms are arranged to project into the cavity of a sand or other mold, which is left open at its top, so that a heating-flame can be directed therein against the ends of said arms, which are exposed in the mold, and the cavity of the mold being filled with molten metal after the ends of the arms have been fused. a connecting-bar will be formed which is integralwith the several plates.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings theprocess above described as carried out by the use of a sand as the means of confining the metal of the plates themselves and the fused metal which forms the connecting-bar and also by the use of a metal mold.

As shown in said drawings, Figure 1 is a View showing in side elevation one of aseries of plates with a surrounding mass of sand used for confining the molten metal of the plates and connecting-bar. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing several plates with the surrounding sand arranged as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of plates joined by an integral bar or bond, the same being the prodnot of my novel process. Fig. 4 illustrates said plates and a metal moldthereon, such as may be used in carrying out my process. Fig. 5 illustrates the mold shown in Fig. 4, together with an added or top member for forming the top of the connecting-bar and a lug thereon. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the mold shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary transverse section on line 8 8 of Fig.

5. Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

As shown in said drawings, A A indicate the plates to be joined by my novel process, the same being desirably and usually made from sheet lead cut to proper form and size, this being the more economical manner of forming said plates. Preparatory to uniting said plates they are arranged in proper relative position and spaced to the proper distances apart. For this purpose said plates may be buried in sand, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or supported in a notched rack B, the notches b of which are parallel and of such depth and arranged to hold the plates in vertical'positions, as seen in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plates are surrounded by a mass of sand S, in which is formed a trough or mold recess S, arranged to expose therein a small part of the upper edge of each plate. Manifestly when the plates are arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and surrounded by the confining body of sand a heating-flame, as from a blowpipe or plumbers torch T, (shown in Fig. 1,) may be directed into the recess in the sand upon the exposed parts of the plates therein, with the result of melting or fusing the metal at the exposed edges of the plates, and after the metal is so melted or fused an additional quantity of fused metal may be poured in the recess to form the connecting-bar, and such fused metal will unite with the fused metal of the plates, and when cooled the whole will form an integral structure.

As shown in the remaining figures of the drawings, a metal mold O is used adapted for forming a connecting-bar A, having on one of its ends a lug A as shown in Fig. 3. Said mold consists of separable upper and lower parts, and the lower part consists of two separate members 0 0 which are constructed to inclose the upper corners of the plates at the parts thereof where they are to be joined together. Said mold members C" O are re= cessed in their proximate faces, so as to form a mold-chamber c of the desired size and shape, and are fitted closely together at their ends and along their margins. To admit the edges of the plates into the mold, the parts 0 0 thereof are provided at their lower margins each with a plurality of notches c 0, into which the edges of the plates are inserted. The mold members C (J are shown as connected together at their ends by means of clamping screws 0 In carrying outvmy process by the use of a two part mold constructed as above described the two mold members O C are fixed in place on the plates A and connected with each other. A heating-flame is then directed into the top of the ,mold, as from a torch or blowpipe T, (shown in Fig. 7,) so as to fuse the edges of' the plates projecting therein. The heating may be conveniently accomplished by the flame from a blowpipe, which is directed into the mold upon the corners of the plates until fusing thereof occurs. After the plates have been fused in the manner described a charge of molten metal is poured into the mold until the mold is partially or wholly filled. The molten metal of the charge commingles with the fused parts of the plates, so that when the metal hardens the plates when in place form an integral structure.

In order to give the proper shape and finish to the top of the connecting-bar, the mold described may be provided with a top or cope D, Figs. 5, 8, and 9, arranged to fit upon the two parts 0 (l and provided with an upwardly-projecting part at one end containing an opening into which the metal is poured and which forms a lug or projection on the connecting-bar, by means of which the same may be connected with the similar bar of the plates belonging to another battery-cell. Said part D consists, as herein shown, of two members D D which fit over the top of the lower part of the mold. The member D consists of a horizontal part d, which fits over the top of the mold O, and a vertical part 01, provided on one side with a longitudinal recess. The member D consists of a straight piece provided in one face thereof with a like longitudinal recess, which when the parts are fitted together forms with the opposing recess the passage (1 which communicates at its lower end with the mold-chamber c. The mold members D D are secured together by means of clamping screws d which pass through integral lugs on one of said parts and have screw-threaded engagement with like parts on the other member. The lower surfaces of said mold members D D are recessed and fit over a rabbet formed upon the upper faces of the mold members C 0 After the molten metal has been poured into the lower part of the mold to form the bond or bar A andlbefore the same has become hardened the upper part of the mold is placed in position, as shown in Fig. 5, and the molten metal to fill the mold and form the lug A is immediately poured thereinto, so that the added metal commingles with that previously introduced.

The process herein described forms an exceedingly simple means of joining the plates of a storage battery and avoids the necessity of casting the structure as a whole or of soldering or otherwise attaching the connectingbars to the plates. Said process is simpler than casting the plates and bars in one structure, for the reason that complicated molds are required for such purpose, and the operation of casting is therefore correspondingly complicated and expensive. As compared with joining plates by a bar soldered or otherwise attached thereto, the structure herein shown possesses much greater strength and affords homogeneous parts for carrying the electric current, by which resistance such as would be due to the presence of solder or the like is avoided.

The mold shown in Figs. 3 to 9 forms the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent filed by me simultaneously herewith, Serial No. 47,274. the plates and forms the connecting-bar.

I claim as my invention In testimony that I claim the foregoing as The process of joining metal plates by a myinvention I affix mysignature, in presence connecting-bar which consists in first directof two witnesses, this 8th day of February, ing a fusing-blast into an inclosed space, and A. D. 1901. against the surfaces of said plates, which are 7 r exposed to the blast entering said space, to WILLIAM FRED JOHN LUTA fuse the exposed parts of the plates, confining 'Witnesses: the fused metal in contact with the parts of I JOHN HENRY GEORGE LUTZ, said plates from which the metal was fused HANS ADAM SOHLOETZER.

and thereafterpouring into said space molten metal which unites with the fused metal of

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