US1506217A - Dry cell and process of making the same - Google Patents

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Aug. z 92@ R. C. BENNER ET AL.

DRY CELL AND PROCESS O' MAKING THE SAME Filed June 27, 1922 I Patented 26, I

UNIT-'ED STATES 1,506,217 PATENT oFFicE.

BAYONDC. BENNER, F BAYSIDE, AND HARRY F. FRENCH, OF FLUSHING, YORK, ASSIGNORS T0 'NATIONAL CARBON' COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

DRY CLL AND'PROCESS O'F MAKING TBE application ined Janse?, 1922. serial No. 571,176.

To al( whom if m11 y concern 'Be it knownthat we, RAYMOND C. BEN- Ni-:n and Hanny F. FRENCH, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Bayside and Flushing, in the county of Queens andState of New York, have inventedccrtain new and usefuhlrn. ro'vements in Dry Cells and Processes of l# aking the Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toeimprovements in the lining of metal container electrodes,.,par

ticularly t-he zinc cup forming the anode of dry cells. In its preferred form, the mventioncomprises a layer of toughened ce- `"real paste uniformly adherent to the innersurface of the container', and a sheet of bibulous fibrous material 'contiguousto the paste layer.

In our Patents 1,295,475, dated Feb-.25,

, 1919,and 1,375,202, dated April 19, 1921, y u -we have described Vand claimed methods of forming a lining of toughened'paste in metal cups, the particular object '1u view being to facilitate themanufacture of cells of the' type in which a molded, coherent bod of depolarizer, or mix bobbin, is used. l' ith cups so lined, particles of the depolarizing composition which may separate from the bobbin can not come into contact with the metal, and it is therefore unnecessary to supply.- the bobbi'n with thev fabric wrapping or other disintegration-preventing means which would otherwise be required.

In some cases, however, it is desirable to use a plurality of linings between the zine and the mix, for example a layer of toughened paste and a sheet of bibulous fibrous material, such as pulpboard.-

The applications and advantages of the 40 plural lining construction will be described in detail hereinafter, 'reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which the iigure is a vertical longitudinal section throughY a dry cell having a double lining.

' 45 Referring to the'drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a metal container electrode, which will usually be a zinc cup, and 2 a layer of toughened cereal paste therein. The 'method of forming this layer is not a part of the present invention. It maybe formed according to the processes described in our patents above referred to, in lwhich the paste gelatinized by heat, or according to vthe lchemical gelatinizing method disclosedin the application of Benner and Mac- Kenzie, Serial- Nm-547,296 filed Marclr27,

1922, or by any other method resulting in Ilhe sheet of bibulous material 3 andthe paste layer 2 will usually be supplied with the proper amountof Waterbefore tamping,

unless the cells are offthedeferred action'.

type. In thisv case,.liqud;willlnot be `added until it is desired to activate thecell."

A particular advantage of thev double lined' construction, as shown in apreferred form in the drawing. resides in its `capacity to absorb and retain moisture. In'cells with tamped mix, as heretofore'Y manufactured, a lining of bibulous paper or the like has been used to space the mix fromV the zinc. The lining may be associatedwith4 paste Aor pasteforming materials, but no paste layerhaving any considerable valosorptive capacity for water has heretofore been used in connection with the lining in .such cells., The mix of course contains moisture, but its, moisture .content is very much lower than that .of

cereal paste or wetbibulous paper. Tothe low moisture content of cells with tamped mix is to be ascribed their usualjnability to give service equivalent to that obtainable` from cells of the bag type, that is, cells in which the bobbinis' encased in a wrapping of textile rfabric or paper and sur- `rounded-by a relatively thick layer of paste of high water content.

According to this invention, the components of the double lining cooperate in the formation of a. cell having a moisture content substantially equal to .that of ba type cells, while obviating the necessity or re' sorting to the tedious and expensive bobbin Wrapping or protecting processes. The paste layer adherent to the zinc may be made- 'of suiiicientthickness to take up and hold ythe desired amount of moisture, and'4 the proteetion afforded by the sheet of -pulpboard or the like makes it possible to tainp the de- .polarizingimiir into the :cell without piero-l ing the paste layer.A Further, the corrosion of the zinc ismore uniform when the paste layer is used` in connection with the bibulous lining sheet, assucli layer provides a smooth. -continuous surface in close engagementwith Atlie metal, insuring a more even distribution such particles in contact with the metal.

Also, arborescent metal deposits which are sometimes of suliicient extent to connect the mix and zinc through a :single fibrous lining will rarely pierce both the paste layer and nlpboa'rd sheet. I

wii

ileparticularl reference has been made to cells vwith tamped' mix, the invention is not limited to cellsof'this type. Molded jbodiesof depolarizer, either with or with- Vout a wrapping offabricor other surface protection, may be used in connection'with the double ",lining described herein. The lining sheets will usually be formed from a fibrous material such as pulpboardor cloth, which may carry paste -or paste-forming materials, but tliin walled cylinders of wood,

or other suitable absorptive substance, may be used. Y

We are aware that 'bibulous fibrous-lim ing sheets have been pasted, by applying paste with a brush o r spray, before 'assembling theminthe cellE and that such sheets have been used with pasteforminfr materi alsapplied to the inner surface oithe zinc cup, such surface carrying-an oil or a sac'- charine solution-adapted to cause the adherence of the paste-forming material. buch processes do not result ina paste layer ihaving any marked moisture holding capacity, norl an effective degree of toughness. Our invention resides in the 'corri-A bination of at least one lining sheet of a ibrous bibulous material witha layer of toughened paste capable of absorbing' and retaining relatively large amounts o f moisture.4 Various specific embodiments of '.this

combination may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Ve claimz 1. ProcessA of making dry cells, which comprises applying to a metal cup substantially Anon-int'erpenetrating contacting linings of tougliened paste' and of bibuolus fibrons material, and placing a carbon electro'deand conductive dep'olarizing mix within the cup so lined;

2. 'llie invention according to`claim l,

in wliiclithe paste lining is formed by `ap plyingpaste to the surface of the metal', and

toughening the paste thereon by application of heat. A

3. Process-v of 'making d ry cells, which comprises forming alayer of -toughened paste upon the inner surface of a metal cup, plaeing'a lining'of bibnlous fibrous material in said cup, inserting a carbon eleclrodein -said cnp,` and tamping a conductive depolarizing mix into the space between the 'carbon electrode and sheet material.

.4. A dry cell comprising a metal c ontainer electrode provided with substantiallynon-interpenetrating contacting linings of toughened paste and of bibnlons fibrous madepolarizing' composition in electrical con-- nection with sind cup andcarbon electrode.

5. A dry cell comprising a metal concarbon electrode, and a conductive depolarizing composition in discrete articles lill- `ing the space between said e ectrode and sheet material.

6. In a dry cell of the type in which the depolarizing mix is tamped into a container electrode', means for ,insuring an'adequate terial, a carbon electrode,'and a conductive v `tainer electrode having a layer 4of tougliened paste upon its inner surface, a lining of -bibulous fibrous material in said,- cup, a

moisture content, 'comprising an absorbent layer of tougliened paste between the mix and container electrode.

In testimony whereof, we aiiix our signatures.

' RAYMOND C. BENNER.

HARRY F. FRENCH1

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