US1590717A - Dry cell - Google Patents

Description

June 29 1926.

S. APOSTOLOFF DRY CELL Filed Deo. 2, 1919 a l mm l Patented June 29, 1926.

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UNITD STa'lflsy Enviar oir-fric snaar: nroscronorr, or new Yong, N. Y.

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Application med December e, 191e. smal N0. 341,841. i

This invention relates to improvements in dry cells of thetype where the semiiluid electrolyte or paste is initially kept out of contact with the electrodes, the cell being activated by mechanically forcing the paste ,y intooperating position whenever it is de- Sred to put the cell into use. v

One object of this invention is toproduce stored for long periods or shipped long dis-` tances Without any impairment of their ef'riciency. y

A further object of my Yinvention is to provide a cell having two opposed telescoplng cups, a bobbin electrode being located within one of the cups and a quantity of initially inactive paste being carried in the. other.

A further object is to provide means whereby the paste will be caused to flow evenly and be uniformly distributed in the space between the bobbin and the tubular cup surrounding it when the opposed cups are telescoped.

-A further object is to provide a cell in so that the electrical resistance will be equalized at all points.

A further object of my. invention is to provide a new electrolytic mix or paste of a quasi-solid nature Which will hold its original shape indefinitely, but which will yield readily when suiiiciently compressed to iiow smoothly into contact with the electrodes.

A. further object is to provide an electrolytic mix or aste of the above nature which will be nonrying, which will not deteriowhich the bobbin will be rigidly and se# curately hold thebobbin in central positionrate upon being kept in storage for long periods of time, and which may be conveniently and cheaply manufactured in the form of a cake of au shape desired, either by molding or extru ing.-

A further object of` my invention'is to` provide an electrode element for a' dry cell of the type described consisting of a c lindrical zinc tube, closed at the bottom y a perforated disc, and carrying a sliding short zinc cup-shaped member.

These and other objects of my invention are set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of one embodiment of my invention showing a cell with the parts out of operative position.

FigureQ isa sectional view' of the cell shown in Figure 1, but with the parts assembled ready for use. Figure 3 is. a bottom view ofethe zinc electrode showing the shape of the perforated disc.

Y Figure 4a is a sectional view ci another embodiment of the invention with the parts out of operative position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a still further embodiment with the parts out of operative po-sition.

Figure (i is a view in perspective of sev eral modified forms in which my electrolyte paste may be utilized.

'Referring now to the cell shown in Figures l to 3, the bobbin comprising the carbon electrode 10,'the depolarizing mass 11, and the terminal cap 12 is secured to the tubular zinc sleeve 13, which forms the other electrode, by lmeans of the pitch seal 17, and the annular washer 16. rl`lie zinc sleeve 13 is provided near the top with V.a

the escape of entrapped air when the cell is being collapsed, as will be hereinafter described. The electrolyte paste 15 is initially contained in the short lower cup 11i, whicn may also be of zinc. The cell is provided with an outside container, preferably of fibrous insulating waterproof material consisting of the lower part 19 and upper part 20, and the exterior label or wrapper :21. Permanently secured to the bottom of the tubular zinc electrode 13, as by soldering at each of the four points 25, is the periorated disc 22 oi metallic material. however obvious that a disc of non-metallic lt isy vsmali vent hole 18, which serves to allow i cup by crimping or iny some similar manner.

The disc 22 is provided witha central aperture 23 by means of which the bobbin is securely attached to the disc with sealing wax or other like material '24. It will be noted that four annular openings 26 are left between the disc and the tubular element 13. The paste 15 may be in the shape of a sphere, suitably coated with tbe frangible waterproof material 15. Below the paste in the bottoni of the cup 14 is the insulating washer 16. lVhen it is desired to put the cell into use, the wrapper or label 21 is severed along the meeting line between the parts 19 and 20, after which, the lower part 19 may be removed and discarded. The cup 14 is then telescoped upon the tubular element 13, whereby the frangible container 15" is broken and the paste 15, which is initially containedtherein, is forced up through the four annular openings 26 and flows in a plurality of streams into the cavity between the bobbin and its surrounding tube 13. In operation the four upwardly moving streams of paste combine into a single stream and when the cell is completely assembled the paste will be uniformly located upon all sides of the cell and will extend to a uniform height.

In Figure 4 a slightly different formof construction is shown. Infthis embodiment of the invention the outside container of fibrous material consists of two cup- shaped elements 19 and 20, within the lower ot which is the paste 15B. When it is desired to put this cell into use, the top part 19 of the container is removed, and the paste 15, shown here in the form of a cake of nearly cylindrical dimensions but with rounded edges, is forced into position around the bobbin by ,telescoping the zinc tube 13 with the lower part 20 of the container.

In Figure 5 is shown a cell of the same type as in Figure 1 but with the paste ini tially located in the lower outer cap 19 instead of in the zinc cup 14. The paste is surrounded in this instance by the waterproof paper 15 and rests upon the washer 16. In operation the lower cap 19 and the zinc cup 14 are first removed, and the cake of paste 15b is transferred to the zinc cup 14. The cell is then activated by replacing the `zinc cup around the zinc tube 13 and collapsing these two. parts into their nal position in exactly the same manner .as described above. l s

It will be obvious that instead of locating the/cake ofpaste initially'inside the cell, as shown in Figures 1-5, the cake need not be placed thereinuntil it is desired to activate the cell. In the latter' event, the lower outer cap 19, Figures l, 2 and 3, and thel upper cap 19 of Figure 4.maybe dispensed with since the cake of paste will then be carried in a. box or other container. The empty cell will be originall assembled in the collapsed position shown or example in Figure 2, but without the paste. In assembling a cell under these conditions, the outer container 20 (see Figure 2) ywill be first slipped otl, the zinc cup removed, a cake of paste taken from the box and placed in the zinc cup. To activate the cell, it will then'be merely necessary to replace the zinc cup and force the paste up into position by the usual telescoping action. The outer container 20 maythen be slipped into position again.

In Figure 6 I have shown several additional shapes of cakes into which the paste may be molded or extruded. Thesepaste cakes may or may not be provided with a waterprootl coating. I prefer, however, o coat them. My preferred method of applying the coating is to first dip the cakes in a bath consisting of an alcoholic solution of celluloid, and to subsequently immerse them in a bath of water. The second bath dissolves the alcohol, leaving a tough and durable coating of celluloid upon the entire surface of the cakes. Instead of immersing in a bath of water, -as above described, the cakes which have been dipped in the alcoholic solution may be rolled in mica powder or in Hour.

Another method of coating the cakes of electrolyte paste is to dip them in liquids composed of either melted parailin, wax, molasses or the like to which glycerine, banana oil, coconut oil or some other non-drying agent has been added to make the coating more elastic. Among such other coating materials which may be employed within the spirit of my invention may be mentioned of the above methods the paste cakes may be packed for shipping/.in boxes or other containers, each container carrying a convenient number of cakes.

It is to be understood that any one of the different forms of cake shown on the dra-wings may be used interchangeably in all of the three types of collapsible cells shown..

In carr ing out my invention, I do not desire to e limited to any ofthe embodiments disclosed herein, but it is to be understood that many variations may be made within the general principles and scope of the invention.

I claim: y

1; In, a dry 'cell of the type described an anode and a cathode, said anode comprising a tubular zinc sleeve closed with a perforated bottom, said bottom having center and side apertures.

2. In a dry cell of the type described, a zinc electrode, a carbon electrode, a. separator for the zinc and carbon electrodes comprising a disc, said disc having portions of its circumference cut away. y

3. In a dry cell of the type described, a zinc electrode, a carbon electrode, a separator for the zinc and carbon electrodes comprising a metallic disc, said disc having portions of its circumference cut away and having an aperture for centering the carbon electrode.

4. In a. dry cell of the type described, a bobbin, a tubular member surrounding the hobbin and forming a space for electrolyte therebetween, and means in said electrolyte space to separate the bobbin and tubular member consistingr of a perforated disc.

In a dry cell of the type described, a hohbin consisting of al carbon electrode and a depolarizing mass, a tubular zincelectrode surrounding the bobbin, and a perforated zinc spacing disc secured to the tubular zinc electrode at the bottom thereof.

6. ln a dry cell of the type described, two opposed telescoping cup-shaped members, one of said members comprisin a tubular shell-electrode, said shell-electroe having a bobbin inside of the shell and spaced therefrom by a perforated metallic diso,`the other cup-shaped member being ofnon-conducting material and containing electrolyte paste.

7. In a dry battery, an anode shell, a cathode element located within the shell and spaced therefrom, Aand means to facilitate the introduction of paste into the space between said anode and cathode, said paste being maintained in a Separate collapsible container, and out of Contact with said anode and cathode, up to the time when the battery is placed into use.

ln testimony whereof, I have afixed my signature to this specification.

SERGE APOSTOLOFF.

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