Feb. 21, 1933. s. s.

sveNDSEN 1,898,405
METHOD OF PREPARING A LEAD CARBONATE PRODUCT
Filed Sept. 12, 1928
42 7 a
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
S.
al SSSSS
5- 78 S
S.

NSS2 SS A.
SSS
SSX
2S
2
2 s %
S 22
2
S
S.2
S.ŠS1
avaaaaaaZawawamaa.

36
S1.
 Patented Feb. 21, 1933 1898,405

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

SVENDs. SWENDSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE
BIRKENSTEIN
METHOD of PREPARING A LEAD CARBONATE PRODUCT
Application filed September 12, 1928. Serial No. 305,596. . . .
This invention relates to the production without balls or ofbarsbreaking
for the purpose of otheruphard
the material,
filling of
ofparticularly
lead products
fromfrom
scrapWaste material
storage and
battery the plates and detaching it therefrom.
plates. Where other materials, such as steel balls 55
3 In accordance with the present invention, found or the like, are employed, the action is
such plates are placed in a rotating drun metal grids to be excessive in that parts of the
which may suitably be of iron, together with vided state soarethat broken up into finely di
aqueous solution of alkali metal carbonates rived from the fillingthe lead products de
and, preferably, a small amount of a soluble grid metal. Since the grids contain with
are contaminated 80
20 salt or acid which exerts a solvent effect upon stantial quantities of antimony the finalsub re
lead compounds. The drum is rotated, sult is that the employment of balls, bars
whereby the plates are tumbled or caused to and the like gives lead products derived
fall upon each other in the liquid menstruum,
thereby detaching and pulverizing the filling, from
ly
the filling of the plates, substantial 65
contaminated with antimony.
15 which, in the plates employed is substan On the other hand,
tially lead sulfate and peroxide from the employed in the rotatingwhen drum,
plates alone are
together with
grid. During this treatment, the solution is the reaction solution, the collisions which
preferably heated to increase the speed of effect the removal of the filling are of a differ
the reaction between the alkali metal car character, due to the comparative softness 0.
20 bonate and the lead sulfate, whereby the lat ent of the plate and also due to the presence of
ter is converted into lead carbonate. This the liquid menstruum. The result is that
heating may suitably be effected by steam in by the present process, the sulfate filling of
troduced through a hollow trunnion with the grids is at one operation separated there 5
which the drum is provided. from, pulverized and the lead sulfate sub
25 Although any of the carbonates, or bicar stantially completely converted into lead car
bonates, of the alkali metals, in which term bonate, yielding a mixture
I expressly include ammonium, may be em and peroxide substantiallyofuncontaminatedlead carbonate
ployed, I prefer to use sodium carbonate on with antimony. -
account of its cheapness and effectiveness. The treatment may be effected at any tem 80
30 As the lead solvent compound, I prefer perature but is greatly accelerated by heat
to employ acetic acid, nitric acid or soluble ing. A temperature of about the boiling
acetates or nitrates. The effect of these point of water is suitable and the mixture in
substances, is catalytic, in that they bring the rotating drum may suitably be brought
lead compounds into Solution as lead acetate, to that temperature by means of injected 85
85 or lead nitrate, from which the lead is im steam. .
mediately precipitated by the carbonate . The accompanying drawing shows dia
present. The soluble acetates or nitrates grammatically a suitable apparatus for carry
are thereby regenerated and react again ing this method into effect.
40
with lead compounds in the same manner. Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the ap 90
This action is repeated again and again dur paratus, and
ing the progress of the treatment. The em Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line
ployment of the catalytic lead solvent 2-2 of Fig.1. .
speeds up the reaction considerably and en Referring to the drawing, the apparatus 95
ables the same to be completed under con comprises a drum 10 mounted by means of
ditions under which it would otherwise be trunnions 11 and 12 on suitable bearings 13.
incomplete or would take an excessive pe The trunnion 12 may suitably be provided
with a pinion 14 whereby the drum may be
riod of time. s . . . . ..
I have found that very considerable merit rotated. The trunnions 11 and 12 are pref 100
58 results from the employment of the plates, erably hollow and through the former passes
 2 1,898,405
a stationary pipe 15 by means of which steam carbonate and lead peroxide, which consists
is supplied into the liquid in the drum. The in tumbling such plates in a rotary drum to
drum is provided with a door 16 for the in gether
troduction of reaction materials and the bonate with an aqueous solution of alkali car
withdrawal of the products of the reaction ture from theseparating
and
metal
the pulverized mix
parts.
and is provided interiorly with longitudinal 3. The method of treating storage battery O
ribs 17 for the purpose of carrying the plates plates to remove the filling of the plates and
up to a suitable height from which they are to convert the lead sulfate of the filling into
dropped.
O The outside of the drum is pro lead carbonate substantially uncontaminated
vided with insulation 18, for the purpose of with antimony which consists in tumbling
preventing loss of heat. said plates one upon each other together with
The invention will more readily be under solution of
stood from the following description of a aa minor an alkali metal carbonate and
proportion of a soluble lead solvent
specific example thereof.
15 A ton of storage battery plates is placed compound.
in the revolving drum 10 and one hundred battery 4. The method of disintegrating storage d

and sixty pounds of soda ash, eight pounds thereof and plates to recover the grid and lugs
of sodium acetate and fifty gallons of boiling Verized the filling in the form of a pull
hot water are added. The door it is closed caibonate and ieadmixture consisting mainly of lead
and the drum is rotated for about an hour, in tumbling said plates peroxide which consists
low pressure steam being introduced during gether with an aqueousin solution a rotary drum to 8 5
of alkali
the process in order to raise the temperature carbonate and a minor proportion of a lead
of the menstruum to about the boiling point solvent compound and separating the pulver
and maintain it at that temperature. Dur
ing this operation, the filling material is sub ized5. mixture
The
from the metal parts.
method of producing a pulverized
stantially completely removed from the mixture of lead carbonate and lead peroxide
grids, thoroughly pulverized and the lead from the filling of storage
sulfate substantially completely converted without substantially breakingbattery up the
plates
metal
30 into lead carbonate. The solution is de lic part of the plate into small particles which
canted off from the solid material which is consists in Supplying said plates together
washed several times with water, each addi with a substantial quantity of soda ash, a
tion of washing water being decanted off after relatively small amount
settling. By this method the filling of the and a substantial quantityofofsodium hot
acetate
Water to a
plates is converted into a pulverized mixture rotary drum, maintaining the reaction mix
of lead carbonate and lead peroxide contain ture at a high temperature and rotating the
ing a small amount of spongy lead. This drum.
powdered material is separated from the
grids and lugs by agitating with water and myinhand testimony whereof I have hereunto set
and Seal this 30th day of August,
40 decanting the pulverized material with the 1928.
water. This pulverized mixture is collected SWEND S. SVENDSEN.
and dried in a centrifuge and may suitably
be converted into litharge or red lead, in the
known manner, by heating in a suitable roast
ing furnace to the appropriate temperature.
The grids contain a greater proportion of 110
antimony than do the lugs. The lugs are,
therefore, separated from the grid metal and
both are melted separately.
Although the present invention has been
50 described in connection with the details of the
specific embodiment it must be understood
that such details are not intended to be limita
tive of the invention, except in so far as in
55 cluded in the accompanying claims.
claim:
1. The method of treating storage battery
plates to remove the filling of the plates and
to convert the lead sulfate of the filling into
60 lead carbonate which consists in tumbling
said plates upon each other in a solution of
an alkali metal carbonate.
2. The method of disintegrating storage
battery plates to recover the grid and lugs
65 thereof and the filling in the form of a pull
verized mixture consisting mainly of lead