Apparatus for casting lead into plastic for side terminal batteries
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in forming a lead-alloy battery terminal connector through a wall of a plastic battery case, said wall having at least one aperture therein, comprising:
- (a) a plurality of mold means for engaging opposing sides of said wall to form a mold cavity about said aperture on either side of said wall, a first one of said mold means having a plurality of grooves defined therein disposed at the interface of said first mold means with said wall, said grooves providing fluid communication between the interior region of said mold cavity to the atmosphere for venting gases from the mold cavity to the atmosphere during the casting process, whereby softening of the plastic case material in the vicinity of said aperture reduces said fluid communication.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for injecting molten lead from a reservoir into a die mold cavity formed about an aperture in the wall of a plastic battery for casting lead-alloy battery terminal connectors. Batteries are positioned adjacent the molten lead reservoir of the apparatus and mold portions move together to hold the battery containers in a clamp-like action. Molten lead is die cast under pressure into the mold cavity in which a stainless steel threaded nut is positioned. The lead is forced through a heated chamber into a portion of the mold which may be water cooled. The mold is designed to allow venting of gases, thereby eliminating porosity; and the apparatus is designed to provide casting which is free of jagged projections in the sprue hole. The aperture in the battery wall is surrounded by a series of plastic annular rings extending outward from the battery wall but being a part thereof. The molten lead surrounds the annular rings and fills the spaces therebetween when it is injected into the cavity. The heat from the molten lead partially melts the plastic rings thereby forming a good seal between the casting and the battery wall.
17 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in forming a lead-alloy battery terminal connector through a wall of a plastic battery case, said wall having at least one aperture therein, comprising:
(a) a plurality of mold means for engaging opposing sides of said wall to form a mold cavity about said aperture on either side of said wall, a first one of said mold means having a plurality of grooves defined therein disposed at the interface of said first mold means with said wall, said grooves providing fluid communication between the interior region of said mold cavity to the atmosphere for venting gases from the mold cavity to the atmosphere during the casting process, whereby softening of the plastic case material in the vicinity of said aperture reduces said fluid communication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for use in forming a lead-alloy battery terminal connector through an aperture defined in a side wall of a plastic battery case, said battery case having a plurality of cellular partitions contained therein, and said side wall having a preselected thickness at least in the vicinity of said aperture, comprising:
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(a) a frame; (b) movable die mold means movable with respect to said frame from a standby to a casting position for engaging, in said casting position, a first surface of said battery case wall about said aperture; (c) fixed die mold means mounted on said frame for engaging a second surface of said battery case wall about said aperture to cooperate with said movable die mold means to form a mold cavity surrounding said aperture, one of said die mold means having at least one groove defined therein to define at least one venting channel between said one of said means and said surface engaged thereby, whereby softening of the plastic case material in the vicinity of said aperture reduces the area of said venting channel; (d) reservoir means associated with said frame for maintaining a supply of molten lead-alloy; (e) head means extending between said reservoir means and said mold cavity for providing a channel for passage of molten lead from said reservoir means to said mold cavity; and (f) molten lead injection means associated with said reservoir means for selectively causing a portion of said molten lead-alloy to move through said passage channel into said cavity to cast said connector therein. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification