Apparatus for forming battery straps and intercell connections

• US 4,241,780 A
• Filed: 12/20/1976
• Issued: 12/30/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Battery Corporation
• Original Assignee: General Battery Corporation
• Inventors: Eberle, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spruill, Robert Louis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hampilos, Gus T.
• Application Number:
  US05/752,644
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 164/108, 164/109, 164/110, 164/111, 164/112, 164/135, 164/136, 164/332, 164/333, 164/334, 164/335, 164/342, 164/DIG. 1, 164/337, 136/134 R, 136/134 S, 136/168, 136/176
• US Class Current: 164/333
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/04 Casting metal electric battery plates or the like manufacture thereof by multi-step processes H01M4/82
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/528 Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 164/01 Battery

Abstract

Battery plates are assembled into stacks forming positive and negative rows of lugs and the stacks are placed within the cells in a battery case. Molding channels are automatically formed around the positive and negative rows of lugs and molten lead alloy is automatically introduced into the molding channels to cast the straps and intercell connections simultaneously within the battery case.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically casting the straps and intercell connections of a lead-acid storage battery containing a battery case and a plurality of cellular partitions, comprising:

(a) work surface having a processing position thereon for receiving open top battery cases having a plurality of stacks of positive and negative plates in the cells thereof, said plates each having protruding lugs formed thereon;

(b) mold means located at said processing position for selectively defining molding channels around rows of positive and negative lugs of said stacks within said case, said mold means comprising a plurality of dams for forming the surfaces of a mold with at lest one dam movable in relation to the remaining dams;

(c) translating means connected to said mold means for moving the movable dam portion of the mold;

(d) casting means associated with said mold means at said processing position movable between a standby position for allowing molten lead to circulate therethrough and a pouring position for simultaneously introducing molten lead into said molding channel to cast the straps and intercell connections of said battery;

(e) rotating means connected to said casting means for selectively moving said casting means between said standby position and said pouring position;

(f) at least one molten lead supply means connected to said casting means for supplying molten lead to said casting means; and

(g) at least one molten lead return means connected to said casting means for receiving and returning uncast molten lead from said casting means to at least a portion of said supply means.

2. An apparatus for automatically casting the straps and intercell connections of a lead-acid storage battery comprising a battery case having at least six cell compartments therein defined by at least four intercellular partitions, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a work surface having a processing position thereon for receiving open topped battery cases having a plurality of stacks of positive and negative plates in the cells thereof said plates each having protruding lugs formed thereon;

(b) mold means located at said processing position for selectively defining at least six molding channels around the rows of positive and negative lugs of said stacks within said case;

(c) casting means associated with said mold means at said processing position, movable between a standby position for allowing molten lead to circulate therethrough and a pouring position for simultaneously introducing molten lead into each of said at least six mold channels to cast the straps and intercell connections of said battery, said casting means comprising no more than two ladle means for dividing said molten lead to be simultaneously introduced into aliquots of preselected volumes as said casting means is moved from said standby position into said pouring position;

(d) at least one molten lead supply means connected to said casting means for supplying molten lead to said casting means; and

(e) at least one molten lead return means connected to said casting means for receiving and returning uncast molten lead from said casting means to at least a portion of said supply means, whereby movement of said casting means between said standby and said pouring positions will simultaneously cast the straps and intercell connections of said battery.