GB737375A - Improvements in battery plate grid casting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

737,375. Casting-machines. PINCOTT, J. S. Oct. 10, 1951 [Nov. 2, 1950], No. 23557/51. Class 83 (1). Extracting castings; heating moulds.-A machine for casting battery grids, wherein charges of molten metal are pumped into an openable mould, has means for preventing the pump from acting if the mould is not completely closed. The main shaft 17 of the machine is driven by a motor 20 through gearing 19, 18 and carries a cam 16 at each end which reciprocates spring-returned levers 13 connected by links 21 ... 23, Fig. 3, to a U-shaped frame 30 secured by releasable spring catches 31 to a slide 27 on which the moving mould half 28 is mounted. The part 23 has pins 34 which when moved to the left operate ejectors in the fixed mould half 29, and lugs 74 which, when moved to the right far enough to quite close the mould, open adjustable switches at 70 which permit a charge of molten metal to be delivered to the mould. If the mould cannot close springs 24 yield and the switches 70 remain closed. The molten metal is delivered by a spring-returned plunger 43, Fig. 7, moved down, from a position determined by an adjustable screw 54a, Fig. 1, by a lever 53 operated by a rod 55 moved up by a cam. If, however, either switch 70 is not opened, owing to the mould not being properly closed, current will pass to a solenoid 66, Fig. 7, and thus move a cranked lever 65 to hold open the inlet valve 61 of the pump and thus prevent delivery of metal. The machine also has a vertically reciprocated grid catcher 35, Fig. 1, which lowers each grid on to conveyer chains 40 which deposit it on locating pins of a guillotine of known construction, not shown, for removing surplus metal from the top and bottom thereof.