US3802488A

US3802488A - Battery strap and post cast-on apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3802488A
Application number: US00292908A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Hull; R Simonton
Original assignee: Dynalite Corp
Current assignee: Dynalite Corp
Priority date: 1972-09-28
Filing date: 1972-09-28
Publication date: 1974-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-09

Abstract

A battery cell carrier is arranged for generally horizontal and vertical traverse between a transfer station at which cell stacks are loaded into the carrier and cell assemblies are removed from the cell carrier, a burnishing station, a fluxing station, and a casting station. An elevator including rails supporting a carriage for the cell carrier and a carriage transverse mechanism move the carrier to appropriate levels for operations at each station. The carriage transverse moves the carriage along the rails to or adjacent the stations. Controls sequence the elevator, the traverse and complementary equipment including mold filling and heating means. These controls for the traverse cause advance of the carriage to a cell lug burnishing position and thence to a lug fluxing position from which the carriage is advanced to a cast-on station when the strap and post molds are in a proper state for casting. When the cast-on straps and posts have cooled they are freed from their molds and the carriage with its carrier and its cell assembly or assemblies is advanced to an unloading station. A single machine attendant loads and unloads the carrier at a unitary loading and unloading station where the traverse is linear and bidirectional in its carriage drive.

Description

[ Apr. 9, 1974 BATTERY STRAP AND POST CAST-ON APPARATUS [75] Inventors: Donald R. Hull, Perrysburg; Robert D. Simonton, Fremont, both of Ohio [73] Assignee: Dynalite Corporation, Perrysburg,

Ohio

22 Filed: Sept. 28, 1972 21 Appl,No.:2 92,908

[52] U.S. Cl 164/270, 164/D1G. 1, 164/102, 164/108, 164/332 [51] Int. Cl B22d 43/00 [58] Field of Search 164/D1G. 1, 332, 333, 334, 164/100,102,l08,l09,110,ll1,l12, 76, 270; 228/58; 29/2 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Lazarus Attorney, Agent, or FirmDavid H. Wilson 7] ABSTRACT A battery cell carrier is arranged for generally horizontal and vertical traverse between a transfer station at which cell stacks are loaded into the carrier and cell assemblies are removed from the cell carrier, a burnishing station, a fluxing station, and a casting station, An elevator including rails supporting a carriage for -the cell carrier and a carriage transverse mechanism move the carrier to appropriate levels for operations at each station. The carriage transverse moves the carriage along the rails to or adjacent the stations. Controls sequence the elevator, the traverse and complementary equipment including mold filling and heating means. These controls for the traverse cause advance of the carriage to a cell lug bumishing position and thence to a lug fluxing position from which the carriage is advanced to a cast-on station when the strap and post molds are in a proper state for casting. When the cast-on straps and posts have cooled they are freed from their molds and the carriage with its carrier and its cell assembly or assemblies is-advanced to an unloading station. A single machine attendant loads and unloads the carrier at a unitary loading and unloading station where the traverse is linear and bidirectional in its carriage drive.

21 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENIEDAPR 9 m4 3,802,488

FIG.7A- FI6.7B FIGJC H670 PATENTEDAPR 91w SHEEY 2 BF 7 5m m H mwm.

. Ywj mom 7 pom mmm TATENTED 9 9 SHEET 3 [1F 7 PATENTEDAFH slam 3,802,488

sum 5 [IF 7 BATTERY STRAP AND POST CAST-ON APPARATUS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This battery strap and post cast-on apparatus is an improvement on and refinement of the apparatus disclosed in the copending United States patent application of Donald R. Hull and Robert D. Simonton entitled Battery Element Casting Machine: Ser. No. 72,442, filed Sept. 15, 1970 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,718,174 granted Feb. 27, 1973.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to machines for assembling lead-acid, electric storage batteries and more particularly to the casting-on of straps joining the lugs of plates making up storage battery cells and the posts employed as terminals and cell connectors in the finished batterres.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore it has been common practice to assemble as cells a plurality of lead grids coated or filled with suitable paste and grouped as alternate positive and negative plates separated by interleaved electrical insulating separators and to secure the assembly by casting a strap of lead on each set of grouped lugs extending from each of the positive and negative groups. As disclosed in Mayer U.S. Pat. No. 1,897,006 of Feb. 14, 1933 for Method of Casting Straps for Battery Plates, grouped plates were secured with their lugs extending downward into a mold for the strap and molten lead in the mold was fused to the lugs to make a plate assemblyv Machines for manipulating cell assemblies between several stations for casting operations have also been utilized as represented by Farmer U.S. Pat No. 3,504,731 of Apr. 7, 1970 entitled Battery Element Fabricating Machine. Such machines have been complicated in their structure and operation and have required the elevating, shifting and rotating of the plate carriages, the manipulation of the fluxing and casting station elements and the use of a non-circulating lead flow to the mold filling areas with the disadvantages of such form of flow. The aforenoted copending United States patent application discloses an apparatus in which the cast-on technique is combined in a machine permitting continuous circulation of molten lead to the immediate vicinity of the mold cavities whereby no residual lead is retained in the flow path to the cavities during the periods between successive casting operations and no movement of the mold and its associated lead conveying mechanisms is required in the casting operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION straps and posts, increasing the speed of casting, im-

proving the positioning of the plates within each cell the several processes required to be practiced upon them.

A third feature is an arrangement of fixed processing stations wherein the cells and the cell carriage are displaced vertically and horizontally to apply the process to selected cell portions without requiring manipulation of the stations. Advantageously, the stations are all on one side of the path of the carriage, and are oriented in a straight line so that simple linear motions of the carriage accomplish the necessary displacements without complex rotary and arcuate drive or guide means.

A fourth feature is a system for defining and controlling a sequence of steps whereby minimum time is lost in the cycle yet optimum casting conditions are maintained in the mold and molten metal at the time the cast-on operation occurs. In one operating mode the mold heating is initiated as soon as the carriage with the cell or cells having cast-on strap is cleared from the mold region whereby mold temperature for the next cast-on cycle is achieved with less delay than if heating were started during the next cycle and after the cell assembly currently being processed has been unloaded.

A further feature is a cell mounting and plate lug aligning fixture which cants one polarity group of plates of the cell in one direction and the opposite polarity group of plates in the opposite direction whereby separators of a given insulating separator form will produce a maximum length path between plates of opposite polarity around the side edges thereof for a given over-all cellwidth. This fixture aligns the plates of each polarity while enabling them to be mounted in inverted position at the loading station so that their lugs are exposed for processing by stations below their path of traverse through the cast-on apparatus.

A sixth feature is a programmer which automatically sequences the operations of burnishing the lugs of the plates then dipping those lugs in a fluxing liquid and, when the mold is filled with the material to be cast, generally termed lead herein, and the lead is properly conditioned as to temperature and surface state, places the lugs in the molten lead. The program then controls the apparatus to apply coolant to freeze the lead, to free the castings from the mold cavities, and to carry the plates with the castings on their lugs to an unloading station. This program control correlates operation of an elevator drive, the traverse drive, a mold filling means and a mold conditioning means. It automatically initiates its cycle when a cell carrier is placed at a proper location on the guide formed by the rails.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially broken away schematic perspective of the operating elements of the apparatus of this invention with supporting structure and drive details eliminated for purposes of clarity of illustrating of the operating functions and relationships in the loading of battery plate and separator stacks into a carrier, burnishing of plate lugs, fluxing of plate lugs, casting straps and posts on the lugs, and returning the cell assemblies with integral straps and posts to an unloading station;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plot of the traverse and coordinated elevation of the plates and separator stacks in the carrier showing limit switches and functions where the switches along the horizontal coordinate control traverse mechanism drive motion and those along the vertical coordinate control elevator motion of the traverse mechanism and a burner elevator;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the cast-on apparatus of this invention showing the carriage in the loading station and, for purposes of illustration, the main rails and traverse mechanism in the full up position and the mold heater in the down position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan of the apparatus of FIG. 3 with most of the elements below the operating stations omitted, the mold heater eliminated to reveal the mold mounting and only a fragment of the carriage;

FIG. 5 is a left-hand end view of the apparatus of FIG. 3 having the lug aligning fixture omitted and the elements to the right of the left-hand legs eliminated to clarify the illustration;

'FIG. 6 is a right-hand end view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, having many of the elements to the left of the right-hand legs omitted with the guide rails for the carriage in their full up position and themold heater in its full down position;

FIGS. 7A to 7D are enlarged, fragmentary, side elevation views of the elevator drive shaft having elevator control cams for the elevator limit switches actuated for the four levels as set forth in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the carriage and a typical cell clamp for a six cell storage battery groupmg;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectioned side elevation of the cell clamp and clamp actuator and latch of FIG. 8 taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a section view taken along the line l010 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 1 1 is an elevation ofa fragment ofa lug aligning fixture for cell groupings of plates as would be accommodated in the clamp of FIG. 8, showing the orientation of the plate groupings and separators achieved by the use of the fixture;

FIG. 12 is a perspective of the molten metal flow path associated with the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 3 including the container for such metal, the mold body with its passages and mold cavities, and the filling control;

FIG. 13 is a cross-section of the mold of FIG. 12 taken along the line l3-l3;

FIG. 14 is the electrical circuit for controlling the sequencing and operation of the various elements of the apparatus; and

FIG. 15 is a sequence or program chart for the circuit of FIG. 14 and the apparatus.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The apparatus of FIG. 1 includes a transfer station 11 for loading and unloading battery cells, a battery plate lug burnishing station 13, a lug fluxing station 15, and a strap terminal casting station 17 all interrelated by automatically or semi-automatically operated transport means. The transport means for the cells includes a carriage 19 (FIGS. 8, 9 and 10) in which cell carrier 21 is mounted arranged for generally horizontal motion along rails 23, and for generally vertical motion by controlling the elevation of the rails along guides 25. Stepby-step control of the apparatus is by a controller 27 and where automatic sequencing is desired by a programmer 29.

The motion of the carrier and the stacked plates is linear in two dimensions as represented in FIG. 2. A generally horizontal motion is imparted to the carrier 21 along rails 23 by a

chain

151 and 153 adjacent each rail outward of the carriage. Wheels 165 are supported on the carriage by axels 166 which protrude for driving engagement with drive lugs 164 on the

chains

151 and 153. Three locations along the rails are defined by limit switches LlS-l, LlS-2 and LlS-3 actuated from switch lugs 163 on chain 151.

The height of rails 23 and this carriage and its supported plate stacks is established by an elevator 39 comprising a frame having four legs 71 arranged for vertical motion in sleeve guides 25. Four levels are established by elevator 39. As shown in FIG. 2 these levels are defined by limit switches LlS-A, LlS-B, LlS-C and LlS-D all located to be actuated by

cams

107, 109, 111 and 112 (see FIG. 7) respectively carried by the drive shaft 83 of the elevator. The lowest level defined by USA is utilized for transfer of the carriage between the transfer station 11 and the rails 23, for dipping the

lugs

33 and 35 into the flux at the fluxing station defined by the traverse drive by LlS-2, and for immersing

lugs

33 and 35 into the molten lead in mold 43 at the casting station defined for the traverse drive by LlS-3. The next lowest level is defined for the elevator by limit switch LlS-B and is the level to which the carriage is raised to carry the

lugs

33 and 35 through the burnishing brush 37 such that the lugs pass through the bristles of the brush at the upper portion of their arc of rotation. The next to the highest level is defined for the elevator by limit switch LlS-C as the carriage is raised from the flux dip to a height to enable advance of the carriage 19 into the casting station 17. The maximum height defined by switch LlS-D is the return elevation utilized to carry the cell stacks with their cast-on straps and posts depending from

lugs

33 and 35 from the casting station 17 to the transfer station 11 for unloading from the carriage.

Elevator 39 is driven at each of its legs 71 by roller cams 81 mounted on crank arms 81 on

shafts

83 and 85. Cams 81 are confined between

elevator stringers

75 and 77 so that the range of variation in elevation is defined by the are through which rank arms 81 carry the roller cams 81.

Once the assembly of positive plates, separators, and negative plates constituting the elements of one or more cell stacks 31 are mounted in cell carrier 21 they are advanced through the cast-on process and the illustrated apparatus to burnish their lugs to remove undesired surface films and debris at burnishing station 13 by carrying the assembled plates past station 13. In that passage the plate lugs 33 and 35 protruding from the cell are abraded or scrubbed by a cylindrical brush 37 driven in rotation around its axis normal to the plane of the

lugs

33 and 35 and their direction of advance to the fluxing station 15. Upon reaching the fluxing station the traverse of carriage 19 is halted and elevator 39 lowers the carriage 19 and its supporting rails 23 to immerse the lugs in a liquid flux bath contained in a flux pan or tub 41 whereby surface films are removed and the lugs conditioned to make a good fusion joint with the lead straps and terminals to be cast thereon. Elevator 39 raises the carriage l9 and rails 23 to permit excess flux adhering to the lugs to drip into pan 41 while the material in the mold 43 is conditioned to be fused to the lugs.

When the strap and terminal molds are filled with molten metal, predominately lead, and when the mold 43 and metal therein are properly conditioned as to temperature and surface cleanliness, the conditioning apparatus, a burner 47 in the illustration, is raised by its elevator 49 and the carriage 19 is advanced to the casting station 17. Burner elevator 49 motion is represented in FIG. 2 as a vertical motion above casting station 17. Elevator levels are defined for its drive control by limit switches. The upper limit is defined by LlS-5 and the lower limit by LlS-4. The carriage 19 and rails 23 are lowered to immerse the

lugs

33 and 35 in the molten lead in their respective mold cavities 51 when the traverse to the position above the casting station is completed. The mold 43 is then cooled to solidify the metal in its cavities 51 and after a suitable interval a knockout mechanism 53 is operated to loosen the castings and then the elevator 39 raises the carriage l9 and rails 23 sufficiently to enable the castings to clear the flux pan 41 and burnishing brush 37 as the carriage is traversed to the transfer station 11.

Cells are unloaded directly into battery casings (not shown) by inverting the carriage 19 and its cell carrier 21 at station 11 and releasing the cell from the carrier while a casing is positioned to receive the cell or cells with their cast on straps and terminals. If the apparatus is programmed, the mold cavities 51 are filled and the burner 47 lowered and its flame directed on the mold and molten material shortly after the carriage is moved clear of casting station 17. This shortens the period required to cycle the apparatus since the casting temperature and surface conditioning can be accomplished during the unloading of the cast cells and the reloading, burnishing and fluxing of the next cells to be cast.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 the casting apparatus comprises a base frame including legs 55 upper, and lower

longitudinal struts

57 and 61, and

transverse struts

63, 65, 67 and 69. An elevator frame including legs 71, arranged for vertical reciprocation in guide sleeves 25, support rails 23.

Longitudinal stringers

75 and 77 secured to legs 71 are spaced to receive therebetween drive cams in the form of rollers 79 journaled for rotation on the cranks 81 secured to the

elevator drive shafts

83 and 85. Rotation of shaft 83 and its counterpart shaft 85 at the rightend of the apparatus as viewed in FIG. 3 carries cranks 81 through corresponding arc to raise and lower elevator 39.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, elevator drive motor 87 and drive 89 are supported on strut 65. Drive sprocket 91 from drive 89 is coupled to sprocket 93 through chain 95.

Elevator shafts

83 and 85 are journaled in pillow blocks 97 (FIG. 6) mounted on channels 99 extending between struts 63 and 64 whereby their rotation rotates elevating cranks 81. Shaft 85 is coupled to shaft 83 for synchronous rotation by sprocket 101 and chain 103 to sprocket 105. Rotation of shaft 83 controls the operation of the elevator since it carries

cams

107, 109, 111 and 112 which actuate limit switches LlS-A, LlS-B, LIS-C and LlS-D, on bracket 113 secured to channels 99, to the controls for motor 87.

FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D show the four positions of elevator drive shaft 83 illustrating the relative positions of roller cam 79 and the

cams

107, 109, 111 and 112 showing only the limit switch which is active for that shaft position and the elevation established relative to the fixed height of shaft 83 by the cam 79 drive relationship to stringers and 77.

Elevator 39 carries rails 23 and a traverse chain drive for the carriage 19 arranged to be driven by a traverse motor 1 19 mounted on a bracket 121 secured to leg 55. A right angle drive 123 coupled to the motor housing has an output shaft 125 driving an air clutch 127 which has its output shaft coupled to a sprocket 129. Idler sprockets 131 are mounted on the bracket 121 to carry traverse drive chain 133 into alignment with

traverse drive sprockets

135 and 137 mounted on elevator 39.

Sprockets

135 and 137 are maintained at a constant spacing by the structure of elevator 39 so that the raising and lowering of the elevator does not change the effective lengths of chain 133 and maintains the traverse drive effective at all elevations.

. Sprocket 135 is keyed to shaft 139 extending across the elevator 39 and journaled at pillow blocks 141 (FIG. 5) on angle brackets 143 secured to

stringers

75 and 77. Another sprocket 145 on shaft 139 drives a second traverse drive chain 147 on the end of shaft 139 opposite sprocket 135 to drive a sprocket 149 mounted for rotation with traverse chain sprocket 159. Sprocket 137 is similarly mounted for rotation with sprocket 155.

Traverse chains

151 and 153 extend along each rail 23 between sprockets 155 and 157, and

sprockets

159 and 161 respectively. Sprockets 155 and 159 are secured to the

shafts mounting sprockets

137 and 149 so that

traverse drive chains

133 and 147

drive traverse chains

151 and 153 in synchronism.

Displacement of

traverse chains

151 and 153 drives carriage 19 in its traverse and actuates controlling switches by means of lugs secured to the chain links as typified by lug 163 selectively positioned along the chain in relationship to carriage drive lugs 164. Lugs 164 are spaced on

chains

151 and 153 to abut the foremost and rearmost faces of the ends of the shafts upon which the wheels 165 of carriage 19 are mounted so that advance of the upper run of the chains to the right drives carriage 19 to the right and retraction of that upper run to the left drives carriage 19 to the left. Switch actuator lugs 163 protrude beyond lugs 164 so that passage of lugs 163 actuates switches while lugs 164 do not.

In the position shown in FIG. 3 the lugs 164 have been retracted to permit transfer of carriage 19 from rails 23, thus the trailing lugs are on the lower run of the chain. When the carriage 19 is returned to the rails 23, as will be described, its leading shaft picks up the leading lug 164 and, by virtue of the release of clutch 127 at that time, the

chains

151 and 153 are advanced to the right until the following lug 164 picks up the trailing angle of carriage 19 and lug 163a actuated LlS-l to start the operating sequence.

Carriage 19 is best illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. It comprises a main frame 167 having stub shafts 166 for wheels 165 on its ends. Advantageously, the wheels are flanged or grooved at 168 to restrain lateral movement relative to rails 23. Within the main frame are auxiliary structural elements to support battery cell fixtures or in the alternative the fixtures can be arranged with extensions to the frame 167. Typical fixtures include a mounting means such as cap screws engaging brackets 169 to an inner frame 170 made up of longitudinal bars 171 affixed to end plates 173 to support fixed clamp plates 175 in spaced relationship. Travel rods 177 are mounted between the bars 171 for reciprocation longitudinal of the fixture to displace movable clamp plates 179 toward the more distant fixed clamp plate 175 of its cell receiving cavity 181. Stacks of alternate positive and negative plates with intermediate insulating separators make up the cells which fit into the cavities 181. When a stack is placed in a cavity 181 and the clamping action should not be so severe as to mechanically disturb the stack hence each movable plate 179 is cushioned by a compression spring 183 abutting a collar 185 affixed to the rod and a face of a tab 187 extending from the plate between bars 171 and movable longitudinally of the fixture both with respect to the bars 171 and rod 177 passing therethrough.

Rods 177 are arranged for longitudinal sliding motion through suitable apertures in end plates 173 and are operated by actuator plate 189 having an extension 191 engaged with push rod 193 protruding from frame 167. The push rod 193 is advanced toward fixture actuator plate 189 when the cells have been positioned in their cavities 181 and is clamped in its advanced position throughout the manipulation of the cells in the apparatus.

When carriage-19 is in loading station 11, push rod 193 registers with a clamping cylinder piston rod 195 from cylinder 197 mounted on the main frame of the machine (FIGS. 3, 4 and In operation the fixture is loaded with stacked plate cell units while a transfer station 11 and an operator controlled switch such as a foot switch (not shown) is actuated to cause cylinder 197 to extend rod 195 thereby displacing push rod 193 and actuator plate 189 to clamp the cell stacks. While the pressure is maintained, clamp knob 199 is advanced to advance clamp plate 200 and its keyhole 200a (FIG. to its clamping condition where it encompasses a reduced portion of 193 and abuts flange 202 to maintain push rod 193 in its clamping position. Then the cylinder pressure is released to retract piston rod 195 and free the carriage 19 for displacement onto rails 23.

Loading and unloading station 11 is comprised of a turntable 115 for carriage 19 mounted for rotation around an axis in a plane parallel to rails 23 and normal to the traverse direction. Pivot bearings 201 are secured to arms 203 extending from legs 55 of the apparatus frame to support turntable 115. Each end of the turntable includes an upper and

lower rail section

205 and 207 spaced to receive the carriage wheels. When loading cell stacks, the turntable 115 is positioned as shown. It is rotated counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1 to unload the cells with their cast-on elements. In unloading the lug alignment fixture 209 is clear of the station and a battery casing is manually positioned over the upstanding and protruding bottoms of the cells prior to the release of the plate clamp knob 199 and the inversion of the carriage. Stops 211 between

rails

205 and 207 prevent the carriage from rolling out of the turntable as it is inverted to the position from which the cells are dropped into the battery casing.

Lug alignment fixture 209 is maintained in the position shown in FIG. 3 only during loading. In that position, it limits the depth of entry of the cell stacks into the clamping fixture cell cavities 181 by forming a bottom for those cavities. The fixture 209 comprises a pair of troughs 213 of V cross section formed in a frame having end plates 215 adapted to be secured to bracket arms 217 pivoted on shaft 219 extending between main frame longitudinal struts 57. A latching mechanism secures bracket arms 217 as cantilevers by means of the reciprocating latch arms 221 which abut latch blocks 223, and, when retracted by movement of handle bar 225 to the left in FIG. 3, permit the entire lug alignment assembly to be pendant from pivot shaft 219.

As shown in FIG. 1 1 the lug alignment fixture 209 offers an advantage in plate assembly over conventional assemblies in that the spacing of the side edges of the negative plates across the separators from the positive plates is increased, thereby increasing the resistance to mossing or treeing in finished cell This is accomplished by causing the lugs 33 on the plates 227 of one polarity to align those plates and cant them slightly in one direction while those lugs 34 of the plates 229 of opposite polarity are aligned and cause canting in the opposite direction and the separators 231 are centered as by the side bars 171 of the cavity 181 (not shown in FIG. 11). When clamped in this position during casting on of the straps, the plates retain their orientation in the finished battery.

Once a cell clamp 21 is loaded and closed, the lug alignment fixture 209 is lowered to free the lugs, and the carriage 19 is advanced from turntable onto rails 23 until the left-hand or leading traverse chain lug 163a actuates limit switch LlS-l. This enables the traverse drive control to condition the upper run of

chains

151 and 153 to advance and the elevator to raise the lugs to the height of the burnishing station 13.

In the

return condition chains

151 and 153 carry their lugs 164 on the left side of carriage 19 from the upper run of the chains to their lower run and below their contact level with the axles 166 of wheels 165. This permits the carriage to be shifted between the turntable or transfer station and the rails 23 without interference by the lugs. Advance by the traverse drive brings the lugs 164 on the lower run of the chains around sprockets and 159 to pick up and drive the carriage to the right in FIG. 3 past burnishing station 13.

A cylindrical brush 37 contained .within a shield 233 having an upper edge below a chord of the brush is driven in rotation around the cylindrical axis by a brush motor 234. The brush axis is parallel to plane of traverse and normal to the traverse direction so that brush bristles move in planes parallel to the major faces of the battery plates and their

lugs

33 and 35, and pass between those lugs during the traverse. During the burnishing portion the traverse the height of the elevator is adjusted so that the

lugs

33 and 35 pass through the bI'LlSl'l without contact of the brush with the

plates

227 or 229 or separators 231 (as will be described).

Carriage 19 is traversed through the burnishing station 13 to a position above the fluxing station 15 where chain lug 163a actuates limit switch LlS-2 to stop the traverse of the carriage. With the carriage stopped, the elevator lowers the carriage to the full down level. The flux trough or pan 41 is positioned to maintain the flux level therein at a height to cover the lugs without contact with the

plates

227 or 229 or separators 231. After immersion in the flux, the lugs are raised to an up and ready level and are maintained at that level over the pan 41 so that any excess fluxing liquid will fall back into the pan. The carriage 19 is maintained in this up and ready position until the lead in the mold cavities 51 is conditioned to be cast on the

lugs

33 and 35.

Casting station 17 includes the elements for filling the mold cavities 51 with lead, conditioning the lead in the cavities for casting on the lugs, indexing the carriage 19 with respect to the mold, and freeing the caston straps and terminals from the mold.

Mold cavities 51 are of the same general form as disclosed in l-Iull-Simonton U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 72,442. They are located in a mold body 43 removably secured to mold support brackets 237 which are fastened to the cross beam 69 of the machine frame. A mold body includes cavities 51 for the lug bridging straps coupling the

plates

227 and 229 into cells and cavities 239 for posts which are integral with each strap and can be employed to provide cell terminals either externally or internally of the completed battery. The post cavities 239 extend downward into the mold body 43 and have knockout pins 241 extending through knockout pin bores from beneath body 235 to the bottom of cavities 239 whereby the cast elements are freed from the mold.

With the knockout pins 241 retracted to close the bottoms of cavities 239, the cavities are filled by damming a channel in the mold 43 through which molten lead is circulated. As schematically represented in FIG. 12, a pot 243 of lead maintained in a molten state as by gas fired burners 245 has a suction conduit 247 to pump 249 for pumping molten lead through feed conduit 251 to the inlet sump 253 in mold 43. From sump 253 the molten lead flows along channel 255 extending along the longitudinal center of the mold to exit sump 257 which communicates with a return line to the pot 243 through a conduit 259. I

In operation, the molten lead is continuously circulated through channel 255 by operation of pump 249. The level of lead in channel 255 is below the flared side wall portions 261 shown in FIG. l3. When the

cavities

51 and 239 are to be filled, the output of channel 255 is dammed as by dropping a gate 263 at the juncture of channel 255 with exit sump 257 whereby the channel is filled and overflows its flared side wall portions 261 into

cavities

51 and 239. Gate 263 has an upper edge below the upper surface of mold 43 so that the flow of molten lead continuing after the cavities are filled will flow over that edge into the exit sump 257 for return to pot 243. when an interval sufficient to fill the cavities to overflowing has expired, the gate cylinder 265 retracts its piston rod 267, thereby causing gate arm 269 to pivot at 271 and raise gate 263. The lead level recedes in channel 255 to below flared walls 261 and thereby establishes the level in cavities 51 at the level of their upper margins 273.

The molten lead in

cavities

51 and 239 is conditioned for the cast-on operation by directing a deoxidizing flame over its surface from burner 47. Burner 47 is lowered to a position immediately above mold body 43 from which its flame impinges on the lead surface by means of burner elevator 49 comprising a crosshead 275 passing through the cutouts 276 in legs 55 and coupled to upstanding guide rods 277. Rods 277 are guided for longitudinal reciprocation by guide collars 279 on the right-hand legs 55 as viewed in FIG. 3. Elevator chain 281 is coupled to the guide rods 277 by clamp 283 and is directed between

sprockets

285 and 287 for its elevating run and to drive sprocket 289 and take up sprocket 291.

Burner elevator drive motor 293 and its reducer drive 295 drive sprocket 297 to chain 299 and sprocket 301 coupled to drive sprocket 289. Its controls are actuated by limit switches responsive to lugs on elevator chain 281 (not shown). Burner valves (not shown) are coordinated with the operation of burner elevator so that when the burner is in the down position the air-fuel mixture is fed to conduit 303 and burner 47 by a flexible coupling, the valves are set for a high flame and as the burner is elevated and retained elevated they are set to a'low flame sustaining level.

When the lead in the

mold cavities

51 and 239 is conditioned for casting onto the

lugs

33 and 35, for example as indicated by a thermocouple (not shown) in the bottom of mold 43 indicating a predetermined temperature has been attained, the burner elevator is raised, the valves for the fuel to the burner are turned down to a flame sustaining level, and the carriage 19 is moved to the casting position by its traverse and elevator. Traverse chain 151 advances the carriage 19 to a position above the cast-on station 17 while the elevator 39 is at the up and ready level. The elevator then is lowered. As the carriage 19 is lowered the trailing wheels 165 enter the flared mouths 307 of yokes 309 (FIG. 3) fixed to longitudinal strut 57 to precisely position the carriage and thus the lugs 33 and of the cells clamped therein with respect to the mold cavities 51, since mold 43 is also fixed to longitudinal strut 59. Elevator 49 lowers the carriage 19 to immerse

lugs

33 and 35 in the molten led in mold cavities 51 and maintains them stationary with respect to the cavities until the lead solidifies.

In order to accelerate cooling and shorten the machine cycle the mold 235 is cooled by passing a cooling fluid, conveniently water, through passages 311 in the mold body

adjacent cavities

51 and 239. This coolant is controlled by valves (not shown) and can be passed for a given time interval following immersion of

lugs

33 and 35 in the lead. At the end of the coolant interval defined by TDR-3, an air blast is passed through passages 31 1 to dry them and further cool them under control of a timed pneumatic valve TDR-4 coupled to a source of compressed air (not shown). 1

At the end of suitable over-all cool time defined by TDR-2, the cast straps and posts are removed from the mold 43, the carriage 19 is elevated and returned to the unloading station 11. Knockout mechanism 53 isactuated to free the castings from their cavities by driving knockout pins 241 (FIG. 11) into the bottoms of the post cavities 239 communicating with each strap cavity 51. Knockout pins 241 can be secured to a knockout fixture or plate in proper orientation to register with the knockout holes in mold 43 (none of which are shown) or they can be mounted in the knockout table 313, FIG. 4, which would otherwise mount the knockout fixture. Knockout table 313 is adjustably mounted on knockout crosshead 315 as by means of a mounting plate 317 secured to the underside of table 313 as by welding and clamped to the crosshead by clamp plates 319. Final adjustment of table 313 with respect to crosshead 315 is by means of a handwheel driven lead screw 321 bracket mounted on the crosshead to abut the lower edge of mounting plate 317. Crosshead 315 is driven by pneumatic force over a stroke limited by collars 323 on elevator legs 71 abutted by slide guides 325 secured to the crosshead and sliding on legs 71 whereby a stroke of about one sixteenth inch is permitted in motion of table 313 relative to the elevator mounted mold body 43 Cylinders 327 are pivotally mounted at 329 to legs 55 and have piston rods 331 pivotally coupled to crosshead 315 to provide the initial releasing force for the castings.

Following the operation of the knockout mechanism 53, the carriage elevator 39 raises the rails, carriage, clamped cells and their now cat-on straps and posts to a full up level at which traverse of the depending posts can be made across the fluxing and burnishing stations without interference. When the traverse returns the carriage so that its leading lug 163a is to the left of limit switch LlS-l, it is stopped and the elevator is lowered to its loading and unloading level so that rails 23 are in alignment with lower turn table rails 207. The carriage is then manually drawn to the turn table by the machine attendant, an inverted battery casing (not shown) is placed over the upstanding and inverted cell plates in carrier 19, the carriage and casing are inverted, and carrier latch 199 released to permit the cells to fall into casing.

While each of the processing steps of the apparatus as discussed above can be instituted by manual action of controls, great efficiency of operation is realized when the sequence is automatically programmed either for full automatic operation including automatic cycling or for manual institution of each automatic casting cycle. The circuit of FIG. 14 is for a programming control of the apparatus utilizing a stepping switch SS to establish the sequence of control operations of its programmer switches in conjunction with various timer switches, thermocouple controlled switches, and limit switches.

Stepping switch SS includes an eighteen position rotary selector switch having its positions numbered 1 through 18 inclusive and having a contact arm 333 which is selectively engaged with a contact for any of those positions and is driven by a drive motor M in step-by-step fashion such that on completion of a circuit to M a step advance is made. A program drum (not shown) is also driven in rotation around its longitudinal axis with contact arm 333 and is associated with programmer load switches having letter designations set forth as suffix letters as SSL-A through SSL-O for the load switches employed in the control. The drum can be programmed for each load switch and for each step so that each load switch SSL can be actuated for none, any or all steps. In one embodiment the load switches are aligned along the length of the drum with actuator arms (not shown) which are closed for each step for which an actuator pin (not shown) is mounted on the drum. Thus 15 drum segments or levels along the drum axis are employed, one for each load switch, and an actuator pin can be provided for each step for each segment. The steps for which actuator pins are provided in the program under consideration are illustrated in the chart of FIG. 15 where the shaded areas indicate intervals of closed load switches with the horizontal zones representing steps of switch SS and the vertical columsn the load switches SSL.

Power is supplied to transformer 335 through fuse 337 so that on-off switch 339 can be shifted to ON" to energize leads 341 to 343 to bus 345; the normally closed contacts Rl-A of emergency stop stop relay R1 and bus 347, to bus 349. Common bus 351 is connected directly to transformer 335. In this condition the circuit is responsive to the setting of recycle switch 353 to automatic or manual. On the manual" setting of contacts 353a, the circuit is further subject to the manual control of start switch 355 for each cycle at its contacts 355a. A second set of normally closed start switch contacts 355!) in the holding circuit of the emergency stop relay R1 drop that relay in response to a start button after emergency stop switch 359 has been operated to close the holding circuit.

Each cycle, whether on manual or automatic operation can be considered to start from the advance from step 16 to step 17. At the start of the cycle the

mold cavities

51 and 239 are filled with lead, the burner elevator is lowered and a high flame is imposed on the surface of the mold. For a manual recycle closure of the start switch 355a energizes position 16 at which contact arm 333 came to rest at the end of the preceding cycle. The burner remained in its raised position and the low flame was maintained from the time the preceding set of cells was advanced from the cast-on position for a prior manual operation. A circuit is completed through switches 353a and 355a to lead 361 to position sixteen of switch SS and arm 333. From arm 333 lead 363 energizes the step motor M of switch S5 through reset switch 365 and lead 367 to bus 351. This causes switch SS to advance to position seventeen at which time load switch SSL-M is closed for the manual reset. Closure of SSL-M has no effect with reset switch contacts 365b, open. The continued advance of the switch occurs when reset contacts 365b are closed, until the stepper and its programmer return to position 17. At position seventeen elevator motor control down starter coil 371 is energized by load switch SSL-F from bus 347 through the manual setting of recycle switch contact 353b, switch SSL-F, burner elevator bottom limit switch contact LlS-4A, coil 371 and bus 351. The lead gate is also closed to begin the filling of the molds by the closure of SSL-J at step 17 through the closed mold preheat" switch 375 to timer TDR-l and the control vlave solenoid 377 for gate cylinder 265. Timer TDRl opens its normally closed contact TDR-lA at the end of an interval of sufficient length to permit filling of the

mold cavities

51 and 239 with molten lead thereby deenergizing solenoid 377 so that double acting cylinder 265 retracts rod 267 ,to open gate 263.

High flame is enabled by load switch SSL-I which is closed for all steps except steps nine through 13. However, other prerequisites to the operation of the solenoid 379 for the fuel valve high flame setting are the positioning of burner 47 at its bottom position to close burner elevator bottom limit switch contact LIS-4B, and the temperature of the mold thermocouple below the casting temperature so that normally closed thermocouple switch contacts TC-A are closed. Thus, on manual recycle, valve solenoid 379 is energized as the burner elevator bottoms during step seventeen and is maintained through steps 18, and one through eight, at which time the mold attains casting temperature and contact TC-A opens.

Timer TDRl also closes its contact TDR-IB in the stepping switch control circuit to energize interconnected step positions 17, 18, one and two from bus 349 through lead 381. This again energizes step motor M through contact arm 333 at each of these positions so that switch SS advances to position three where its energizing circuit is interrupted by open limit switch LlS- 1A It will be recalled that LlS-l is closed when the carriage 19 has been loaded with the cell assembly to receive cast-n straps and posts and has been advanced from transfer station rails 105 and 107 onto elevator rails 23 by the machine attendant. At that time closure of LlS-lA again energizes arm 333 of switch SS to energize step motor M and advance the arm 333 to position four.

At position fourload switch SSL-A is closed to energize the clockwise drive starter coil 383 for elevator motor 87 to drive shaft 85 clockwise until the carriage is raised to brush height and cam 109 on shaft 85 closes limit switch contact LlS-B. With LlS-B closed, brush 333 is energized through position four to energize step motor M and advance the stepping switch SS to its fifth position. This advance of SS opens SSL-A to stop the elevator drive.

Elevatorposition is sensed from the rotational position of shaft 83. Since the elevator mechanism is a crank operating as an eccentric the motion imparted depends upon a combination of the crank position and its direction of rotation. Limit switch LlS-A is arranged to be actuated by its cam 107 on shaft 83 when theelevator is'at the load-unload and cast height, that is at its minimum depression, so that it is operated when cranks 81 are rotated 180 from their illustrated position. With the switch actuators on the plane through the axis of shaft 83 cam 107 is 90 counter-clockwise from cranks 81, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7A. LlS-B is actuated by cam 109 when the lugs are at their burnishing or brush height by a clockwise rotation from full down position. Since brush height is about one-third of elevator travel above bottom, cam 109 for LlS-B is about 170 degrees counter-clockwise from crank 81 as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7B. The up and ready height for the elevator is established when switch LlS-C is operated by cam 111 through counter-clockwise motion from the full down height, hence cam 111 is about 41 clockwise from crank 81 as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7C. The full up or return height is defined by switch LlS-D operated by cam 112 which is 90 clockwise from crank 81 as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 7D.

At the fifth position of SS the traverse motor is energized for forward drive by closure of switch SSL-C through energization of forward starter coil 385. This drive is maintained operative until the carriage is in position above the mold in step nine. However, the motor is engaged only when air clutch valve solenoid 387 is energized to engage air clutch 127. During the fifth position switch SSL-E is energized to energize solenoid 387, hence carriage 19 advances to a position above the flux trough 41 and limit switch LlS-2A is closed to energize position five. This energizes step motor M through arm 333 at position five thereby advancing SS to position six and opening SSL-E to release air clutch 127.

In position six, SS causes the elevator to dip the plate lugs 33 and 35 in the flux both by energizing elevator motor to operate in a counter-clockwise direction by closing switch SSL-B to energize counter-clockwise starter coil 389 for elevator motor 87. Elevator drive shaft rotates counter-clockwise to cause the cranks 81 carrying roller cams 79 to dip and raise the elevator over a path which immerses the lugs and then carries them to the up and ready position. When shaft 85 rotates to the up and ready position cam 111 operates limit switch LlS-C thereby energizing contact arm 333 at the sixth position of stepping switch SS.

Step motor M advances the switch to the seventh position thereby opening switch SSL-B to stop the counter-clockwise drive of the elevator motor 87. No further sequences occur until the mold reaches temperature. When mold temperature is attained, the thermocouple operates its switch TC to open contact TC-A and terminate the high flame, as described above, and closes contact TC-B. lf SSL-I and LlS-4B are closed, the closure of TC-B energizes position 7 of SS, thereby energizing step motor M to advance the switch to step eight.

Transfer to step eight transfers switch SSL-F to lead 391. If normally closed emergency stop relay contact RIC is closed and the normally closed elevator top limit switch LlS-SA is closed the up starter coil 393 for the burner elevator motor 293 is energized and the burner is raised. As the burner departs its bottom position LlS-4 closes to condition the elevator for descent into the next cycle of the apparatus. When the burner reaches its top position it operates burner elevator top limit switch LlS-S to open its contact LlS-SA and stop motor 293 while closing contact LlS-SB to the eighth position contact of SS. This energizes step motor M through contact arm 333 at position 8 to advance the stepping switch to position 9.

At the initiation of position 9 the lugs have been fluxed, the carriage is at its up and ready height and above the flux trough and the burner has been raised to clear the area above the mold. Switch SSL-E is closed by the programmer to again energize the solenoid 387 of the air clutch valve to engage the forward operating traverse drive with the traverse mechanism whereby the carriage is advanced to a position above the mold and limit switch LlS-3 is operated to close its contact and energize position 9 of the step switch. This energizes step motor M to advance to position 10.

The transfer from position 9 to position 10 causes the air clutch valve solenoid 387 to be deenergized since switch SSL-E is opened by the stepping switch. Traverse motor is stopped as SSL-C opens to deenergize forward starter coil 385.

When in the position 10 the elevator is lowered to its full down state by the closure of switch 'SSL-A to cause the elevator to be driven clockwise from the up and ready level by energization of starter coil 383. When the full down level is achieved cam 107 operates limit switch LlS-A to close contact LlS-AA and complete the circuit to position 10 of switch SS whereby contact arm 333 is energized as is step motor M. The stepping switch is thus advanced to position 11 and as it transfers opens SSL-A to stop the elevator drive with the

lugs

33 and 35 immersed in molds 51.

Position 11 is maintained during the cooling of the mold. Cooling is controlled on a time basis by an overall cool time timer TDR-2, a water on time timer TDR-3 and an air blast time timer TDR-4. The water on time and air blast time are tandem intervals both of which fall within the over-all cooling time. During position 11, switches SSL-K, SSL-L and SSL-O are closed to enable the timers, cooling water valve solenoid 395,

and air valve solenoid 397. Closure of SSL-K energizes TDR-2 to start the timing of the over-all cooling cycle and TRD-3 to start the timing of the passage of cooling water through passages 311 in the mold. Closure of SSL-L energizes cooling water valve solenoid 295 until timer TDR-3 times out and opens its normally closed contact TRD-3A. At the time the cooling water circulation is cut off by the opening of TDR-3A the drying of passages 31 1 is initiated by the closure of contact TDR- 3B to energize air valve solenoid 397 through normally closed contact TDR-4 and contact SSL-O.

The air blast interval is initiated by the closure of timer contact TDR-3C to energize the timer TDR4. Upon expiration of that interval, normally closed contact TDR-4A of timer TRD-4 is opened to deenergize solenoid 397 and terminate the air blast.

The physical relationship of the carriage to the mold is maintained for the balance of the interval defined by TDR-2. When TDR-2 times out, it closes its contact TDR-2A to energize stepping switch position eleven and, through contact arm 333, step motor M to advance the switch and programmer to position 12. That advance opens contacts SSL-K, SSL-L and SSL-O upon departure from the eleventh program step.

The twelfth program step is utilized to free the castings and raise the carriage from the casting position. Closure of contact SSL-l-l by the programmer energizes ejector valve solenoid 399 to cause cylinders 327 to drive crosshead 315 and ejector table 313 upward to free the cast straps and posts from the mold 43. Closure of contact SSL-A energizes the elevator drive motor starter coil for clockwise drive 383 to cause the elevator to raise rails 23 and carriage 19 thereby lifting the freed casting from mold 43. The elevator drives until it reaches the full up position which is the return height for the elevator at which the casting depending from the carriage will clear all underlying elements of the apparatus during its traverse toward unloading station 1 1. This full up position is sensed by elevator limit switch LlS-D which closes its contact to activate stepper switch contact 12 thereby energizing step motor M through contact arm 333. "lhe advance of the programmer opens contact SSL-A. Constant SSL-H is maintained closed to maintain lifting pressure on cylinders 327 until transfer to step 16. This avoids any tendency of crosshead 275 to cock on guide rods 277.

At programmer position thirteen the carriage is returned toward the unloading station. Traverse motor 119 is operated in the return direction by closure of programmer contact SSL-D to energize reverse starter coil 401 and the motor is coupled to the traverse drive by clutch 127 by closure of contact SSL-E to energize the air clutch valve 387. The transfer of SSL-G has no effect at this time since switch 353 is in its manual position. As the carriage passes above the fluxing station limit switch LlS-2 closes its contact LlS-ZB to step switch SS to position 14 without effect on the manual operation cycle since the burner is not in its full down position and switch LlS-4B is open to maintain high flame valve solenoid 379 deenergized.

Traverse of the carriage 19 continues during program step fourteen. When the carriage returns to the left in FIG. 3 at a position to actuate limit switch LlS-l contact LlS-lB is closed to step switch SS and the programmer to position 15. This advance opens contacts SSL-D and SSL-E to terminate the traverse drive. Closure of contact SSL-A causes clockwise drive of elevator motor 87 by energizing starter coil 383 until the elevator descends to its full down or cast and load height and limit switch LlS-A is actuated by cam 107 to close contact LlS-AB and advance the stepper and programmer to position sixteen.

Transfer from program step fifteen opens contact SSL-A to stop the elevator. At position 16 the reset indicator lamp 403 is lighted by closure of contact SSL-N to indicate the casting cycle is complete. Further advance of the switch SS and the programmer it controls is prevented on the manual setting until start switch 355 is again closed.

The automatic cycle of the control is similar to the manual cycle except for the initiation of mold heating upon the clearance of the carriage 19 from above casting station 17 and the automatic advance of stepping switch SS and the programmer from position sixteen into the next cycle. On automatic recycle, start switch 355a is bypassed by switch 353a to activate position 16 of switch SS and cause the advance of the program automatically to position three and, if the carriage has been loaded and moved to rails 23 to operate limit switch LlS-l by the time position three is attained, through the remainder of the cycle. On automatic recycle the burner elevator is lowered during program step 13 by transfer of switch SSL-G to lead 405 to the down starter coil 371 for the burner elevator motor from the up starter coil 393. When the burner elevator is at its lowest position, it closes LlS-4B. The l4step initiates the high flame from the burner by closing SSL-I provided contacts LlS-4B and TC-A are closed. Thus the mold temperature is raised even before the lead valve is closed to start filing the mold. This shortens the period required to bring the mold and lead up to casting temperature to operate thermocouple switch TC.

Manual control adjuncts are shown in the control circuit. Jog controls for clockwise and counter-clockwise elevator operation is afforded by spring centered manual switch 407. A manual traverse control switch 409 has two poles, one for the starter coils 385 and 401 and one for air clutch valve 387. It too is spring centered. At the time the apparatus is started, it is desirable to preheat the mold. This can be done by opening the circuit to the lead valve timer TDR-l and the lead valve so that the program will advance to the condition in which the flame from burner 47 is maintained on the mold without filling the mold and the thermocouple switch contact TC-A will control the high flame valve solenoid 379. Thus with switch 375 open, and the system control started, either by operation of start switch 355 on manual recycle or by setting automatic recycle on switch 353, the programmer advances to position seventeen to lower the burner and enable the high flame.

A manual switch 411 enables the mold to be cooled or dried. Three position switch 411 is normally centered and has no effect. When moved to water position and when the programmer is at its home position, the 16th position, so SSL-M is closed a circuit is completed from lead 345, through SSL-M, lead 413, switch 411 and lead 415 to cooling water valve solenoid 395. When in the air position, switch 411 is effective from 413 to lead 417 to energize air valve solenoid 397.

Conventional start and stop

button switches

419 and 421 are provided for the starter coil 423 for the drive motor 234 for bumishing brush 37 and through its starter contact 423 around start switch 419 to maintain the motor energized when started.

While the illustrations of the cell carrier of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 and the mold of FIGS. 8 and 9 has been for six cells which are typical of those employed in a l2-volt automotive type battery, it is to be understood that the apparatus is adapted for a wide variety of plate assemblies including single cells and a broad range of plate sizes by substituting suitablyv proportioned lug aligning fixtures, cell carriers and molds all of which can be mounted in the apparatus by conventional mounting means. Further, the apparatus lends itself to variations in elevation of the carrier by suitable shifting of the

cams

107, 109, 111 and 112 on the elevator drive shaft 85. While the mold filling interval of timer TDR-l is about 20 seconds and the cooling intervals are about 35 seconds over-all for TDR-2, to seconds for TDR-3 and about 5 seconds for TRR-4 each of these can be adjusted to increase or decrease their intervals provided mold filling is completed and the cooling is adequate to solidify and free the castings.

The apparatus lends itself to many variations, accordingly, the above disclosure is to be read as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is: I

1. Apparatus for casting elements on the lugs of battery plates comprising a battery plate carrier for securing an assembly of plates to be incorporated in a battery cell with their lugs in alignment and extending downward; a base; lug burnishing means mounted on said base; a receptacle for a fluxing agent for the material of the lugs mounted on said base; a mold secured to said base and having a cavity for the reception of the lugs; said burnishing means, receptacle and mold being mounted on said base along a straight line; a guide for said plate carrier defining a carrier path extending above said burnishing means, said receptacle and said mold; and an elevator for altering the elevation of said guide to establish operative spatial relationships between lugs supported by said carrier and said burnishing means, said receptacle and said mold.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said burnishing means, said receptacle and said mold are fixed in their position on said base.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said receptacle is between said burnishing means and said mold.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plate carrier secures said plates with their major planes vertical and parallel to the line of mounting alignment of said burnishing means, said receptacle and said mold; wherein said burnishing means includes a brush having vertically upstanding bristles and means to move said bristles parallel to the line of mounting alignment; and

wherein said elevator establishes a level for the advance of the lugs which engages said bristles with the lugs while in operative relation to said burnishing means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including traverse drive means for said carrier to advance said carrier past said burnishing means and move said lugs parallel to the motion of said bristles through said bristles.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said brush has a horizontal axis of rotation normal to the mounting alignment of said burnishing means, said receptacle and said mold; and including means to rotate said brush around its axis of rotation.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means to maintain said carrier and guide at a level to pass said lugs above the walls of said receptacle while said carrier is moved between a position above said receptacle and positions horizontally displacedfrom said receptacle; and means to lower said carrier and guide to contact the lugs with the fluxing agent in said receptacle in response to the presence of said carrier and guide above said receptacle.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a burner; means to move said burner arranged to move said burner between a position directing its heat on said mold and a position remote from said mold; means to sense a predetermined temperature of said mold; means responsive to said predetermined temperature to actuate said elevator to move said burner clear of said mold; and means to enable the transfer of said carrier to the region of said mold when said burner is clear of said mold.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a burner; means to move said burner arranged to move said burner between a position directing its heat on said mold and a position remote from said mold; means to sense the absence of said carrier from said mold and in response thereto enable said burner moving means to move said burner to the position directing its heat on said mold.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means to drive said carrier along said guide mounted on said guide for movement by said elevator.

1 1. Apparatus according to claim 1 including control means for said elevator for correlating the elevation of said guide with the location along said guide of said carrier.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1 including traverse drive means for said carrier for advancing said carrier along said guide and control means for said drive means and for said elevator for correlating the elevation of said guide with the location along said guide of said carrier.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 including a burner; means to move said burner between a position directing its heat on said mold and a position remote from said mold; said control including means to control said burner moving means; means responsive to the transfer of said carrier from the region above said mold to actuate said burner control means to position said burner to direct its heat on said mold.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carrier comprises releasable plate clamping means; a reciprocating clamp drive fixed on said base for displacing said clamping means to a plate securing position; and a latch for said clamping means on said carrier to maintain said clamping means in its plate securing position.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a transfer station mounted at a fixed height on said base, said transfer station being adapted for the mounting and removal of plate assemblies from said carrier; a transfer station guide means for said carrier; and means to align said first mentioned guide means with said transfer station guide means to facilitate shifts of said carrier between said first mentioned guide means and said transfer station.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 including means responsive to the presence of said carrier on said first mentioned guide means at a predetermined position adjacent said transfer station for automatically actuating said means to align said first mentioned guide means with said transfer station guide means.

17. Apparatus according to claim 15 including a mounting for said transfer station adapted to rotate said transfer station guide means around a generally horizontal axis and thereby invert said carrier; and a carrier retainer means to maintain said carrier on said guide means during rotation.

18. Apparatus according to claim 12 including means defining a program sequence for said drive means and said elevator; and means to initiate a program sequence in response to the advance of said carriage to a predetermined position along said guide.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 including a transfer station adapted for the mounting and removal of plate assemblies from said carrier; and wherein said predetermined position along said guide is adjacent said transfer station.

20. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carrier includes means to maintain a plurality of rectangular plate separators in a stack in a first orientation; means to align intermediate said separators a plurality of rectangular battery plates; means to incline the sides of all of the battery plates having a first polarity with respect to the sides of said separators; means to incline in a second direction opposite the first direction the sides of all of a plurality of the battery plates of a second polarity with respect to the sides of said separators; and means to clamp the stack of separators and relatively inclined battery plates.

21. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said transfer station comprises a frame having an open interior width corresponding to the width of separator plates to be incorporated in the battery and having an open bottom; a lug aligning fixture mounted below said open interior of said frame including a horizontal support surface, first and second spaced triangular crosssectional troughs having downward projecting apices; said troughs being spaced center-to-center, the centerto-center spacing of the lugs of said plates in the battery plate stack in an assembled battery cell, said troughs having a horizontal width less than the width of the lugs at a distance below the horizontal support surface less than the height of said lugs from the plate edges from which they depend whereby said first trough aligns the lugs of the plates of a first polarity through the thickness of the stack of assembled plates and raises the lug side of the plates of the first polarity adjacent said horizontal support surface above said horizontal support surface and said second trough aligns lugs of the plates of a second polarity through the thickness of the stack of the assembled plates and raises the lug side of the plates of the second polarity adjacent said horizontal support surface above said horizontal support surface; clamp means within said frame for clamping the stack of plates of a first polarity, and plates of a second polarity in alternate sequence with intervening separators mounted in said frame and on said lug aligning fixture as a cell assembly; and means to move said lug aligning fixture away from said clamped cell assembly.

Claims

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said plate carrier secures said plates with their major planes vertical and parallel to the line of mounting alignment of said burnishing means, said receptacle and said mold; wherein said burnishing means includes a brush having vertically upstanding bristles and means to move said bristles parallel to the line of mounting alignment; and wherein said elevator establishes a level for the advance of the lugs which engages said bristles with the lugs while in operative relation to said burnishing means.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means to maintain said carrier and guide at a level to pass said lugs above the walls of said receptacle while said carrier is moved between a position above said receptacle and positions horizontally displaced from said receptacle; and means to lower said carrier and guide to contact the lugs with the fluxing agent in said receptacle in response to the presence of said carrier and guide above said receptacle.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 including control means for said elevator for correlating the elevation of said guide with the location along said guide of said carrier.

21. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said transfer station comprises a frame having an open interior width corresponding to the width of separator plates to be incorporated in the battery and having an open bottom; a lug aligning fixture mounted below said open interior of said frame including a horizontal support surface, first and second spaced triangular cross-sectional troughs having downward projecting apices; said troughs being spaced center-to-center, the center-to-center spacing of the lugs of said plates in the battery plate stack in an assembled battery cell, said troughs having a horizontal width less than the width of the lugs at a distance below the horizontal support surface less than the height of said lugs from the plate edges from which they depend whereby said first trough aligns the lugs of the plates of a first polarity through the thickness of the stack of assembled plates and raises the lug side of the plates of the first polarity adjacent said horizontal support surface above said horizontal support surface and said second trough aligns lugs of the plates of a second polarity through the thickness of the stack of the assembled plates and raises the lug side of the plates of the second polarity adjacent said horizontal support surface above said horizontal support surface; clamp means within said frame for clamping the stack of plates of a first polarity, and plates of a second polarity in alternate sequence with intervening separators mounted in said frame and on said lug aligning fixture as a cell assembly; and means to move said lug aligning fixture away from said clamped cell assembly.