GB2227358A

GB2227358A - Process for the preparation of lead battery plates to forming and apparatus for the cleaning of plate lugs

Info

Publication number: GB2227358A
Application number: GB8929153A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jozsef Keri; Pal Kovacs; Gabor Nagy
Original assignee: Akkumulator Es Szarazelemgyar
Current assignee: Akkumulator Es Szarazelemgyar
Priority date: 1988-12-23
Filing date: 1989-12-22
Publication date: 1990-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 2009-12-22
Also published as: YU239189A; GB2227358B; HU205496B; HUT53247A; AT401320B; ATA292689A; CZ733989A3; PL162282B1; CZ279375B6; DE3942680A1; YU47677B; GB8929153D0

Description

i PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF LEAD BATTERY PLATES TO FORMING AND

APPARATUS FOR THE CLEANING OF PLATE LUGS The invention relates to the preparation of lead battery plates to forming, by means of pasting, drying of the plates, cleaning their lugs and parting the double grids. The invention also refers to an apparatus for the cleaning of the lugs.

It is known that when manufacturing lead batteries, first the double grids are pasted with an active material, then the pasted plates are dried in different drying equipments known in the industry. After drying the plates are led into the cleaning and parting apparatus, after a synchronisation operation, where the active material on non-appropriate places is eliminated and the double plates are separated, i.e. broken.

In the above-described operations the double grids are mechanically forwarded to the necessary operation positions by means of grasping the lugs 5 located on the double grids 14 shown in Fig. 1. Consequently, the final operation is parting of the double plates, their "breaking" into two individual plates.

This manufacturing procedure being generally known and used in the industry has several grave disadvantages.

Namely, separating of the double plates requires a separate 1 1 unit, the so-called synchroniser, before the cleaning parting apparatus, whereby parting, i.e. "cutting" of the double plates 14, takes place - at least theoretically - in the geometric center line 2 of the so-called sludge legs 3 of the double plates. The holes 4 of the sludge legs 3 are filled during pasting with the paste using the traditional process. The paste adhered to the lugs 5 during pasting must be eliminated when'cleaning the lug.

There are, however, different kinds of defects appearing in the functioning of the synchronization unit, thus cutting of the double plates can take place elsewhere than in the central line 2, and due to shearing the plates can lightly be deformed, a deflection of the sludge legs 3 into the plane of the plates can also take place. Their negative impact can appear in the assembling of the batteries, reducing efficiency of the manufacturing process. These disadvantages of mechanical character are completed by the high stress occurring during parting and by the falling out of active material and lead particles due to the high speed cleaning brushes in the cleaner, which does not only contaminate the apparatus but also and mainly the environment in a grave and dangerous way.

Due to the above-mentioned reasons, defects in the synchronization, lug cleaning and double plate parting units are very frequent, and their operation requires a continuous and careful supervision.

The aim of the present invention is to elaborate a 1 1 3 - process and equipment which render possible the reduction of the number of operational steps during preparation of lead batteries to forming, and at the same time a considerable reduction of damages and paste losses resulting from the mechanical stresses of grid and plate handling, further which make manufacturing more simple and reliable.

The invention is based on the recognition that the above-mentioned aim can be achieved and the operation of synchronization (positioning) can be eliminated, if the double grids are parted/cut immediately before pasting, i.e. the plates are pasted only after parting of the double grids and if the lugs are cleaned immediately after drying.

A further basis of the invention is the recognition that the active material adhering to the lugs of plates separated prior to pasting can be well and economically eliminated by a special apparatus, and this eliminates the disadvantage of it not being possible to forward the parted plates by means of catching them at their lugs, which method is generally used by the traditional equipments.

Based on the above, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of lead battery plates to forming by means of pasting, drying the plates, cleaning their lugs and parting the twin grids. According to the invention, parting of the twin grids is carried out immediately before pasting the plates, and lug cleaning is carried out after the pasting and drying of the plates by eliminating the synchronization process.

1 The invention further relates to an apparatus for cleaning the lugs of lead battery plates, shown diagramatically in Figs. 2a and 2b. The apparatus is provided with a drive, transportation tracks, supporting -tracks and brushes. The apparatus is characterized by consisting of horizontally arranged, parallel lower 15 and upper 15a supporting plates at an alterable distance, of lower rigid 12 and upper elastic transportation tracks located between the supporting plates 15 and 15a, and in planes parallel with them at alterable distances, of rigid supporting tracks 19 located in identical plane with the lower rigid transportation tracks 12 in one half of - the apparatus and with the upper transport tracks 16 in the other half of the apparatus, wherein the upper elastic transportation tracks 16 are separated by means of elastic supporting frames 21 from the upper carrying plate 15a, the transportation tracks 12, 16 and the rigid supporting tracks 19 are synchronously driven, further the apparatus consisting of cleaning brushes 13 limiting the lower rigid 12 and the upper elastic transportation tracks 16 from left and right, to which elastic supports 21 fixed in one half of the apparatus to the lower supporting plate 15 and in the other half to the upper supporting plate 15a are connected, and the elastic supports 21 fixed to the lower supporting plate 15 are arranged below the connected brushes 13, whereas the elastic supports 21 fixed to the upper supporting plate 15@ are arranged above the connected brushes 13, and the rigid supporting tracks 19 are arranged 1 I in the half of the apparatus with the elastic supports 21 fixed to the lower supporting plate 15 above the brushes 13, whereas in the other half of the apparatus below the brushes 13.

In case of an advantageous execution of the apparatus according to the invention, the brushes 13 and the rigid supporting tracks 19 pertaining to the brushes 13 are built only into one half of the apparatus.

An advantageous execution of the apparatus according to the invention is described in detail with the aid of the attached figures.

Figure 1 shows a twin grid.

Figures 2/a and 2/b show a diagram of the lug-cleaning apparatus attached to the dryer.

Figure 3 is the top view of Figure 2.

The apparatus acdording to the invention has a horizontal arrangement, whereby the distance between its parallelly arranged lower 15 and upper 15a supporting plates can be altered. Also the distance between the lower rigid 12 and upper elastic 16 transportation tracks, arranged between the supporting plates in parallel planes above each other, can be changed. The elastic upper transportation tracks 16 are separated from the upper supporting plate 15a by means of the supporting structures 21. The transportation tracks 12 and 16 have a synchronous drive, i.e. their forwarding speed is identical.

The rigid supporting tracks 19 are located in one plane with the lower rigid transportation path ar, b-ack 12in ave- 1 1 1 - 6 - half of the apparatus and with the upper elastic transportation path or track 16 in the other half of the apparatus.

The transportation rracks 12 and 16 can be manufactured either of chain or of belt.

The cleaning brushes 13 are connected in one half of the apparatus to the lower supporting plate 15, and in the other half to the upper supporting plate 15a through the elastic supports 21.

The brushes can be made either of metal or of artif icial f ibre. The lower rigid transportation path or track 12 and the upper elastic one 16 are limited from both sides by the brushes 13.

The elastic supports 21 fixed to the lower supporting plate 15 are arranged below the cleaning brushes 13, where- as the elastic supports 21 fixed to the upper carrying plate 15a are built in above the cleaning brushes 13.

In the half of the apparatus with the elastic supports 21 fixed to the lower supporting plate 15, the rigid supporting tracks 19 are located above the brushes 13, whereas in the other half of the apparatus the rigid supporting tracks 19 are arranged below the brushes 13.

Every transportation element of the lug-cleaning apparatus can be driven by means of an infinitely variable central drive.

We omitted in the figures those units which are vital for the functioning e.g. switches, motors, drive, waste collector etc. - but not necessary for understanding the invention and would complicate the understanding.

1 7 - The lug-cleaning apparatus is functioning as follows: The two plates 14 are taken separately by the transportatio tracks 12 and 16 after their separation in the parter, and forwarded with the same speed. Every plate is forwarded by two transportation path Or t pairs 12 and 16. 7e lugs 5 of the plates 14 are supported each by one rigid wpa:ffiortrack 19 at the frontal input part of the apparatus below - Figure 2a - and at the output part above Figure 2b. During forwarding of the plates, the lugs proceed first below the brushes 13 - Figure 2a -, then, going further in the second part of the apparatus - Figure 2b -, above the brushes 13, so the active material adhering to both sides of the lugs 5is removed by the brushes 13. The removed active material falls into a closed collecting container not shown in Figure 2.

The main advantages of the process and apparatus according to the invention are as follows:

a) Due to the elimination of synchronization, the process consists of feweroperations and it is more simple than hitherto.

b) Due to parting before pasting, the falling out of paste during parting is eliminated.

c) The apparatus parting the double grids can fit easily into the production line.

d) The process, including the parting and lug cleaning units, is largely productive.

1 e) Replacement of individual parts of the apparatus, e.g. of the brushes, is very simple.

f) The active material coming into the windows 4 of the sludge feet falls out during pasting and remains in 5 a closed loop.

9) The lug-cleaning apparatus is equipped only with stationary brushes, therefore no harmful vibration develops during operation.

h) The amount of scrap is reduced.

i) Due to the closed system, the contamination of environment caused by the active material and the fine lead powder is practically eliminated.

j) The pasted parts are taken by the apparatus smoothly, therefore the plates are not damaged.

k) The apparatus does not need a positioning role of the lugs, therefore smaller lugs are necessary. This brings, on the one hand, material savings and, on the other hand, elimination of cutting the lugs on size.

1) The plates can be fed into the apparatus from any side, so the composition of the manufacturing line becomes more simple.

In the annexed claims reference numbers have been used purely by way of example in order to facilitate comprehension, but it is hereby declared that absolutely no limitation of scope whatsoever is intended thereby.

1 1 i Q 9 C 1 1

Claims

C 1 a i m S

1. A process for the preparation of lead battery plates to forming, by means of pasting, drying the plates,'cleaning their lugs and parting the twin grids, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the twin grids are parted immediately before pasting the plates, and the lugs are cleaned after pasting and drying of the plates by eliminating the synchronization process.

2. Apparatus for cleaning the lugs of lead battery plates, provided with a drive, transportation tracks, supporting tracks and brushes, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t it consists of horizontally arranged, parallel lower(15) and upper (15a)supporting plates at an alterable distance, of lower rigid (12)and upper elastic transportation tracks located between the supporting plates(15 and 15a), and in planes parallel with them at alterable distances, of rigid supporting tracks (19)1ocated in identical plane with the lower rigid transportation tracks (12) in one half of the apparatus and with the upper transport tracks (16) in the other half of the apparatus, wherein the upper elastic transportation tracks (16) are separated by means of elastic supporting frames(21) from the upper carrying plate(15a), the transportation tracks (12, 16) and the rigid supporting tracks (19)are synchronously driven, further the apparatus consisting of cleaning brushes(13)1imiting the lower rigid (12)and the upper elastic transportation tracks (16 from left and right, to which elastic supports(21)fixed in one 1 A half of the apparatus to the lower supporting plate(15) and in the other half to the upper supporting plate(15a) is connected, and the elastic supports(21)fixed to the lower supporting plate(15)are arranged below the connected brushes(131 whereas the elastic supports(21) fixed to the upper supporting plate(15a)are arranged above the connected brushes(13), and the rigid supporting pathes (19)are arranged in the half of the apparatus with the elastic supports(21) fixed to the lower supporting plate(15)over the brushes(13), whereas in the other half of the apparatus below the brushes (131

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the brushes (13) and the rigid supporting tracks (19)pertaining to the brushes(13)are built only into one half of the apparatus.

4. Apparatus for the preparation of lead battery plates of the type having twin grids and marginal lugs for a forming process, comprising means for parting or severing said twin grid in an unpast ed state, means for pasting the parted or severed grids, means for drying the pasted plates, cleaning means for cleaning the lugs of each grid, and conveying means for conveying the grids through the cleaning means without gripping their lugs.

5. A process according to claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 2a, 2b and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 4 substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in Figures 2a, 2b and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Flublished1990 at The Patent Ofice.State House. 6671Hig17 Holborr,.Lor. donWC1R4TP Further copies me,, be obtained frcm The PatenLO5,--t Sales Branch. St MarT Cray. Orpington. Kent BR5 3RD Printed ky M,-2tiplex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray. Kent- C= 1 87,