A device for casting electrode grids for producing lead acid batteries in a continuous casting process. The device includes a casting wheel and a casting shoe which rests on an outer circumference of the casting wheel. Liquid lead exiting the casting shoe flows into a concave mold of the casting wheel surface and is removable as a solidified lead strip. The casting shoe is made up of two or more zones, at least a first hot zone with a temperature above the melting point of lead and a second, thermally separated zone with a temperature below the melting point of lead. Cooling the lead strip from two sides (the wheel side and the shoe side) avoids columnar crystal formation and increases the casting speed to 40 meter per minute and above. Thermal isolation of the lead feeding tube avoids re-flowing of lead to a lead pot, reducing PbO formation.

A device for casting electrode grids for producing lead acid batteries in a continuous casting process. The device includes a casting wheel and a casting shoe which rests on an outer circumference of the casting wheel. Liquid lead exiting the casting shoe flows into a concave mold of the casting wheel surface and is removable as a solidified lead strip. The casting shoe is made up of two or more zones, at least a first hot zone with a temperature above the melting point of lead and a second, thermally separated zone with a temperature below the melting point of lead. Cooling the lead strip from two sides (the wheel side and the shoe side) avoids columnar crystal formation and increases the casting speed to 40 meter per minute and above. Thermal isolation of the lead feeding tube avoids re-flowing of lead to a lead pot, reducing PbO formation.

An apparatus and process for melting and using scrap pieces of lead or lead alloy from making a web of connected grids for a lead acid battery by forming holes through a solid strip of lead or lead alloy. The scrap pieces may be compacted into briquettes which are submerged in a pool of liquid lead or lead alloy below the top surface of the pool and melt in the pool. Liquid lead from the pool may be cast into solid strips from which webs of grids are made.

A system and method of manufacturing an aluminum fuel cell cradle includes providing a negative cast mold having cavities to form the cradle and providing a feeding mechanism disposed about the mold and in fluid communication with the cavities thereof. The feeding mechanism includes a plurality of primary risers connected to and in fluid communication with cavities. The method further includes melting a first metallic material to define a molten metallic material, and moving the mold to a vertical casting orientation about a rotational axis, while feeding molten metallic material through the runner to the cavities, and cooling the molten metallic material to define a solidified metallic material. A second solidification time in the risers is greater than a first solidification time in the mold such that shrinkage of the solidified metallic material occurs in the risers away from the mold.

A system and method of manufacturing an aluminum fuel cell cradle includes providing a negative cast mold having cavities to form the cradle having a length greater than a width to define a longitudinal axis and providing a feeding mechanism disposed about the mold and in fluid communication with the cavities thereof. The feeding mechanism includes primary risers connected to and in fluid communication with the cavities. The method further includes melting a first metallic material to define a molten metallic material, moving the mold to a vertical orientation about the longitudinal axis while feeding molten metallic material through the runner to the cavities, and moving the cast mold to a horizontal orientation. A second solidification time in the risers is greater than a first solidification time in the mold such that shrinkage of the solidified metallic material occurs in the risers away from the mold.

A system and method of manufacturing an aluminum fuel cell cradle includes providing a negative cast mold having cavities to form the cradle having a length greater than a width to define a longitudinal axis and providing a feeding mechanism disposed about the mold and in fluid communication with the cavities thereof. The feeding mechanism includes primary risers connected to and in fluid communication with the cavities. The method further includes melting a first metallic material to define a molten metallic material, moving the mold to a vertical orientation about the longitudinal axis while feeding molten metallic material through the runner to the cavities, and moving the cast mold to a horizontal orientation. A second solidification time in the risers is greater than a first solidification time in the mold such that shrinkage of the solidified metallic material occurs in the risers away from the mold.

In a method for the production of semi-finished copper products, first copper is melted and cast to produce copper anodes, in one casting procedure, within multiple ingot molds, subsequently copper cathodes are formed by electrolysis, using at least one of the copper anodes, and then these copper cathodes are processed further to produce semi-finished copper products. A long-term coating is applied to at least one of the ingot molds as a wash, a sulfur-free wash is applied to the ingot mold and/or part of the work pieces cast in the ingot molds is directly processed further to produce semi-finished copper products. A method and an apparatus applies a wash to an ingot mold and a system produces semi-finished copper products.

In a method for the production of semi-finished copper products, first copper is melted and cast to produce copper anodes, in one casting procedure, within multiple ingot molds, subsequently copper cathodes are formed by electrolysis, using at least one of the copper anodes, and then these copper cathodes are processed further to produce semi-finished copper products. A long-term coating is applied to at least one of the ingot molds as a wash, a sulfur-free wash is applied to the ingot mold and/or part of the work pieces cast in the ingot molds is directly processed further to produce semi-finished copper products. A method and an apparatus applies a wash to an ingot mold and a system produces semi-finished copper products.

Equipment and a machine and a process for continuously casting strips of battery foils and/or strips of battery grids. The battery foils and grids are composed of lead or a lead alloy material. The foils, in particular, can be employed as current collectors in bipolar batteries. The machine, per an implementation, has a mold ring, a movable belt, one or more rollers, and one or more shoes. The mold ring rotates and has a mold cavity. The mold cavity can establish foil molds or grid molds. The movable belt moves about the roller(s) with a face in confrontation with the mold ring. The shoe(s) urges the movable belt into engagement with the mold ring. Liquid lead is delivered to the mold cavity adjacent the location in which the movable belt engages the mold ring amid use of the machine.

The present invention generally relates to the forming of battery components and in particular, but not exclusively, to such apparatus for use in manufacturing cast on straps during the manufacture of batteries. More specifically the invention relates to a mould for forming battery components, a cast on strap machine for moulding battery components and a lead delivery apparatus for a cast on strap machine.