METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CASTING CONNECTORS

Abstract

A metering unit (14) for molten lead is paired with the molding cavity (13) of a molding block (6). The metering unit (14) includes a cylinder (1), to which molten lead is supplied via a blockable line (8), and a piston (2), which can be lifted in order to transfer molten lead into the molding cavity (13) in order to cast pole connectors onto battery plate lugs.

Claims

1. A method for casting pole connectors onto lugs of battery plates, the method comprising: providing a molding block (6) with at least one molding cavity (13); and casting a pole connector onto the lugs of the battery plates by filling the molding cavity (13) with a selectable, predetermined amount of liquid lead and allowing the lead to solidify, the method further comprising, prior to the casting step, adjusting the predetermined amount of liquid lead that is necessary in each said filling with a metering system (14) that is paired with the molding cavity (13) in the molding block (6) and that comprises a cylinder (1) and a piston (2) that is movable in said cylinder, the adjusting step including selecting a retracted, fill position of the piston with a stroke unit (4) that adjusts a static position of the piston (2) in the cylinder (1) of the metering system (14), and moving the piston to the selected, retracted fill position by adjusting the static position of the piston with the stroke unit (4), and transferring the liquid lead to the molding cavity (13) from the metering system (14) from below into the molding cavity (13), into which cavity the lugs of the battery plates project, by moving the piston (2) from the adjusted static position into the cylinder (1) of the metering unit (14) with the stroke unit (4).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transferring step includes moving the piston (2) in the cylinder (1) toward the molding block (6).

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising closing a supply of the liquid lead for the molding cavity (13) by actuating a shut-off device, which is paired with the metering system (14).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid lead is supplied to the metering system (14) via a line (8) that is a circulation system.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising closing a line (8) for feeding molten lead that empties into the recess of the cylinder (1) of the metering unit (14) with a shut-off device (7) during the transfer of the liquid lead into the molding cavity (13).

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a slide valve is used as the shut-off device (7).

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein a cock is used as a shut-off device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting step includes adjusting the static position of the piston (2) by moving an adjustment screw (18) of a vernier adjustment (5) that contacts a distal end of the piston (2).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein after the lead is solidified in the molding cavity (13), further comprising actuating ejectors (9, 10), and moving the pole connectors that are hardened and cast onto the lugs of the battery plates out from the molding cavity (13).

Description

[0037] Other details and features of the invention follow from the description below of a preferred embodiment of a casting device according to the invention with reference to the drawings. Here:

[0038] FIG. 1 shows in section (along line E-E in FIG. 2) a casting device,

[0039] FIG. 2 shows the casting device of FIG. 1 in a section that is oriented perpendicularly to section E-E, and

[0040] FIGS. 3 to 7 show views according to FIG. 2 at various stages when carrying out a casting process using the device according to the invention.

[0041] A casting device that is shown with its essential parts in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a metering system 14 with a cylinder 1 and with a piston 2. By actuating the piston 2, liquid lead that is metered into a molding cavity 13 (cavity) can be loaded into a molding block 6 from below. The molding block 6 has at least one molding cavity 13.

[0042] To actuate the piston 2 of the metering system 14 in the cylinder 1, a stroke unit 4 is provided.

[0043] The end of the piston 2 of the metering system 14 that is paired with the stroke unit 4 bears a flange 15. An elastic element, e.g., a coil spring 17, is arranged between an annular projection 16 of the opening, through which the piston 2 projects into the stroke unit 4, and the flange 15.

[0044] A vernier adjustment 5 is paired with the lower end of the piston 2 that is accommodated in the stroke unit 4. The vernier adjustment 5 comprises an adjusting screw 18, which is screwed into a carrier 19. The position of the carrier 19 can be adjusted, but remains unchanged during a casting cycle. By adjusting the adjusting screw 18, the position of the piston 2 can be adjusted in the cylinder 1, while the cylinder 1 is filled with lead. The piston 2, during lifting by the stroke unit 4, is pressed again adjacent to the stop 20 of the stroke unit 4 because of the spring 17. This has the advantage that the piston 2, independent of the position of the vernier adjustment 5 during lifting (filling of the molding cavity 13 with lead), is raised by the amount of the stroke that is set in each case, without the stroke of the stroke unit 4 having to be changed.

[0045] Liquid lead is supplied via a lead supply line 8, which is paired with a slide valve 7 as a shut-off valve, from a line 11, which can be designed as a circulation system or closed on one side.

[0046] The amount of lead in the metering cylinder 1 is determined, on the one hand, by the position of the piston 2 in the cylinder 1 and, on the other hand, by the position of the mouth 12 of the lead supply line 8 in the recess of the cylinder 1.

[0047] The alternative possibility of using an overflow system (with a weir) is not depicted in the drawings.

[0048] As mentioned, the amount of lead that is loaded by the metering system 14 into the molding cavity 13 in the molding block 6 can be adjusted in addition by a vernier adjustment system 5, with which the position of the piston 2 in the cylinder 1 can be changed during the filling of the metering system 14 with lead.

[0049] The casting device according to the invention also comprises an ejection system 3 with ejectors 9 and 10. Using the ejection system 3 and optionally the piston 2, a pole connector, which has been cast onto the lugs provided on the plates of the plate packet, can be ejected from the molding cavity 13 of the molding block 6.

[0050] The mode of operation of the embodiment of a casting device, shown by way of example in FIGS. 1 and 2, for carrying out the casting method according to the invention is described below based on FIGS. 3 to 7.

[0051] In FIG. 3, the stage is shown in which liquid lead is loaded into the cylinder 1 through the lead supply line 8 when the slide valve 7 is open until the desired fill level (for example defined by the position of the mouth 12 of the lead supply line 8 in the cylinder 1) is reached.

[0052] As soon as the prescribed fill level of liquid lead in the metering system 14 has been reached, the lead supply line 8 is closed by actuating the slide valve 7, so that liquid lead can no longer flow from the lead supply line 8 into the cylinder 1 (FIG. 4).

[0053] Now, by actuating the stroke unit 4 of the piston 2, as shown in FIG. 5, the piston 2 moves upward into the cylinder 1 of the metering system 14 in order to load the liquid lead into the molding cavity 13 of the molding block 6. During the filling of the molding cavity 13 with lead or shortly afterward, the lugs of the battery plate packets are immersed in the molding cavity 13. As soon as this has taken place, the molding block 6, and thus the lead that forms a pole connector and that is contained in the at least one molding cavity 13, is cooled.

[0054] After cooling has ended, the ejectors 9 and 10 and also the piston 2 are moved upward by actuating the ejection system 3 in order to eject the pole connectors cast onto lugs of battery plates from the molding cavity 13 (FIG. 6). In this case, the stroke can be approximately 3 mm.

[0055] As soon as this has taken place, the device is retracted into the position according to FIG. 3 (cf. FIG. 7), and a new casting cycle is begun.

[0056] In summary, an embodiment of the invention can be described as follows:

[0057] A metering unit 14 for liquid lead is paired with the molding cavity 13 of a molding block 6. The metering unit 14 comprises a cylinder 1, to which liquid lead is fed via a blockable line 8, and a piston 2, which can be lifted to transfer liquid lead into the molding cavity 13 in order to cast pole connectors onto lugs of battery plates.