Gnb Batteries Inc.

Teck Cominco Metals Ltd.

Gnb Incorporated

Thomas L Oswald

John V Marlow

Albert M Vincze

Rajindra Singh

David L Lund

Alby H Wolf

A method and apparatus for continuously producing pasted positive and negative electrode plates from pasted lead or lead alloy expanded, punched or cast metal mesh strip for use in lead-acid batteries without the use of paper barriers. The heating of cutting devices such as roll-mounted die-cutters to a predetermined temperature range of at least about 150&#xb0; C., preferably about 160 to 300&#xb0; C., and more preferably about 180 to 210&#xb0; C., eliminates sticking of the paste on the pasted metal mesh strip to the cutting devices and obviates the need for the paper barriers.

Paper elimination in the production of battery plates

A battery structure arranged to avoid the inefficiency problems which normally accompany container bulging in conventional absorbed electrolyte batteries such as sealed lead-acid batteries. The battery container is separated by partition walls into a plurality of working cells into which are closely fitted conventional stacks of plates and separators. The partition walls hold the plates and separators in intimate contact necessary for proper operation of the battery. Bulge compensating end cells are provided at either end of the battery between the working cells and the container end walls to accommodate pressure variations during battery operation. Compression means associated with the bulge compensating end cells maintains the plates and separators in intimate contact to maintain battery efficiency while permitting the container end walls to bulge.

Sealed absorbed electrolyte battery with bulge compensating end cells

A method of casting metal straps on lugs of battery cell elements utilizes an electrically heatable mold having a strap cavity section and comprises introducing strap metal into the cavity section, conducting electrical current through the mold for heating the mold to a predetermined temperature in excess of the melting temperature of the strap metal, immersing the element lugs into the cavity, cooling the mold to a temperature below the solidification temperature of the strap metal and removing the element lugs from the cavity with straps cast thereon.

Electrically heatable mold and method of casting metal straps

An element stack and a method of making same is provided in which assembling a relatively large number of relatively small electrode plates into an element stack is facilitated by positioning a first set of electrode plates onto a strip of separator material in pre-selected locations and then affixing such plates to the strip. The resulting product may then be readily processed into the element stack by insertion of a second set of electrode plates of opposite polarity to the first set and then folding the separator in accordion fashion. The assembly method is amenable to automation and the resulting cell element stack may be handled as a unit thereby facilitating battery assembly.

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Roseville, MN, United States of America

Thomas L Oswald