Automated post burn station

An automated apparatus for sequentially forming integrally fused battery terminals on a plurality of storage batteries is described wherein a head means having a mold means adjustably mounted thereon is automatically movable with respect to a vertical axis, and has slidably mounted thereon a burning means for automatically producing a variable intensity flame for melting said battery elements to form said integrally fused battery terminal during a vertical stroke thereof. A novel molding means is described comprising a structural member composed of aluminum or other high heat transfer material, which is adapted to interchangeably engage an aluminum mold member which mates with a structural housing and which actually forms the voids in which the melting and casting processes take place. The mold members, which are also composed of aluminum or other high heat transfer material, are provided with a novel mold coating consisting essentially of aluminum oxide formed through a hard surface anodizing process. This novel mold coating is disposed on the surfaces of the mold members which define molding voids, and act as a thermal barrier to cause momentary delay of heat transfer from the melted terminal posts to the remainder of the mold members and their associated structural housings. This novel mold coating is described as having superior release characteristics, while facilitating the formation of high quality battery terminal posts. Novel means are provided wherein the mold member and structural member are complementally conformed to ensure inter-engagement in the operating position facilitating excellent heat transfer to the cooling medium. A novel thermocouple means is mounted on a structural member, the tip of which is embedded within a protrusion formed on the mold member, which thermocouple means and its associated logic cooperate with the operational logic to ensure that uniform high quality terminals are consistently produced.

The present application is also related to my prior copending application 
Ser. No. 659,572, filed Feb. 19, 1976, entitled "Method of Casting Lead 
Alloy Automotive Battery Parts"; Ser. No. 423,317, filed Dec. 10, 1973, 
now U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,624, dated Jan. 27, 1976, entitled "Acid Filling 
Apparatus for Batteries or the Like"; as well as to my prior copending 
patent application Ser. No. 605,271, filed Aug. 18, 1975, now U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,010,840, entitled "Automatic Air Leak Testing Apparatus and Method 
for Multiple Chambered Containers Such As Batteries", which applications 
are also specifically incorporated by reference as if fully set forth 
herein. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to the field of battery post 
forming and/or burning, and more particularly, to the field of burning 
battery posts with battery cover bushings for the purpose of forming an 
integrally fused battery terminal on the outer surface of the battery 
case. This invention, therefore, relates to welding in general, and 
specifically, for welding battery terminal posts, as for example, the type 
of battery terminals used in automobile batteries. 
In the welding of various members together, it is commonplace to use a 
welding rod having flux therein, for many types of welding, such as arc 
welding. In other instances, particularly when the materials being welded 
together are soft, such as those comprising pot metal, lead, lead alloys, 
or like materials, welding may be effected by application of open flame to 
members that are to be welded together. In many instances, such techniques 
are highly desired and quite meritorious, however, in some instances, as, 
for example, when electrical conductivity is desired, it becomes paramount 
that the connection between members being welded be such as to create 
minimal electrical resistance. 
In the manufacture of electric storage batteries, such as the lead acid 
batteries normally used in automobiles, groups of battery plates and 
separators contained in separate cells in a battery case are placed in the 
case, after which time the various cells are joined in any of a number of 
ways to form intercellular connections therebetween. At the end of the 
storage battery, slender battery posts which will form the positive and 
negative terminals of the battery extend above the upper surface of the 
open battery case. These battery cases, which are normally composed of 
polypropylene or other plastic material, are adapted to receive thereon a 
polypropylene battery cover, which has formed therein two lead bushings 
adapted to be pierced by the battery posts when the cover is fitted onto 
the top of the case. A liquid-tight seal is then formed between the 
battery case and battery cover, either by gluing, ultrasonic welding, or 
by heat sealing means, and the final mechanical assembly is completed by 
fusing the battery post elements with the battery cover bushing elements 
to produce the desired positive and negative battery terminals. 
Following the burning of the battery bushing elements and battery post 
elements to form positive and negative terminals on the battery, acid 
filling, forming, and other operations may be conducted in order to 
produce a finished battery. Consequently, the burning process for forming 
integral, leak-proof battery terminals is only one step in the assembly of 
the complete electric storage battery. 
In welding battery posts, either during the fusing process with battery 
cover bushing elements or with adjacent posts, it is possible to use a 
gas-oxygen torch or the like, of an intensity which will permit the 
delivery of sufficiently high temperature to the elements to be joined, 
while at the same time preventing the material at the upper end of the 
posts closest to the flame from reaching excessive temperatures, such that 
early metal flow from the upper ends of the posts commences, such flow 
continuing down into the space between the posts and bushings and/or 
between the two posts above the separator plates, and solidifying there, 
before lower ends of the posts in the vicinity of the upper end of the 
separator plate and/or at the base of the bushings have become 
sufficiently heated, thereby resulting in an incomplete fusion of metal at 
a location corresponding to the base of the battery terminal to be formed 
and/or at the upper edge of the cell partition. Thus, the result is that 
while a good fusion may exist at the upper ends of the weld, often, at the 
lowermost ends of the weld the fusion is imperfect, with insufficient bond 
to provide sufficiently low electrical resistance as a connector. In order 
to avoid this, an operator may play the torch between the various elements 
to be welded, however, particularly in the case of the polypropylene 
battery cover, it is not possible to hold the torch in close proximity to 
that battery cover for fear that the battery cover will become scorched or 
damaged around its junction with the bushing. It is, of course, well known 
to reduce the possibility of scorching and to otherwise improve the 
quality of a battery terminal post by placing molds around the battery 
terminals and by moving the torch relative thereto, either manually or 
otherwise, to produce the fusion of the posts and bushings. Nonetheless, 
the results of welding battery terminals often results in variations or 
lack of uniformity in weldments, depending upon the particular operator or 
welder involved, as well as resulting in an undesirable percentage of 
rejects due to welds that have a sufficiently good external appearance to 
pass customary quality controls, but which are really poor weldments. 
Furthermore, since the appearance of battery terminals, unlike 
intercellular connections, are available for visual inspection by the 
intended consumer, even if a weld of high electrical integrity is formed 
by the process the battery is likely to be rejected if the resulting 
battery terminal lacks a solid, uniform appearance. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed towards overcoming the above and other 
difficulties in connection with the welding of battery terminal posts, as 
well as with welding in general, by providing a novel method and apparatus 
whereby adjacent members, such as battery terminal posts and battery cover 
bushings, may be welded. In the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, an apparatus is provided comprising a head means, movable along 
the vertical axis, having mounted thereon a mold means which is adapted to 
matably encircle the battery bushing element and battery post element to 
be fused, and to act as a mold when the head means capable of producing a 
variable intensity flame for preheating, melting and post warming said 
battery elements is mounted in slidable engagement on said head means. The 
heat which is applied thereby is automatically modulated not only by the 
proximity of the burning means as it moves towards and away from the 
battery elements to be melted, but also by a preselected variation of the 
intensity of the flame produced by the burning means, which variation is 
produced as the burning means moves between the pilot and the burning 
position. The novel flame regulation of the preferred embodiment of the 
present invention is accomplished through the use of a fixed trip member 
mounted on the head means, which cams with a lever means which is adapted 
to regulate the gas flow of the burner. Consequently, by reason of 
movement and the variable flame intensity described above, applicant has 
provided modulated heat application which produces an extremely uniform 
battery terminal. 
A novel conveyor means is also provided which is adapted to sequentially 
store and move batteries from a first hold position to a second operating 
position. This conveyor means further provides clamp means for 
transversely forcing each of said batteries into a battery element fusing 
position with respect to the vertical axis of travel of said burning means 
and said mold means. A feed sensing means is mounted on the apparatus for 
sensing the longitudinal advancement of a battery from the hold position 
towards the operating position, and for causing the stop means to move 
from the normal position which does not impede the longitudinal movement 
of batteries to the stop position wherein batteries are halted at said 
hold and operating positions. The feed sensing means further causes the 
movement of the clamp means from its retracted to its clamped position in 
timed response to the sensing of longitudinal movement of batteries. An 
alignment sensing means then determines the movement of the clamp means to 
the fully clamped position, and causes a cylinder means to move a head 
means from its standby to its molding position, wherein molds which are 
adjustably mounted on the head means matably encircle said battery 
elements to define a void therearound of the shape of the desired battery 
terminal. As the head means moves to the molding position, an abort means 
senses the lack of a battery in the battery fusing position, as might 
occur where a battery has been manually removed or where the apparatus has 
otherwise malfunctioned. This abort means then overrides the remaining 
portion of the operating cycle of the apparatus, preventing the flame from 
firing and causing the head means to return to the standby position and 
the stop means to move from the stopped to the normal position so that the 
next battery may be introduced into the apparatus. 
Alternatively, battery sensing means are provided to determine the presence 
of a battery in the fusing position when the head means assumes the 
molding position, which battery sensing means causes a hydraulic cylinder 
to move the burning means from its pilot to a burning position. As 
described above, the burning means further comprises a lever means for 
contacting a trip member fixedly engaged on the head means, thereby 
automatically regulating the intensity of the flame from a minimum pilot 
flame when the burning means is in the pilot position to a maximum when 
the burning means is in the burn position. As a result, as the burning 
means moves towards the elements to be fused, the intensity of heat 
administered to those elements increases as the result of the proximity of 
the flame to those elements, and also by reason of the intensity of that 
flame. Upon movement of the burning means to the burning position, a 
travel sensing means determines the presence of said burning means in that 
burning position and causes the aforementioned hydraulic means to 
immediately begin moving the burning means back to said pilot position. 
The aforementioned trip member and lever means similarly respond to the 
retraction of the burning means by gradually reducing the intensity of the 
flame to its pilot condition. As a result of this novel burner action, the 
battery elements to be fused are preheated prior to melting, which 
preheating helps to eliminate the production of a cold joint such as might 
occur had the high intensity flame initially been directly applied to the 
cold battery elements. During the melting portion of the cycle, the high 
intensity flame is in close proximity to the elements, causing the 
complete melting thereof. Finally, as the torch carriage returns towards 
the pilot position, a post-heating phase of the cycle occurs which 
prevents the outer surfaces of the terminal from prematurely cooling, 
thereby creating a puddling effect on the top of the melted terminal which 
produces an even, uniform terminal. As a final result, the novel burning 
cycle of the present invention produces a fused joint which is extremely 
even and in which there is little or no layering or antimony 
precipitation. 
A novel mold temperature monitoring means is provided for sensing the 
temperature of the mold member during the burning process and allowing the 
temperature of that mold member to "spike" during the burn while disabling 
or delaying the apparatus, or sounding an alarm to indicate either the 
insufficiency of the chill time allotted or the inadequacy of the cooling 
fluid to cool the mold member to a suitable temperature prior to 
withdrawal of the mold member. In an alternate embodiment of the present 
invention, the chill time is directly controlled by the information 
received from the temperature sensing logic so that, depending upon the 
efficiency of the cooling system, the chill time may be shortened or 
lengthened. A further advantage of the present invention is that the use 
of this thermocouple logic allows the mold to run relatively warmer than 
normally permitted, thereby increasing the quality of joint produced 
without running the attendant risk of mold overheat. 
Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the present invention is the 
provision of an electric storage battery post burner which produces a high 
quality, integral battery terminal. Another aim of the present invention 
is to provide a fully automated post burning station which rapidly and 
reliably processes batteries on which said terminals are to be formed. 
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel 
temperature sensing means for regulating the chill time required to form 
any given battery terminal. 
Further objects of this invention reside in the construction and 
particularly novel welding apparatus, more fully described hereinafter. 
Other objects and advantages of the present invention, such as apparatus 
and method particularly directed towards the welding of battery terminal 
posts, will be readily apparent, as will objects of a generally broader 
nature, from a reading of the following brief description of the drawings, 
detailed description of the preferred embodiment, and the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
Although specific forms of the invention have been selected for 
illustration in the drawings, and the following description is drawn in 
specific terms for the purpose of describing these forms of the invention, 
this description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which 
is defined in the appended claims. 
Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is made to FIG. 1, which 
shows the automated post burn station of the present invention. Many of 
the structural details of this automated post burn station are shown in 
phantom in FIG. 1, and in particular, the supporting structure in much of 
the conveying mechanism of this post burn apparatus is illustrated in 
phantom. Except as otherwise indicated herein, the structure and function 
of this automated post burn station is the same as that described in my 
prior copending patent application entitled "Automated Post Burn Station," 
U.S. Ser. No. 618,772, filed Oct. 2, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,980,126, 
which disclosure is fully incorporated as if fully set forth herein. 
As seen in FIG. 1, the welding assembly designated generally 213 is 
comprised of a head means movable with respect to the frame 200 of the 
apparatus along a vertical axis by means of the operation of the cylinder 
241 and rod 245 as described above, and a mold means 214 adjustably 
mounted on said head means for slidably engaging said head means also for 
movement with said head means along that vertical axis. The head means of 
the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises air cylinder 
241, cylinder rod 245, shaft adaptor block 301, shaft manifold rods 303 
and 305, respectively, and upwardly depending rods 214 and 216. The mold 
means 214, which is adjustably mounted in said head means, is mounted on 
longitudinal supporting rod 313 extending between carriage blocks 309 and 
311. The mold carriage blocks 315 and 317 act as the supporting structure 
for molds 319 and 321, which will be more fully described hereinafter. The 
apparatus shown in FIG. 1 illustrates the position wherein the head means 
is in its molding position by means of the full extension of rod 245, as 
indicated by the clearance of upwardly extending rods 214 and 216 and the 
space disposed between shaft adaptor block 301 and bearing assemblies 248 
and 249. Upon activation of cylinder 241, which is a double-acting 
cylinder, the head means may be moved from the molding position as shown 
in FIG. 1 to a standby position wherein shaft adaptor block 301 is 
substantially contiguous to bearing assemblies 248 and 249. The burning 
means of the present invention is capable of selectively producing a flame 
for melting the battery elements to be fused, said burning means being 
mounted in slidable engagement along the vertical axis of movement of the 
head means, being slidably movable in that axis with respect to said head 
means. Hydraulic cylinder 323, which is a doubleacting hydraulic cylinder, 
and rod 325, which is associated therewith, are actuatable to produce the 
movement of torch carriage 327 along the lower portions of manifold shafts 
303 and 305. As may be seen in FIG. 1, locating template 329 is provided 
on the torch carriage for precisely positioning the burning tips 228 and 
233 within the longitudinal axis of of advancement of the batteries along 
the conveyor 203. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the torch carriage 327 is in 
the burning position, as indicated by the close proximity between the 
burning tips 228 and 233 and the molds 219 and 321, respectively. Movement 
to the burning position has been produced by the extension of rod 325 in 
response to the activation of hydraulic cylinder 323. Not shown in FIG. 1, 
but important to the functioning of the torch carriage in a safe manner, 
is the provision of spring biased means extending between the manifold 
block 307 and the torch carriage designated generally 327, which spring 
biased means act to return the torch means to its pilot position in the 
event of power failure. In normal operation, however, the torch carriage 
is returned to its pilot position through activation of hydraulic cylinder 
323, which causes the retraction of rod 325 and consequently draws torch 
carriage 327 towards manifold block 307, so that the torch carriage and 
manifold block are substantially contiguous to each other. In the burning 
position, as shown in FIG. 1, the trip bar 340 is engaging and depressing 
trip levers 341 and 342, which are attached to torches 343 and 344 by 
means of gas supply line 345 and 346, which are in communication with 
suitable sources of oxygen and other combustible gases. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, which is a partially cut away side view of the 
welding assembly designated generally 213, the operation of the preferred 
embodiment of the present invention can best be explained. As seen in FIG. 
2, the torch carriage designated generally 327 in its pilot position, at 
which time the flames emanating from burning tips 228 and 233 would be of 
the minimum intensity. Mold carriage blocks 315 and 317 are mounted in 
sliding engagement along a longitudinal axis on longitudinal bar 313, 
which is supported at either end by carriage blocks 309 and 311. Torches 
343 and 344 are mounted at an acute angle with respect to the vertical 
axes of radial symmetry of burning tips 228 and 233 so that torch levers 
341 and 342 are disposed over trip bar 340. L brackets 371 and 372 are 
fixedly attached to manifold shafts 303 and 305. Trip bar 340 is held in 
rotating engagement between L brackets 371 and 372 by means of cotter pins 
piercing said trip bar 340, which engagement allows trip bar 340 to rotate 
upon engagement with torch levers 341 and 342. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, 
as the torch carriage designated generally 327 moves from its pilot 
position to the burning position, the torch 344 and torch lever 342 are 
brought down to engage the trip bar 340, shown in cross section in FIG. 2. 
Since the torch lever 342 is adapted to control the intensity of the flame 
produced at the burning tip 233, it may be seen that as the torch carriage 
designated generally 327 moves from the pilot to the burning position, the 
intensity of the flame produced at the burning tip 233 is correspondingly 
increased. As may clearly be seen in FIG. 2, the disposition of the 
burning tip 233 with respect to mold 320 allows the flame produced at 
burning tip 233 when the torch carriage is near the pilot position to 
preheat in a gentle manner the bushing and battery terminal posts which 
would normally be disposed within the mold 320 when the head means was in 
the molding position. The mold carriage block 317 which acts as a support 
for mold 320 is seen to have disposed therewithin at least one circulating 
chamber having cooling fluid disposed therein for cooling the mold 
carriage block 317 during the molding process. Furthermore, the block 
itself is selected for its high heat transfer capacity, and is therefore 
composed of aluminum or other high heat transfer material. Similarly, and 
in direct opposition to the prior art teaching with respect to lead molds, 
the mold 320 is itself composed of aluminum or other high heat transfer 
material. As seen in FIG. 2, the engagement of mold 320 with mold carriage 
block 317 is tight, therefore allowing good heat transfer between these 
elements and cooling fluid 397 which is constantly being circulated 
therethrough. The interior surfaces 396, 395, and 394 of mold 320 have 
disposed thereon an aluminum oxide coating 500 or, that is, the interior 
surfaces 394, 395 and 396 are hard surface anodized in order to create a 
thermal barrier between the mold void defined by the mold 320 and the 
solid aluminum which composes the mold. 
In order to attain high quality welds, the mold 320 should ideally be kept 
between 140.degree. and 200.degree. F. during the chilling portion of the 
molding cycle and should be allowed to rise to approximately 250.degree. 
F. at the hottest portion of the cycle which should occur at or about the 
end of the burning phase, and at the beginning of the post-heating phase, 
at which time a puddling of the lead in the mold occurs. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, mold 320 is seen disposed within mold carriage 
block 317 which has defined therein a cooling channel 110. Cooling fluid 
is introduced through bushing 112 as indicated by arrow F in FIG. 5 and is 
circulated through cooling channel 110 to exit by bushing 114 as indicated 
by arrow G in FIG. 5. Clean-out plug 116 is provided to allow maintenance 
of the cooling channel 110. As seen in FIG. 4, the mold designated 
generally, 320 is configured to mate with carriage block 317 to provide a 
maximum surface area between the mold 320 and the mold carriage block 317 
to facilitate rapid and even cooling of the mold 320. Screws 118 and 120 
are provided to firmly secure the mold 320 into the mold carriage block 
317. A bore 122 is defined in mold 320 and more particularly, is defined 
in a raised shoulder 126 formed on the upper surface thereof. A 
thermocouple probe 124, which is mounted to spring bias into bore 122 and 
which further extends through vertical portion 128 of the mold carriage 
block 317, is provided to monitor the temperature of the mold as will be 
more fully explained hereinafter. The vertical portion 128 of mold 
carriage block 317 is threaded to receive tubing 130 which is adapted to 
engage a spring bias bayonet-type fitting which is formed on thermocouple 
132. As clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, thermocouple probe 124 may 
not be introduced into bore 122 unless and until mold 320 is firmly seated 
along its surfaces against mold carriage block 317, and further, cannot be 
introduced unless the screws 118 and 120 are preperly aligned over their 
respective threaded bores formed in mold carriage block 317. Consequently, 
the mounting of the thermocouple 132 through a vertical portion of mold 
carriage block 317 in spring biased fashion ensures not only the positive 
contact of thermocouple probe 124 with mold 320, but also assures that 
prior to operating the apparatus, proper alignment of the various 
respective members is achieved. 
Having described the apparatus of the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, the operation of that apparatus in fusing battery cover 
bushings to battery terminal posts may be described as follows: 
FIG. 1 also provides a schematic representation of the various sensing 
means of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in 
association with the front elevation of an apparatus in accordance with 
the preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 shows and is intended to 
highlight the automated features of the preferred embodiment which, under 
normal operating conditions, will function entirely without an operator 
being present. The conveyor means 203 in FIG. 1 is shown with the battery 
218 in the fusing position. The battery 218 is brought into the fusing 
position by its introduction from the hold position as shown by battery 
100 to its operating position. Upon the longitudinal advancement of the 
battery 218 from the hold position to the operating position, movable 
rollers are in the normal position, feed sensing means S1 shown in FIG. 1 
is activated by the passage of the battery thereby. Consequently, the feed 
sensing means S1 is mounted on the apparatus for sensing the longitudinal 
advancement of a battery from the hold position towards the operating 
position, and for causing the stop means to vove from the normal position 
which does not impede the longitudinal advancement of batteries to the 
stop position wherein batteries are held at the hold and operating 
position. The feed sensing means further causes the delayed activation of 
clamp means comprising hydraulic cylinder 283 and fingers 286 and 287 
which are pivoted upwardly and between the rollers against battery 218 and 
are further driven by cylinder 283 until battery 218 is locked into place 
in a predetermined position with respect to a horizontal axis transverse 
to the longitudinal axis of advancement of the batteries. In the preferred 
embodiment of the present invention, the feed sensing means is adapted to 
activate the clamp means including cylinder 283 in a timed response 
interval which is between 0.2 and 5 seconds after the sensing of the 
passage of battery 218 from the hold to the operating position. This time 
delay interval is selected to allow battery 218 to abut roller 259 prior 
to the activation of the clamp means. Alignment sensing means S2 is 
provided to sense the full extension of fingers 286 and 287 either 
directly, or indirectly as shown in FIG. 1 by sensing the degree of 
rotation of a protrusion mounted on a shaft which rotation corresponds to 
the rotation of fingers 286 and 287. Once the alignment sensing means S2 
determines the full movement of the clamp means to the fully clamped 
position, indicating that the battery has been forced from the operating 
to the fusing position, cylinder 241 is then activated to move the head 
means, which comprises the welding assembly designated generally 213 in 
the direction as indicated by arrow A. Since the battery 218 is in precise 
alignment with respect to the welding assembly 213, the mold carriage 
blocks 315 and 317, and the corresponding molds contained therein will 
matably encircle the battery bushing elements and battery post elements 
protruding from the top of battery 218. In the event that no battery has 
been introduced into the apparatus due to machine malfunction, abort means 
S7 will be activated by the over travel of the welding assembly, and 
particularly, by the travel of rod 214 beyond the normal molding position. 
Upon the activation of abort means S7 caused by the absence of a battery 
in the fusing position, the remaining portion of the operating cycle of 
the apparatus is then overridden, preventing the activation of the burning 
or torch carriage and causing the immediate return of the head means and 
welding assembly to the standby position, and further causing the stop 
means to move from the stop to the normal position so that the next 
battery may be introduced into the apparatus. If a battery, such as 
battery 218 shown in FIG. 1 is present when the welding assembly 
designated generally 213 moves from the standby to the molding position, 
battery sensing means S3 will sense the presence of a battery in the 
fusing position of the torch carriage 327 along the lower portions of 
manifold shafts 303 and 305. As hereinabove described, the burning means 
mounted on the torch carriage comprises lever means for contacting a trip 
member which automatically regulates the intensity of the flame from a 
minimum pilot flame when the burning means is in the burn position as 
shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, the battery sensing means produces a 
movement of the torch carriage designated generally 327 in the direction 
as indicated by arrow B in FIG. 14 to a point as shown in FIG. 14 in the 
burning position wherein a maximum flame intensity is directed at the 
battery bushing element and battery post element encircled by each mold. 
Upon movement of the torch carriage designated generally 327 to its fully 
extended burning position, a travel sensing means S4, which is mounted on 
the head means as shown in FIG. 14 senses the presence of the burning 
means in that burning position and causes the aforementioned hydraulic 
cylinder 323 to immediately begin moving the burning means back to the 
pilot position, as designated in FIG. 1 by arrow C. The aforementioned 
trip member and lever means respond to this retraction by reducing the 
intensity of the flame until, when the torch carriage reached the pilot 
position, a return sensing means S5 which is mounted on the torch carriage 
designated generally 327 determines the return of the burning means to the 
pilot position and causes cylinder 241 to move the head means to the 
standby position as indicated by arrow D in FIG. 14 in times response 
thereto. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, cylinder 
241 is activated by a delay interval of between 0.2 and 5 seconds, which 
time period creates a post chill time following the return of the torch 
carriage to the pilot position which is sufficient to allow at least 
partial solidification of the battery terminal posts. 
Referring now to FIG. 7, which is a diagrammatic representation of the 
logic incorporated in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, 
the relation of the thermocouple to the remainder of the apparatus is 
illustrated. The thermocouple, as described hereinabove, constantly 
monitors the temperature of the mold, which mold temperature is preferably 
held between 140.degree. F. and 200.degree. F. during the coolest portions 
of the cycle, but is allowed to rise to approximately 250.degree. F. at 
the hottest portion of the cycle. If the mold is held to temperatures 
under 140.degree. F. during this cycle, the mold will be overchilled and 
the puddling effect described above will not be attained, thereby 
producing unsatisfactory terminals. On the other hand, in the event that 
the mold is not effectively cooled to within the preferred range prior to 
retraction of the head means, and consequent withdrawal of the molds, 
stresses or fracture lines or other defects may be formed in the terminals 
which render these terminals unsatisfactory. The problem of maintaining a 
uniform mold temperature is further complicated by the fact that the 
temperature of the incoming cooling fluid cannot be efficiently maintained 
to thereby establish a mold temperature equilibrium during the operation 
of the machine. In some installations, tap water may be used as the 
cooling medium which is circulated through the mold carriage block, 
however, seasonal variations of at least as much as 50.degree. F. in tap 
water temperatures combined with the relative variations in torch 
temperatures which are encountered depending upon the adjustment thereof 
makes it difficult to establish equilibrium operating condition which 
insures the production of good battery terminals. Although it is also 
possible to utilize a recirculating system having a cooling reservoir, 
once again, depending upon the torch adjustment and season, the reservoir, 
unless provided with elaborate temperature equilibrium means, will also 
vary substantially in temperature. Accordingly, the above described 
variations may be compensated for and the uniformity and quality of welds 
assured by incorporating the aforementioned thermocouple into the 
apparatus as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 7. 
During the operation of the apparatus, the thermocouple continually 
monitors the temperature of the mold relating that information to the burn 
sensing logic. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the 
burn sensing logic is adapted to respond to an input which rises above a 
pre-selected temperature. Depending upon the alloy welded and the other 
parameters discussed above, this pre-selected temperature may be any 
temperature above 140.degree. to 250.degree. F. and preferably, between a 
range of 200.degree. and 250.degree. F. as, for example, 225.degree. F. As 
during the burn cycle, the temperature of the mold as indicated by the 
thermocouple input to the burn sensing logic, reaches this pre-selected 
temperature of, for example, 225.degree. F., the burn sensing logic will 
trigger delay logic, which delay logic will delay the further transfer of 
information for an interval of between 0.1 and 15 seconds. The delay 
caused by the delay logic will allow the temperature to spike and puddling 
to occur during the hottest portion of the welding cycle thereby, under 
normal conditions, allowing the temperature as monitored by the 
thermocouple to return to a level below the aforementioned pre-selected 
temperature. In this case, during the normal operation of the machine, the 
temperature sensing logic will not function to either disable or delay the 
machine further or sound an alarm as will be more fully described 
hereinafter. In the event that upon the expiration of the aforementioned 
interval caused by the delay logic, the temperature of the mold has not 
returned to below the preselected level, information will be transferred 
to the temperature sensing logic which senses the fact that the mold has 
not been cooled to a sufficient degree to insure that a good weld has been 
made. In this event, the temperature sensing logic may activate further 
disabling logic and/or will sound an alarm in order to summon an operator. 
The disabling logic may either halt the operation of the entire apparatus 
until the mold temperature returns to a suitable level, or alternatively, 
may inhibit the return sensing means S5 to thereby extend the preselected 
post-chill time to automatically compensate for an otherwise overheated 
mold. To this end, it is expected that the aforementioned post-chill time 
may be shortened to as little as two and one-half seconds or less without 
the attendent concern that inadequate cooling of the mold might result in 
defective battery terminals. In particular, when a particularly low 
temperature cooling fluid is circulated through the mold carriage blocks, 
the shorter chill time delay will allow the faster processing of batteries 
and the subsequent heating of the molds and mold carriage blocks to within 
the desired range of over 140.degree. F., which heating would not 
otherwise occur had a longer chill time been utilized. Further, the above 
described logic will automatically compensate for different torch settings 
and fuels, thereby maintaining the molds and mold carriage blocks within 
the desired temperature range. The result is an extremely sophisticated 
feedback repression-type system which ensures the uniformity of battery 
terminals welded thereby. 
Activation of cylinder 241 to return the head means along the direction of 
arrow D shown in FIG. 14 causes the head means to return to the standby 
position. Reset sensing means S6 mounted on the head means, or 
alternatively, on the transverse structural member 205 senses and 
determines the movement of said head means to said standby position 
causing the stop means to move from the stop to the normal position, 
thereby allowing the passage of the battery which terminals were fused out 
of the fusing position while simultaneously allowing for the introduction 
of the next battery to be processed into the operating position as 
heretofore described. In order to facilitate this longitudinal advancement 
of batteries, the clamp means is similarly caused to move to the retracted 
position by the reset means S6 thereby causing fingers 286 and 287 to 
withdraw to the retracted position, thereby also resetting alignment 
sensing means S2. 
As a result of the above description, it is apparent that the apparatus of 
the present invention is fully automated facilitating the rapid and 
reliable production of batteries incorporating high quality integrally 
fused battery terminals. 
It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials and 
arrangement of parts wich have been described and illustrated in order to 
explain the nature of this invention, may be made by those skilled in the 
art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the 
appended claims. 
It will further be understood that the "Abstract of the Disclosure" set 
forth above is intended to provide a non-legal technical statement of the 
contents of the disclosure in compliance with the Rules of Practice of the 
United States Patent Office, and is not intended to limit the scope of the 
invention described and claimed herein.