Patent GB-1364805-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for assembling groups of stacked storage battery plate elements
IPC: H01M10/14
Filed: 1972-03-01
Abstract: 1364805 Apparatus for assembling groups of storage-battery plate elements YUASA BATTERY CO Ltd 1 March 1972 9477/72 Heading B8C Apparatus for assembling groups of storage battery elements comprises a conveyer 7, respective required numbers of positive plate, separator plate, and negative plate, delivering means 1, 2, and 4 arranged in a desired order, with respect to the direction of movement, and along the path, of the conveyer and to deliver individual battery elements on to the conveyer in synchronism and at predetermined intervals, so as to build up a group of elements 6 on the conveyer as it moves along the path, one, or more, of the negative plate delivering devices 4 being selectively operable, and means 9 for collecting together a fixed number of groups 8. As shown, the apparatus for arranging the groups 6 and collecting them to form a unit of groups 8 comprises one, three, and two positive, negative, and separator plate-delivering devices 1, 4, and 2 respectively which are arranged adjacent the chain conveyer 7. Each positive and negative plate delivery device 2, 4, located at one side of the conveyer, comprises a hopper 11, 11<SP>1</SP> in which the plates 5a are stored, the lowermost plate, which rests upon a stop, being displaceable forwardly through a slit 19 in the base of the hopper 11, 11<SP>1</SP>, on a guide plate 13, as the latter is moved forward, beneath a spring-plate retainer 28, by a link mechanism 20a-23, the rear of the plate 5a being engaged by a spring- loaded separator arm 15 pivoted to the guide plate 13. As the latter retracts, a stopper 27 prevents the return of the plate, which, during the next advance forward of the guide plate 13, is moved on to forks 31 which support it above the conveyer 7, a finger 17, pivoted to the leading end of the guide plate 13, engaging behind, and riding over, the plate 5a respectively as the plate is advanced, and retracted. The drive for each negative-plate delivery device 4, includes a clutch (24, 26<SP>1</SP>), Fig. 4, not shown, which is selectively operable by an electromagnet (25) to deliver individual separator-plates, in correct sequence, on to the corresponding forks 31. The chain conveyer 7 has spaced pairs of pegs 30, 30 which engage the plates 5a supported upon the forks 31 to move the plates on to the conveyer 7. The separator-plate delivery devices 2, each of which is located directly above the conveyer 7, Figs. 5, 6, and which comprises a hopper 32, 32<SP>1</SP> for a stack of separator-plates 5b and a reciprocable guide plate 35 with a spring-loaded separator arm 34, is adapted to direct a separator-plate 5b toward a deflector 40 and deposit it, directly on top of the plate, or plates, already on the conveyer 7, between the corresponding spaced pair of pegs 30. As the conveyer 7 moves forward a group of plates 6 of the desired number and sequence, is collected between each set of pegs 30, 30, and delivered, one at a time, on to a stand plate 45. The desired number of groups 6 are collected from the plate 45, to form a unit 8 of groups 6, by a unit 9 which includes a vertical chain conveyer 43 which has fingers to lift a group of plates 6 off the plate 45, between guides 42, and above stoppers 44, 44<SP>1</SP>. The plate groups 8 are transferred from the collector 9 and on to a chain conveyer 54 by a plate 46 which is simultaneously movable horizontally and vertically to "walk" the group units 8 on to the conveyer 54. An overflow line 55, mounted above the conveyer 54, is adapted to store, temporarily, plate groups, remaining on the conveyer 54, by accident.