Patent GB-390268-A (GB)
Title: A machine for automatically soldering terminal or connecting wires to the elements of electric dry batteries
IPC: B23K1/00
Filed: 1931-12-22
Abstract: 390,268. Soldering parts of electric dry batteries. STEVENS, A. H., 5, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London.-(Autom Spezial-Maschinen Ges. ; 108, Friedrichstrasse, Berlin.) Dec. 22, 1931, No. 35466. [Classes 83 (ii) and 83 (iv).] A machine for automatically soldering terminal wires 2 to the pots 1 of electric dry batteries consists of an endless conveyer for spaced transversely arranged pots, which is moved step by step through distances each corresponding to the spacing of a number of successive pots, so that at each step a number of groups of pots are moved to stations for operation simultaneously by devices for preparing the joint, feeding the wires, and for soldering. The pots are carried through the machine by a chain 15 traversed intermittently over a guide 37 to the extent of one link by ratchet mechanism 27, 29 from a shaft 24 connected by bevel gear through a shaft 22, Fig. 14, with the driving shaft 16, which may be driven from an automatic capping and sealing machine. The forward ends of the chain wheel shafts are acted on by spring-loaded friction gear so as to tension the upper run of the chain. Each link consists of a pair of lateral members 31, connected by pivot pins 32 and intermediate pins 33 so that each receives three pots with their caps 5 opposite holes 34 in the front member above which is a transverse notch 35 to receive subsequently the terminal wire. The front member has also a channel 36 with overlying springs at certain parts to keep the terminal wires in place. The pots are first pushed against the rear members of the chain by a fixed deflecting plate 38 so that they may be fed to station A where they are cleaned by one or more brushes 40 equal in width to the length of a link. The brush, which is carried by an adjustable bracket 41, is rotated by cables 47, 44 from the rear shaft 22. The front ends of the pots are raised into contact with the brushes by fingers 52, Fig. 8, on a sleeve 50 reciprocated by a lever 49 and cam on a front shaft 20 connected by bevel gear to the shaft 16. In the next step the pots are pushed forward by a rear deflector 39 so that the caps 5 pass through the holes 34 in the front links without contact with the walls thereof. The parts of the three pots to be soldered are then fluxed at station B by three pins 55 on an arm 56, Fig. 11, which is pivoted to a sleeve 58 reciprocated by a link 63 and crank from a shaft geared at 62 to the shaft 20. The pins are normally immersed in a flux bath 54 but are raised therefrom and lowered on to the pots by a roof-shaped cam 64 engaging a pin 65 on the arm. The pots are then fed to station C, where three terminal wires 67, Fig. 12, are fed thereto. The wires are fed from spools by reciprocating grippers 69 from a shaft geared to the shaft 20 and lengths are cut off by a shear blade reciprocated by a cam-operated lever 78. The pots then pass to three sets of soldering devices D. Each set is arranged as shown in Fig. 2, so that the soldering tool 81 of each set acts only on one of the pots of each group, the tools acting simultaneously on the pots of alternate groups. A set of electrically heated tools is radially mounted in each of three discs 80, which are rotated by ratchets 84 and pawls 83 on a bar 87, reciprocated in a frame 91 by a cam 88 on the shaft 16. The frame is raised and lowered by cams 93 so as to raise the upper tool of each set into contact with sticks of sal-ammoniac 106 on weight-loaded pins 107, which are rotated by belt gear 110. The cams then lower the frame to an intermediate point so that the lowermost tools melt solder wires 96, fed through the ends of guides 105, and then finally lower them to solder the terminal wires to the pots. The three solder wires are fed by reciprocating grippers operated by links 104 and eccentric pins 103 from shafts geared to the shaft 20. The feed of the wire nearest the station C is effected through the same gear wheels 72 which effect the feed of the terminal wires. At the final station, the completed pots, prior to discharge from the machine, are pushed backwards by three insulating or electrically insulated pins 115, which pass through the holes 34 in the chain. The pins are carried by a sleeve 112 reciprocated by a link 115<1> and crank disc from the shaft 20.