Improvements in Apparatus for Making Lead Battery Plates.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1899-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Making Lead Battery Plates.
I, CHARLES ALBERT GOULD, President of the Gould Coupler Company, a
Citizen of the United States, of Portchester, County of Westchester, State of
New York, U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in that type of machine which com-
prises a pair of rolls each provided with a series of parallel circular knives, adapted
to enter the surface of a lead blank plate and by their rapid rotation to draw or
form the metal into ridges or ribs with intervening grooves, for the production
of lead battery plates, which operation in this specification I term spinning."
The plate is adapted to be fed between the rolls, and while this may be effected
by causing the plate to travel while the roll axes remain stationary much the
same effect may be produced by causing the rolls to travel over the plate, the
latter being held stationary. The latter method of operation presents the
advantage that, the plate being stationary the progress of the work is apparent
at each moment, so that any defect in the operation can at once be detected.
Thus, for example, if any one of the knives happens to deflect slightly and thus
to cut sideways into the ribs, the defective operation is at once apparent and the
machine can be stopped in time to save both the knife and the blank plate from
serious injury.
An important feature of the present improvement is the provision of means
for preventing, as far as possible, deflection or bending of the spinning knives
where they enter the plate. For this purpose it is preferred to form the washers
which are interposed between the knives on the rolls of sufficient diameter to
extend almost or substantially into contact with the grid plate when the knives
are fully inserted. In addition to this, however, it is preferred to provide
special knife separating means, independent of the rolls, interposed between the
knives and separating and guiding same where they enter the plate.
For forming a grid with a plurality of spun sections, with intermediate cross-
ribs, a plurality of pairs of spinning-rolls are provided, simultaneously operated
so as to spin two or more of such sections at once. As auxiliary or alternative
to such a construction, however, means may be provided for shifting the relative
positions of the spinning rolls and the blank plate such means being independent
of the feeding devices for causing relative reciprocation of the rolls and the
blank plate during the spinning operation. Such shifting means may be manually
or automatically controlled.
In general, several reciprocations will be required to complete any one spinning
operation, and to ensure that the action will be uniform and equal in both
directions of reciprocation, it is arranged to drive the spinning rolls in the same

page_text: rotative direction, so that their tangential motions relatively to the plate will
be oppositely directed, and the frictional or dragging effect will be the same
in both directions of movement.
It is preferred to apply pressure to the rolls to cause their knives to enter the
blank-plate, by means of a manually controlled pressure applying device. The
power for applying such pressure may be supplied by the operator, or it may
be supplied by a mechanical power-driven mechanism controlled by the operator.
In either case it is desirable to provide a yielding connection such as a spring
connection, between such pressure applying means and the rolls, so as to enable
the rolls to yield, or adjust themselves to unusual conditions, such as abnormal
hardness of the plates, and thus to prevent breakage of the knives under such
conditions.
It is found preferable not to make the grooves extend through the plate from
side to side, as the ribs are thereby left with too little support, and moreover,
it is very difficult to arrange that the knives shall just meet without interfering
with one another. To ensure that the knives shall always penetrate to the same
depth and shall leave between them a web of definite thickness, means are pro-
vided for limiting the approach of the rolls, such means consisting, for example,
of spacing blocks interposed between the bearings of the rolls.
This invention also covers certain features of the plate and details of the
machine mechanism as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification:-
Figure 1 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of a machine embodying
the present invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are sections on the lines 2-2, 3-3 in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section of a plate formed by this machine.
Figure 5 is a plan view of a portion of such plate.
Figure 6 shows a modification of the knife supporting means.
Referring to Figures 1 to 3: the machine comprises a bed-frame 1, provided
with open frame standards 2, within which slide horizontally the bearing sup-
ports 3 for the spinning rolls 4, 4', the bearing blocks 5, 51 in which said rolls
are journaled being adapted to slide vertically in the bearing supports 3.
rolls 4, 4¹
therefore capable of certain
in
both
a
are
a
horizontal
a
direction
amount
and
to
The
of movement
enable such
vertical and
movement to be effected while maintaining the driving connection,
a flexible shaft connection is provided, consisting of shafts 6, 61 engaging by head
and socket connections, permitting lateral but not rotative relative movement,
One of such shafts carries the
with the rolls 4, 4' and the driving shafts 7, 7'.
main driving pulley 8, and the two shafts 7, 7' are connected by gearing 9, 91, 911
so as to turn in the same rotative direction. Two sets of spinning rolls 4, 4¹ are
shown journaled in parallelism in the bearing blocks 5, 51 and connected from
set to set by gears 10, 10' so as to operate simultaneously on different parts or
sections of the blank plate.
A frame or carrier 11 is adapted to slide horizontally in longitudinal grooves 12
in the standard frames 2, and is adapted to support the blank-plate indicated
at 13, for forming the grid. Means are provided for shifting this plate either
manually or automatically. For this purpose an escapement anchor 14 is shown
engaging with teeth 15 in the carrier 11 and engaged by a projection 16 on the
bearing block to release the carrier at each complete advance and retractile
movement of the bearing block. When so released, the carrier is drawn by a
cord 17 and weight 18 to bring a different portion of the blank plate between the
spinning rolls. The escapement 14 may have a handle 14' for manual control.
The handle end of escapement anchor 14 is of sufficient weight to enable it to
descend when the projection 16 rises, so as to cause the tooth at that end of the
anchor to fall against a tooth 15 on the carrier and to ride over same until it
comes to the notch in advance of the next tooth whereupon it falls into such
notch and stops the carrier.

page_text: Means are provided for moving the two side bearing supports 3, 3 simul-
taneously along the guiding frame standards 2, 2 so as to cause the rolls to
transverse the surface of the blank plate. Such means may consist of racks 19
on said bearing supports 3, pinions 16, engaging with said racks and carried by
a rock-shaft 20, and means, such as crank connection 21, for rocking such shaft,
such crank connection being connected to a gear 22, driven by a pinion 23, on
the main driving shaft 7. The crank connection 21 may be adjustable, as by a
A clutch 24 controlled by
clamp 21 so as to give any desired stroke of feed.
manual controlling device 25, may be interposed in this operating connection as
shown so as to throw the roll reciprocating means into or out of operation.
The means for moving the rolls to and from one another comprises pinions 26,
engaging with vertical racks 27, 271 on the respective bearing blocks 5, 5' such
pinions being journalled in the side bearing supports 3, 3 and connected together
by rock-arms 28 and link 28', so that both ends of the spinning rolls are moved
simultaneously. One of the rock arms 28 is connected by a connecting rod 29
to operating mechanism for effecting and controlling this movement of the rolls.
Such operating mechanism is preferably manually controlled and power driven,
the same comprising, for example, a reduction gearing 30, connected to the main
driving gearing, a worm 31 driven thereby, a worm wheel 32 operated by said
worm and having a crank and link connection 33, 29 with the rock arm 28, and
a reversing clutch 35 for disconnecting and reversing this operating mechanism.
The clutch 35 is manually controlled by handle 36. A spring 37 is interposed
in this operating connection, being placed, for example, between a collar 29 on
rod 29 and a swivel collar 28 which slides on rod 29 and is pivoted to arm 28.
A stop collar 2911 may serve to draw the arm 28 back on the back movement of
the crank. It will be noted that such back movement may be effected either by
the manual control of the reversing clutch, or it may take place automatically
after full stroke of the crank 33, by reason of said crank passing beyond the dead
point. The movement or stroke of this driving member therefore being definite
in length, or if adjustable, as by means of the slot and bolt connection shown on
the crank 33, it is still definite for any given adjustment.
The spring 37 enables such full stroke of the mechanism to be effected while
allowing the approach of the rolls to be limited by suitable stop devices, such as
spacing blocks 38, interposed between the bearing blocks 5, 51 whose thickness
determines the thickness of the web that is left in the grid, between the spinning
knives. The spring 37, as it constitutes a yielding connection, also prevents any
injury to the knives, such as might result from forcing them too rapidly into the
metaÏ.
Handles 39, 391 may be provided for enabling direct manual operation of the
horizontal and vertical feeding device in cases of emergency.
Each of the rolls 4, 4' comprises parallel spinning knives 40, consisting of
disks of sheet metal, separated by washers 41 of sufficient diameter to extend
almost or substantially into contact with the blank-plate when the knife blades
are fully inserted in the said plate. By this means the knives are laterally sup-
ported against deflection as far as is possible without the use of supports inde-
pendent of the rolls. To further support the knives against lateral displacement
or deflection blades, plates or supports 42 are provided which enter between the
rotary spinning knives 40 and separate and guide same when they enter the plate
said blades extending as close as possible to those parts of the knives which are
adjacent to the plate. The blades are shown as arranged only on the "entering
side of the rolls, it being apparent that if the knife is guided and supported as
it passes into the metal there will be little danger of its deflection afterward.
The plates 42 are shown as mounted rigidly on a rock shaft 43, provided with
a set nut 44 and handle 45, whereby it may be locked in position or thrown back
out of the way. These plates 42 also serve as cleaning fingers to scrape off any
particles of dirt or metal chips or flakes that may lodge on the knives and on
""

page_text: turning these fingers out from between the knives they may be readily cleaned
of such particles.
This invention may be applied to the corrugation, by spinning, of any shape
of lead battery plate. For some purposes, it is preferred to use a plate such as
indicated in Figures 5 and 6 having an enlargement or rib 46 or otherwise of an
irregular contour and in such cases is most convenient to cast the plate with such
ribs, the rest of the plate being plain. Such a plate, or an ordinary rolled plate,
is placed in the carrier 11, which is arranged in the side frames 2 in such position
as to bring the proper portion of its surface between the rolls 4, 41, the said rolls
being fully separated, and the carrier is held in such position by means of locking
devices. The machine is then set in motion by means of belt pulley 8 and the
usual starting mechanism so as to cause the rolls 4, 4¹ to rotate. The roll-
approximating mechanism is then thrown into operation by means of the
clutch 35 and manual controlling device 36 so as to cause the rolls to gradually
approach one another. The manual controlling device is also operated to bring
the roll reciprocating mechanism into operation and the rolls are. thereby caused
to travel back and forth over the surface of the plate, at the same time rotating,
so as to cause their knives 40 to draw or spin the lead of such plate into a ribbed
or corrugated form as indicated in Figures 4 and 5, but leaving a continuous
central web 13. In this operation there is no metal actually cut away or removed
from the plate but the material that is removed from the grooved portions is
drawn up into the intervening edges, so as to leave the latter somewhat above
the original surface or body of the plate as represented by the marginal por-
tion 47 (see Figure 5) which has not been operated upon.
As above described, the machine shown has two sets of spinning rolls which
are adapted to operate simultaneously on two sections of the plate. In case,
however, a greater number of sections is to be operated upon, the carrier is
shifted either manually or automatically as above explained to bring different
parts of the plate between the rolls.
The guiding or supporting devices for the knives may be variously modified
without departing from this invention, provided that the principle of lateral
support to the knives is retained. Thus in Figure 6 is shown these supports
in the form of loose washers which are interposed between the knives on the
rolls and tend to continually come in contact with the tops of the ribs on the
plate as the rolls rotate. When the knives first enter the plate, the washers
extend out to the periphery of the knives, but they are pushed inwardly by the
plate as the knives enter the latter. In this form as well as in that shown in
Figure 1 the supporting devices 42 are independent of the rolls, i.e., are not in
fixed mechanical connection with the rolls, so that the rolls can move inde-
pendently of such devices. Thus while the knife blades move toward and away
from the blank-plate, these devices 42 remain in close proximity to the plate
so as to support the knives just where they enter the plate.
The transmitting mechanism for the reciprocating relative feed of the rolls
and plate may be varied to give any desired number of reciprocations during the
spinning of any one part of the plate to full depth and may even give such a slow
relative movement that the full depth of groove is formed in one movement of
feed.
The gear 22 is larger than the gear 23 so that the speed of rotation of the
rolls is higher that the speed of the relative feeding motion of the rolls and plate,
such higher rate of speed of the rolls being essential to the action of the knives
in such rolls in drawing up the metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with a spinning
10ll having parallel spinning knives, of supporting means independent of the

page_text: spinning rolls interposed between the knives and separating the knife portions
which enter the battery plate.
2: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with a spinning
roll having parallel spinning knives, of supporting plates independent of the
rolls interposed between the knives and separating the knife-portions which are
directly adjacent to the battery plate.
3: In a machine for spinning battery plates the combination with a spinning
roll, having parallel spinning knives of movably supported devices independent
of the roll, and adapted to be interposed between the knives and extend in close
proximity to the plate to be spun, or to be withdrawn from between the knives.
4: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with a spinning
roll having parallel spinning knives, of a movable support, and devices carried
thereby adapted to be interposed between the knives and to extend in close
proximity to the plate to be spun, or to be withdrawn from between the knives,
and means for locking said devices in position between the plates.
5: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with a spinning
roll having parallel spinning knives, of means for supporting a blank plate in
stationary position, means for feeding the rolls relatively to the plate, and
driving mechanism for driving said roll at a higher rate of speed than the relative
feeding motion of the roll and plate.
6: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with a spinning
roll having parallel knives, means for supporting a battery plate, power driven
means for causing said roll and plate to approach one another, and manually
controlled engaging and disengaging means for controlling such power driven
means.
7: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with means for
supporting a blank plate, of a spinning roll having parallel knives, means for
supporting both ends of the roll and moving same simultaneously toward and away
from the plate, and a power driven mechanism comprising a yielding connection
connected to said roll supporting and operating means.
8: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with means for
supporting a blank plate, of a spinning roll having parallel knives, and power
driven mechanism for causing said rolls to approach the plate, such mechanism
comprising a driving member operating through a stroke of definite length, and
a spring connection interposed between such driving member and the roll.
9: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination of means for sup-
porting a blank plate, a plurality of sets of spinning rolls adapted to operate
simultaneously upon different portions of such plate, means for effecting relative
feeding motion of said rolls and plate, means for rotating said sets of rolls simul-
taneously at a higher rate of speed than the relative feeding motion of the rolls
and the plate and means for causing the said sets of rolls to approach the plate.
10: In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with a spinning
roll, having a plurality of spinning knives, means for supporting a blank plate,
means for causing relative feed of such plate and roll, and shifting means inde-
pendent of such feeding means for changing the relative position of such plate
and rolls by a movement parallel to the feeding movement to subject different
parts of the plate to the action of the roll.
11 In a machine for spinning battery plates, the combination with a spinning
roll, means for supporting a blank plate, means for causing relative feed of such
plate and roll, shifting means independent of such feeding means for changing
the relative position of such plate and roll by a movement parallel to the feeding
movement, to cause different portions of the plate to be operated upon and means
connected to such shifting means and to the roll operating devices to automatically
operate the shifting means when the operating of the roll is completed.
12: In a machine for spinning battery plates the combination with a pair of
spinning rolls and means for supporting a blank plate between them, while pre-

page_text: venting rotative motion of such plate, of means for driving said rolls in the
same rotative direction, so as to cause their tangential effect on the blank plate
to be oppositely directed.
DI
11000
JOHNSONS,
Applicant's Agents, 115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow.