Patent ID: 8061404

Claim:
A mold assembly, including a top surface, for casting cast on straps onto storage battery plates, having lugs along one edge thereof, the mold assembly comprising: at least one mold cavity for receiving molten metal defined by a first operating temperature controlled segment at a first higher temperature and including a first mold cavity side wall, a second temperature controlled segment substantially defining a bottom mold cavity surface and opposed end walls of each mold cavity, and a third temperature controlled segment at a second operating higher temperature and including a second mold cavity side wall extending essentially vertically from the bottom surface of the bottom wall to a mold assembly top surface, and the temperature of the second temperature controlled segment being maintained at a lower temperature by a coolant jacket in contact with the material comprising the second temperature controlled segment and for providing cooling to the underside of the second segment bottom thereby to cool the bottom mold cavity surface and the opposed end walls, to solidify molten metal flowing in the mold cavity and between and around the lugs of the battery plates inserted into the mold cavity, a respective thermal energy input means for providing thermal energy to each of the first and third temperature controlled segments, including the first and second mold cavity side walls, to input at least a predetermined minimum amount of thermal energy into the mold cavity by the exposure of the molten metal in the mold cavity at least to the first side wall of the first segment having a predetermined temperature higher than that of the lower temperature of the second segment.