Abstract: A refrigerator door assembly having a door mounting frame with at least one mullion that includes a metallic structural frame member and a magnetically attractable sealing plate mounted forwardly on the mullion for defining a stop and sealing surface for the swinging ends of pivotably mounted doors. The mullion includes an insulating and sealing plate retaining assembly which supports the sealing plate in thermally isolated relation to the structural member and which defines an air insulating space completely about the structural frame member. The illustrated insulating and sealing plate retaining assembly includes a plastic channel shaped member having a front wall disposed in closely adjacent relation to a front side of the structural frame member and side walls extending in rearwardly directed fashion therefrom. A cover plate is releasably engagable with the rearwardly extending side walls for completely encapsulating the structural frame member.

Abstract: A system for assembling, processing and transferring battery cell elements including a plurality of element assemblers and an exit conveyor having a plurality of element conveying lanes. Each element assembler includes element transfer and processing apparatus comprising an endless chain conveyor having a plurality of longitudinally spaced element carriers adapted to successively engage an element at a loading station, carry the engaged element through a plurality of process stations, and release the element at a discharge station. In the illustrated apparatus, the carriers each engage a loosely assembled element at the loading station, compress the element to final size, and carry the element through an inspection and manual unload station, a plate alignment station, a plate lug brushing station, a plate alignment after brushing station, and a series of tape applicator stations which bind the element in assembled and processed condition.

Abstract: A method of casting metal straps on lugs of battery cell elements utilizes an electrically heatable mold having a strap cavity section and comprises introducing strap metal into the cavity section, conducting electrical current through the mold for heating the mold to a predetermined temperature in excess of the melting temperature of the strap metal, immersing the element lugs into the cavity, cooling the mold to a temperature below the solidification temperature of the strap metal and removing the element lugs from the cavity with straps cast thereon.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for casting straps onto the plate lugs of battery cell elements. The apparatus includes a rotatably indexable table having a plurality of mold and element carrying stations which each are successively indexed through a plurality of operating stations, including an element loading station, an element lug alignment station, a molten-metal pouring station, a lug fluxing station, a casting station, a plurality of mold cooling stations, and an element unloading station. The mold of each table station is adapted for efficient and precisely controlled electrical resistance heating and forced-air cooling during each cycle of operation. In the illustrated embodiment, each table-station mold is successively heated from electrical sources at a plurality of operating stations upon indexing of the respective table station to such operating stations and is cooled by directing air through air-direction tubes mounted on each table station in close proximity to the respective mold.

Abstract: A walk-behind lawn mower having a deck with adjustably mounted ground-engaging wheels. A side shield is provided in the form of a metal rod extending longitudinally along one side of the deck approximately following the curvature of the deck and lying between ground level and the lower edge of the deck side wall. To permit vertical movement of the side shield upon encountering minor irregularities in the ground, the rearward end of the side shield is pivotally attached to the rear wheel axle. To permit horizontal movement of the side shield to provide for lost motion upon adjustment of the deck height, the mower deck includes a bracket adjacent to and rearward from the front wheel and the foreward end of the side shield terminates in an upwardly extending portion which extends through a longitudinally extending slot in the bracket.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fusing the ends of battery cell terminal posts and the ends of hollow bushings fixed in the plastic cover of a battery being assembled and within which the terminal posts are concentrically disposed. The apparatus includes a pair of induction heating coils which each concentrically support a mold cavity insert adapted to receive the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to be fused and a ferrite insert adapted to concentrate induced current in the ends of the terminal post and bushings upon energization of the coils. An electrical control is provided for selectively generating a radio-frequency oscillating current in the coils to effect heating, melting, and fusion of the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to consistent fusion depths while the plastic battery case remains substantially uneffected.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for assembling battery cell elements having a plurality of electrode plates of alternating polarity separated by a continuous interleaved insulating sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fusing the ends of battery cell terminal posts and the ends of hollow bushings fixed in the plastic cover of a battery being assembled and within which the terminal posts are concentrically disposed. The apparatus includes a pair of induction heating coils which each concentrically support a mold cavity insert adapted to receive the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to be fused and a ferrite insert adapted to concentrate induced current in the ends of the terminal post and bushings upon energization of the coils. An electrical control is provided for selectively generating a radio-frequency oscillating current in the coils to effect heating, melting, and fusion of the ends of the terminal posts and bushings to consistent fusion depths while the plastic battery case remains substantially uneffected.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for supplying electrode plates in the assembly of battery cell elements. The apparatus includes a shuttle feed device for containing a plurality of stacks of electrode plates of common polarity and successively dispensing a single plate from each stack, a walking beam transfer device for successively receiving plates from said shuttle device and moving the plates into a row with the plates commonly oriented and in predetermined spaced relation, and a plate loader for simultaneously engaging and removing from said walking beam transfer device the number of plates of common polarity required in the assembly of a battery cell element. The feeding device is adapted for easy plate loading, and in conjunction with the transfer device, is adapted to provide a reliable supply of electrode plates for use in the automated assembly of cell elements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a work function, such as, for example, welding, requiring the control of at least one parameter according to a predetermined sequence, the apparatus including at least one work station where the work function is carried out, a slave controller associated with the work station for controlling the work function, at least one interface operably connected to the slave controller capable of receiving and storing information for a first parameter of the work function and preventing transmission of the parameter information to the slave controller until being probed by the slave controller, and a master controller operably connected to the interface to transmit thereto the parameter information, and the master controller being further operably connected to the slave controller to cause the slave controller to probe the interface to allow transmission of the parameter information to the slave controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for welding through-the-partition intercell connections in a lead-acid battery container wherein each partition has at least two spaced apertures therein for making such intercell connections includes in the exemplary embodiment three weld stations and a crimping station through which the containers are sequentially conveyed, and the containers are aligned and retained at dual positions in each station so that the welding or crimping operation can be carried out. A microprocessor based programmable controller serves as a master control to operate the apparatus, and a slave control is associated with each welding station.

Abstract: A control arrangement for a multi-function cooking appliance which has a plurality of cooking stations. The control arrangement includes a control panel having a group of keys for entering control information for the stations and functions of the cooking appliance and a prompting display for messages which assist in entering the control information through the keys. At least some of the keys are of a two-mode variety wherein, in one mode, the depression of a typical key enters a number, which appears on a digital display, such as in the selection of a cooking time or temperature. In its other mode the typical two-mode key enters other control information such as a particular function of the cooking appliance to be activated.

Abstract: A rotary lawnmower of the type having an inverted pan-shaped housing generally surrounding a horizontal rotary blade affixed to a vertical shaft extending downwardly from a rotary power source mounted on the top of the housing. A pair of tubular longitudinal frame members extend bridgingly in horizontal position over and secured to the housing on opposite sides of the rotary power source with downward extensions secured to front and rear wheels. The downward extensions are also affixed to front and rear aprons extending horizontally from the lower edge of the side wall of the housing to provide mutual bracing. The lawnmower has a handle that is attached to the rear downward extensions of the longitudinal frame members so that forces developed in the handle incident to guiding the mower are transferred directly to the frame members and then directly to the wheels so that the housing is not stressed upon manipulation of the handle.

Abstract: A walk from behind soil tilling machine including ground wheels upon which the machine may be moved and two rows of ground penetrating and pulverizing tines located to the rear of the ground wheels transversely to the line of machine movement. The tines of the rear row have a larger cutting diameter than the tines of the forward row, and the rows of tines are driven in counter-rotating directions such that upon forward movement of the machine the tines of the forward row break the surface of the ground and penetrate the earth to a determined relatively shallow depth and the tines of the rear row thereupon penetrate the earth to a further determined depth, with the forward and rear rows of tines cooperating to completely pulverize both depths of penetrated soil, thereby permitting thorough tilling of the soil to normal garden depth with a single passage of the machine.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden tiller having power driven ground wheels and a single shaft of tines which are driven at relatively high speed in a direction counter to that of the drive wheels such that during tilling the tines cut upwardly through the untilled soil at the working face, resulting in improved power efficiency and easier control of the tiller when operating in adverse soil conditions. For cutting and breaking long vegetation that is carried upwardly by the counter-rotating tines and for guiding such vegetation under the tine shaft so that it does not become entangled about the tine shaft or otherwise clog or impede operation of the tiller, a sloughing device is mounted transversally to and forwardly of the tine shaft. In one embodiment, the sloughing device is a plate disposed in a vertical plane on the longitudinal axis of the machine, and in another embodiment the sloughing device is a rotary disc.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden tiller having power driven ground wheels and a single row of tines which are driven at relatively high speed in a direction counter to that of the drive wheels, whereby the tines cut upwardly through the untilled soil at the working face with less power and in the event of contacting an obstruction tend to move the machine in a rearward direction be reason of reactive forces acting upon the machine through the tines. A drag shield is pivotably mounted rearwardly of the machine for dragging along and smoothing the soil after it is tilled and for providing a protective barrier between the operator and a rear exposure to the power driven tines.

Abstract: A walk-behind garden implement including a wheel-supported frame carrying a horizontal base member. A handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from the base member for manual guidance. A yoke of U-shaped cross section is interposed between the handle and base member. The lower end of the handle is pivoted between the side walls of the yoke for adjustment of angular elevation. The bottom wall of the yoke has a vertically extending pivot connection for side-to-side, or azimuthal, adjustment of the handle. The handle carries an arcuately arranged set of spaced recesses at its lower end and the base member is also formed with a set of recesses. A first latching member pivoted in the yoke has an upwardly projecting tooth for holding the handle rigidly at a selected elevation. A second latching member pivoted in the yoke has a downwardly projecting tooth for engaging one of the recesses in the base member so that the handle is held rigidly at a selected azimuth.