Abstract: A method of dispensing metered portions of molten lead comprises the steps of providing a heater body with a lead reservoir that produces sufficient heat to form molten lead and providing a lead dispensing shuttle plate with at least two lead metered cavities that are filled with molten lead in a fill position. The heater body is movable between a dispense position and a feed position. At least one of the metered cavities releases the molten lead when the heater body is moved to the dispense position. In one aspect, the method comprises supplying a strip of lead so that when the heater body moves to the feed position, it receives a portion of the strip of lead. In another aspect, the method comprises injecting inert gas over the lead reservoir and into the dispensing metered cavity to prevent air from entering the metered cavity.

Abstract: A method for placing an edge piece on a battery plate includes bending a thin strip of bendable plastic material into an open top, U-shaped channel. The channel is then cut into an edge piece having a length which is substantially equal to the edge of the battery plate which is to be covered. The edge piece is supported with this open top oriented towards a battery plate that is transported toward it in a manner such that the battery plate edge will be inserted into it. Once the edge of the battery plate has been inserted into the edge piece the edge piece is released so that the battery plate can be carried out of the apparatus. An apparatus for accomplishing this includes a feed mechanism which transports the strip of bendable plastic material. A bending mechanism forms this strip into the open top, U-shaped channel. The channel is then fully inserted into an assembly station where a first sensor stops the feed mechanism and a cutter cuts the channel into the proper-sized edge piece.

Abstract: A plate feed apparatus has a cylindrical pick-up head having a predetermined number of pick-up units. The pick-up head rotates with a first shaft at a first rotational speed. A feed mechanism places the uppermost plate in a stack of plates a nominal distance from the periphery of the pick-up head when a plate is removed from the stack. A vacuum is selectively drawn through each pick-up unit to pull the outermost plate into contact with the pick-up unit. A second shaft has a cylindrical bore which rotatably journals the first shaft and is offset from the centerline of the second shaft. The second shaft is rotated counter to the first shaft at a speed which is a multiple of the speed of the first shaft equal to the number of pick-up units. This causes the speed of the pick-up unit to be slower and its distance from the uppermost plate in the stack less each time a pick-up unit picks up a plate.

Abstract: A plate feed apparatus has a cylindrical pick-up head having a predetermined number of pick-up units spaced about its periphery. The pick-up head is attached to and rotates with a first shaft at a first rotational speed. A feed mechanism places the uppermost plate in a stack of plates a nominal distance from the periphery of the pick-up head each time a plate is removed from the stack. A vacuum device is selectively coupled to each pick-up unit as it passes over the stack to pull the outermost plate away from the stack and into contact with the pick-up unit. A second shaft has a cylindrical bore which rotatably journals the first shaft and is offset from the centerline of the second shaft. The second shaft is rotated counter to the first shaft at a speed which is a multiple of the speed of the first shaft equal to the number of pick-up units. This causes the speed of the pick-up unit to be slower and its distance from the uppermost plate in the stack less each time a pick-up unit picks up a plate.