Patents by Inventor Christopher Barge

Christopher Barge has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7334626
    Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for connecting a battery plate to a metal strap or post or to moulds therefore. In contrast to existing arrangements lead is fed to the feed passage (17) via an opening (20) which is positioned immediate the ends of the aligned cavities in the set (14) of the mould. This arrangement enables the cavities to be fed with lead at approximately the same time and hence the dip of the lugs into the cavities can be optimised without any significant difficulties. In itself this substantially increases productivity. It has also been found that up to three batteries can be cast simultaneously, particularly if bypasses (16c) are used for fine tuning the lead supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: TBS Engineering Limited
    Inventors: Robert Hopwood, Christopher Barge
  • Publication number: 20070295886
    Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for connecting a battery plate to a metal strap or post or to moulds therefor. In contrast to existing arrangements lead is fed to the feed passage 17 via an opening 20 which is positioned immediate the ends of the aligned cavities in the set 14 of the mould. This arrangement enables the cavities to be fed with lead at approximately the same time and hence the dip of the lugs into the cavities can be optimised without any significant difficulties. In itself this substantially increases productivity. It has also been found that up to three batteries can be cast simultaneously, particularly if bypasses 16c are used for fine tuning the lead supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: TBS ENGINEERING LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert HOPWOOD, Christopher BARGE
  • Publication number: 20060272793
    Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus for connecting a battery plate to a metal strap or post or to moulds therefor. In contrast to existing arrangements lead is fed to the feed passage (17) via an opening (20) which is positioned immediate the ends of the aligned cavities in the set (14) of the mould. This arrangement enables the cavities to be fed with lead at approximately the same time and hence the dip of the lugs into the cavities can be optimised without any significant difficulties. In itself this substantially increases productivity. It has also been found that up to three batteries can be cast simultaneously, particularly if bypasses (16c) are used for fine tuning the lead supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Inventors: Robert Hopwood, Christopher Barge
  • Publication number: 20060255533
    Abstract: Apparatus for forming groups of stacked battery plates is generally indicated at 10 and includes input stations 11, 11?, respective envelopers 12, further input conveyors 13, 13? for inputting plates onto respective conveyor 15, 15? downstream of the envelopers. Transfer conveyors 22, 22? are disposed at respective ends of the main conveyor 15, 15? to feed an intermittently driven pocket conveyor 16, 16 via interrupt conveyors 23, 23?. The interrupt conveyors 23 include respective releaseable stops 32, which enable stacks to be formed on the interrupt conveyors 23, 23? and for them to be released at the appropriate moment to be fed into a respective pocket on the pocket conveyor 16, 16?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: TBS ENGINEERING LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Hopwood, Christopher Barge
  • Publication number: 20060254209
    Abstract: An enveloper (10) for creating a material envelope around a battery plate, including an anvil (29) and a rotatable cut-and-crease roller (28) having a knife (35) and a generally diametrically opposed crease blade (36) for acting against the anvil (29) to cut-and-crease material fed through the enveloper (10) wherein the enveloper (10) further includes a control (57) for varying the rotational velocity of the roller (28) during a rotational cycle to position the crease to form a symmetrical envelope around a plate passing through the enveloper (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Applicant: TBS ENGINEERING LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Hopwood, Christopher Barge, Mark Phillips
  • Publication number: 20050167245
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming groups of battery plates includes at least first and second plate supply lines each including a separation station and a downstream plate supply. The apparatus further includes a first common plate feed line for the envelopers and a second common plate feed line for the downstream plate supplys.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Applicant: TBS ENGINEERING LIMITED
    Inventors: Robert Timothy Hopwood, Christopher Barge, Tobin Knighton
  • Publication number: 20050040213
    Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus and methods for forming a terminal on a battery. Terminal forming apparatus (11) has a mould (12) with a cavity (26) which is intended to encircle the post and bush assembly (22, 25) of a battery box (10). The mould cavity (26) is formed with an open upper mouth (27) and a lateral inlet/outlet (28) which connects with the feed channel (13). Inlet (28) is defined by a weir (29) which acts as a constant height device to define the final filling height of the mould cavity (26). This arrangement allows over filling of the mould above the height of the weir (29) and subsequent dropping of that level to the height of the weir (29). This enables the terminal to be formed at precisely the correct height without the need for any metering of the lead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Robert Hopwood, Christopher Barge