Abstract: Apparatus operable to charge a controlled volume of an electrolyte through a filling opening into a battery case is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an electrolyte charging station, a manifold head having a vacuum outlet and a vacuum passageway connected to the vacuum outlet, an electrolyte reservoir and an electrolyte passageway connected to the reservoir, a manifold positioner operable to move the manifold head to and to support the head in a first position, in a second battery case evacuating position, and in a third battery case filling position, and a valve having a fluid discharge which is surrounded by a tube and is in fluid communication with the filling opening of a battery in the charging station when the manifold is in the second position and when the manifold is in the third position, and is spaced from the battery in the charging station when the manifold is in the first position.

Abstract: A fibrous sheet useful as a battery plate separator is disclosed. The sheet, in a specific embodiment, is made from a mixture of Grade 210 glass fibers, Grade 206 glass fibers, Grade A-20 chopped glass strand, and Grade A-121 polyethylene fibers. The fine glass fibers impart a high absorbency to the sheet; the coarse glass fibers impart a lower absorbency; and the polyethylene fibers, which are hydrophobic, are essentially non-absorbent. The different fibers are used in such proportions that the sheet has the absorbency, usually from 75 to 95 percent, required for use in a recombinant battery, even in the presence of free electrolyte.

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of making expanded lead strip for use in fabricating plates for lead-acid secondary batteries. Lead strip is expanded into a non-planar shape with two mesh portions divided by a longitudinally extending unexpanded portion. The expanded strip is then flattened and smoothed from the non-planar shape and reduced in thickness.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for assembling a sheet of storage battery separator material about a lead battery plate is disclosed. A battery plate is fed against the center of a flat sheet of battery separator material. The sheet is retained by guides above and below the line against which the battery plate is fed, so that as the plate is fed past the guides, the sheet is folded and enveloped about the somewhat narrower battery plate. As the enveloped plate continues to advance forward, it is engaged between pairs of opposed belt conveyors which take the battery and separator through a heating station. The adjacent inner edge surfaces of the folded separator are heat-sensitive, so that when the hot air and combustion gases at the heating station strike the adjacent inner edge surfaces, they become tacky.