Abstract: After a large thin sheet (17) has been gripped in a registered state by a plurality of chuck tools (21) and transported in the X direction to a control start position, Y direction movement control for moving the sheet reciprocally by a prescribed movement pitch in the Y direction which is perpendicular to the X direction, and X direction movement control for moving the sheet by a prescribed movement pitch in the X direction each time it has been moved in either Y direction, are repeated in alternate fashion, and every other punching location (18) of a plurality of punching locations in the Y direction on the large thin sheet (17) are successively registered in position with respect to punching tools (23) and the plurality of alternate punching locations (18) in the Y direction of the large thin sheet (17) are then punched out simultaneously.

Abstract: Notches (21a, 21b) are formed at the corners of only one side edge (19a) of a metal jacket blank (19) of a rectangular metal strip. The blank (19) is rolled into a cylindrical shape so that its opposite sides (19a, 19b) are adjoined to each other forming an abutment joint (10) and a lower end (19c) of the blank (19) is inwardly curled and crimped to form a bottom, thus completing an outer metal jacket (18). After a cell member (26) is loaded into the metal jacket (18), the upper end (19d) of the blank (19) is inwardly curled and crimped to cause the notches (21a, 21b) to abut the other side edge (19b) of the blank (19), forming a curled abutment joint (20) along a direction (S) which is different from the radial direction (R) of the metal jacket (18). This arrangement prevents any dents caused by the buckling of the outer metal jacket (18) while being crimped, and allows dry cells to be more efficiently produced.