Method and apparatus for making continuous grids for lead acid batteries

Apparatus for making continuous grids for lead acid batteries by advancing a strip of lead or a lead alloy along the longitudinal axis thereof, comprising:

• a slit-forming means for forming zigzag slits in the strip between belt-shaped unslitted edge portions and a central unslitted portion, and including a first cutting edge roller having projecting cutting edge rows substantially parallel to the advancing direction of the strip, a first grooved roller cutter spaced with respect to said first cutting edge roller and having annular grooves engaging with said projecting cutting edge rows, a second cutting edge roller having projecting cutting edge rows substantially parallel to the advancing direction of said strip, a second grooved roller cutter spaced with respect to said second cutting edge roller and having annular grooves engaging with said projecting cutting edge rows of said second cutting edge roller;
• a plurality of stretching means for applying a force having a vertical component to the plane of the strip between both unslitted edge portions and said central unslitted portion and including means for feeding both said unslitted edge portions and said central unslitted portion at substantially the same speed such that said strip is substantially formed into a V-shaped cross-section vertical to the advancing direction of the strip thereby forming grid cells, and each said stretching means including spaced rollers for holding the strip at both unslitted edge portions thereof, means for feeding the strip at a substantially constant speed by a contact V-shaped roller rotating at substantially the same peripheral speed as that of said spaced rollers, and a nonpowered roller for holding the strip at the central unslitted portion such that respective portions of said strip between one unslitted edge portion and the central unslitted portion and between the other unslitted edge portion and the central unslitted portion respectively engage respective side surfaces of said contact V-shaped roller, and guide means exerting frictional resistance on the zigzag slits for substantial uniform stretching thereof, each successive one of said contact V-shaped rollers in said plurality of stretching means in the advancing direction of said strip having a larger size for progressive stretching of said strip;
• and
• leveling means for leveling said substantially V-shaped strip and including a leveling guide block having a horizontal bottom surface width the same as or narrower than the width of said central unslitted portion of the strip, said horizontal bottom surface including inclined stepped surfaces formed gradually from an obtuse angle to an angle of substantially 180.degree. in the direction of movement of the strip, and a plate mounted below said leveling guide block in spaced relation thereto for feeding the central unslitted central portion of said strip between said horizontal bottom surface and said plate.

Apparatus for making continuous grids for lead acid batteries by intermittently advancing a strip of lead or a lead alloy along the longitudinal axis thereof, comprising:

• a slit-forming means for forming zigzag slits inclined to the longitudinal axis of the strip between belt-shaped unslitted edge portions and a central unslitted portion of the strip and including spaced V-shaped upper and lower cutters each having cutting edges inclined to the advancing direction of the strip, said upper cutter being moved vertically in synchronization with the intermittent advancement of the strip and said lower cutter being fixed, the edges at the V-shaped end of the upper and lower cutters being curved;
• a plurality of stretching means for applying a force having a vertical component to the plane of the strip between both unslitted edge portions and said central unslitted portion and including means for feeding both said unslitted edge portions and said central unslitted portion at substantially the same speed such that said strip is substantially formed into a V-shaped cross-section vertical to the advancing direction of the strip thereby forming grid cells, and each said stretching means including spaced rollers for holding the strip at both unslitted edge portions thereof, means for feeding the strip at a substantially constant speed by a contact V-shaped roller rotating at substantially the same peripheral speed as that of said spaced rollers, and a nonpowered roller for holding the strip at the central unslitted portion such that respective portions of said strip between one unslitted edge portion and the central unslitted portion and between the other unslitted edge portion and the central unslitted portion respectively engage respective side surfaces of said contact V-shaped roller, and guide means exerting frictional resistance on the zigzag slits for substantial uniform stretching thereof, each successive one of said contact V-shaped rollers in said plurality of stretching means in the advancing direction of said strip having a larger size for progressive stretching of said strip;
• and
• leveling means for leveling said substantially V-shaped strip and including a leveling guide block having a horizontal bottom surface width the same as or narrower than the width of said central unslitted portion of the strip, said horizontal bottom surface including inclined stepped surfaces formed gradually from an obtuse angle to an angle of substantially 180.degree. in the direction of movement of the strip, and a plate mounted below said leveling guide block in spaced relation thereto for feeding the central unslitted central portion of said strip between said horizontal bottom surface and said plate.

Apparatus for making continuous grids for lead acid batteries by intermittently advancing a strip of lead or a lead alloy along the longitudinal axis thereof, comprising:

• a slit-forming means for forming zigzag slits inclined at different angles to the longitudinal axis of the strip between belt-shaped unslitted edge portions and a central unslitted portion thereof and including spaced V-shaped upper and lower cutters each having cutting edges inclined to the advancing direction of the strip, said upper cutter being moved vertically in synchronization with the intermittent advancement of the strip and said lower cutter being fixed, the outermost cutting edge of each of said upper and lower cutters for forming a portion of both unslitted edge portions of the strip having a greater angle of inclination to the longitudinal axis than the remaining cutting edges of each of said upper and lower cutters;
• a plurality of stretching means for applying a force having a vertical component to the plane of the strip between both unslitted edge portions and said central unslitted portion and including means for feeding both said unslitted edge portions and said central unslitted portion at substantially the same speed that said strip is substantially formed into a V-shaped cross-section vertical to the advancing direction of the strip thereby forming grid cells, and each said stretching means including spaced rollers for holding the strip at both unslitted edge portions thereof, means for feeding the strip at a substantially constant speed by a contact V-shaped roller rotating at substantially the same peripheral speed as that of said spaced rollers, and a non-powered roller for holding the strip at the central unslitted portion such that respective portions of said strip between one unslitted edge portion and the central unslitted portion and between the other unslitted edge portion and the central unslitted portion respectively engage respective side surfaces of said contact V-shaped roller, and guide means exerting frictional resistance on the zigzag slits for substantial uniform stretching thereof, each successive one of said contact V-shaped rollers in said plurality of stretching means in the advancing direction of said strip having a larger size for progressive stretching of said strip;
• and
• leveling means for leveling said substantially V-shaped strip and including a leveling guide block having a horizontal bottom surface width the same as or narrower than the width of said central unslitted portion of the strip, said horizontal bottom surface including inclined stepped surfaces formed gradually from an obtuse angle to an angle of substantially 180.degree. in the direction of movement of the strip, and a plate mounted below said leveling guide block in spaced relation thereto for feeding the central unslitted central portion of said strip between said horizontal bottom surface and said plate.