Battery-molding method and molding apparatus

A method of producing metal-reinforced panels comprising the steps of:

• forming a number of generally stratiform biplanar reinforcing elements by assembling pairs of spaced metal sheets in a substantially parallel and mutually supporting arrangement;
• arranging said reinforcing elements in a molding box in a substantially horizontal stack with partitioning means between any two adjacent ones of said reinforcing elements and between interior surfaces of said molding box and reinforcing elements adjacent thereto, wherein at least some of said partitioning means are molding boards in a laterally unguided connection with the walls of the molding box, the distance between any two adjacent boards being determined essentially by said biplanar elements;
• tilting said molding box until said reinforcing elements form a substantially vertical stack by means of at least one fluid-cushion capable of expanding and contracting;
• pouring a flowable and hardenable material into said molding box to substantially fill said vertical stack;
• allowing said material to harden and to form a stack of metal-reinforced panels;
• and
• separating said stack to obtain a number of metal-reinforced panels.

A tiltable molding apparatus suitable for producing a plurality of panels by casting a flowable and hardenable material, comprising:

• a molding box having a bottom wall, two front walls and two side walls;
• a plurality of compartments in said molding box of said apparatus;
• two fluid-cushions capable of expanding and contracting in response to varying the amount of fluid within each said cushion;
• said cushions resting on a support surface and being connected with said molding box in a manner permitting a tilting movement of said molding box by variation of the amount of said fluid within said cushions;
• the first of said fluid-cushions being arranged between said support surface and said bottom wall while the second of said fluid-cushions being arranged between said support surface and one of said side walls;
• said fluid-cushions being connected with conduit means for varying the amount of fluid in each cushion;
• and
• wherein said compartments are formed by partitioning means in a laterally unguided connection with the walls of the molding box.