Machine for making storage battery elements

Claim 1

A MACHINE FOR FABRICATING MULT-COMPONENT STORAGE BATTERY ELEMENTS INCLUDING PLATES AND SEPARATORS, SAID MACHINE HAVING AN ALIGNMENT STATION, A FLUXING STATION, AND A CASTING STATION COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, ALIGNMENT MECHANISM AT THE ALIGNMENT STATION FOR ACCURATELY ALIGNING THE BATTERY ELEMENT COMPONENTS TO FORM A BATTERY STACK; FLUXING MECHANISM AT THE FLUXING STATION FOR APPLYING FLUX TO A PORTION OF THE PLATES OF THE BATTERY STACK, SAID FLUXING MECHANISM INCLUDING A FLUX BATH INTO WHICH SAID PORTION OF THE BLADES OF A BATTERY STACK ARE INSERTED FOR APPLICATION OF FLUX THERETO AND A LATERALLY MOVABLE HOT AIR SUPPLY MEANS FOR PREHEATING THE PLATES; CASTING MECHANISM AT THE CASTING STATION FOR CASTING A POST OF A BATTERY STACK; IT TO THE FLUXED PORTION OF THE PLATES OF A BATTERY STACK; AND TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR TRANSFERRING A STACK BETWEEN SAID STATIONS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF TRANSFER HEADS ADAPTED TO GRIP A BATTERY STACK AND CARRY IT FROM ONE STATION TO ANOTHER, SAID TRANSFER MECHANISM FURTHER INCLUDING AN ACTUATOR MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING EACH OF SAID TRANSFER HEADS INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER SO THAT EACH BATTERY STACK CARRIED BY EACH TRANSFER HEAD CAN BE RAISED AND LOWERED AT THE RESPECTIVE STATIONS INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER.