Process for making battery terminals

Claim 1

A method of making a lead acid storage battery having active elements of alternately spaced positive and negative plates, container means for said active elements and a terminal for electrically communicating said active elements with the outside of said container through a wall of said container, said method comprising the steps of providing a hollow core which defines a socket adapted to receive a complementarily shaped battery cable connector, providing a first mold having first walls defining an open-mouthed cavity, positioning said core in said mold contiguous the mouth of said cavity with said socket opening into said cavity, said first walls and said socket together defining a carrier-forming cavity, filling said carrier-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing the lead to solidify to form a carrier-core composite having a flange and a core-engaging projection extending from said flange into said socket, providing a second mold having second walls defining a second open-mouthed cavity, positioning said composite in said second mold contiguous the mouth of said second cavity with said flange seating in said mold closing said cavity and with said core within said cavity, said second walls and said flange together defining a bushing-forming cavity, filling said bushing-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing it to solidify to form a bushing about the said core, joining said bushing to said active elements through a wall of said container means, filling said container means with electrolyte, connecting said carrier to a source of electrolyzing current, passing said current through said carrier, bushing, active elements and electrolyte to electrolytically form said positive and negative plates in said container, and subsequently removing said carrier from said core.

Claim 2

A method of making a lead acid storage battery having active elements of alternately spaced positive and negative plates, container means for said active elements and a terminal for electrically communicating said active elements with the outside of said container through a wall of said container, said method comprising the steps of providing a hollow core which defines a socket adapted to receive a complementarily shaped battery cable connector, providing a first mold having first walls defining an open-mouthed cavity, positioning said core in said mold contiguous the mouth of said cavity with said socket opening into said cavity, said first walls and said socket together defining a carrier-forming cavity, filling said carrier-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing the lead to solidify to form a carrier-core composite having a flange and a core-engaging projection extending from said flange into said socket, providing a second mold having second walls defining a second open-mouthed cavity, positioning said composite in said second mold contiguous the mouth of said second cavity with said flange seating in said mold closing said cavity and with said core within said second cavity, said second walls and said flange together defining a bushing-forming cavity, filling said bushing-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing it to solidify to form a bushing about the said core, providing a container mold having a container wall forming cavity therein, positioning said bushing in said container mold with said bushing traversing a portion of said container wall cavity, filling said container mold cavity with, and embedding said bushing in, an appropriate thermoplastic or thermosetting material to form said container, joining said bushing to said active elements in said container, and subsequently removing said carrier from said core.

Claim 4

A method of making a lead acid storage battery having active elements of alternately spaced positive and negative plates, container means for said active elements and a terminal for electrically communicating said active elements with the outside of said container through a wall of said container, said method comprising the steps of providing a hollow core which defines a socket adapted to receive a complementary shaped battery cable connector, providing a first mold having first walls defining an open-mouthed cavity, positioning said core in said mold contiguous the mouth of said cavity with said socket opening into said cavity, said first walls and said socket together defining a carrier-forming cavity, filling said carrier-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing the lead to solidify to form a carrier-core composite having a flange and a core-engaging projection extending from said flange into said socket, providing a second mold having second walls defining a second open-mouthed cavity, positioning said composite in said second mold contiguous the mouth of said second cavity with said flange seating in said mold closing said cavity and with said core within said second cavity, said second walls and said flange together defining a bushing-forming cavity, filling said bushing-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing it to solidify to form a bushing about the said core, perforating a wall of said container, inserting a portion of said bushing into said aperture and through said container wall, joining said portion to said active elements in said container, and subsequently removing said carrier from said core.

Claim 5

A method of making a lead acid storage battery having active elements of alternately spaced positive and negative plates, container means for said active elements and a terminal for electrically communicating said active elements with the outside of said container through a wall of said container, said method comprising the steps of providing a hollow core which defines a socket adapted to receive a complementarily shaped battery cable connector, providing a first mold having first walls defining an open-mouthed cavity, positioning said core in said mold contiguous the mouth of said cavity with said socket opening into said cavity, said first walls and said socket together defining a carrier-forming cavity, filling said carrier-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing the lead to solidify to form a carrier-core composite having a flange and a core-engaging projection extending from said flange into said socket, cooling and forming a bond preventing oxide film in situ on the surface of said carrier, providing a second mold having second walls defining a second open-mouthed cavity, positioning said composite in said second mold contiguous the mouth of said second cavity and with said flange seating in said mold closing said cavity and with said core wiThin said second cavity, said second walls and said flange together defining a bushing-forming cavity, filling said bushing-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing it to solidify to form a bushing about the said core, joining said bushing to said active elements through a wall of said container means, and subsequently removing said carrier from said core.

Claim 6

A method of making a lead acid storage battery having active elements of alternately spaced positive and negative plates, container means for said active elements and a terminal for electrically communicating said active elements with the outside of said container through a wall of said container, said method comprising the steps of providing a hollow core which defines a socket adapted to receive a complementarily shaped battery cable connector, providing a first mold having first walls defining an open-mouthed cavity, positioning said core in said mold contiguous the mouth of said cavity with said socket opening into said cavity, said first walls and said socket together defining a carrier-forming cavity, filling said carrier-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing the lead to solidify to form a carrier-core composite having a flange and a core-engaging projection extending from said flange into said socket, aging said composite in an oxidizing atmosphere to cool said composite and to form a bond preventing oxide film in situ on the surface of said carrier, providing a second mold having second walls defining a second open-mouthed cavity, positioning said composite in said second mold contiguous the mouth of said second cavity with said flange seating in said mold closing said cavity and with said core within said second cavity, said second walls and said flange together defining a bushing-forming cavity, filling said bushing-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing it to solidify to form a bushing about the said core, joining said bushing to said active elements through a wall of said container means, and subsequently removing said carrier from said core.

Claim 7

A method of making a lead acid storage battery having active elements of alternately spaced positive and negative plates, container means for said active elements and a terminal for electrically communicating said active elements with the outside of said container through a wall of said container, said method comprising the steps of providing a hollow core which defines a socket adapted to receive a complementarily shaped battery cable connector, providing a first mold having first walls defining an open-mouthed cavity, positioning said core in said mold contiguous the mouth of said cavity with said socket opening into said cavity, said first walls and said socket together defining a carrier-forming cavity, filling said carrier-forming cavity with molter lead and allowing the lead to solidify to form a carrier-core composite having a flange and a core-engaging projection extending from said flange into said socket, aging said composite in ambient air for at least about 8 hours to cool said composite and to form a bond preventing oxide film in situ on the surface of said carrier, providing a second mold having second walls defining a second open-mouthed cavity, positioning said composite in said second mold contiguous the mouth of said second cavity with said flange seating in said mold closing said cavity and with said core within said second cavity, said second walls and said flange together defining a bushing-forming cavity, filling said bushing-forming cavity with molten lead and allowing it to solidify to form a bushing about the said core, joining said bushing to said active elements through a wall of said container means, and subsequently removing said carrier from said core.