MAKING ACCUMULATORS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 3189, 31 January 1928, Page 6

MAKING ACCUMULATORS

PROCESSES DESCRIBED,

THE USES OF STEAM,

The production of the radio A batt, or accumulator, as it is more readily know* by that name, is a very interesting proceeding, and a,few details as carried out at one of the largest of these works in England should be of

interest,

Battery repairs are dealt with on somewhat novel lines. One original and important feature is the use of a high pressure steam boiler working at 80-1201bs per square inch. This steam has many uses in the works, some of which are as follows: A jet of steam is used for cleaning corroded terminals, the whole of the corrosion and sulpha - tion being removed almost instantly, with the result that the tightest terminal can be afterwards removed quite easily by hand. Steam is further used for softening the sealing compound on the tops of the batteries in a special oven'prior to the removal of the plates, the acid thus remaining in' the cells. The wood tray is also steam blasted to remove all traces of acid and dirt.

Fuel for th& boiler is mainly sawdust from the wood working department, where wood trays and separators are made. Scrap ebonite and wood boxes are generally also handy, so that only a few shovels of coke are necessary occasionally. The steam is further used to provide distilled water from a condensing plant, while the cooling water of the condenser provides constant hot water for washing purposes. Forced draught for extracting sawdust from the separator, planer and dove-tailing machine is further provided by the steam. The air extractors over the lead burning benches and the lead ladle are worked similarly. All the scrap paste deposit and acid is run into a series of settling tanks in order that the deposit may be recovered and the liquid disposed of. Steam operates a special water-lifter for draining these sumps, and as much as eight tons of deposit is removed in the course of 12 months. A final use for the steam, which it is to be hoped will never be needed, is to act as a fire extinguisher By means of a suitable pipe line and a controlling valve near the office, the workshops and charging room can be instantly | flooded with steam which would effectually cut off the supply of air and so extinguish the flames.

Among other labour-saving devices are a hard guillotine for cutting separators or plate lugs, a power driven metal circular scratch brush for cleaning plate lugs prior to burning, and specially designed ladles so that only clean lead is fed to the mould.