The Automobile Storage Battery Part 57

(3) Place a warmed cover over the posts of the two a.s.sembled groups (the elements). Fig. 252.

[Fig. 252 Replacing Prest-O-Lite cover on built-up posts]

(4) Slide the element over the Bed Plate directly under Peening Tool, with the bottom of the plate connectors resting on the Bed Plate. (See Fig. 253).

(5) Pull down the Latch to hold the Bed Plate in alignment.

(6) Center the post with Peening Tool. Then force the Peening Tool down slowly until it has covered about two-thirds of the distance to the cover. Pause in this operation to allow the metal of the post to become heated; then force tool the rest of the distance. Raise the Peening Tool slightly and force down again.

(7) Release the Latch, withdraw and reverse the element, and repeat operations 4, 5 and 6 on the other post.

(8) The a.s.sembled groups are now ready to receive separators.

[Fig. 253 Peening Prest-O-Lite post with special peening press]

Precautions in Post Locking Operations

1--Be sure all covers are warmed until they are flexible before attempting to a.s.semble.

2--Be sure that the Peening Tool is not too hot. If it is, the post will melt away and be ruined. A very hot tool sometimes causes dangerous spattering of hot lead.

3--Be sure that the post is centered with the Peening Tool before forcing the Tool down on the post.

4--Be sure the cover has been forced down, so that it rests on the shoulder of the post, before releasing.

General Instructions

In breaking in a new Peening Tool it is advisable to squirt several drops of machine oil inside the Tool, as well as putting some oil on the top of the post, before forcing the hot Tool down over the post.

This will prevent the Tool from sticking to the post.

If the Peening Tool should stick to the post, force the Tool down again, being certain that the cover is slightly compressed. Sticking of the Peening Tool indicates either that the Tool has not yet been broken in, or that there is not sufficient compression in the cover to free the Tool on releasing the pressure on the lever of the Press.

To repair the 13/16" diameter straight terminal post, the Ford positive terminal post, the Ford negative terminal post, it is good practice to remove the cover in the usual manner, then cut the upper portion of the posts off and rebuild them with the large Post Re-Builder. Rea.s.semble the element and cover in the recommended manner and then use the proper Post Builder to burn the post to its original size.

Standard Types of Prest-O-Lite Starting, Lighting and Ignition Batteries

[Image: Chart for Prest-O-Lite starting batteries, 6-volt]

[Image: Chart for Prest-O-Lite starting batteries, 12-volt]

[Image: Chart for Prest-O-Lite starting batteries, 16-18-24 and 30-volt]

[Image: Chart for Prest-O-Lite special heavy duty truck batteries for starting and light; Chart for 6-volt lighting and ignition types]

THE PHILADELPHIA DIAMOND GRID BATTERY

Old Type

[Fig. 254 Cross section of old type Philadelphia diamond grid battery]

Figs. 254 and 255 show the construction of the old type Philadelphia Diamond Grid. Battery. Figs. 254 and 256 show the diamond shaped grid from which the battery derives its name. It is claimed that this construction gives a very strong grid, holding the active materials firmly in place, and giving a large amount of contact surface between the grid and the active material.

Figs. 254 and 255 show the old type battery, and give the details of the cover, terminal posts, vent plug, and so on. The post seal is made tight by pouring the compound into the cover well so that it flows in around all of the petticoats on the post.

[Fig. 255 Cross section old type Philadelphia Diamond Grid]

This construction increases the distance that the acid must travel along the post, in order to cause a leak, about two and one-half times the vertical distance on a smooth post. The hard rubber washer which fits around the post acts as a lock to prevent the post from turning.

This applies especially to the two terminal posts to which the cables are attached. The washer is intended to prevent any strain in the cable from turning the post and breaking the seal between the post and the compound.

New Development in the Philadelphia Battery

[Fig. 256 Cross section new type Philadelphia battery]

[Fig. 257 New type Philadelphia Diamond Grid Battery]

Rubber Lockt Seal Covers. During the last few years there has been a marked tendency in the battery industry to do away with the use of sealing compound for making a joint between the cell cover and the terminal posts and to subst.i.tute a mechanical seal of some kind at this joint. The Philadelphia Storage Battery Co. has developed the "Rubber Lockt". cover seal, the construction of which is shown in detail in Figs. 256 and 257. On the cell posts there is a. f.l.a.n.g.e which supports the cover, and above this there is a recessed portion into which is slipped a soft rubber sleeve or bus.h.i.+ng. This portion of the post is made with a ridge extending around the post and with the rubber sleeve forming a high point over which a corresponding locking edge in the terminal hole of the cover is snapped. This construction makes a joint which is flexible and at the same time acid tight.

Vibration tends to push the cover down on the supporting f.l.a.n.g.es, as the post diameter is smaller below the locking edge. The design is simple, both from the a.s.sembly and the repair standpoint, as no tools are required for either operation. In the a.s.sembly operation the groups are lined up so that the post centers are correct and, after wetting the soft rubber sleeves, the cover is snapped in place with a quick downward push. See Fig. 258. In removing the covers, catch under each end with the fingers and pull upward, at the same time pressing with the thumbs on the top of the posts. See Fig. 259.

[Fig. 258 Replacing cover of Philadelphia Diamond Grid Battery]

[Fig. 259 Removing cover of Philadelphia Diamond Grid Battery]

Rubber Case Batteries. Another development of recent years consists of the replacing of the wood case and rubber jars by a one-piece container of hard rubber with compartments for the elements The Philadelphia Storage Battery Co. has developed the Diamond Rubber case, which combines strength and lightness with an attractive appearance. See Fig. 260. One of the troubles experienced with the earlier designs of the rubber case was the bulging of the end, due to the pull of the battery hold down rod on a small handle attached to the center of the end. In the Philadelphia battery this has been overcome by the use of a wide handle which snaps into openings in the end of the case in such a way that the pull on the handle is transferred to the sides. Another feature of this type handle is that it is a separate piece snapped into the case without the use of any metal insert in the rubber case, and if the handle should break, it can be replaced at small expense without the use of any tools.

[Fig. 260 Philadelphia Diamond Grid Battery with rubber case]

The Philadelphia vent plug is of the bayonet type, and is tightened by a quarter turn. The plug simply has a small vent hole in the top, and may either be taken out or left on while battery is charging.

The Philadelphia Separator

The Philadelphia separator is made of quarter sawed hardwood. It has a hard resinous wood in which the hard and soft portions occur in regular alternating vertical layers. The soft layers are porous, and permit the diffusion of the acid from plate to plate. The hard layers give the separator stiffness and long life. The alternating hard and soft layers are at right angles to the surface of the separator, so that the electrolyte has a direct path between plates.

The methods of repairing Philadelphia Diamond Grid batteries are no different from those already given, on pages 328 to 374.

When the elements of the old type batteries have been a.s.sembled and returned to the jars, put the covers in place, and pour the compound around the edges of the cover, and in the post wells. The old compound must be removed from the petticoats on the posts before new compound is poured in. The compound must be warm and thin enough to flow around and fill up the petticoat s.p.a.ces on the posts in order to get a good seal. When the post wells are full of compound, and while compound is still warm, put on the square sealing washers and press them down so that the holes in the washers fit closely around the octagonal part of the posts.