CONTINUOUS MIXING OF BATTERY PASTE

1,232,336. Making paste for battery plates by a continuous mixing process. FORD MOTOR CO Ltd. 3 Nov., 1969 [11 Dec., 1968], No. 53751/69. Heading B1C. [Also in Division Cl] Paste for battery plates is made by a continuous process which comprises feeding lead oxide into one end of an elongated mixing chamber provided with conveying and mixing elements, injecting water into the chamber adjacent the end at which lead oxide is introduced, injecting sulphuric acid into the chamber downstream of the point at which water was introduced, and removing the paste from the other end of the mixing chamber. The conveying and mixing elements may comprise rotatable shafts 16, 18, having intermeshing screws 20, 22 and cooperating paddles 26. Discs 28 may be alternately arranged on the shafts to deflect material radially across the mixing chamber. The chamber may be provided with a jacket 61 and the shafts may be provided with passages for the circulation of a heat transfer medium. Provision may be made for the injection of an antioxidant oil downstream of the point of entry of sulphuric acid. The rate at which water, sulphuric acid, and antioxidant oil are added may be controlled according to the weight of lead oxide added.