Abstract: A positioning device for positioning transverse wires for a mesh-welding machine has a guide (101) for receiving one of the transverse wires and two slides (120, 140), which can move freely, for making contact with the transverse wire received in the guide (101) at two opposite end sides. The slides (120, 140) are designed in such a manner that the transverse wire, which has been put down in any arbitrary receiving position in the guide (101), can be moved along the guide (101) by the slide (120, 140) into any desired, predetermined release position. The two freely moveable slides (120, 140), between which the transverse wire is held, allow accurate and rapid displacement of the transverse wire in both transverse directions.

Abstract: In a process for separating wires of a wire bundle the latter is delivered onto feed plane (3) which is sloped in feed direction (3) so that it or the wires move under the action of gravity onto guide element (6) with a control gap. The control gap has a gap width corresponding to the wire diameter and is made to hold the separated wires in the form of a single wire layer. Before the wire bundle can reach the control gap, it is handled using several handling elements (8.1, 8.2, 9.1, 9.2, 10.1, 10.2) located next to one another. They have a strike edge parallel to the feed plane and a scraping edge pointed against the wire bundle, and they execute a striking motion which is such that in the first cycle segment the strike edge, proceeding from the starting point, is guided opposite feed direction (5) over the single wire layer just formed and in a second cycle segment the strike edge is raised from the wire layer in order to be returned to the starting point. Handling elements (10.1, 10.

Abstract: In a device for intermittent straightening of wire there are independent drives for wire feed and the straightening rotor. The speed of rotation (v.sub.2) of the straightening rotor varies essentially synchronously to the feed rate (v.sub.1) of the wire. To cut the wire (t.sub.4) the wire and rotor are stopped. According to the invention the direction of rotation of the rotor is reversed between successive working cycles.

Abstract: A multiple spot resistance welding machine for the welding of wire grids by direct current comprises several contact electrodes (4.1.1, 4.2.1, 4.1.2, 4.2.2, . . . ) contacting a respectively associated grid point from both sides. The switching arrangement for the simultaneous application of welding current to all contacted grid points exhibits, for each contact electrode pair (4.1.1/4.2.1, . . . , 4.1.5/4.2.5), a welding transformer. Juxtaposed welding electrode pairs are floating with respect to potential in accordance with this invention so that the sole transverse connection is constituted by the transverse wire (1). A separate contact electrode pair is provided for each grid point.

Abstract: A flash butt welding facility exhibits a housing (1) and a slide (2) linearly displaceable in the former. Respectively one clamping system is installed in the housing (1) and in the slide (2), by means of which profiled workpieces, e.g. rails (5a, 5b), can be retained and positioned. A device for displacing the clamping systems, especially for compressing profiled workpieces (e.g. rails), comprises at least one press cylinder (11) arranged above the workpiece clamping axis (17) and acting in the longitudinal direction and at least one lever (8) rotatably connected to the slide (2) in the force application point (9). The press cylinder (11) is connected to one end of the lever (8). The center of the lever (8) is articulated (7a) to the housing by way of a pull rod (6a). The pressing force produced above the rail clamping axis (17) is made to be effective in the clamping axis in this way.

Abstract: The intermittent straightening of the wire (1) is carried out by means of a fixedly supported straightening rotor (4), the straightening blocks (5, 6, 7) of which radially deflect the wire (1) advanced by conveying mechanism (2). The mass moment of inertia of the straightening rotor (4) is dimensioned to be so small that the straightening rotor (4) can be decelerated and accelerated at least approximately within the same time period as the wire (1) by the conveying mechanism (2). For cutting to length, the straightening rotor (4) is braked in synchronism with the wire (1) and thereafter again accelerated.

Abstract: The electrical elements to be cooled (111-138) is a low-ohmic high-power source are connected via cooling channels (60-63, 66, 77, 70-72, 76-80) in the electrical conductors (9, 211, 311, 10, 215, 315, . . . ) as parallel cooling circulations to a cooling medium distributor (8). The entire mechanical design of the circuit arrangement is sandwich-like and constitutes an electrodynamically stable and space-saving arrangement without additional fittings between the elements to be cooled.

Abstract: A suspended rail welder which includes, generally, two clamping units which are supported by a beam which is affixed to a boom for raising and lowering the rail welder to the rails which are to be welded together. The two clamping units are coupled to one another by a pair of upset tube assemblies which extend between and through both clamping units. Each of these upset tube assemblies is formed of a hollow rectangular tube which supports within them a straight edge which is used to geometrically align both horizontally and vertically the rails to be welded together.

Abstract: The apparatus possesses work locating fixtures or clamping devices for clamping edge areas of hollow cylindrical blanks as well as a facility for pressing together the mutually confronting edges of axial slits of the blanks. One of the jaws of each work locating fixture or clamping device is connected to a source of welding current. To prevent substantial elastic deformations of the apparatus caused by the very high clamping forces of the work locating fixtures or clamping devices as well as compression forces before, during and after welding and to render possible a feeding and removing of the blanks or wheel rim hoops, transverse to the axis of the blanks, each work locating fixture or clamping device possesses two movable clamp or pincer-type partial jaw members which cooperate with an associated fixed clamping jaw.

Abstract: A first electrode with a first clamping surface and a second electrode with a second clamping surface are moveable towards and away from each other during working cycles of the apparatus. The first and second clamping surfaces face each other and serve to securely clamp a workpiece to be welded and to supply an electrical current required for this operation. The second clamping surface of the second electrode is larger than the first clamping surface of the first electrode, and radial displacing members are provided to displace the second electrode with respect to the first electrode between successive working cycles. This is necessary, particularly during welding or soldering series of small articles, in order to reduce the frequency of wear due to heat accumulation and to reduce the need to frequently exchange the electrodes or electrode inserts carrying the clamping surfaces, which exchange is caused by the heat accumulation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a continuous railroad track including a mobile welding plant which is comprised of, for example, a string of flat cars for transporting a number of already formed continuous rails, another flat car or the like carrying means such as a winch and other related apparatus for delivering the individual continuous rails to the mobile welding plant, and another flat car or the like transporting a puller or pusher apparatus for controlling the movement of the continuous track which is formed, in and from the mobile welding plant.

Abstract: A method for measuring distances and for determining the three-dimensional contour of a workpiece, wherein two intersecting light beams are directed onto the workpiece, the light points produced by the beams on the workpiece surface are determined and the angle of inclination of the striking beam in the common plane thereof is measured.

Abstract: A welding apparatus including, generally, a vertical clamping assembly having an upper and a lower clamping assembly for each of two rail sections to be welded together. These vertical clamping assemblies clamp and vertically align the running surfaces of the two rail sections, by establishing the running surfaces at a pre-determined stop level. The welding apparatus also includes a horizontal centering and aligning apparatus which has a first pair of clamping arms which engage the rail base and pre-center the rail sections with respect to one another and to the welding apparatus. The apparatus also includes a pair of spaced apart clamping arms associated with each of the rail sections which are operable to both laterally clamp the rail heads of the respective rail sections and to horizontally or laterally align the rail sections with respect to one another. Once aligned, the ends of the rail sections are welded together.

Abstract: An apparatus for welding two profile or section rods by means of electrical resistance welding, especially an apparatus for welding two rails. There is provided for each of the profile or section rods a clamping device having contact electrodes for infeeding the welding current. Both of the clamping devices are displaceable relative to one another in the direction of the profile or section rods, in order to exert a pressure force at the weld joint. To prevent distortion or displacement of the end regions of the profile sections directly neighboring the weld joint, a centering device is arranged between both of the clamping devices. This centering device can be brought into engagement with the end section of both the one as well as the other profile rod and fixedly retains such end sections. The centering device can comprise two similarly constructed pivotal arms rotatable about a common centering shaft.

Abstract: An angle encoder, for measuring the angular position of a shaft, comprises at least two code carriers having correlated code indicia thereon, the two code carriers being coupled to the shaft for concurrent movement therewith past a scanning unit, and being so arranged that the relative position of the two code carriers changes successively during successive revolutions of the shaft. The two code carriers can comprise endless code tapes having different lengths, or mesh-engaged code disks having different sizes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an industrial robot with a boom having a clasping member at its front end. The boom is connected with two levers wherein one lever is connected via rotary joints with the boom and with a support plate carrying the boom and the levers. The other lever is connected via rotary joints on the one hand with the boom and on the other hand with a pivoting lever wherein the latter is pivotally carried on the support plate.

Abstract: A high current-rectifier arrangement comprising a movable contact body which is of substantially piston-like structure and arranged with radial play in a cylinder-like compartment or chamber formed in an associated contact element and surrounded at its periphery by a connection line which bridges the radial play to the inner wall of the compartment. Furthermore, cooling agent-channel means of such contact body are arranged in offset relationship at the periphery thereof with respect to the connection line and sealingly connected with cooling agent-channels provided in the connection element.

Abstract: Welding apparatus for welding railroad rails of a construction such that it is movable plus or minus approximately two feet to compensate for the position of the continuous rail, i.e., the already welded together rail sections, as the latter is removed from the welding apparatus. Accordingly, the entire length of the continuous rail need not be moved to properly position it with respect to the welding apparatus to form or make a subsequent weld.The welding apparatus also is provided with a vertical clamping and aligning system and a horizontal clamping and aligning system, each of which contain pairs of hydraulic cylinders, one of which is larger than the other, with the larger cylinder in each case being operable to a set position with respect to the rail line of the apparatus, to position the rail. The smaller cylinder than operates to effectively clamp the rail against an arm operated by the larger cylinder. Both of the pairs of cylinders are fed from the same source of hydraulic power.

Abstract: Band shaped contact material is advanced along an approximately horizontal contact material guide past a displaceable knife and counter-holder which cooperates with a stationary counter-knife to a directly adjacent approximtely horizontal contact piece guide in alignment with the contact material guide for receiving successive contact pieces cut-off by the knives which are ejected from the contact piece guide by horizontal advance of the contact material onto a horizontal surface of a vertically movable electrode of a resistance welding device which raises the contact piece into compressive contact against a contact carrier held on the surface of a stationary upper electrode of the welding device and then the two pieces are welded together. Interconnecting apparatus is operative to simultaneously draw back the contact material after the ejection step into the position necessary for the knives to cut off the next contact piece as the previous contact piece is welded to a contact carrier.

Abstract: Welding apparatus for welding railroad rails is movable plus or minus approximately two feet to compensate for the position of the continuous rail, i.e., the already welded together rail sections, as the latter is removed from the welding apparatus.The welding apparatus also is provided with a vertical clamping and aligning system and a horizontal clamping and aligning system, each of which contain pairs of hydraulic cylinders, one of which is larger than the other, with the larger cylinder in each case being operable to a set position with respect to the rail line of the apparatus, to position the rail. The smaller cylinder then operates to effectively clamp the rail against an arm operated by the larger cylinder. The cylinders are connected in a parallelogram-type arrangement, with the entire arrangement being adjustable by means of still another hydraulic cylinder, for a final alignment adjustment.