Abstract: The welding of the body and of the ring with the distributor of a steam turbine diaphragm is carried out in four different areas holding an assembly, formed by two semi-diaphragms, in a substantially vertical position, at most tilted a few degrees off vertical, while four welding units operate simultaneously, two for each face of the assembly, providing for each assembly face to be suitably heated. Two supports are provided, one movable in respect to the other for positioning and handling of the assembly to be treated. Provision is made for vertically adjusting the assembly position with respect to a referring surface, so that the area on which each welding unit works is always on the same level, whatever the dimensions of the assembly to be welded. Provision is also made for heating and insulating both the assembly faces.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for continuously welding large high gauge sheets, according to which the position of a torch is defined by a feeler bearing on the root and on a wall of a chamfer. After carrying out a first weld line a switch means signals the end of the first line and moves the feeler to the other side of the chamfer while still dragging along the welding torch, and during its movement measuring the chamfer width at that particular level of the joint. The feeler and torch remain in the same plane parallel to the chamfer axis and contains both of them. The sensed width is then compared with stored widths, thus deciding how many weld lines have to be deposited in that layer, at the same time carrying out the second weld line with the feeler and torch adjacent the other side of the chamfer, and still arranged in a plane parallel to the above mentioned plane.

Abstract: The apparatus carried by a suitable handling device, and comprising a first base structure attached to the handling device and provided with vertical guides for the sliding of a first carriage, a second base structure attached to said carriage and provided with horizontal guides for the sliding of a second carriage, and an operating head carried by the second carriage through a hydropneumatic device comprising at least one double-acting penumatic cylinder for supporting said head and having its axis vertically arranged, and a hydraulic damper connected between said second carriage and operating head, the lower chamber of the operating head supporting pneumatic cylinder being supplied with a first value of pressure as to cause a fast lifting of said head, while the upper chamber of the pneumatic cylinder is supplied with a value of pressure at a lower level as to annul the upward thrust, at the same time supplying said operating head with a downward operative thrust of a constant value.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling and taking up the axial displacement of large rotating cylinders, comprising a pair of end bearings, of which one is provided with driven rollers, while the other is provided with idle rollers, one of which is carried by a bearing orientable about a vertical axis. A first transducer senses the axial displacement of the cylinder and its output is connected to an input to a first device effecting a comparison with a reference signal; the output of the first comparing device is connected through an amplifier to an input to a second comparing device, a second input of which is connected to the output of a second transducer sensing the displacement of the guide roller bearing. The output of the second comparing device controls a servoactuator mechanically connected to the orientable bearing of the guide roller.