Abstract: A method for welding nonferrous metal sheets, particularly thin aluminum sheets, using commercially available welding equipment and procedures resulting in reduced cost and faster welding speed without the need for high clamping force, specialized equipment or training, or specialized sheet surface and edge treatments, involving positioning the edges of the thin nonferrous sheets between heavier nonferrous metal bars or sheets in a manner that allows a weld bead or molten weld pool to be formed that incorporates all three layers of the metal, the posterior welding material member, the thin sheet sandwiched between, and the anterior welding material member forming the “sandwich”. The anterior and posterior welding material members and the thin sheets then are welded together with the thin sheets captured between them and with the edges forming a weld “nugget” between the welding material members creating an impermeable airtight seam joining the sheets together.

Abstract: A method for welding nonferrous metal sheets, particularly thin aluminum sheets, using commercially available welding equipment and procedures resulting in reduced cost and faster welding speed without the need for high clamping force, specialized equipment or training, or specialized sheet surface and edge treatments, involving positioning the edges of the thin nonferrous sheets between heavier nonferrous metal bars or sheets in a manner that allows a weld bead or molten weld pool to be formed that incorporates all three layers of the metal, the posterior welding material member, the thin sheet sandwiched between, and the anterior welding material member forming the “sandwich”. The anterior and posterior welding material members and the thin sheets then are welded together with the thin sheets captured between them and with the edges forming a weld “nugget” between the welding material members creating an impermeable airtight seam joining the sheets together.

Abstract: A floating roof storage tank which includes a peripheral sealing ring of shoes distributed around the periphery of an internal floating roof within a storage tank. Spring loaded or otherwise resilient members with essentially level horizontal travel (without vertical travel) attached to the deck of the internal floating roof keep the peripheral sealing ring of shoes pressed against the tank wall and also keep the internal floating roof centered within the tank. The space between the peripheral sealing ring of shoes and the internal floating roof is covered by a flexible material that prevents product loss. Jamming of the resilient members between the tank shell and the relatively flexible rim of the internal floating roof is reduced or eliminated due to the level horizontal travel of the hanger-pushers and their horizontal mounting to the top of the deck. Vertical movement of the individual shoe segments over each other is also reduced or eliminated due to the level horizontal travel of the resilient members.