Abstract: An automated welding facility for the fabrication of shell sections suitable for ship construction utilizing laser welding is disclosed. The facility includes a panel welding station which includes an optical system for providing radiation for automated two-sided welding of plates to form panels utilizing sequential welding of the top and bottom halves of the plates. The panel welding station is adapted for aligning the plates to form a seam therebetween and for providing tack welds along the length of abutting plates while simultaneously providing position coordinates of the seam to a controller adapted for controlling the positioning of laser welding heads for automating finish welding of the plates to form panels. The panel welding station further includes automated means for marking the panels for positioning stiffeners, webs and/or bulkheads thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for welding a metal grating structure is characterized by a fixture for holding a metal grating in aligned relationship with a nosing and side plates therefor, and a plurality of welding guns for automatically welding the grating, side plates and nosing together into a unitary structure. The fixture includes mounting members for receiving and holding each of the metal grating, nosing and side plates, and for then bringing the same together into aligned relationship. The welding guns are normally positioned remote from the fixture to facilitate placement of the components thereon, and are automatically movable theretoward to effect a predetermined number of welds at selected positions between the components.

Abstract: A method of seam welding metal tube from a sheet metal blank wherein the sheet metal blank is provided with central key locating slots and pre-curled edges, then centrally located on a collapsible mandrel, having a heat sink liner extending therearound to a longitudinally extending gas gallery slot, by the key locating slots and then skid rolled therearound towards a longitudinally extending gas gallery slot for seam welding the curled edges while they are clamped to the collapsible mandrel over the gas gallery slot. Pre-curling the edges avoids upstanding edges at the seam weld and the method provides consistently reliable welds for tube blanks which may be manufactured in short lengths for, for example, the manufacture of bellows.

Abstract: A method of holding two separate metal pieces together for welding including the steps of overlapping a portion of one of the metal pieces on a portion of the other metal piece; encasing the overlapping metal piece in a compressible device; drawing the compressible device into an enclosure; and compressing a portion of the compressible device around the overlapping portions of the metal pieces for holding the metal pieces under constant and equal pressure during welding thereof. The preferred apparatus for performing the method utilizes a support mechanism to support the two separate metal pieces in an overlapping configuration; a compressible device surrounding the support mechanism and at least one of the metal pieces; and a compressing device surrounding the compressible device for compressing the compressible device around the overlapping portions of the metal pieces, thus providing constant and equal pressure at all points on the overlapping portions of the metal pieces.

Abstract: Apparatus for rapid and automatic welding of joints which interconnect sections of pipe, and in particular oil or gas transmission pipe. The system includes at least one torch transport assembly which simultaneously moves a plural number of welding torches along a path parallel to the pipe joint being welded. The torch transport assembly includes track segments which surround circumferential portions of the pipe joint, with a welding torch carrier and multiple torches being independently movable along each track segment. The torch transport assembly is mounted on a support apparatus which is rigidly clamped to the pipe sections during welding, and which permits the torch transport assembly to be rapidly positioned in rough alignment with a pipe joint. The torch transport assembly and selected operating parameters of each welding torch are adjusted to accurately position each torch with respect to the pipe joint, and to repeatably provide programmed welding parameters resulting in a uniform pipe joint weld.

Abstract: A body assembly system for welding different stamped sheet metal vehicle bodies at successive framing and finish welding stations including means for accurately locating different underbody, side and top components in required accurate geometric relation at a framing station with programmable welding means for producing different initial retention welds at the framing station as well as finishing welds at successive "respot" welding stations as required for the different bodies. The system includes means for rapidly positioning locating tooling for body components at the framing station as required for different bodies as well as means to minimize and facilitate change of special tooling for model changeover.

Abstract: The orbital welding torch described herein has a horse-shoe shaped body arranged to engage partially around the tubes to be butt welded when inserted from one side of the tubes, and a crescent shaped table carrying a welding head which is rotatably carried by the body so that rotation of the table relative the body orbits the welding head around the region of the weld, the open mouth of the table being capable of alignment with the open mouth of the body to enable the body to be inserted from one side of the tube to engage partially around the tubes.

Abstract: A welding apparatus comprises a pair of suspension type electrode press devices for clamping an upper electrode and a lower electrode in perpendicular relation to workpieces for synchronizing them, whereby a clamping force is treated as the inner force of the pushing mechanism and the apparatus can be miniaturized. The surfaces of the workpieces can be uniformly clamped by the upper and lower electrodes whereby the consumptions of the upper and lower electrodes are substantially the same and the calibration of the positions of the upper and lower electrodes for consumption is not required.The welding apparatus is especially effective for continuous rolling in single or plural lines of a rolling apparatus for rolling hot steel billets, etc. and welding them.

Abstract: The disclosure herein relates to the formation of a solid bead at either or both ends of an insulated conductor, the opposite ends of the conductor having been stripped of insulation prior to beading of the ends. The beading is accomplished by heating the conductor to its liquification temperature while the conductor is in a horizontal position and prepares the end or ends of the conductor for assembly with terminals without necessitating twisting or soldering operations. To protect the insulator jacket during heating a heat sink is applied to the bare conductors during heating.

Abstract: A method of welding aluminum to aluminum by thermal resistance welding, providing good electrical and mechanical characteristics. The method uses special electrodes for thermal heat that are hard and have a high electrical resistance, such as molybdenum or tungsten alloy and also relies on the aluminum oxide coating on the aluminum to provide the desired resistance heating of the aluminum to cause welding of the aluminum material. The machine disclosed provides a means for securing aluminum leads to the start and finish end of an aluminum winding automatically and simultaneously.

Abstract: The specification and drawings disclose an anode assembly for use in electrolytic cells, and apparatus for forming such assemblies. The anode assembly comprises an anode riser to which is joined a parallel pair of metal sheets which form anode surfaces. The sheets are joined to the riser by connecting means which permit movement of the sheets toward and away from one another while maintaining their parallel relationship. Additionally, the connecting means is such that it maintains a tension on the sheets to prevent them from warping or assuming a non-planar configuration. The disclosed apparatus permits assembly of the sheets to the riser in a simple, rapid manner.

Abstract: An electrical resistance welding apparatus for spot welding workpieces together is comprised of a mounting on which two anvil blocks are supported for displacement relative to one another in order to engage and clamp a workpiece to the mounting in preparation for welding. At least one of the blocks which engages a workpiece is also electrically conductive to serve as one welding electrode in the spot welding process. A secondary electrode positioned in the vicinity of the electrically conductive anvil block clamps a second workpiece against the first on the mounting for spot welding. The mounting is electrically conductive and is electrically connected with the conductive anvil block for transmitting welding current from an electrical power source.

Abstract: A welding machine auxiliary transfer clamp for pushing the end of a coil against a spacer bar and including a pair of clamping elements, each including a cylindrical ram operated by fluid cylinder, there being a ball connection intermediate each fluid cylinder and its respective ram to enable the upper and lower rams to pivot freely about their longitudinal axis so as to prevent occurrence of a gap otherwise formed by lateral tilting of the coil, whose end is to be welded.

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: Method of joining fuel rod end caps and cladding tubes by resistance pressure welding within a welding chamber. A welding device is brought into engagement with an end portion of a rigidly mounted cladding tube. An opening chuck as well as a divided welding electrode, both of which are mounted at one side of the welding chamber, are shifted along a predetermined length of the cladding tube end portion. The chuck and the divided welding electrode are brought into contact with the cladding tube end portion. Another welding electrode carrying and end cap is thrust into the welding chamber from the other side thereof so that the end cap is fed to the open end of the cladding tube end portion. The welding chamber is sealed by sealing members sealingly engaging the cladding tube end portion and the other welding electrode and then the interior of the welding chamber is evacuated and filled with protective gas. The end cap is pressed onto the open end of the cladding tube end portion.

Abstract: In a device for resistance heating of an elongated, generally cylindrical metal workpiece preparatory to quench hardening wherein the workpiece has a central, elongated axis and axially spaced first and second ends. The heating device includes first and second axially spaced electrode means for directing electrical current through the workpiece and between the spaced ends as the workpiece is supported in a selected, generally horizontal heating position. The improved feeding arrangement includes a transfer element with first and second separate nest means for supporting a workpiece with its axis generally parallel to the heating position. The second nest means is spaced horizontally from the loading position. This transfer element is reciprocally mounted for movement between a first location with a workpiece in the first nest means at the heating position and a second location with the first nest means being spaced from the heating position.

Abstract: In a plant for the manufacture of welded gratings composed of longitudinal members and crossbars welded to said longitudinal members, the crossbars are removed one at a time from a store to a retaining device capable of holding two crossbars at a predetermined horizontal spacing between each other. The pair of crossbars is discharged from said retaining device on to a carrying device arranged to carry the pair of crossbars into the welding station and deposit them on the longitudinal members there while still retaining their predetermined horizontal spacing.

Abstract: A butt welding device wherein the trailing edge of a first or preceding strip and the leading edge of a second or succeeding strip are clamped in position, simultaneously cut off, and joined together by flash butt welding and thereafter the flash and upset are removed by machining.

Abstract: A pipe cutting and/or welding device has a chuck for rotating the pipe with the chuck jaws connected with an activating device provided with torque limiting means. The torque limiting means has an adjusting device for switching from a low torque value for the clamping of the pipe to a high torque value for releasing the pipe.

Abstract: The machine disclosed is provided with a manipulator which aligns and moves pipes in course of welding and incorporates a hollow rod for the movement of the manipulator relatively to the pipe joints. The rod is immovably attached to the body of the manipulator and is provided with a partition subdividing the rod bore into two spaces. One of the spaces is intended to be filled with a working fluid and the other accommodates on the partition a hydraulic system for feeding and controlling both actuators of pipeholding clamps and a means for moving the pipes in the course of welding, the means comprising hydraulic cylinders whose bodies are immovably attached to the body of a movable aligning unit between hydraulic cylinders which are mounted on the unit to actuate the clamps holding fast one of the pipes being welded whereas piston rods of the hydraulic cylinders that move the pipes are immovably attached to the body of the manipulator insulated electrically from an immovable aligning unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming piston rings are disclosed. A split piston ring made by conventional processes is locally heated along its inside surface for a short distance either side of the split. This causes a short length of the ring on either side of the split to curl into a slight inward protrosion due to internal yielding of the restrained heated area and subsequent tensioning during cooling. The inwardly curved configuration prevents catching of the ring's ends on gas ports of ported cylinder engines.

Abstract: A welding jig is provided for supporting C-shaped and L-shaped sheet metal blanks during welding thereof to form a dishwasher housing. The welding jig includes a frame against which the panels of the blanks are disposed with adjacent edges in positions to be welded, and the blank panels are held against the frame by corresponding wall plates during the welding operation. Certain members of the frame are disposed along the lines of juncture between the blanks and are provided with passageways for delivering inert gas to the line of juncture between the blanks during the welding operation. One of the frame members is displaceable relative to a fixed wall of the jig to facilitate the introduction and removal of the blanks, and the remaining walls of the jig are movable relative to the frame for the latter purpose.

Abstract: This clamping device provides opposed banks of clamping units attached to an associated reaction beam above a work table, for clamping workpiece plates to the table during seam welding. Each clamping unit includes an upright clamping member, having an inclined finger engageable with a workpiece plate, and each member is connected to its reaction beam by a pair of transverse link members: the clamping member, link members and the reaction beam cooperate to provide a four-bar linkage. Downward pressure is applied to the clamping members by an inflatable flexible hose positioned between the lower link member of each unit and an associated reaction beam and the clamping members are upwardly biased by individual return springs extending between the upper link member and the reaction beam.

Abstract: Chain-like clip composed of a number of detachable link members and intended for fixation of pipes to be welded to each other during a welding operation. The clip can easily be adapted to different diameters. Besides uniform clamping force can be exerted also on out-of-round pipes.

Abstract: A method for the connection of sheet metal panels coated on at least one surface with a layer by the electrical fusion of a metal, wherein the improvement comprises the steps of supplying an electric current for the fusion of metal indirectly along the sheet metal of at least one panel to the zone at which said panels are to be connected to each other, and keeping the temperature of an outer layer of at least one of said panels below the melting point of said layer.