Abstract: A maintenance vehicle has side walls for creating a work space, delimited by the same, for working personnel situated on a track. The side walls are arranged on a vehicle frame and configured to be distanced from one another in a transverse direction of the vehicle. For treatment of a track section situated within the work space, an industrial robot is arranged on the vehicle, having at least three motion axes, media couplings for energy supply as well as a tool coupling for selective connection to a track treatment tool.

Abstract: A welding tool includes a first handle and a second handle. The welding tool also includes a torch nozzle holder configured to hold a nozzle of a welding torch therein, and to block the nozzle from extending therethrough. The welding tool includes a blade assembly positioned a predetermined distance from the torch nozzle holder. The blade assembly is configured to cut welding wire extending through the blade assembly to calibrate wire stickout from the welding torch to the predetermined distance.

Abstract: In some aspects, consumables for a material processing head can include a body that is substantially axially symmetric about a central longitudinal axis; and a ring-shaped data tag attached to the body, the data tag having a central axis that is substantially coaxial to the central longitudinal axis of the body, the data tag having a conductive coil formed around the central axis of the data tag.

Abstract: A method and a welding device for performing a welding process on a workpiece by a welding torch, uses a melting welding wire, which is arranged on a wire coil and may be supplied to the welding torch via a hose package, wherein different welding wires and different welding parameters are used depending on the geometry of the workpiece. A welding wire formed by the different interconnected welding wires in lengths depending on the geometry of the workpiece is arranged on the wire coil, so the welding process may be performed without interruptions using the different welding wires and the different welding parameters by supplying to the welding torch the welding wire formed by the different interconnected welding wires from the wire coil.

Abstract: One embodiment of a Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH) laser ablation simulator includes a frame, a mock hypotube, a mock laser fiber, a mock camera assembly, a laser fiber position tracker and a camera position tracker. The mock hypotube is supported by the frame, has a longitudinal axis, is received within the hypotube and is configured to move along the longitudinal axis and rotate about a laser fiber central axis relative to the hypotube. The mock camera assembly is attached to the hypotube and is configured to rotate about a camera central axis relative to the hypotube. The laser fiber position tracker is configured to output laser fiber position information that is indicative of a position of the mock laser fiber relative to the hypotube. The camera position tracker is configured camera position information that is indicative of a position of the mock camera assembly relative to the hypotube.

Abstract: A welding fixture for use during welding of a web member to a flange member to produce a sill, includes an elongate bed having a pair of opposed longitudinal edge rails, and a plurality of clamp assemblies mounted at spaced intervals along each of the longitudinal edge rails. Each clamp assembly is selectively movable between an open configuration in which a welding head can move past the clamp assembly while welding the web member to the flange member, and a closed configuration in which the clamp assembly is operative to hold the web member and the flange member in a predetermined orientation relative to each other.

Abstract: A robot and a method for controlling the same are provided. The robot includes a first control unit to control the overall operation of the robot and a second control unit to supplement the function of the control unit in preparation for the malfunction of the first control unit such that the second control unit controls the robot to perform a predetermined safety-considered motion when the first control unit malfunctions.

Abstract: Described herein are several methods and apparatuses for treating a cutter tool adapted to be used in tunnel boring operations. In one form, an initial cutter member blank is formed and heat treated prior to a laser cladding process. An alloy is often applied to the surface of the cutter blank adjacent to the cutting elements by the cladding process whereby the cladding process has insufficient heat transfer from the cladding process to reduce hardness properties of the inserts and/or the cutter blank. In one example a fabric-like material defines the region of the exterior hard surface.

Abstract: An improved welding head for creating an in-track weld between a first rail segment and a second rail segment includes a controller having computer-readable instructions read by the controller. The computer-readable instructions include instructions for compensating for rail jerk during in-track welding. The welding head includes a closing force actuator, such as a hydraulic cylinder, for moving the rail segments toward one another. A pressure transducer is monitored during welding to determine a closing force. An impending jerk of the rail movement is detected if an abnormal closing force change is observed, and in response the flow of hydraulic fluid into or out of the hydraulic cylinder is restricted to prevent or minimize the jerk. In addition, when an impending jerk is detected the weld current may be temporarily increased to burn or prevent the formation of short circuit paths between the rails.

Abstract: A rail repair insert enables repair of rails and rail-like structures. A rail defect is initially identified and removed as contained within a volumetric material portion so as to form a contoured void while maintaining continuity of the rail opposite the void. A pre-formed insert is then placed into the void thereby effecting a rail-to-insert interface. Current is driven through the interface as force directs the insert against the rail. Resistance heat and pressure weld the insert to the rail. The flash welding aspects remove oxides and other impurities from the interface, and the forge welding aspects create a robust solid state weld. Excess material, whether flash, rail, or insert-based, is removed during the finishing processes to provide a virtually seamless rail repair. The solid state weld repair insert may be used to repair any number of targeted metallic rail-like structures.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a joining area and method between copper and stainless steel or titanium, as well as the permanent cathode obtained, where said joining area is made of a first zone of a copper-nickel (Cu—Ni) alloy, an intermediate zone with a mostly nickel alloy or pure nickel and a second zone made of a stainless steel-nickel alloy, which is the result of the participating materials being cast in an arc welding process, for example TIG, MIG or manual arc using electrodes of nickel as welding contributor between said materials and their space arrangement, that is to say, leaving a separation between the materials when performing the welding process, thus ensuring as follows: a) greater tensile strength, b) a substantial improvement of corrosion resistance of the joint welding, and c) improvement of conductibility, which can be improved still further by modifying the straight design of the conducting bar by providing it with the “horn”-type shape.

Abstract: The system allows training and qualification of a user performing a skill-related training exercise involving body motion in a workspace. A training environment is selected through a computer apparatus, and variables, parameters and controls of the training environment and the training exercise are adjusted. Use of an input device by the user is monitored. The 3D angles and spatial coordinates of reference points related to the input device are monitored through a detection device. A simulated 3D dynamic environment reflecting effects caused by actions performed by the user on objects is computed in real time as a function of the training environment selected. Images of the simulated 3D dynamic environment in real time are generated on a display device viewable by the user as a function of a computed organ of vision-object relation. Data indicative of the actions performed by the user and the effects of the actions are recorded and user qualification is set as a function of the recorded data.

Abstract: An improved method for executing a flash butt weld to join first and second rail segments includes applying a voltage to the first rail segment and the second rail segment to establish a voltage difference between the first and second rail segments. The rail end faces are brought into contact, resulting in an electrical current between the first rail end face and the second rail end face, resistively heating material at the interface. As material burns off at the interface, the power consumed at the rail end interface as a function of rail displacement is periodically sampled. If the comparison indicates that the power per unit of rail displacement is not increasing from sample to sample, the burn-off process is terminated. In a further aspect, if the power per unit of rail displacement exceeds a predetermined threshold, the burn-off process is terminated.

Abstract: A method for restoring a worn rail section includes cleaning a worn surface of a rail section to expose a clean metal surface, heating the rail section to a first temperature before welding, welding new metal on the clean metal surface of the rail section after heating the rail section to the first temperature, heating the rail section to a second temperature after the welding to heat-treat a heat-affected area caused by the welding, and shaping the rail section, wherein the welding is performed by a gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process.

Abstract: A method of arc welding a first metal piece to a second metal piece includes the steps of extend a welding head between the space between first and second metal pieces, bending a filler wire, passing the bent filler wire through the welding head such that an end of the bent filler wire extends in a direction toward a surface of one of the first and second metal pieces, and arc welding the end portion of the bent filler wire onto the surface of the metal piece. The method further includes rotating the end of the bent filler wire toward another surface of the metal pieces and arc welding the of end of the rotated bent filler wire onto the surface of the another metal piece. The welding head travels along the space between the first and second metal pieces as the step of arc welding occurs.

Abstract: A shielding gas (SG) flow controller for an arc welder includes SG input/output with a controllable valve therebetween, and having a control input, and a controller having a first input receiving a welding signal representing arc current and a gas flow setting controller generating a flow setting output based on the welding signal, representing a desired SG flow. Input and output pressure sensors provide SG input and out pressure to second and third controller inputs, respectively. A flow setting output modifier modifies the flow setting output of the gas flow setting controller based on the SG input/output pressure, the welding signal, and a characteristic of the controllable valve into a control signal input to the control input of the controllable gas valve to maintain a substantially constant SG flow corresponding to the flow setting output substantially independent of actual SG input/output pressures.

Abstract: A method of welding two members together wherein welding material is melted in an electrically heated molten slag, and forms a pool of molten welding material beneath the molten slag. The end surfaces of the two members are in contact with the molten weld material and are melted to bond with the weld material.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for joining a first member (1) comprising an aluminum alloy to a second member (2) comprising a titanium alloy and having at least one edge with a thickness e, comprising the steps of (i) chamfering said edge of said second member into a tapered truncated shape having on a first side a first tapering angle ?1, on a second side a second tapering angle ?2 and a minimum thickness t, wherein ?1 and ?2 are greater than or equal to zero, the sum of ?1 and ?2 is between 10° and 50° and t is between 0.05 e and 0.3 e, (ii) placing said first member and said chamfered edge of said second member (21) in an abutting relationship defining a geometry to be weld-brazed (3), (iii) heating the surface areas of said members adjacent the abutment to a temperature above the melting temperature of said aluminum alloy and below the melting temperature of said titanium alloy, in the presence of an inert gas (5) and of a filler metal (4) to obtain a weld-brazed joint.

Abstract: A system or method of repairing railroad rails which includes a head, upright and base sections. The method includes at least the following steps: identifying and locating a defect in the rail, removing the defect by removing material from the rail surrounding the defect in at least the head section so as to form a void and a rail void interface while maintaining continuity of the rail, filling the void with molten metal having a high carbon content and causing the molten metal and the rail void interface to bond. The molten metal may be produced by gas shielded arc welding. The carbon content of the molten metal is near that of the rail to decrease carbon migration from the rails.

Abstract: Welders and methods are presented for short-circuit arc welding a workpiece using a modified series arc welding configuration with two electrodes via a sequence of welding cycles, in which each cycle includes an arc condition a short-circuit condition, wherein one or both electrode currents are selectively reversed during a reverse boost portion of the welding cycle to transfer molten metal from the second electrode to the first electrode prior to a short-circuit condition of a subsequent welding cycle.

Abstract: A gap welding process (10) for manipulating a movable robotic welder (30) for making a weld between two or more substantially immovable work pieces (51) using a higher level programming language (20). The gap welding process (10) performs a data transfer routine which takes spreadsheet data (18) representing expected variables, runs a data conversion program (20) that creates weld program data including point position, user frames (34 and 36), weld schedule, seam tracking schedule, weave schedule, azimuth orientation, travel speed, wait time, weave type and number of digital output control data. The gap welding process (10) also performs a gap-sensing routine (28) for actual weld gap measuring by using the robotic welder (30) to touch specific locations on pieces forming the gap or fixturing to produce weld variance data.

Abstract: A system for butt welding expansion joint rails with an electroslag welding system. The electroslag welding system for butt welding the expansion joint rails comprises a control system. The method for butt welding the two expansion joint rails with the electroslag welding system comprises defining a weld cavity with a first expansion joint rail, a second expansion joint rail, a plurality of gland shoes, and a pair of butt shoes. The electroslag welding system can also be adapted to weld a expansion joint rail to a support beam. The method for welding the expansion joint rail to the support beam comprising placing the expansion joint rail on a horizontal axis, placing the support beam on a vertical axis and clamping a modular component system to the expansion joint rail.

Abstract: Information pertaining to characteristics of consumables such as metal welding electrode wire and shielding gas and which characteristics are useful in connection with adjusting welding parameters in an arc welding process and/or selecting between operating modes in a welding system are encoded on welding wire and/or on other memory components such as bar code labels and tags, RFID cards and tags, IC cards, and Touch Memory buttons, and the memory device is scanned prior to and/or at the point of use of the welding wire or shielding gas for enabling tracking of product distribution, manual and/or automatic selection of an operating mode for the welding system, manual and/or automatic adjustment of welding parameters in a given operating mode, consumables inventory, and the like.

Abstract: A flash butt rail welding welderhead combines in a single unit, the ability for the three functions of rail pulling, flash butt forging and maintaining the “after forged” displacement without any change in platen position such that shearing may be accomplished in three stages, a single stage, multiple stages or a progressive stage, all while maintaining clamping and stretching force on the rails.

Abstract: A rail restraining, robotic welding and weld delivery device uses a frame for supporting a welding head with a clamp for restraining a first rail end and a second rail end and a base twist assembly for aligning said first end and second end. An interconnected weld containment apparatus pivotally connects to the clamp by use of a cam actuated linear pin. This arrangement is operable in an environment in clearance between rails and sufficiently compact that it may be operated from and carried in a truck based on a standard over the road truck or from a container.

Abstract: Information pertaining to characteristics of metal welding electrode wire and which characteristics are useful in connection with adjusting welding parameters in an arc welding process and/or selecting between operating modes in a welding system are encoded on welding wire and/or on other memory components such as bar code labels and tags, RFID cards and tags, IC cards, and Touch Memory buttons, and the memory device is scanned prior to and/or at the point of use of the welding wire for enabling tracking of product distribution, manual and/or automatic selection of an operating mode for the welding system, manual and/or automatic adjustment of welding parameters in a given operating mode, consumables inventory, and the like.

Abstract: An electric arc welding robot for welding a zone of a rail or the like comprises a movable, electric arc torch unit for operating the welding, first controlling means for controlling a first displacement of the torch unit substantially in front of the periphery of the zone to be welded, so that welding geometrical locations are read on said zone, by means of reading means connected to a memory unit, for memorizing said welding geometrical locations read on the rail, and second controlling means for automatically controlling a second displacement of the torch unit in front of the zone to be welded, within the limits of said reading and as a function of the welding geometrical locations, as memorized.

Abstract: Information pertaining to characteristics of metal welding electrode wire and which characteristics are useful in connection with adjusting welding parameters in an arc welding process and/or selecting between operating modes in a welding system are encoded on welding wire and/or on other memory components such as bar code labels and tags, RFID cards and tags, IC cards, and Touch Memory buttons, and the memory device is scanned prior to and/or at the point of use of the welding wire for enabling tracking of product distribution, manual and/or automatic selection of an operating mode for the welding system, manual and/or automatic adjustment of welding parameters in a given operating mode, consumables inventory, and the like.

Abstract: A rail restraining, robotic welding and weld delivery device uses a frame for supporting a welding head with a clamp for restraining a first rail end and a second rail end and a base twist assembly for aligning said first end and second end. An interconnected weld containment apparatus pivotally connects to the clamp by use of a cam actuated linear pin. This arrangement is operable in an environment in clearance between rails and sufficiently compact that it may be operated from and carried in a truck based on a standard over the road truck or from a container.

Abstract: An electric arc welding robot for welding a zone of a rail or the like comprises a movable, electric arc torch unit for operating the welding, first controlling means for controlling a first displacement of the torch unit substantially in front of the periphery of the zone to be welded, so that welding geometrical locations are read on said zone, by means of reading means connected to a memory unit, for memorizing said welding geometrical locations read on the rail, and second controlling means for automatically controlling a second displacement of the torch unit in front of the zone to be welded, within the limits of said reading and as a function of the welding geometrical locations, as memorized.

Abstract: A method and system of depositing molten metal from an advancing welding wire to form a root pass of weld metal in the bottom of a gap between first and second metal members having generally flat base elements joined by a metal backing plate extending between said base elements, which method and system includes passing welding current between the welding wire and the metal members from a power supply to create a heat generating welding arc, moving the welding wire in a given direction along selected path over the backing plate, sensing a blow through of the backing plate by the welding arc, reversing said given direction of said welding wire for a short distance when a blow through has been sensed and then, resuming movement of said welding wire in said given direction along the selected path.

Abstract: A rail restraining (1) and weld delivery device (100) uses a frame for supporting a welding head with a clamp (3) for restraining a first rail end and a second rail end and a base twist assembly (17) for aligning said first end and second end. An interconnected weld containment apparatus (290) pivotally connects to the clamp by use of a cam actuated linear pin (7). This arrangement is operable in an environment in which clearance between rails is about 7 to 11 inches and sufficiently compact that it may be operated from and carried in a truck based on a standard over the road truck.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically filing the narrow gap between facing end walls of adjacent first and second railway rails by depositing vertically spaced layers of molten metal in the gap with an electric arc welding torch using a robotic mechanism that moves the torch in a pattern controlled by a low level robotic execute program from a spatial position to a next spatial position, said method and system comprising: constructing a data array for a specific gap, said array constituting a series of positions making up an idealized progression of said torch to fill said gaps in vertically spaced layers made up of multiple positions, each of said fixed positions identified by at least four coordinates, including (1) at least x, y and z, (2) the layer in which said position is a part and (3) the welding parameters to be executed while said torch moves toward the next position; outputting data relating to a specific position from said data array; processing said welding parameters associated with said outputt

Abstract: A method of gas shielded arc welding steel rails spaced from each other to define a longitudinal gap therebetween comprises the steps of providing an elongated steel barrier plate across the gap at the bottom of the spaced rails, and filling the gap above the barrier plate with a molten steel from an advancing filler metal electrode by a gas shielded electric arc welding process. The barrier plate has a central portion received in the gap and longitudinally extending recesses laterally outwardly adjacent to the central portion and which underlie the bottoms of the rails at the bottom of the gap.

Abstract: A method and system of depositing molten metal from an advancing welding wire to form a root pass of weld metal in the bottom of a gap between first and second metal members having generally flat base elements joined by a metal backing plate extending between said base elements, which method and system includes passing welding current between the welding wire and the metal members from a power supply to create a heat generating welding arc, moving the welding wire in a given direction along selected path over the backing plate, sensing a blow through of the backing plate by the welding arc, reversing said given direction of said welding wire for a short distance when a blow through has been sensed and then, resuming movement of said welding wire in said given direction along the selected path.

Abstract: A method for gas shielded arc welding steel rails spaced from each other to define a transverse gap comprising the steps of positioning an elongated steel barrier plate in the gap at the bottom of the spaced rails and filling the gap above the barrier plate with a molten steel from an advancing filler metal electrode by a gas shielded electric arc welding process initiated by an arc between the electrode and the barrier plate. A root pass is laid using the spray arc welding process, a second layer is laid using the pulsed arc welding process in part and the spray welding process in part, and the remainder of the base gap and the gaps between the webs and heads are filled by the continuous sequential laying of weld beads in the gaps using the pulsed arc process.

Abstract: A method of gas shielded arc welding steel railroad rails spaced from each other to define a longitudinal gap comprises the steps of providing an elongated steel barrier plate across the gap at the bottom of the spaced rails, and filling gap above the barrier plate with a molten steel from an advancing filler metal electrode by a gas shielded electric arc welding process. The barrier plate has a central portion received in the gap and longitudinally extending recesses laterally outwardly adjacent to the central portion and which underlie the bottoms of the rails at the bottom of the gap.

Abstract: A method of gas shielded arc welding steel railroad rails spaced from each other to define a transverse gap, which method comprising the steps of providing an elongated steel barrier plate wedged into said gap at the bottom of the spaced rails and filling gap above said steel barrier plate with a molten steel from an advancing filler metal electrode by a gas shielded electric arc welding process initiated by an arc between the electrode and the barrier plate.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for gas shielded arc welding steel railroad rails spaced from each other to define a transverse gap, one of which methods comprises the steps of providing an elongated steel barrier plate wedged into the gap at the bottom of the spaced rails and filling gap above said steel barrier plate with a molten steel from an advancing filler metal electrode by a gas shielded electric arc welding process initiated by an arc between the electrode and the barrier plate. A second method comprises the continuous sequential laying of weld beads in the gap between rail heads along paths extending in laterally opposite directions for the beads to have first ends extending outwardly of an edge of the head in cantilever relationship thereto and which first ends are vertically thicker than second ends of the beads which are spaced from the first ends in the direction toward the opposite edge of the head.

Abstract: Two rail sections are joined by a weld joint (5) between two rails (1,2) arranged one behind another in a lengthwise direction of a rail track (4) and a method for the production of this weld joint (5). The frontal ends (6,7) of the rails (1,2) which are facing each other are connected with one another by a filler material (8), which extends from the rail foot (32) to the rail head (30). The weld joint (5) is composed of a welding zone (22, 23, 24, 25) which connects the rail foot (32), the stem of the rail (31) and the rail head (30). The welding zones (22 to 25) are connected in a form-locking manner in the contact areas (33 to 36) immediately facing each other. Furthermore, the welding zone (22) of the rail head (30) consists of less than 15 neighbouring, molten beads (26) preferably situated one above another and approximately running parallel to each other.

Abstract: A method of connecting a manganese steel part to another carbon steel part including the steps of depositing an austeno-ferritic stainless steel at the end of a carbon steel part and welding the latter provided at its end with the deposit to a manganese steel part, the method being applicable to assembling a rail to a common crossing railway track part.

Abstract: In a method of automatically welding rails, welding of bottom portions of the rails is carried out as root pass welding of a first layer according to CO.sub.2 gas shielded arc weld technique, and as continuous multilayer welding of layers above the first layer according to CO.sub.2 gas shielded arc weld technique without discontinuing the welding of a second layer and upper layers. In welding of ankle portions (R2) of the rails, a flux is rapidly added to promptly shift to electroslag weld. Then, welding is conducted to head surfaces (R5) of the rails by continuing electroslag weld technique. This automatic welding method enables high efficiency field welding of rails, obviating the need for any complicated switching operation of the electric power source and use of several kinds of welding materials.

Abstract: A container for a radioactive material in which the cover is welded to the container by a dual weld disposed in a welding gap between the cover and the container wall, the gap having a bottom formed by opposed flanges on the cover and the wall. The root layer of the weld is formed by a tungsten electrode gas shielded arc welding process. A superimposed added layer is formed by a submerged arc welding process.

Abstract: An apparatus for tensioning or longitudinally sliding a rail of a laid track to reduce a gap between adjacent ends of longitudinally successive rail sections to be welded together to form the rail, the fastening elements of the longitudinally successive rail sections having been loosened, which comprises a closed, ring-shaped mechanical structural unit including two longitudinally spaced pairs of rail clamping jaws and two transversely spaced hydraulic cylinder-piston devices connecting the pairs of rail clamping jaws and operating the same. These pairs of rail clamping jaws are spaced longitudinally and the cylinder-piston devices are spaced transversely to define a sufficient central space in the ring-shaped mechanical structural unit for receiving a flash-butt welding head.

Abstract: Apparatus for welding and testing a weld on a cover for a container for radioactive material. Two carriages are mounted on a bridge extending across and above the container. Gas shielded arc welders are mounted on the carriages. The carriages move across the bridge to accurately locate the welder with respect to the joint being welded. The container is mounted on a rotating platform to move the weld area past the welder and the test devices which are fixed when in working position.

Abstract: A gas shield chamber for enclosing a welding joint of a pair of rails during the arc welding of the welding joint. A pair of side backing plates are each held in contact with the groove at one side of the rails within the chamber and the side backing plates are respectively movable independently of each other by a pair of drives having manual-powered operation change-over means. The ratio of respective flow rates of each shielding gas from respective injectors into the chamber is varied in accordance with the movement of the side backing plates. A pair of ground terminals of a welding power source are arranged on the sides of the rails.