Abstract: An underwater cutter for submerged pipelines employing O.sub.2 or gaseous hydrogen fluoride and a continuously fed electrode to provide high temperature cutting means, said electrode being carried by a motor driven spool in a housing on rollers contacting the pipe, one of said rollers being electrically driven, an adjustable bracket carried by the housing and having rollers substantially opposed to the first mentioned rollers, a knife edge carried by the housing adapted to ride in a precut slot on the pipe for guiding the cutter about the pipe, with suitable connections on the housing from a power source, a compressed air source, a source of O.sub.2 or gaseous hydrogen fluoride, a welding cable, and a ground connection.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and a device for igniting a gas planing process. The method is based on applying heat to a workpiece by means of a movable heat source, which in principle has a point effect so that the heated or molten portion of the workpiece forms a strip, which in principle extends perpendicularly to the flow direction of the planing oxygen. The device for carrying out the method comprises one or more planing burners and one or more movable ignition means so connected to the burner that the ignition means can move relative to the planing burner both in parallel with and perpendicularly to the planing direction and at the same time carry out the function of a heat source of in principle point shape, which preheats a strip-shaped zone on the surface of the workpiece and/or in addition to said preheating adds molten metal to said zone.

Abstract: An underwater cutting and welding torch wherein the torch head carries both the welding electrode and means for directing a high pressure fluid toward an arc struck between the electrode and a workpiece. The high pressure fluid preferably is the water in which the torch is being operated.

Abstract: Difficulties in forming a ball on the end of a wire of aluminium or aluminium alloy for ball bonding are overcome by applying between the wire and an electrode a low voltage, typically 30 volts, and bringing the wire and electrode into temporary contact to fuse the wire and initiate a spark discharge which results in the formation of a ball on the wire end. The spark discharge takes place in a shielding gas to avoid oxidation of the ball.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the invention the packing-wire cutting device includes an electrical electrode assembly comprising a pair of arms pivotally mounted on a bearing shaft, the ends of the arms remote from the bearing shaft carrying each one a rotatable disc together forming an electrode roller supplied with electric power from a supply circuit normally open at the electrode roller which has a gap between its rotatable discs. Further the packing-wire cutting device comprises a conveyor path for the goods to be treated by said device, said goods being provided with a packing of wires crossing the sides of the goods. When the goods passes the packing-wire cutting device the electrode roller is caused to pivot towards the goods side so as to engage against this side to be rotated when the goods is advancing so that when any of the wires is passing the electrode roller it closes the supply circuit whereby the section of the wire located between the rotatable discs will melt off.

Abstract: A surface of a wooden object is decorated by the formation of tracks in the surface simulating the random pattern of tracks seen in wormy wood, the tracks being formed by the application to the wood of a high voltage current.

Abstract: Small and regularly shaped holes are formed in a workpiece by the punch of a punch press while large and irregularly shaped holes are formed by a plasma-arc torch attached to the punch press. Fumes and molten metal resulting from operation of the torch are directed into an upright duct which underlies the workpiece, the upper end of the duct engaging the workpiece to prevent deformation thereof. When the punch is operating, the upper end of the duct is retracted downwardly to provide clearance for movable clamps which grip and position the workpiece.Additional fumes are collected in and sucked from a shroud which encloses the tip of the torch and which carries a collar for establishing the stand-off height of the torch.

Abstract: A leading end portion of a thermoplastic jacketed cable is desheathed by applying heat from a movable, continuously operating annular radiant heat source to heat-soften a narrow (e.g., on the order of 1/8 of an inch or less) annular section of the jacket without contacting the jacket. A gripper slide assembly is moved parallel to the cable to grip and apply tension on the leading end portion of the jacket to separate the jacket along the heat-softened section and to remove the leading end portion of the jacket from the cable. After the slide assembly has moved sufficiently to cause separation of the jacket, the heat source is moved axially of the cable from the area of jacket separation so as to preclude damage to the insulation on the cable conductors and to permit the heat softened material of the jacket remaining on the cable to reharden and form a smooth edge along the line of separation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a sliding surface working method using wire-explosion spray coating according to which the inner surface of an aluminium alloy cylinder is wire-explosion spray coated using a molybdenum wire, molybdenum-tungsten alloy wire, or tungsten wire. Next, the inner surface is alternately and repeatedly wire-explosion spray coated by alternately wire-explosion spraying a carbon steel wire and a wire of a material having good seizure resistance and wear resistance characteristics. Finally, the inner surface thus coated is ground and finished.

Abstract: The disclosure of this invention pertains to the method of removing burrs from an electrically conductive article by exposing the article to a plasma flame wherein the parameters of the plasma are so chosen that the plasma becomes concentrated at the burrs and the consequent concentration of heat in the burrs causes the burrs to vaporize or otherwise diminish. The disclosure also pertains to apparatus for supporting the article and moving relative to the flame for a deburring operation.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for cutting a workpiece by a rotary arc saw wherein the residue from the cutting of the workpiece presents atmospheric contamination or the like. The apparatus includes a cutting chamber adapted to contain a fluid coolant which is flowable into and out of the chamber continuously. A rotary arc saw is mounted in the chamber in spaced relationship to a workpiece mount so that, when an arc is established between the arc saw and the workpiece, the workpiece will be progressively cut by the heat of the arc until it is cut to a predetermined depth or is completely severed. An impeller is carried by the arc saw for rotation therewith. The impeller extends below the upper level of the fluid coolant therein and causes circulation of the fluid in the chamber to present a fluid curtain which extends upwardly and across the fluid outlet of the chamber. The residue from the cutting action is caused to circulate in the curtain and to pass out of the chamber to the fluid outlet thereof.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for applying gold contacts to a metal member by engaging the end of a hard gold wire with the metal member, welding the end of the wire to the member, heating the gold wire to establish a difference in its temper along a boundary in the region of the weld, and breaking away the gold wire along the boundary in the region of the weld. The apparatus comprises a first welding electrode having opposing jaws for receiving a gold wire, the jaws are actuatibly disposed on a yoke member which is pivotally mounted in an opposing relationship with a second welding electrode. The jaws clamp the wire and urge its end against the metal member during electrical welding of the wire end to the member. The opposing jaws are then released and retracted a first distance along the gold wire and then reclamp the wire. The yoke completes its pivotal travel pulling on the wire. The wire is deformed along the temper boundary in the region of the weld and then broken.

Abstract: The method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention achieve the same working effect as grooving, drilling, cutting, and the like on a metal work by blowing off, with the use of a non-combustible jet gas, the molten metal heated and made molten by an electric arc. The atmosphere at the operating location where the electric arc and the jet gas are provided, is formed by a fluid atmosphere produced by the discharge of a non-combustible liquid. As a result, matters and substance such as dust particles, carbon monoxide, and the like existing around the operating location and serving to deteriorate the operating environment, are adsorbed and taken up by the fluid atmosphere for decreasing the amount of such matters and substance which are released to the operating environment surrounding the fluid atmosphere.

Abstract: A process and device for cutting an electrically conductive workpiece. The workpiece is moved relative to an endless circulating electrode while an electrical voltage is applied to the electrode and the workpiece sufficient to form an arc therebetween for melting the material of the workpiece, which melted material is then carried away by the circulating electrode. The electrode may also oscillate in the direction of relative movement and/or the electrical voltage may be interrupted at certain times such as when the electrode is operable to carry away the melted workpiece material.

Abstract: A segment of electrically conductive wire is extended through a collet in a capillary tool and is mechanically bonded at one extended portion to a circuit point. Thereafter, an electric current having a decreasing ramp-shaped waveform is applied to the portion of the wire between the bonded circuit point and the collet to resistively heat the wire until it ruptures and forms integral balls on the ends of the wire at the rupture.