Fusing apparatus and method with electrode changing
First Claim
1. Fusing apparatus comprising:
- a fusing electrode holder means and ground electrode holder means for holding fusing and ground electrodes defining fusing and ground contact regions, respectively, at least one of said fusing and ground electrode holder means being a multicontact electrode holder means operative to hold at least one electrode defining a plurality of contact regions;
electrode positioning means for positioning each of said electrode holder means so that one said fusing contact region is presented in a workpiece engaging disposition and one said ground contact region is presented in a workpiece-engaging disposition;
engagement means for repetitively engaging said fusing and ground contact regions in workpiece-engaging dispositions with successive workpieces;
power means for directing electricity through the fusing and ground contact regions engaged with each workpiece so as to fuse elements of the workpiece to one another; and
electrode change means for moving each said multicontact electrode holder means to thereby present a new contact region in workpiece engaging disposition;
wherein one said multicontact electrode holder means includes a blade holder means for holding an electrode having an elongated edge and said electrode change means includes means for moving said blade holder means in a lengthwise direction of said edge to present a new region of said edge in workpiece-engaging disposition.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fusing apparatus is provided with a fusing electrode holder for holding one or more fusing electrodes defining a plurality of fusing contact regions. One fusing contact region is repeatedly engaged with successive workpieces, such as electric motor rotors, to fuse elements of each workpiece. The apparatus is provided with a shifting device for mechanically moving the fusing electrode holder to present a new fusing contact surface region, preferably after a predetermined number of cycles. Preferably, the ground electrode holder is also shifted to present a new ground contact region. Because the contact regions are renewed, productivity and quality will not be affected by electrode wear. The fusing electrode holder may be a rotatable turret having radial holes for receiving rod-like fusing electrodes, the turret being rotated to swing a new fusing electrode into position on each change cycle. The ground electrode holder may be arranged to hold a blade-like ground electrode having an elongated edge, the ground electrode holder being shifted to align a new region of this edge for contact with further workpieces.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. Fusing apparatus comprising:
- a fusing electrode holder means and ground electrode holder means for holding fusing and ground electrodes defining fusing and ground contact regions, respectively, at least one of said fusing and ground electrode holder means being a multicontact electrode holder means operative to hold at least one electrode defining a plurality of contact regions;
electrode positioning means for positioning each of said electrode holder means so that one said fusing contact region is presented in a workpiece engaging disposition and one said ground contact region is presented in a workpiece-engaging disposition; engagement means for repetitively engaging said fusing and ground contact regions in workpiece-engaging dispositions with successive workpieces; power means for directing electricity through the fusing and ground contact regions engaged with each workpiece so as to fuse elements of the workpiece to one another; and electrode change means for moving each said multicontact electrode holder means to thereby present a new contact region in workpiece engaging disposition; wherein one said multicontact electrode holder means includes a blade holder means for holding an electrode having an elongated edge and said electrode change means includes means for moving said blade holder means in a lengthwise direction of said edge to present a new region of said edge in workpiece-engaging disposition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- a fusing electrode holder means and ground electrode holder means for holding fusing and ground electrodes defining fusing and ground contact regions, respectively, at least one of said fusing and ground electrode holder means being a multicontact electrode holder means operative to hold at least one electrode defining a plurality of contact regions;
Specification