Friction welding apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable welding apparatus for fusion welding a given workpiece to a stationary member where the fusion weld process includes a burn-off phase, an upset phase and a fusion period, comprising:
- a drive means adapted to produce a selected rotational speed in an axially disposed shaft;
an actuator operatively engaged with said drive means comprising;
a housing;
means to translate the rotational motion of said shaft to the workpiece;
movement means to urge the workpiece in an axial direction relative to the stationary member at a selected pressure for the burn-off phase and the fusion period;
wherein said drive means and said actuator are operatively coupled via a quick disconnect assembly comprising a shaft coupling element, a coupler sleeve and a housing element, where said shaft coupling element, when in an engaged position, is slidably disposed within the coupling sleeve which in turn is slidably disposed within the housing element;
a support removably engageable to said actuator housing and adapted to hold the stationary member in a fixed axial relationship relative to said workpiece; and
control means to selectively regulate the duration of the burn-off and upset phases and the fusion period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A friction welding apparatus and a method for its use is disclosed where the apparatus includes a plurality of interchangeable components including a drive system, an actuator assembly, a support system and a control system, the combination operable to friction weld a workpiece to a valve body.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A portable welding apparatus for fusion welding a given workpiece to a stationary member where the fusion weld process includes a burn-off phase, an upset phase and a fusion period, comprising:
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a drive means adapted to produce a selected rotational speed in an axially disposed shaft; an actuator operatively engaged with said drive means comprising; a housing; means to translate the rotational motion of said shaft to the workpiece; movement means to urge the workpiece in an axial direction relative to the stationary member at a selected pressure for the burn-off phase and the fusion period; wherein said drive means and said actuator are operatively coupled via a quick disconnect assembly comprising a shaft coupling element, a coupler sleeve and a housing element, where said shaft coupling element, when in an engaged position, is slidably disposed within the coupling sleeve which in turn is slidably disposed within the housing element; a support removably engageable to said actuator housing and adapted to hold the stationary member in a fixed axial relationship relative to said workpiece; and control means to selectively regulate the duration of the burn-off and upset phases and the fusion period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A portable welding apparatus for fusion welding a given workpiece to a stationary member where the fusion weld process includes a burn-off phase, an upset phase and a fusion period, comprising:
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a drive means adapted to produce a selected rotational speed in an axially disposed shaft; an actuator operatively engaged with said drive means comprising; a housing; means to translate the rotational motion of said shaft to the workpiece; movement means to urge the workpiece in an axial direction relative to the stationary member at a selected pressure for the burn-off phase and the fusion period; a support removably engageable to said actuator housing and adapted to hold the stationary member in a fixed axial relationship relative to said workpiece; control means to selectively regulate the duration of the burn-off and upset phases and the fusion period; and wherein said actuator also defines a weld chamber partially disposed about the terminal end of said shaft and said workpiece where said apparatus also includes means to maintain a positive pressure in said chamber during the fusion weld process. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for friction welding a workpiece to a stationary member where the welding process includes a burn-off phase, an upset phase and a fusion period, the apparatus comprising:
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an air motor disposed within a housing, where said motor defines at one end an axially disposed shaft and at a second end a fluid inlet, where said shaft is rotatable at a sufficient speed to create said burn-off and upset phases between said workpiece and the stationary member; an actuator operatively coupled to said air motor via a quick release coupling, where said actuator includes; a housing defining a cylindrical bore and a pressurizable chamber; a shaft rotatably disposed in said bore and operatively engageable with the shaft of said air motor at one end and to the workpiece at a second end so as to translate the rotation of said air motor shaft to said workpiece; a piston slidably disposed within the chamber of said actuator housing and fixedly coupled to said shaft, where said piston is moveable in an axial direction upon the selective introduction of pressure into said chamber; a support engageable to said actuator housing and adapted to maintain the stationary member in a fixed axial relationship relative to said workpiece; and control means to selectively regulate the pressure exerted by and the duration of contact between said workpiece and the stationary member wherein said control means is remotely positionable relative to air motor and said actuator by a support and control line. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for fusion welding a workpiece to a stationary member where the welding process includes a burn-off phase, an upset phase and a fusion period, the apparatus comprising:
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an air motor disposed within a housing, where said motor defines at one end an axially disposed shaft and at a second end a fluid inlet, where said shaft is rotatable at a sufficient speed to create a burn-off phase between said workpiece and the stationary member; an actuator operatively coupled to said air motor via a quick release coupling, where said actuator includes; a housing defining a cylindrical bore and a pressurizable chamber; a shaft rotatably disposed in said bore and operatively engageable with the shaft of said air motor at one end and to the workpiece at a second end so as to translate the rotation of said air motor shaft to said workpiece; a piston slidably disposed within the chamber of said actuator housing and fixedly coupled to said shaft, where said piston is moveable in an axial direction upon the selective introduction of pressure into said chamber; a support engageable to said actuator housing and adapted to maintain the stationary member in a fixed axial relationship relative to said workpiece; control means to selectively regulate the pressure exerted by and the duration of contact between said workpiece relative to the stationary member; and wherein said housing further defines a weld chamber which accommodates the second end of said shaft and said workpiece in a spaced relation. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A portable welding apparatus for fusion welding a given workpiece to a stationary member where the fusion weld process includes a burn-off phase, an upset phase and a fusion period, comprising:
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a drive means adapted to produce a selected rotational speed in an axially disposed shaft; an actuator operatively engaged with said drive means comprising; a housing; means to translate the rotational motion of said shaft to the workpiece; movement means to urge the workpiece in an axial direction relative to the stationary member at a selected pressure for the burn-off phase and the fusion period; a support removably engageable to said actuator housing and adapted to hold the stationary member in a fixed axial relationship relative to said workpiece; and control means to selectively regulate the duration of the burn-off and upset phases and the fusion period including a means to gradually increase a forging pressure connected to said movement means. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification