Weld head assembly

• US 5,910,258 A
• Filed: 03/25/1996
• Issued: 06/08/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Grycko, Lawrence M., Kazirskis, Benedict
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US08/621,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 219/125.11, 219/60 R, 219/60 A, 219/61
• US Class Current: 219/60.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/06 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0286 with an electrode moving around the fixed tube during the welding operation

Abstract

A weld head assembly which, in one embodiment, includes a mounting ring subassembly and a faceplate subassembly is described. The mounting ring subassembly includes a mounting ring configured to be mounted to one of the pipes to be welded. At least one motor is mounted to the mounting ring and the motor includes an output shaft having a rotatable spur gear mounted thereto. A plurality of bevel rollers are mounted, at spaced locations, to the mounting ring and each of the rollers is mounted along a same radial path. The faceplate subassembly is secured to the mounting ring subassembly and includes a faceplate ring, a bevel ring and a spur gear mounted to the faceplate ring. Wire spool holders, wire feeders, a welding torch, and cameras are secured to the rotatable faceplate ring. The bevel ring is located to rotatably interface with the bevel rollers of the mounting ring subassembly and the spur gear is located to mesh with the rotatable spur gear of the mounting ring motor so that the faceplate subassembly rotates with the motor spur gear.

Claims

1. A weld head assembly for forming a weld between two pipes in a nuclear reactor, the pipes having a substantially circular cross sectional shape, said weld head assembly comprising:

a mounting ring subassembly comprising a mounting ring configured to be mounted to one of the pipes, at least one motor mounted to said mounting ring, said motor comprising an output shaft having a rotatable spur gear mounted thereto, and a plurality of bevel rollers mounted at spaced locations to said mounting ring, said rollers mounted along a same radial path; and

a faceplate subassembly secured to said mounting ring subassembly, said faceplate subassembly comprising a faceplate ring, a bevel ring assembly engaged to said faceplate ring and located to rotatably interface with said bevel rollers of said mounting ring subassembly, and a spur gear assembly engaged to said faceplate ring and located to mesh with said rotatable spur gear of said mounting ring subassembly motor so that said faceplate subassembly rotates with said motor spur gear, said bevel ring assembly comprising upper and lower bevel rings and said spur gear assembly comprising upper and lower gear rings, said spur gear assembly further comprising an inner flange and said bevel ring assembly being seated on said inner flange, said bevel ring assembly and said spur gear assembly each having a generally circular shape, the diameter of said spur gear assembly being larger than the diameter of said bevel ring assembly.

2. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mounting ring of said mounting ring subassembly comprises at least a first split ring and a second split ring, said first and second split rings threadedly engageable.

3. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mounting ring of said mounting ring subassembly comprises a plurality of alignment screws extending from an inner radial surface of said ring.

4. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least two motors are mounted to said mounting ring, at least one of said motors being a drive motor and at least one of said motors being a slave motor.

5. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least four bevel rollers are mounted at spaced locations on said mounting ring.

6. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said faceplate subassembly further comprises at least one wire spool holder mounted to said faceplate ring.

7. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said faceplate subassembly further comprises at least one wire feeder mounted to said faceplate ring.

8. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said faceplate subassembly further comprises a welding torch secured to said faceplate ring.

9. A weld assembly in accordance with claim 8 wherein said faceplate subassembly further comprises an oscillator motor secured to said faceplate ring and coupled to said welding torch, and at least one camera secured to said faceplate ring for viewing the location of a weld during a welding operation.

10. A weld head assembly, comprising:

a mounting member subassembly comprising a mounting member configured to be mounted substantially adjacent a location at which a weld is to be formed, at least one motor mounted to said mounting member, said motor comprising an output shaft having a rotatable spur gear mounted thereto, and a plurality of bevel rollers mounted at spaced locations to said mounting member; and

a faceplate subassembly secured to said mounting member subassembly, said faceplate subassembly comprising a faceplate, a bevel assembly and a spur gear assembly mounted to said faceplate, said bevel assembly located to movably interface with said bevel rollers of said mounting member subassembly and said spur gear assembly located to mesh with said rotatable spur gear of said mounting member subassembly motor so that said faceplate subassembly rotates with said motor spur gear, said bevel ring assembly comprising upper and lower bevel rings and said spur gear assembly comprising upper and lower gear rings, said spur gear assembly further comprising an inner flange and said bevel ring assembly being seated on said inner flange, said bevel ring assembly and said spur gear assembly each having a generally circular shape, the diameter of said spur gear assembly being larger than the diameter of said bevel ring assembly.

11. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said mounting member of said mounting member subassembly comprises at least a first split ring and a second split ring, said first and second split rings threadedly engageable.

12. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said mounting member of said mounting member subassembly comprises a substantially elongate member.

13. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 10 (wherein said mounting member of said mounting member subassembly further comprises a plurality of alignment screws extending from an inner surface of said mounting member.

14. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein at least two motors are mounted to said mounting member, at least one of said motors being a drive motor and at least one of said motors being a slave motor.

15. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein at least four bevel rollers are mounted at spaced locations on said mounting member.

16. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said faceplate subassembly further comprises at least one wire spool holder mounted to said faceplate and at least one wire feeder mounted to said faceplate.

17. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 10 wherein said faceplate subassembly further comprises a welding torch secured to said faceplate.

18. A weld head assembly in accordance with claim 17 wherein said faceplate subassembly further comprises an oscillator motor secured to said faceplate and coupled to said welding torch, and at least one camera secured to said faceplate for viewing the location of a weld during a welding operation.