Method and apparatus for controlling forging force during flash butt welding of railway rails
First Claim
1. A method of weld joining adjacent rail ends comprising the steps of:
- applying electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rail ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends;
determining a force necessary to move the adjacent rail ends into a welding position as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow;
selecting an upset force per unit area, and establishing a predetermined upset force by multiplying the upset force per unit area by a cross-sectional area of the adjacent rail ends;
adding the determined force to said predetermined upset force to determine a total forging force; and
forging the adjacent rail ends into a weld joint using the total forging force.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for flash butt weld joining adjacent rail ends on site during initial field installation where at least one of the rails is fastened to the roadbed, and inclosure butt welding rails as in de-stressing long sections of rail track where both rails are fastened to the roadbed. The method and apparatus apply electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rails ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends, and determining a force necessary to move the adjacent ends into a welding position under varying environmental conditions of the rails as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow. The determined force is added to a predetermined upset force dependent on the rail cross-section so as to establish a total forging force that forges the adjacent rail ends into a flash butt weld joint using the total forging force.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of weld joining adjacent rail ends comprising the steps of:
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applying electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rail ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends; determining a force necessary to move the adjacent rail ends into a welding position as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow; selecting an upset force per unit area, and establishing a predetermined upset force by multiplying the upset force per unit area by a cross-sectional area of the adjacent rail ends; adding the determined force to said predetermined upset force to determine a total forging force; and forging the adjacent rail ends into a weld joint using the total forging force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of weld joining adjacent rail ends comprising the steps of:
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applying electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rail ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends; determining a force necessary to move the adjacent rail ends into a welding position as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow; adding the determined force to a predetermined upset force to determine a total forging force; forging the adjacent rail ends into a weld joint using the total forging force; terminating the current flow before forging the adjacent rail ends into the weld joint; and measuring a total upset distance of closing of the rail ends during forging after termination of the current flow. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method of weld joining adjacent rail ends comprising the steps of:
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applying electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rail ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends; determining a force necessary to move the adjacent rail ends into a welding position as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow; measuring a distance of movement of the adjacent rail ends as the adjacent rail ends close and flash due to the current flow; adding the determined force to a predetermined upset force to determine a total forging force; and forging the adjacent rail ends into a weld joint using the total forging force. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for weld joining adjacent rail ends comprising:
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means for applying electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rails ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends; means for determining a force necessary to move the adjacent ends into a welding position as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow; means for selecting an upset force per unit area and determining a predetermined upset force by multiplying the upset force per unit area by a cross-sectional area of the adjacent rail ends; means for adding the determined force to said predetermined upset force to determine a total forging force; and means for forging the adjacent rail ends into a weld joint using the total forging force. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Apparatus for weld joining adjacent rail ends comprising:
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means for applying electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rails ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends; means for determining a force necessary to move the adjacent ends into a welding position as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow, said force determining means including means for measuring a distance of movement of the adjacent rail ends as the adjacent rail ends close and flash due to the current flow; means for adding the determined force to a predetermined upset force to determine a total forging force; and means for forging the adjacent rail ends into a weld joint using the total forging force. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. The Apparatus for weld joining adjacent rail ends comprising:
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a welding power source for applying electrical power to the adjacent rail ends while simultaneously effecting relative closing movement between the rail ends through actuating means so as to bring the rail ends into position to effect current flow between the rail ends; a first processor for determining a force necessary to move the adjacent ends into a welding position as the adjacent rail ends close and during flashing of the adjacent rail ends due to the current flow; a second processor which adds the determined force to a predetermined upset force to determine a total forging force; a forging actuator which forges the adjacent rail ends into a weld joint using the total forging force; and a size-of-rail processor which selects an upset force per unit area and which determines the predetermined upset force by multiplying the upset force per unit area by a cross-sectional area of the adjacent rail ends. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification