Gasless, mechanized, field-welding of tubular structure
AssigneePipeline Supply & Service, LLC
InventorsMarcus Cook, Peter Nicholson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method provide gasless, mechanized, field welding of an exterior of a tubular structure such as a pipeline, without the need for an enclosure. An embodiment consolidates some of the welding equipment on a skid for ease of transport to and from a remote worksite. The gasless weld may be achieved despite the presence of wind, by precisely controlling an arc voltage as disclosed. The footprint and weight of the system may be minimized, along with the associated labor, expense, and environmental impact otherwise incurred by conventional welding techniques using enclosures.
Claims29
A system for welding a tubular workpiece, the system comprising:
- a plurality of welding equipment for transportation to a work site, the welding equipment including a welding machine for generating a controlled voltage, a power supply for powering the welding machine, and a boom including a lifting arm;
- a helper station secured to the lifting arm, positionable to orient the helper station with respect to the tubular workpiece to be welded;
- a wire feeder carried on the helper station, the wire feeder configured for feeding a consumable welding wire;
- a gasless torch in electrical communication with the welding machine and configured for receiving the consumable welding wire from the wire feeder and generating an electrical arc between the consumable welding wire and the tubular workpiece;
- a guide track positionable with respect to the tubular workpiece;
- and
- a mechanized carrier moveably secured to the guide track and moveable along the guide track while holding the gasless torch adjacent to the tubular workpiece.
A portable helper station for welding a workpiece, the helper station comprising:
- a frame positionable to orient the helper station with respect to the workpiece, the frame transportable to a welding site and removably securable to a lifting arm;
- a wire feeder carried on the frame, the wire feeder configured for feeding a consumable welding wire to a gas shielded or gasless torch in electrical communication with a welding machine to generate an electrical arc between the consumable welding wire and the workpiece;
- and
- a user interface electrically connected and physically mountable on the frame, including at least a first controller configured to operate the wire feeder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.