Adapter for friction stir welding

An adapter for use in friction stir welding and configured to be mountable in a standard milling machine, said adapter comprising:

• an upper housing;
• a lower housing;
• a mounting element for transmitting rotational movement from the milling machine;
• a tool holder for holding a friction stir welding tool, said tool holder connected to said lower housing and rotated by said mounting element;
• a displacement mechanism for providing movement of said friction stir welding tool relative to said mounting element;
• and
• an expandable linkage connected to and extending between said upper housing and said lower housing.

An adapter for use in friction stir welding and configured to be mountable in and rotated by a standard milling machine, said adapter comprising:

• a upper housing;
• an lower housing;
• a mounting element for transmitting rotational movement from the milling machine;
• a tool holder connected to said lower housing and rotated by said mounting element;
• a displacement mechanism for providing movement of said tool holder relative to said mounting element;
• and
• said displacement mechanism including at least one piston cylinder assembly, said upper housing and said lower housing forming a part of said piston cylinder assembly.

An adapter for use in friction stir welding and configured to be mountable and rotated by a standard milling machine, said adapter comprising:

• a mounting element for transmitting rotational movement from the milling machine;
• a tool holder for holding a friction stir welding tool, said tool holder rotated by said mounting element;
• a displacement mechanism for providing movement of said friction stir welding tool relative to said mounting element;
• and
• a spring biasing said friction stir welding tool in an upward direction, said displacement mechanism providing movement of said friction stir welding tool in a direction opposite the force of said spring.

An adapter for use in friction stir welding and configured to be mountable and rotated by a standard milling machine, said adapter comprising:

• a housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;
• a mounting element for transmitting rotational movement from the milling machine, at least a portion of said mounting element mounted in said housing;
• a tool holder mounted in at least part of said housing, said tool holder rotated by said mounting;
• a displacement mechanism for providing movement of said tool holder relative to said mounting element;
• and
• an inner support member, said tool holder connected to said inner support member and one of said mounting element or inner support including a slot, and the other of said mounting element and said inner support member including a key, said slot and key transferring rotational movement from said mounting element to said inner support member while permitting axial movement therebetween.