US 2011/0031298 A1Published application

Multi-angle, articulated-jig-supported, beam-end component, manual and computer-controlled welding

AssigneeConXtech, Inc.

InventorRobert J. Simmons

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Abstract

Adjustable, elongate, beam-offset jig structure for assisting, under manual, or appropriate computer, control, in welding a pair of beam-end, column-interface components to the opposite ends of an elongate beam. The jig structure includes spaced, adjustable head-stock and tail-stock structures, each capable of holding such a component adjacent a beam end for adjustment to an infinite number of different, pre-weld angular-offset dispositions relative to such a beam end in order to accommodate planned horizontal and vertical beam offsets which will be encountered when such beams are installed in a building frame. A computer-controlled, robotic welder may be provided adjacent each end of the jig structure to implement appropriate welding when any and all offset angles have been jig-established.

Claims14

Dependent claims

Jig structure for assisting with the securing, as by manual, or computer-controlled robotic, welding, of a beam-end column-interface component which possesses a nominal plane to the end of an elongate beam having a long axis, said jig structure comprising:

an elongate frame having opposite ends;
and
beam-support structure carried on said frame adjacent one of the frame's ends for supporting a beam in a condition with the beam's long axis disposed generally in a horizontal condition, said beam-support structure accommodating both lateral translation and angulation of a supported beam as evidenced by spatial repositioning of its long axis, and longitudinal rotation of such a beam generally about its long axis, said beam-support structure including
a rotator constructed for enabled, reversible, preferably 360° rotation relative to the frame about a generally horizontal rotator axis,
a rocker pivoted on said rotator for limited-angle, reversible, relative-motion, angular rocking about a rocker axis which orthogonally intersects said rotator axis, and
a beam-end-component gripper mounted on said rocker for enabled, reversible, preferably 360° rotation about a rocker-rotation axis which orthogonally intersects said rocker axis at the point where the latter intersects said rotator axis, said gripper being configured to receive and grip such a beam-end column-interface component in contact juxtaposition relative to the end of a beam supported by said beam-support structure, said rocker-rotation axis being disposed generally normal to the nominal plane of a gripper-gripped, beam-end component.

3 more elements

A jig-aided method for producing predetermined-location welds between, and joining, an end in an elongate beam having a long axis and a beam-end column-interface component which possesses a nominal plane, and doing so in a manner which accommodates, within a predetermined range, an infinite number of different, relative, angular, spatial dispositions between the long axis of such a beam and the nominal plane of such a component, said method comprising

employing articulated, plural-axis jig structure, establishing a selected, angular, spatial disposition between such a beam long axis and such a beam-end component nominal plane through implementing, in the jig structure, positional adjustments, as required, between the associated beam and component effectively about a pair of orthogonally related axes, each of which orthogonally intersects the beam's long axis, and
following said establishing, and in relation to the mentioned, adjustment-established beam-end and beam-end-component spatial disposition, creating joining welds in the mentioned predetermined locations.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.