Spud weld connection and method of making the same
OwnerTimothy Day, Bruce Krakauer +1inventors
InventorsTimothy Day, Bruce Krakauer, Jason Scott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spud connection to a cylindrical tank wall includes a spud body welded to a cylindrical tank wall. In at least some embodiments, the spud body has an arcuate and concave first end surface, and a planar second end surface spaced apart from the first end surface. A weld joint between the first end surface of the spud body and an outer surface of the cylindrical tank wall surrounds an aperture that extends through the cylindrical tank wall, so that a leak-free fluid connection to an interior volume of the tank can be achieved.
Claims7
A spud weld connection to a cylindrical tank wall, comprising:
- a spud body having an arcuate and concave first end surface, a planar second end surface spaced apart from the first end surface, an outer surface arranged between the first and second end surfaces, and a central bore extending through the spud body;
- a weld joint between the first end surface and an outer surface of the cylindrical tank wall;
- and
- an aperture extending through the cylindrical tank wall and surrounded by the weld joint.
A method of creating a spud weld connection to a cylindrical tank wall, comprising:
- providing a cylindrical tank wall having an aperture extending therethrough;
- providing a spud body having an arcuate and concave first end surface, a planar second end surface spaced apart from the first end surface, an outer surface arranged between the first and second end surfaces, and a central bore extending through the spud body;
- disposing the arcuate and concave first end surface of the spud body against an outer surface of the cylindrical tank wall such that the first end surface surrounds the aperture;
- placing a planar surface of a first welding electrode against the planar second end surface of the spud body;
- placing an arcuate and convex surface of a second welding electrode against an inner surface of the cylindrical tank wall, in alignment with the first welding electrode;
- applying a compressive force to the spud body and cylindrical tank wall through the first and second electrodes, and
- conducting an electrical current through the spud body and cylindrical tank wall between the first and second electrodes in order to create a weld joint around the aperture between the spud body and the cylindrical tank wall at the first end surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.