Welding machine

Abstract

A welding machine, comprising a base supporting an alignment and fastening device; the alignment and fastening device has guiding means, a first clamp unit and a second clamp unit, respectively engaging a first tubular element and a second tubular element to be joined by welding; at least one of the first clamp unit and said second clamp unit move with respect to each other, from a distant position to a close welding position; the base is associated with a heating device for welding the first and second tubular elements; the aligning and fastening device is an autonomous component and is mechanically connected and disconnected to/from the base; the aligning and fastening device is switched from a first operational configuration, in which the aligning and fastening device is interconnected to the welding machine, to a second operational configuration, in which the aligning and fastening device is used as a stand-alone device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.