Apparatus for welding a joint between two closely spaced vertical members

Apparatus for butt welding a joint between two closely spaced vertical members comprising:

• a. a pair of removable liquid weld retaining shoes disposed on each side of said joint, each of said pairs of shoes having a facing spanning said joint and being disposed substantially in registry with the shoes on the opposite side of said joint,
• b. a conductive electrode guide tube holder disposed at a point above said joint,
• c. a conductive consumable electrode guide tube secured to said holder and extending to about the bottom of said joint,
• d. a conductive shoe, adapted to be placed in contact with said guide tube at a point intermediate the length of said joint, comprising:
• i. a contact element having its front end contoured to fit against said guide tube;
• ii. a rotatable shaft slidably inserted into the rear end of said contact element;
• and
• iii. a plate, threadedly engaging said shaft, having magnet means affixed thereto for magnetically engaging said vertical members,
• e. means, adapted to be placed in contact with said guide tube at a point opposite said conductive shoe for maintaining said shoe and guide tube in contact, comprising:
• i. an insulating element having its front end contoured to fit against said guide tube;
• ii. a rotatable shaft slidably inserted into the rear end of said insulating element;
• and
• iii. a plate, threadedly engaging said shaft, having magnet means affixed thereto for magnetically engaging the opposite side of said vertical members,
• f. power supply means connected to said guide tube holder, and
• g. conductive means connected from said guide tube holder to said conductive shoe.