Process for joining tubular members of great length

Apparatus for assembling by friction-welding tubular components made of metal or thermoplastic material, comprising

• separate support means for retaining each of the tubular components in endwise alignment with the adjacent ends spaced one from the other;
• means operatively associated with the support means and forming a part of said support means for releasably gripping the tubular components to prevent rotational movement about their axes;
• a frane;
• means operatively associated with the frame mounting each of said support means on the frame for independent movement of one support means relative to the other in the axial direction;
• means operatively associated with the frame for supporting a short tubular cuff in axial alignment between adjacent ends of the tubular components;
• means operatively associated with the means for supporting the cuff for rotating the short tubular cuff between the ends of the tubular components;
• separate drive means mounted on the frame and operatively engaging each of said support means for independent axial movement of each of said support means in the direction to thrust the adjacent ends of the tubular components into pressure contact with the adjacent ends of the cuff to effect softening by heat generation in response to such frictional engagement during rotational movement and to effect consolidation by welding upon cooling after movement of the cuff has been stopped;
• means associated with said cuff supporting means for sensing the temperature at the frictionally engaged ends of the tubular members in engagement with the rotating cuff, said separate drive means being responsive to said temperature sensing means to suppress or decrease the thrust on the support means for the tubular component having the higher temperature for equalization of the temperature conditions existing at the respective ends.