Arc welding system
AssigneeContinental Can Company, Inc.
InventorHenry J. Keinanen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to an arc welding system primarily intended to replace present systems utilizing an inert gas atmosphere in which the welding takes place. It is proposed to provide a high voltage, low power ignition supply to produce an arc across a spark gap between electrodes and thus provide an ionized atmosphere in which a welding arc may be produced from a low voltage high power main power source. The main power source may include a capacitor which is constantly charged between actuation of the ignition circuit.
Claims12
A method of arc welding a material in the absence of a protective agent, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a welding electrode and a workpiece comprising a pair of electrodes defining a spark gap there-between;
- (b) repetitively applying to said pair of electrodes at a given cyclic rate and during alternate half cycles thereof, a high-voltage pulse of greater voltage than required for welding so as to produce across said gap, at a given instant during each of said alternate half cycles, an over-voltage of such magnitude as to create an ionized channel between said pair of electrodes;
- and
- (c) applying to said pair of electrodes, at said given cyclic rate and at said given instant within each of said alternate half cycles, a high current welding current impulse of such magnitude as to effect welding of said material and of such impulse duration as to produce a shock wave propagating across said gap, whereby a substantially vacuum condition is created and maintained within said gap so as to minimize oxidation of said material during welding in the absence of a protective agent.
An improvement in arc welding apparatus, said improvement comprising an arc welding system for welding a material in air in the absence of a protective agent for an extended period including in combination:
- a welding electrode and a workpiece comprising a pair of electrodes defining a spark gap in air;
- pulsing means coupled directly to said pair of electrodes for repetitively applying thereto for an extended period, at a given cyclic rate and during alternate half cycles thereof, a high-voltage pulse of greater voltage than required for welding so as to produce across said gap, at a given instant during each of said alternate half cycles, an over-voltage of such magnitude as to create an ionized channel in the air between said pair of electrodes;
- and
- low voltage high current welding current impulse means coupled directly to said pair of electrodes and operatively associated with said pulsing means for applying to said pair of electrodes, at said given cyclic rate and only at said given instant during each of said alternate half cycles, a high-current welding current impulse of such magnitude as to effect welding of said material and of such impulse duration as to produce a shock wave propagating through said ionized channel across said gap, whereby a substantially vacuum condition is created and maintained within said gap so as to minimize oxidation of said material during welding in the absence of a protective agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.