Beam welding apparatus and method
OwnerJerome H. Lemelsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for welding portions of members disposed in edgewise abutment or overlapping relationship by means of a high intensity beam of radiation such as a laser beam or an electron beam generated by an electron gun. In one form, the two members are sheets of weldable material such as metal or plastic which are driven between aligned rolls or wheels into edgewise or overlapping abutment while one or more beams of radiations intersect either or both the members immediately in advance of or adjacent to the rolls or wheels. The combined effects of the force applied by the wheels and the heat of the beam serve to provide portions of the members welded together.
Claims4
A method of welding comprising:
- driving first and second members between powered endless surface means into abutment with each other with at least portions of the abutting portions of each member engaged by said endless surface means and wherein portions of the materials of said engaged portions of said first and second members are heat softenable and are of a characteristic such that said heat softenable portions will become welded together when compressed and heated to a weldable condition and are thereafter cooled to a set condition,
- generating an intense beam of radiation and directing said radiation beam against a surface of at least one of said members along an axis which intersects the other member near the interface of the abutment of the two members,
- transferring heat from said beam to condition abutting portions of the materials of said first and second members in the vicinity of said endless surface means for welding and intermittently operating an auxiliary clamping means to engage and disengage said first and second members so as to intermittently apply compressive force thereto and to cause portions of the materials of the two members to intermingle with each other, and
- solidifying the intermingled materials of said first and second members to effect a fusion welding to the two members together in the vicinity where said beam intersects said one member.
A method of welding comprising:
- driving first and second members between powered endless surface means into abutment with each other with at least portions of the abutting portions of each of said members engaged by said endless surface means and wherein portions of the materials of the engaged portions of said first and second members are heat softenable and are of a characteristic such that said heat softenable portions will intermingle with each other and become welded together when heated to a weldable condition and thereafter cooled to a set condition,
- generating an intense beam of radiation and directing said radiation beam against said endless surface means to heat said endless surface means and transfer heat therefrom to said first and second members,
- causing portions of the materials of said first and second members engaged between and heated by said endless surface means to become heat softened and to intermingle with each other, and
- solidifying the intermingled materials of said first and second members to effect a fusion welding of the two members together in the vicinity of said endless surface means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.