Apparatus for continuously advancing and welding metal can bodies and the like

Apparatus for continuously advancing and laser welding can bodies and the like comprising means for continuously advancing successive generally tubular shaped sheets of metal from a first position to a second position, said tubular shaped sheets of metal having longitudinally extending edges to be welded, and laser welding means arranged for welding the longitudinally extending edges of the generally tubular shaped sheets of metal as they are advanced by said means for continuously advancing, wherein said means for continuously advancing includes a pair of endless metal belts extending between said first and second positions, each of said belts being in the form of a thin continuous strip of metal having a plurality of fingers mounted thereon in spaced relationship for engaging the trailing ends of the successive generally tubular shaped sheets of metal to advance said sheets.

Apparatus for continuously advancing and laser welding workpieces having opposed longitudinally extending edges to be welded, comprising means for continuously advancing successive workpieces from a first position to a second position, and laser welding means arranged for welding the opposed longitudinally extending edges of said workpieces as they are advanced by said means for continuously advancing, wherein said means for continuously advancing includes a pair of endless metal belts extending between said first and second positions, each of said belts being in the form of a thin continuous strip of metal having a plurality of fingers mounted thereon in spaced relationship for engaging the trailing ends of the successive workpieces to advance said workpieces.

Apparatus for continuously advancing and laser welding workpieces having opposed longitudinally extending edges to be welded, comprising means for successively providing workpieces having opposed longitudinally extending edges to be welded, advancing means for successively advancing said workpieces from said means for successively providing to a first position in a direction toward a laser welding means such that said workpieces are moving at a predetermined speed at said first position, additional advancing means for continuously advancing the successive moving workpieces from said first position to a second position, said additional advancing means including a pair of endless metal belts extending between said first and second positions, each of said belts being in the form of a thin continuous strip of metal having a plurality of fingers mounted thereon in spaced relationship for engaging the trailing ends of the successive workpieces to advance said workpieces, and laser welding means arranged for welding the longitudinally extending edges of the workpieces as they are advanced by said additional advancing means.

Apparatus for continuously advancing and welding workpieces having opposed longitudinally extending edges to be welded, comprising means for continuously advancing successive workpieces from a first position to a second position, and welding means arranged for welding the opposed longitudinally extending edges of said workpieces as they are advanced by said means for continuously advancing, wherein said means for continuously advancing includes a pair of endless belts extending between said first and second positions, each of said belts being in the form of a thin continuous strip having a plurality of fingers mounted thereon in spaced relationship for engaging the trailing ends of the successive workpieces to advance said workpieces, and wherein said fingers are connected to respective base plates extending along said belts, connecting means being provided for connecting the respective base plates to said belts to mount said fingers on said belts.

Apparatus for continuously advancing and welding workpieces having opposed longitudinally extending edges to be welded, comprising means for continuously advancing successive workpieces from a first position to a second position, and welding means arranged for welding the opposed longitudinally extending edges of said workpieces as they are advanced by said means for continuously advancing, wherein said means for continuously advancing includes a pair of endless belts extending between said first and second positions, each of said belts being in the form of a thin continuous strip having a plurality of fingers mounted thereon in spaced relationship for engaging the trailing ends of the successive workpieces to advance said workpieces, and wherein means are provided for arranging the pair of belts in spaced relationship on opposite sides of the longitudinally extending edges to be welded, said means for arranging the belts in spaced relationship including guide roll means and drive sprocket means for supporting and driving the respective belts in spaced relationship, the drive sprocket mans being provided with a plurality of teeth on their outer surfaces for drivingly engaging in a series of holes formed in the respective belts.

Apparatus for continuously advancing and welding workpieces having opposed longitudinally extending edges to be welded, comprising means for continuously advancing successive workpieces from a first position to a second position, and welding means arranged for welding the opposed longitudinally extending edges of said workpieces as they are advanced by said means for continuously advancing, wherein said means for continuously advancing includes a pair of endless metal belts extending between said first and second positions, each of said belts being in the form of a thin continuous strip of metal having a thickness of from 0.005 to about 0.020 inch and having a plurality of fingers mounted thereon in spaced relationship for engaging the trailing ends of the successive workpieces to advance said workpieces.

Apparatus for continuously forming and laser welding workpieces in the form of flat sheets into workpieces in the form of generally tubular shaped sheets having longitudinally extending edges to be welded, advancing means for successively advancing the generally tubular shaped workpieces from said forming means to a first position in a direction toward a laser welding means such that said generally tubular shaped workpieces are individually engaged and driven by said advancing means from said forming means to said first position so as to be moving at a predetermined speed at said first position, additional advancing means for continuously advancing the successive moving, generally tubular shaped workpieces from said first position to a second position without stopping and at a substantially constant speed, and laser welding means arranged for welding the longitudinally extending edges of the generally tubular shaped workpieces as they are advanced by said additional advancing means.