Device for mutually centering and clamping two pipe bodies to be welded to one another

Abstract

Device for mutually centering and clamping two pipepieces which are to be welded to one another, which device, for each of the workpieces (50, 51), has a clamping unit on both sides of a welding area (9) provided with an inert gas supply (27). Each clamping unit comprises at least one peripheral row of clamping members which are contained in each case in a clamping groove (36, 39, 42), can be stretched outwards or relaxed inwards by mutual axial approach or distancing of the flanks of the clamping groove and have an outwardly pointing clamping surface for the contact with the bore surface of the workpiece. For achieving an easy method of construction and application, it is provided that the axial extent of the clamping members, lined up in large number at a slight distance, is greater than the width of their clamping surfaces in the peripheral direction. They are preferably formed by the coils of a helical spring (3).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.