Method and apparatus for forming and welding thin-wall tubing
AssigneeWestport Development & Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorRobert H. Hellman, Sr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming thin-wall tubing in a funnel die or with a series of sets of forming rollers. The tubing is then welded by a method and apparatus which includes simultaneous guiding of the both the inner and outer peripheries of the tubing during the welding operation by a mandrel and a sleeve, respectively, so that lack of rigidity of the tubing is not a limitation. The edges of the tubing are not clamped, but are allowed to "float" during welding. The resulting tubing is highly uniform. A wide range of tubing materials can be welded and thin-wall tubing of nearly any desired length or wall thickness can be produced.
Claims20
An apparatus for welding the longitudinal seam of a tube formed from a flat sheet, comprising:
- (a) first support means dimensioned to engage substantially the entire inner periphery of said tube;
- (b) second support means, concentric with said first support means, dimensioned to engage substantially the entire outer periphery of said tube, thereby to movably hold said tube in the annulus formed between said first and second support means, at least at the point of welding of said tube;
- (c) an opening defined in said second support means adjacent said seam into which opening the edges of said seam protrude in closely spaced apart relationship;
- and
- (d) welding means in fixed position relative to said second support means and in welding contact with said seam and adapted for relative movement with said seam, thereby to fill the interstice between the edges of said seam to join said edges.
An apparatus for welding the longitudinal seam of a tube formed from a flat sheet, comprising:
- (a) a base member;
- (b) a housing:
- (c) a mandrel fixedly disposed within said housing and dimensioned to slidingly engage substantially the entire inner periphery of said tube;
- (d) a sleeve, fixedly disposed within said housing and concentric with said first support means, dimensioned to slidingly engage substantially the entire outer periphery of said tube, thereby to slideably hold said tube in the annulus formed between said mandrel and said sleeve, at least at the point of welding of said tube;
- (e) an opening defined in said sleeve adjacent said seam into which opening the edges of said seam protrude in closely spaced apart relationship;
- and
- (f) welding means fixedly disposed in said housing and positioned to fill the interstice between the edges of said seam to join said edges as said tube is drawn through said annulus.
A method for welding the longitudinal seam of a tube formed from a flat sheet, comprising:
- (a) providing first support means dimensioned to engage substantially the entire inner periphery of said tube;
- (b) providing second support means, concentric with said first support means, dimensioned to engage substantially the entire outer periphery of said tube, thereby to movably hold said tube in the annulus formed between said first and second support means, at least at the point of welding of said tube;
- (c) providing an opening defined in said second support means adjacent said seam into which opening the edges of said seam protrude in closely spaced apart relationship;
- (d) providing welding means in fixed position relative to said second support means and in welding contact with said seam;
- and
- (e) providing relative motion between said tube and said welding means whereby said welding means fills the interstice between the edges of said seam to join said edges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.