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US 5,398,862 AGranted
Apparatus and method for providing shielded atmosphere for welding
AssigneeIntevep, S.A.
InventorMiguel Aleman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for providing a gas shield includes two radially adjustable walls disposed in spaced relation to each other along a substantially common central axis, each wall including a plurality of radially oriented wall segments defining a substantially flat, round wall having a circumference; a wedge structure for radially displacing the plurality of radially oriented wall segments between an expanded position wherein the circumference of each wall is expanded and a withdrawn position wherein the circumference of each wall is withdrawn; and a conduit for introducing a shield gas into a space defined between the two radially adjustable walls.
Claims25
An apparatus for providing a gas shield in a tubular article, comprising:
- first and second radially adjustable walls disposed in spaced relation to each other along a substantially common central axis, said first and second walls connected by a base portion, each wall comprising a plurality of wall segments defining a substantially flat round wall having a circumference, wherein adjacent wall segments of each of the first and second radially adjustable walls overlap so as to define inner and outer wall portions, said wall segments of said inner wall portions having flange members disposed along side surfaces thereof, and wherein wall segments of said outer wall portion are disposed between adjacent flange members;
- and
- means for radially displacing the plurality of wall segments between an expanded position wherein the circumference of each wall is expanded and a withdrawn position wherein the circumference of each wall is withdrawn.
An apparatus for providing a gas shield in a tubular article, comprising:
- first and second radially adjustable walls disposed in spaced relation to each other along a substantially common central axis, each wall comprising a plurality of wall segments defining a substantially flat, round wall having a circumference, wherein adjacent wall segments of each of the first and second radially adjustable walls overlap so as to define inner and outer wall portions, wherein the wall segments of the inner wall portion of the first and second radially adjustable walls are joined by base portions so as to define substantially U-shaped members, wherein wall segments of the outer wall portion of the first and second radially adjustable walls include substantially wedge shaped members, and wherein the apparatus further includes means for positioning the wedge shaped members relative to the U-shaped members, said means for positioning comprising a plurality of flange members disposed along side surfaces of wall segments of the U-shaped members, said wedge shaped members being disposed between adjacent flange members;
- and
- means for radially displacing the plurality of wall segments between an expanded position wherein the circumference of each wall is expanded and a withdrawn position wherein the circumference of each wall is withdrawn.
An apparatus for providing a gas shield at the weld seam of a tubular article to be welded, comprising:
- first and second radially adjustable walls disposed in spaced relation to each other along a substantially common central axis, said first and second walls connected by a base portion, each wall comprising a plurality of wall segments defining a substantially flat, round wall having a circumference, wherein adjacent wall segments of each of the first and second radially adjustable walls overlap so as to define inner and outer wall portions, said wall segments of said inner wall portions having flange members disposed along side surfaces thereof, and wherein wall segments of said outer wall portion are disposed between adjacent flange members;
- means for radially displacing the plurality of wall segments so as to selectively adjust the circumference of the first and second radially adjustable walls between a withdrawn position, wherein the apparatus can be freely moved within the tubular article, and an expanded position wherein the first and second radially adjustable walls are urged toward an inside surface of the tubular article, one on each side of the weld seam, so as to provide a substantially sealed zone within the tubular article encompassing the inside surface of the tubular article at the weld seam;
- and
- means for introducing a shield gas into the substantially sealed zone.
1 more element
A method for providing an inert gas shield within a tubular article to be welded, comprising the steps of:
- providing a shield member comprising first and second radially adjustable walls disposed in spaced relation to each other along a substantially common central axis, has been inserted after "central axis," each wall comprising a plurality of wall segments defining a substantially flat, round wall having a circumference, wherein adjacent wall segments of each of the first and second radially adjustable walls overlap so as to define inner and outer wall portions, said wall segments of said inner wall portions having flange members disposed along side surfaces thereof, and wherein wall segments of said outer wall portion are disposed between adjacent flange members;
- positioning the shield member within the tubular article so that the first and second radially adjustable walls encompass a portion of the tubular article to be welded;
- radially displacing the plurality of wall segments so as to selectively adjust the circumference of the first and second radially adjustable walls to an expanded position so as to provide a substantially sealed zone within the tubular article encompassing the inside surface of the tubular article corresponding to the portion of the tubular article to be welded;
- and
- introducing a shield gas into the substantially sealed zone so as to provide a shielded atmosphere at the portion of the tubular article to be welded.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.