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US 5,679,271 AGranted
Apparatus and method for precisely aligning and tack welding two pieces of weldable material
OwnerMichael Guerrinainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Applicant's invention includes an apparatus and associated method for precisely aligning two pieces of weldable material and tack welding the two pieces together. The apparatus contains means for independently securing the two pieces of weldable material and for centering the junction of the two pieces in line with the tack welding electrodes.
Claims16
A portable apparatus for precision alignment and tack welding of a first piece of weldable material to a second piece of weldable material, comprising:
- a first jaw, having a first end, a second end, and a first alignment zone having an inside surface that defines an alignment gap;
- a second jaw, having a first end, a second end, and a second alignment zone having an inside surface that defines a second alignment gap;
- said second jaw being pivotally attached to said first jaw and being oriented to said first jaw in such a manner that said inside surface of said first alignment zone and said inside surface of said second alignment zone cooperatively define a first alignment conduit that is sized and shaped to receive said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material and said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material when said first end of said first jaw is at a first separation distance from said first end of said second jaw and is further sized and shaped to snugly encircle and firmly secure said first end of said first piece of weldable material and said first end of said second piece of weldable material when said first end of said first jaw is at a second, closer separation distance from said first end of said second jaw;
- pre-lock clamping means pivotally attached to said first jaw and sized and shaped for firmly holding said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material when said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material is fully inserted in said first alignment conduit and when said first end of said first jaw is at a third separation distance from said first end of said second jaw, which third separation distance is an intermediate distance between said first separation distance and said second separation distance;
- and
- tack welding means for applying a plurality of tack welds to said abutment junction in such a manner as to temporarily join together said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material and said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material, when said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material and said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material are fully inserted into said first alignment conduit.
3 more elements
A method of simultaneously aligning and tack welding two pieces of weldable material comprising the steps of:
- selecting two pieces of weldable material;
- selecting an appropriate alignment/welding device wherein in said device comprises:
- a first jaw, having a first end, a second end, and a first alignment zone having an inside surface that defines an alignment gap;
- a second jaw, having a first end, a second end, and a second alignment zone having an inside surface that defines a second alignment gap;
- said second jaw being pivotally attached to said first jaw and being oriented to said first jaw in such a manner that said inside surface of said first alignment zone and said inside surface of said second alignment zone cooperatively define a first alignment conduit that is sized and shaped to receive said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material and said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material when said first end of said first jaw is at a first separation distance from said first end of said second jaw and is further sized and shaped to snugly encircle and firmly secure said first end of said first piece of weldable material and said first end of said second piece of weldable material when said first end of said first jaw is at a second, closer separation distance from said first end of said second jaw;
- and
- pre-lock clamping means pivotally attached to said first jaw and sized and shaped for firmly holding said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material when said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material is fully inserted in said first alignment conduit and when said first end of said first jaw is at a third separation distance from said first end of said second jaw, which third separation distance is an intermediate distance between said first separation distance and said second separation distance;
- tack welding means for applying a plurality of tack welds to said abutment junction in such a manner as to temporarily join together said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material and said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material, when said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material and said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material are fully inserted into said first alignment conduit;
- and
- a welding machine electrically connected to said electrodes;
- placing said pieces of weldable material into said alignment/welding device;
- and
- tack welding said pieces of weldable material by supplying said electrodes with a voltage from said welding machine.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.