Dual-weld roof membrane welding apparatus and method of using same

A dual-weld roof membrane welding apparatus capable of welding a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane by simultaneously applying a weld on opposite sides of a roof membrane fastener fastened through the first membrane and located under the overlapping second membrane, the apparatus comprising:

• a movably supported chassis;
• a hot air welder attached to said chassis and including a nozzle, said hot air welder having a heating element for heating air and a blower for blowing heated air through said nozzle, said nozzle having an outlet including at least one opening of an adjustable width for simultaneously applying a weld on opposite sides of the roof membrane fastener to weld the overlapping second membrane and the first membrane;
• and
• at least one weld wheel rotatably attached to said chassis and located rearward of said nozzle relative to a direction of movement of said apparatus capable of applying pressure to the weld on each side of the roof membrane fastener.

A dual-weld roof membrane welding apparatus capable of welding a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane by simultaneously applying a weld on opposite sides of a roof membrane fastener fastened through the first membrane and located under the overlapping second membrane, the apparatus comprising:

• a movably supported chassis;
• a hot air welder attached to said chassis including a nozzle, said nozzle having an outlet including at least one opening for simultaneously applying a heat sealing weld on opposite sides of the roof membrane fastener to weld the overlapping second membrane and the first membrane and at least one guide rail attached to an underside of said nozzle to maintain a bottom surface of said nozzle a selected distance away from a top surface of the first membrane;
• and
• at least one weld wheel rotatably attached to said chassis and located rearward of said nozzle relative to a direction of movement of said apparatus capable of applying pressure to the weld on each side of the roof membrane fastener.

A process of welding a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane by simultaneously applying a weld on opposite sides of a roof membrane fastener fastened through the first membrane and located under the overlapping second membrane, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a first membrane;
• fastening the first membrane to a roof deck using at least one roof membrane fastener adjacent and parallel to an edge of the first membrane along the edge of the first membrane;
• providing a second membrane over the first membrane so as to overlap portions of the first membrane on both sides of the at least one roof membrane fastener;
• providing a dual-weld roof membrane welding apparatus including a movably supported chassis, a hot air welder attached to the chassis including a nozzle having an outlet and two weld wheels located rearward of the nozzle relative to a direction of movement of the apparatus;
• positioning the outlet between the first and second membranes and transverse of the at least one roof membrane fastener;
• transmitting heated air through the outlet to simultaneously form a weld on each side of the at least one roof membrane fastener to hold the overlapping portions of the first and second membranes together;
• adjusting the two weld wheels to accommodate the at least one roof membrane fastener therebetween;
• applying pressure directly to the weld on each side of at least one roof membrane fastener to press the heated membranes together to form a heat sealing weld.

A process of welding a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane by simultaneously applying a weld on opposite sides of a roof membrane fastener fastened through the first membrane and located under the overlapping second membrane, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a first membrane;
• fastening the first membrane to a roof deck using at least one roof membrane fastener adjacent and parallel to an edge of the first membrane along the edge of the first membrane;
• providing a second membrane over the first membrane so as to overlap portions of the first membrane on both sides of the at least one roof membrane fastener;
• providing a dual-weld roof membrane welding apparatus including a movably supported chassis, a hot air welder attached to the chassis including a nozzle having an outlet and at least one weld wheel located rearward of the nozzle relative to the direction of movement of the apparatus;
• positioning the outlet between the first and second membranes and transverse a width of the at least one roof membrane fastener;
• adjusting the width of at least one opening of the outlet of the nozzle;
• transmitting heated air through the at least one opening to simultaneously form a weld on each side of the at least one roof membrane fastener to hold the overlapping portions of the first and second membranes together;
• applying pressure directly to the weld on each side of at least one roof membrane fastener to press the heated membranes together to form a secure weld.

A process of welding a first membrane and an overlapping second membrane by simultaneously applying a weld on opposite sides of a roof membrane fastener fastened through the first membrane and located under the overlapping second membrane, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a first membrane;
• fastening the first membrane to a roof deck using at least one roof membrane fastener adjacent and parallel to an edge of the first membrane along the edge of the first membrane;
• providing a second membrane over the first membrane so as to overlap portions of the first membrane on both sides of the at least one roof membrane fastener;
• providing a dual-weld roof membrane welding apparatus including a movably supported chassis, a hot air welder attached to the chassis including a nozzle having an outlet, at least one guide rail attached to an underside of said nozzle, and at least one weld wheel located rearward of the nozzle relative to a direction of movement of the apparatus;
• positioning the at least one guide rail in contact with the first membrane an along the longitudinal length of the at least one roof membrane fastener wherein the outlet is between the first and second membranes and transverse a width of the at least one roof membrane fastener;
• moving the at least one guide rail of the apparatus along the length of the at least one roof membrane fastener to maintain a bottom of the nozzle away from the top surface of the first membrane a selected distance and to ensure proper placement of a heated air stream;
• transmitting a heated air stream through the at least one opening to simultaneously form a weld on each side of the at least one roof membrane fastener to hold the overlapping portions of the first and second membranes together;
• and
• applying pressure directly to the weld on each side of at least one roof membrane fastener to press the heated membranes together to form a secure weld.