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US 6,070,784 AGranted
Contact backup roller approach to FSW process
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsElmo S. Holt, Larry J. Lang
Life of this patent
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AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsElmo S. Holt, Larry J. Lang
Estimating the term…
A welding apparatus (28) for forming a circumferential weld (56) includes a base (30) and a spindle (32) extending perpendicularly from the base. Along the spindle, at its proximal and distal portions, first and second workpiece supporters (38, 40) are provided, respectively, to position workpieces (42) to be welded together therebetween. Between the first and second workpiece supporters, a first arm (44) and a second arm (48) are provided, both extending perpendicularly from the spindle. To a distal end of the first arm, an internal backup roller (46) is rotatably attached, and to a distal end of the second arm, an internal drive roller (50) is rotatably attached. One or more external rollers (52a, 52b), each rotatably attached to an external support (66), are further provided. The internal and external rollers are driven by variable-speed programmable motors (not shown). In operation, the workpieces are mounted onto the apparatus, being sandwiched between the internal rollers and the external rollers. A friction stir welding tool (58) is positioned externally with its probe opposing the internal backup roller. As the programmable motors drive the rollers to continuously draw the workpieces between the friction stir welding tool and the internal backup roller, the friction stir welding tool forms a circumferential weld to join the workpieces together.
A friction stir welding apparatus for joining together workpieces along a circumferential weld line comprising:
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein two second arms are provided to sandwich the first arm therebetween, each of the second arms having at its distal end a rotatably attached internal drive roller, and two external rollers are provided to oppose each of the internal drive rollers.
A method of friction stir welding together workpieces along a circumferential weld line, the method comprising:
A method of friction stir welding together workpieces along a circumferential weld line, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.