Multi-operator resistor grid welding apparatus

Claim 1

ARC WELDING APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING A PLURALITY OF INDEPENDENTLY CONTROLLED WELDING ARCS OPERATED FROM A SINGLE, CONSTANT POTENTIAL POWER SOURCE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A CONSTANT POTENTIAL POWER SOURCE, A PLURALITY OF RESISTOR GRID CONTROL UNITS, EACH RESISTOR GRID CONTROL UNITS INCLUDING A PLURALITY COMPRISING N NUMBER OF RESISTOR GRID ASSEMBLIES, A CRIMPED RESISTOR RIBBON ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID RESISTOR GRID ASSEMBLIES, AN ARC WELDING UNIT ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID RESISTOR GRID CONTROL UNITS, A MULTI-POSITION SWITCH MEANS INCLUDED IN EACH CONTROL UNIT FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING ANY NUMBER OF RESISTOR GRID ASSEMBLIES FROM 0 TO N NUMBER INTO ITS ASSOCIATED ARC WELDING UNIT, AND A PLURALITY OF GLASS COATED, UNITARY METAL PLATES EACH HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE ELONGATED WEB AND INTEGRAL, REVERSELY CURVED END FLANGES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID PLATES, SAID METAL PLATES BEING ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID RESISTOR GRID CONTROL UNITS, EACH METAL PLATE PROVIDING SUPPORT MEANS FOR ONE OF SAID RESISTOR RIBBONS, SAID RESISTOR RIBBON BEING IN CONTACT WITH THE METAL PLATE ONLY AT THE CURVED FLANGE PORTIONS THEREOF.