Apparatus for the production of beams, girders, or the like

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR WELDING STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS, THE COMBINATION OF A SUPPORT MEANS, CLAMPING ROLL MEANS DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND ANOTHER CLAMPING ROLL MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSING SIDE OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FIRST-MENTIONED ROLL MEANS WITH AXIS OF THE SECOND MENTIONED ROLL MEANS BEING OFFSET RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED ROLL MEANS IN SUCH A FASHION AS TO DEFINE A CLAMPING ZONE OF VARIABLE WIDTH BETWEEN SAID FIRST- AND SECOND-MENTIONED ROLL MEANS, EACH OF SAID ROLL MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND SLIDABLY SUPPORTING IN CLAMPED-TOGETHER RELATIONSHIP AT LEAST A PAIR OF STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS ARRANGED AT A PREDETERMINED ANGLE WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ROLL MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITH POCKET MEANS FOR RECEIVING AND SLIDABLY SUPPORTING ONE OF SAID COMPONENTS, WELDING HEAD MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT THE EXIT END OF SAID CLAMPING ZONE AND IN OFFSET RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO BOTH OF SAID CLAMPING ROLL MEANS, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE ROLL MEANS TOWARDS SAID OTHER ROLL MEANS SO AS TO FORCE SAID COMPONENTS INTO A CLAMPED-TOGEETHER RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER AND MEANS FOR ROTATING ONE OF SAID ROLL MEANS SO AS TO DRIVE THE COMPONENTS IN THE CLAMPED-TOGETHER RELATIONSHIP THROUGH SAID CLAMPING ZONE AND THEN PAST SAID WELDING HEAD MEANS.