Welding machine having provision for precise positioning of two or more workpieces relative to one another during high-speed welding operations

Claim 2

In a welding machine for welding ears having a bail opening centered therein to a metal pail, the combination comprising, a welding station having means for supporting a pail, means for feeding an ear adjacent the wall of said pail and in approximate position for welding thereto, a tapered centering pin generally aligned with the opening in the ear and mounted for movement with respect thereto, fixed electrode inside of said pail and movable electrode cooperating therewith adjacent said ear, means for moving the centering pin and the movable electrode so that the tapered end of the centering pin is received within the opening of the ear for precise centering of the ear with respect to the pail and so that the movable electrode is subsequently brought into bottoming contact with the ear against the electrode, means for supplying current to the electrode following contact between the movable electrode and the ear, and means responsive to excessive inward movement of the centering pin indicative of the absence of the ear for disabling the current supply means.

Claim 3

In a welding machine for welding an attachment to a base member, the combination comprising, a machine frame, means for supporting the base member on said frame, means for feeding an attachment relative to the base member to position the attachment adjacent the base member, a welding circuit including a pair of welding electrodes mounted on said frame, at least one of said electrodes being movable relative to the base member and being disposed opposite a welding surface on the attachment when the latter is properly positioned adjacent the base member, locator means mounted on said frame for selective relative movement towards and away from the attachment and the adjacent base member for accurate final positioning of the attachment relative to the base member, means for advancing said locator means and said movable electrode relative to the attachment and the adjacent base member so that said locator means engages the attachment and accurately positions the attachment on the base member and so that said electrode engages the welding surface on the attachment to enable said welding circuit, detecting means mounted on said frame for sensing the position of said locator means relative to the base member, and means for applying current to said electrodes for welding the attachment to the base member in its desired position, said detecting means including means for selectively enabling and disabling said current applying means in response to the position of said locator means relative to the base member.

Claim 4

In a welding machine for welding an attachment to a base member, the combination comprising, a machine frame, means for supporting the base member on said frame, means for feeding an attachment relative to the base member to position the attachment adjacent the base member, a welding circuit including a pair of welding electrodes mounted on said frame, at least one of said electrodes being movable relative to the base member and being disposed opposite a welding surface on the attachment when the latter is properly positioned adjacent the base member, locator means mounted on said frame for selective relative movement towards and away from the attachment and the adjacent base member for accurate final positioning of the attachment relative to the base member, means for advancing said locator means and said movable electrode relative to the attachment and the adjacent base member so that said locator means engages the attachment and accurately positions the attachment on the base member and so that said electrode engages the welding surface on the attachment to enable said welding circuit, detecting means mounted on said frame for sensing the position of said locator means relative to the base member, and means for applying current to said electrodes for welding the attachment to the base member in its desired position, said detecting means including means for selectively enabling and disabling said current applying means in response to the position of said locator means relative to the base member.

Claim 5

The combination as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said disabling means is rendered operative upon detection of excessive relative closing movement of said locator means and the base member indicative of the absence of an attachment.

Claim 6

The combination as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said disabling means is rendered operative upon detection of spacing between the base member and said lOcator means greater than a predetermined spacing indicative of improper orientation of the attachment relative to the base member.

Claim 7

The combination as set forth in claim 6 further characterized in that said enabling means is rendered operative only upon detection of a predetermined spaced condition of said locator means relative to the base member indicative of 1) the presence of an attachment, and 2) a condition of proper preselected orientation of the attachment relative to the base member.

Claim 8

In a welding machine for welding an attachment to a base member, the combination comprising, a machine frame, means for supporting the base member on said frame, means for feeding an attachment relative to the base member to position the attachment adjacent the base member including a chute for delivering the attachment in an oriented condition, a welding circuit including a pair of welding electrodes mounted on said frame, at least one of said electrodes being movable relative to the base member and being disposed opposite a welding surface on the attachment when the latter is properly positioned adjacent the base member, locator means mounted on said frame for selective relative movement towards and away from the attachment and the adjacent base member for accurate final positioning of the attachment relative to the base member including an attachment supporting member and a pair of gates for holding the attachment adjacent the base member in its oriented condition, said gates being relieved to form a continuation of said chute, means for advancing said locator means and said movable electrode relative to the attachment and the adjacent base member so that said locator means engages the attachment and accurately positions the attachment on the base member and so that said electrode engages the welding surface on the attachment to enable said welding circuit, and means for applying current to said electrodes for welding the attachment to the base member in its desired position.

Claim 9

In a welding machine for welding an attachment to a base member, the combination comprising, a machine frame, means for supporting the base member on said frame, means for feeding an attachment relative to the base member to position the attachment adjacent the base member including a chute for delivering the attachment in an oriented condition, a welding circuit including a pair of welding electrodes mounted on said frame, at least one of said electrodes being movable relative to the base member and being disposed opposite a welding surface on the attachment when the latter is properly positioned adjacent the base member, locator means mounted on said frame for selective relative movement towards and away from the attachment and the adjacent base member for accurate final positioning of the attachment relative to the base member including an attachment supporting member and a pair of gates for holding the attachment adjacent the base member in its oriented condition, said gates being relieved to form a continuation of said chute, means for advancing said locator means and said movable electrode relative to the attachment and the adjacent base member so that said locator means engages the attachment and accurately positions the attachment on the base member and so that said electrode engages the welding surface on the attachment to enable said welding circuit, and means for applying current to said electrodes for welding the attachment to the base member in its desired position.

Claim 10

The combination as set forth in claim 6 further characterized in that said means for advancing said movable electrode is operable to simultaneously retract said gates to an out-of-the-way position for positive bottoming contact between said movable electrode and the attachment.

Claim 11

In a welding machine for welding an attachment to a base member, the combination comprising, a machine frame, means for supporting the base member on said frame, means for feeding at least two attachments relative to the base member to position the attachments at spaced points adjacent the base member, a welding circuit including at least two welding electrodes mounted on said frame, said electrodes being movable relative to the base member and being respectively disposed opposite a welding surface formed on each of the attachments when the latter are properly positioned adjacent the base member, locator means mounted on said frame for selective relative movement towards and away from the attachments and the adjacent base member for accurate final positioning of the attachments relative to the base member, means for advancing said locator means and said movable electrodes relative to the attachments and the adjacent base member so that said locator means engages the attachments and accurately positions the attachments on the base member and so that said electrodes engage the respective welding surfaces on the attachments to enable said welding circuit, detecting means mounted on said frame for sensing the position of said locator means relative to the base member, and means for applying current to said electrodes for simultaneously welding the attachments to the base member in their desired position, said detecting means including means for selectively enabling and disabling said current applying means in response to the position of said locator means relative to the base member.

Claim 12

In a welding machine for welding an attachment to a base member, the combination comprising, a machine frame, means for supporting the base member on said frame, means for feeding at least two attachments relative to the base member to position the attachments at spaced points adjacent the base member, a welding circuit including at least two welding electrodes mounted on said frame, said electrodes being movable relative to the base member and being respectively disposed opposite a welding surface formed on each of the attachments when the latter are properly positioned adjacent the base member, locator means mounted on said frame for selective relative movement towards and away from the attachments and the adjacent base member for accurate final positioning of the attachments relative to the base member, means for advancing said locator means and said movable electrodes relative to the attachments and the adjacent base member so that said locator means engages the attachments and accurately positions the attachments on the base member and so that said electrodes engage the respective welding surfaces on the attachments to enable said welding circuit, detecting means mounted on said frame for sensing the position of said locator means relative to the base member, and means for applying current to said electrodes for simultaneously welding the attachments to the base member in their desired position, said detecting means including means for selectively enabling and disabling said current applying means in response to the position of said locator means relative to the base member.

Claim 13

The combination as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that said disabling means is rendered operative upon detection of excessive relaTive closing movement of said locator means and the base member indicative of the absence of at least one of the two attachments so as to thereby preclude welding of only one attachment to the base member.

Claim 14

The combination as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that said disabling means is rendered operative upon detection of spacing between the base member and said locator means greater than a predetermined spacing indicative of improper orientation of at least one of the two attachments relative to the base member so as to thereby preclude the welding of both the misoriented attachment and any properly oriented attachment to the base member.

Claim 15

The combination as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that said enabling means is rendered operative only upon detection of a predetermined spaced condition of said locator means relative to the base member indicative of 1) the presence of both attachments, and 2) a condition of proper preselected orientation of both attachments relative to the base member.