Tracking transducer for welding apparatus

Claim 2

In an apparatus for welding work having at least one edge formed by the pieces to be joined together: a. a welding head for forming a seam along the edge, b. means for relatively moving the work and welding head while forming the seam, c. electrically operated motor means for adjusting the position of the welding head transversely of the edge, d. sensing means carried by the welding head, the sensing means including: 1. a follower engaging the workpieces and following the edge contour, 2. a housing attached to the follower, 3. means oscillatively mounting the housing so that the housing and follower oscillate together about a common axis and so that the angle of the follower can be varied transversely of the edge, and 4. a variable resistor responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing about the said common axis as the follower engages the workpieces, and e. means operatively coNnecting the variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head transversely of the edge in a direction to hold the welding head on the edge in response to any transverse deviation sensed by the follower and at a speed proportional to the deviation

Claim 3

a housing attached to the follower,

Claim 4

a housing attached to the follower,

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which: f. the housing includes two parts interconnected to turn together about the said common axis as the follower angle changes, the follower being attached to one part and the variable resistor being carried by the other part, the connection between the housing parts enabling relative angular adjustment of the housing parts about the said common axis so that the variable resistor can be located in a substantially null position in any angular position of the follower.

Claim 6

a housing attached to the follower,

Claim 7

a housing attached to the follower,

Claim 8

a housing attached to the follower,

Claim 9

a housing attached to the follower,

Claim 10

means oscillatively mounting the housing so that the angle of the follower can be varied transversely of the edge, and

Claim 11

means oscillatively mounting the housing so that the angle of the follower can be varied transversely of the edge, and

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which: f. means provided on the follower and the resistor housing which tends to maintain the resistor in a substantially null position.

Claim 13

means oscillatively mounting the housing so that the housing and follower oscillate together about a common axis and so that the angle of the follower can be varied transversely of the edge, and

Claim 14

means oscillatively mounting the housing so that the housing and follower oscillate together about a common axis and so that the angle of the follower can be varied transversely of the edge, and

Claim 15

means oscillatively mounting the housing so that the angle of the follower can be varied transversely of the edge, and

Claim 16

means oscillatively mounting the housing so that the angle of the follower can be varied transversely of the edge, and

Claim 17

a variable resistor responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing about the said common axis as the follower engages the workpieces, and e. means operatively coNnecting the variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head transversely of the edge in a direction to hold the welding head on the edge in response to any transverse deviation sensed by the follower and at a speed proportional to the deviation

Claim 18

a variable resistor responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing about the said common axis as the follower engages the workpieces, and e. means operatively coNnecting the variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head transversely of the edge in a direction to hold the welding head on the edge in response to any transverse deviation sensed by the follower and at a speed proportional to the deviation

Claim 19

a variable resistor responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing as the follower engages the workpieces, and e. means operatively connecting the variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head transversely of the edge in a direction to hold the welding head on the edge in response to any transverse deviation sensed by the follower and at a speed proportional to the deviation, f. a second variable resistor, responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing as the follower engages the workpiece, the second resistor being disposed generally in the direction of the relative movement of the follower and edge, g. the means oscillatively mounting the housing defines a first axis so that the first resistor can tilt transversely relative to the edge engaged by the follower and welding head, and defines a second pivot axis angularly related to the first pivot axis about which the second resistor can tilt, and h. means operatively connects the second variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head generally in a direction depthwise of the edge to hold the head on the edge in response to any depthwise deviation sensed by the follower and a speed proportional to the deviation, and i. switching means connected to the means relatively moving the work and head and carried by the housing, the switching means being actuated when the housing moves to one limit about the second axis whereby to deenergize the work and head moving means.

Claim 20

a variable resistor responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing as the follower engages the workpieces, and e. means operatively connecting the variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head transversely of the edge in a direction to hold the welding head on the edge in response to any transverse deviation sensed by the follower and at a speed proportional to the deviation, f. a second variable resistor, responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing as the follower engages the workpiece, the second resistor being disposed generally in the direction of the relative movement of the follower and edge, g. the means oscillatively mounting the housing defines a first axis so that the first resistor can tilt transversely relative to the edge engaged by the follower and welding head, and defines a second pivot axis angularly related to the first pivot axis about which the second resistor can tilt, and h. means operatively connects the second variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head generally in a direction depthwise of the edge to hold the head on the edge in response to any depthwise deviation sensed by the follower and a speed proportional to the deviation, and i. switching means connected to the means relatively moving the work and head and carried by the housing, the switching means being actuated when the housing moves to one limit about the second axis whereby to deenergize the work and head moving means.

Claim 21

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which: f. means is provided for adjusting the relative angular position of the variable resistor and follower about the said common axis.

Claim 22

a variable resistor responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing as the follower engages the workpieces, and e. means operatively connecting the variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head transversely of the edge in a direction to hold the welding head on the edge in response to any transverse deviation sensed by the follower and at a speed proportional to the deviation, f. the means oscillatively mounting the housing defines a first pivot axis so that the variable resistor can tilt transversely relative to the edge engaged by the follower and welding head, and defines a second axis angularly related to the first axis, and g. switching means connected to the means for relatively moving the work and head and carried by the housing, the switching means being actuated when the housing moves to one limit about the second axis whereby to deenergize the work and head moving means.

Claim 23

a variable resistor responsive to angle of tilt, carried by and oscillatively movable with the follower housing as the follower engages the workpieces, and e. means operatively connecting the variable resistor to the motor means for moving the welding head transversely of the edge in a direction to hold the welding head on the edge in response to any transverse deviation sensed by the follower and at a speed proportional to the deviation, f. the means oscillatively mounting the housing defines a first pivot axis so that the variable resistor can tilt transversely relative to the edge engaged by the follower and welding head, and defines a second axis angularly related to the first axis, and g. switching means connected to the means for relatively moving the work and head and carried by the housing, the switching means being actuated when the housing moves to one limit about the second axis whereby to deenergize the work and head moving means.

Claim 24

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which: f. the housing includes two parts interconnected to turn together about the said common axis as the follower angle changes, the follower being attached to one part and the variable resistor being carried by the other part, the connection between the housing parts enabling relative angular adjustment of the housing parts about the said common axis so that the variable resistor can be located in a substantially null position in any angular position of the follower, and g. means provided on the follower and resistor housing which tends to maintain the resistor in a substantially null position.

Claim 25

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which: f. the variable resistor is of a type that causes an increased voltage output proportional to the degree of angle tilt in either direction from a substantially null position, and the variable resistor is located to tilt transversely relative to the edge engaged by the follower and welding head.

Claim 26

In an apparatus for welding work having at least one edge formed by the pieces to be joined together; a. a welding head for forming a seam along the edge, b. means for relatively moving the work and welding head while forming the seam, c. electrically operated motor means for adjusting the position of the welding head transversely of the edge, d. sensing means carried by the welding head, the sensing means including:

Claim 27

In an apparatus for welding work having at least one edge formed by the pieces to be joined together; a. a welding head for forming a seam along the edge, b. means for relatively moving the work and welding head while forming the seam, c. electrically operated motor means for adjusting the position of the welding head transversely of the edge, d. sensing means carried by the welding head, the sensing means including:

Claim 28

An apparatus as defined in claim 7, in which: h. the housing includes a first part that carries the follower and the variable resistor, and a second part that is fixed to the welding head, i. the mounting means defining the second axis is carried by the second housing part, the second axis being disposed substantially horizontally transversely of the edge engaged by the follower, and the first axis being disposed substantially at a right angle to the second axis and generally in the direction of relative movement of the follower and edge, and j. the first housing part is oscillatively mounted about both the first and second axes.

Claim 29

In an apparatus for welding work having at least one edge formed by the pieces to be joined together: a. a welding head for forming a seam along the edge, b. means for relatively moving the work and welding head while forming the seam, c. electrically operated motor means for adjusting the position of the welding head transversely of the edge, sensing means carried by the welding head, the sensing means including:

Claim 30

In an apparatus for welding work having at least one edge formed by the pieces to be joined together: a. a welding head for forming a seam along the edge, b. means for relatively moving the work and welding head while forming the seam, c. electrically operated motor means for adjusting the position of the welding head transversely of the edge, sensing means carried by the welding head, the sensing means including: