US3596048A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Trackless automatic welding machine
Assignee: IHI Corp
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Filing: 1969-08-22
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Granted: 1971-07-27
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Expires: 1989-08-22
Abstract
Abstract An automatic welding machine advanced without the track guide having a sliding unit having a welding nozzle, which is in turn connected to a welding line detector, and an automatic steering unit mounted upon a carriage so that the detector may move along a welding line or groove upon movement of the carriage which in turn is maintained in a predetermined spaced-apart relation with the welding line by the simultaneous rotation of respective motors for said units by actuation of a limit switch in the detector. Welding preparation may be much simplified.
Inventors
- 👤 Toyoo Maeda
- 👤 Toshio Yada
- 👤 Akira Yamaoka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 12:09
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K37/00; B23K37/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A trackless automatic welding unit, comprising a carriage adapted to move parallel to a welding line, a sliding unit mounted on the carriage for sliding transverse to the welding line, a welding nozzle fixed to the sliding unit and at all operative positions of the sliding unit being spaced from the carriage in a direction transverse to the welding line for following the welding line, fixed to the welding nozzle means for detecting the welding line, a steering unit fixed to the carriage for steering the carriage, a first electric motor operatively connected to the sliding unit for actuation of the sliding unit, a second electric motor operatively connected to the steering unit for actuation of the steering unit, said welding line detecting means including a limit switch and means for actuating the switch when the welding nozzle departs from the welding line by a predetermined distance and electric circuit means operatively connecting the first and second motors to the switch for simultaneous actuation of the motors when the switch is actuated thereby so to actuate the sliding unit and the steering unit as to return the welding nozzle to the welding line.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A trackless automatic welding unit, comprising a carriage adapted to move parallel to a welding line, a sliding unit mounted on the carriage for sliding transverse to the welding line, a welding nozzle fixed to the sliding unit and at all operative positions of the sliding unit being spaced from the carriage in a direction transverse to the welding line for following the welding line, fixed to the welding nozzle means for detecting the welding line, a steering unit fixed to the carriage for steering the carriage, a first electric motor operatively connected to the sliding unit for actuation of the sliding unit, a second electric motor operatively connected to the steering unit for actuation of the steering unit, said welding line detecting means including a limit switch and means for actuating the switch when the welding nozzle departs from the welding line by a predetermined distance and electric circuit means operatively connecting the first and second motors to the switch for simultaneous actuation of the motors when the switch is actuated thereby so to actuate the sliding unit and the steering unit as to return the welding nozzle to the welding line.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A welding unit according to claim 1, further comprising means for fixing the welding-line-detecting means to the welding nozzle, said fixing means including electrical insulation electrically insulating the detecting means from the nozzle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A welding unit according to claim 2, in which said carriage includes a pair of drive wheels partly supporting the carriage and arranged for rotation about an axis transverse to the welding line and means for driving the drive wheels thereby to drive the carriage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
122 words
A welding unit according to claim 3, in which said steering unit comprises four members articulated to one another at their ends to form a closed quadrilateral figure, alternating ones of said members constituting pairs of members of equal length whereby said figure is a parallelogram, a wheel mounted on each member of one of the pairs of parallel members for rotation about an axis parallel to the other pair of parallel members, the second motor being mounted on one member of the other pair of parallel members, operatively interconnecting the second motor with the other member of the other pair of members means for driving the other member lengthWise in either direction thereby to reorient the wheels of the steering unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-07-26 | 1975-01-25 | 1975-07-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-07-26 | 1979-01-25 | 1979-07-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-07-26 | 1983-01-25 | 1983-07-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |