US3602686A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electron-beam apparatus and method of welding with this apparatus
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1967-04-11
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Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1987-04-11
Abstract
Abstract Electron-beam welding apparatus, particularly for welding work in the atmosphere outside of the vacuum chamber 33 (FIG. 1 in which the electron-beam is generated, which includes facilities for producing X-rays for monitoring of the welds. Such X-rays are produced by projecting the electron beam which serves for welding on an X-ray target 61 at intervals (FIGS. 2, 2A) during the welding operation or during an interval following the welding (FIG. 1); the X-rays may also be produced by deflecting the welding electron beam at intervals on the target (FIG. 5) or by an auxiliary beam generated within the same container as the welding beam (FIG. 4). Where there is an auxiliary beam, the Xray monitoring of the weld may take place continuously as the welding progresses. A method of welding with an electron beam in which the welds are monitored by radiographic analysis while the welding is progressing. An X-ray generator 171 (FIG. 6) in which an electron beam E, which is projected outside of the vacuum chamber in which the electron-beam is generated, produces X-rays by impinging on a consumable target 191 preferably of relatively small dimensions.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Lempert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 05:37
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/302; B; B23; B23K; B23K15/00; B23K15/0013; H01J37/3002; H01J37/3005; H01J37/301
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, producing X-ray images of said welds with said X-rays and as said welding progresses, monitoring, by observation of said images, the soundness of the welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, producing X-ray images of said welds with said X-rays and as said welding progresses, monitoring, by observation of said images, the soundness of the welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the monitoring X-rays are the X-rays produced by the beam while in welding relationship with the work and that for monitoring these X-rays are transmitted through a pinhole to produce the X-ray images.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the beam is produced in a vacuum chamber and the beam is transmitted outside of said chamber in welding relationship with the work which is also outside of the chamber and the beam also produces the monitoring X-rays outside of the chamber.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
147 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, and as said welding progresses, monitoring the soundness of said welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed, the work aNd welding beam being moved one relative to the other while the work is being welded and the monitoring X-rays being produced intermittently and the welding being interrupted for predetermined intervals of time while said X-rays are produced and the soundness of the weld being monitored, the said intervals being so short that taking into consideration the speed of said relative movement and the thermal conductivity of the work the weld produced is continuous and the temperature of the region being welded does not change materially by reason of said interruption.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
147 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, and as said welding progresses, monitoring the soundness of said welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed, the work aNd welding beam being moved one relative to the other while the work is being welded and the monitoring X-rays being produced intermittently and the welding being interrupted for predetermined intervals of time while said X-rays are produced and the soundness of the weld being monitored, the said intervals being so short that taking into consideration the speed of said relative movement and the thermal conductivity of the work the weld produced is continuous and the temperature of the region being welded does not change materially by reason of said interruption.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
141 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, and as said welding progresses, monitoring the soundness of said welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed, the work and welding beam being moved relative to each other and the monitoring X-rays being produced by deflecting the beam away from welding relationship with the work to an X-ray target the welding beam engaging each element of the work before the X-ray beam as the relative movement progresses and the spacing between the points of engagement of the welding beam and the work and the X-ray beam and the work being such that the work is solidified when it is engaged by the X-ray beam.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
141 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, and as said welding progresses, monitoring the soundness of said welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed, the work and welding beam being moved relative to each other and the monitoring X-rays being produced by deflecting the beam away from welding relationship with the work to an X-ray target the welding beam engaging each element of the work before the X-ray beam as the relative movement progresses and the spacing between the points of engagement of the welding beam and the work and the X-ray beam and the work being such that the work is solidified when it is engaged by the X-ray beam.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
76 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, and as said welding progresses, monitoring the soundness of said welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed, the monitoring X-rays being produced separately from the X-rays resulting from the projection of the beam in welding relationship with the work.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
76 words
The method of welding work with an electron beam, which comprises projecting said beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, producing X-rays with said beam, and as said welding progresses, monitoring the soundness of said welds produced by said beam with said X-rays after the welding of said welds is completed, the monitoring X-rays being produced separately from the X-rays resulting from the projection of the beam in welding relationship with the work.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
Welding apparatus for continuously welding work including an evacuated container, first and second electron beam generators within said container for generating a first electron beam and a second electron beam respectively, means for projecting said first beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, an X-ray target, means for projecting said second beam on said target in X-ray generating relationship with said target, means for projecting the X-rays generated at said target through the weld produced in said work by said first beam, and means for producing an image of the resulting X-rays emitted by said weld.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
99 words
Welding apparatus for continuously welding work including an evacuated container, first and second electron beam generators within said container for generating a first electron beam and a second electron beam respectively, means for projecting said first beam on said work in welding relationship with said work, an X-ray target, means for projecting said second beam on said target in X-ray generating relationship with said target, means for projecting the X-rays generated at said target through the weld produced in said work by said first beam, and means for producing an image of the resulting X-rays emitted by said weld.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the work and the target are both in the atmosphere outside of the container and the container includes first and second aperture means for transmitting the first and second beams respectively to said work and said target respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
95 words
An X-ray generator including an evacuated container, means for producing a beam of electrons within said container, a member of X-ray target material in the atmosphere outside of said container, means including aperture means in said container for projecting said beam in X-ray generating relationship with a portion of said member, the power of said beam being such as to consume the portion of said member impinged by said beam, and means connected to said member for advancing additional portions of said member into X-ray generating relationship with said beam to replace the consumed portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
95 words
An X-ray generator including an evacuated container, means for producing a beam of electrons within said container, a member of X-ray target material in the atmosphere outside of said container, means including aperture means in said container for projecting said beam in X-ray generating relationship with a portion of said member, the power of said beam being such as to consume the portion of said member impinged by said beam, and means connected to said member for advancing additional portions of said member into X-ray generating relationship with said beam to replace the consumed portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
54 words
The generator of claim 9 wherein the member is a wire and the projecting means projects the beam on the end of said wire and the advancing means advances the wire to maintain its end in X-ray generating relationship with said beam as the wire is consumed by the heat generated by said beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The generator of claim 9 wherein the member is an attenuated member and the beam impinges on renewed portions of the surface of said member as said member is advanced.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
The generator of claim 9 wherein the target is a continuously renewable gas of high atomic number.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The generator of claim 9 wherein the X-rays from the target are limited by an aperture near to the target.
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) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |