US3635388A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Friction welding apparatus
Assignee: Steelweld Ltd
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Filing: 1969-01-30
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1989-01-30
Abstract
Abstract In a friction welding machine one workpiece chuck is urged by a ram or rams towards a second workpiece chuck which is rotatable. The second chuck is supported in bearings with freedom for limited axial displacement under axial thrusts transmitted to it from the ram or rams through the workpieces and is supported against the thrusts by a hydrostatic thrust bearing.
Inventors
- 👤 Brian E Jenkinson
- 👤 Geoffrey W Watson
- 👤 Peter B Foister
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 12:25
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K20/00; B23K20/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
Friction welding apparatus of the class comprising a pair of chucks in which the workpieces to be joined are held, the chucks being relatively axially displaceable by an hydraulic ram to urge workpieces held in the chucks into contact and the chucks being relatively rotatable to cause friction heating of the contacting workpieces, characterized in that one chuck is connected to be displaced axially by the ram to produce the axial welding loads and the second chuck is rotatively driven, there being a hydrostatic bearing supporting the second chuck and other rotating parts against axial loads transmitted thereto from said hydraulic ram, said hydrostatic bearing including a high-pressure space and a low-pressure space interconnected by clearances, and means for varying the size of said clearances in the axial direction in response to variations of the welding load applied by the ram such that an increase in the welding load reduces the size of the clearances, thus increasing the pressure of the hydrostatic bearing, and a decrease in the welding load causes the size of the clearances to increase, thus decreasing the pressure of the hydrostatic bearing, and there being a highpressure liquid supply and a common connection from said supply to said hydraulic ram and to said high-pressure space of the hydrostatic bearing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
Friction welding apparatus of the class comprising a pair of chucks in which the workpieces to be joined are held, the chucks being relatively axially displaceable by an hydraulic ram to urge workpieces held in the chucks into contact and the chucks being relatively rotatable to cause friction heating of the contacting workpieces, characterized in that one chuck is connected to be displaced axially by the ram to produce the axial welding loads and the second chuck is rotatively driven, there being a hydrostatic bearing supporting the second chuck and other rotating parts against axial loads transmitted thereto from said hydraulic ram, said hydrostatic bearing including a high-pressure space and a low-pressure space interconnected by clearances, and means for varying the size of said clearances in the axial direction in response to variations of the welding load applied by the ram such that an increase in the welding load reduces the size of the clearances, thus increasing the pressure of the hydrostatic bearing, and a decrease in the welding load causes the size of the clearances to increase, thus decreasing the pressure of the hydrostatic bearing, and there being a highpressure liquid supply and a common connection from said supply to said hydraulic ram and to said high-pressure space of the hydrostatic bearing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
116 words
Friction welding apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a shaft rotatively driving the second chuck, the hydrostatic thrust bearing for the second chuck comprising a casing through which the shaft extends, the casing having a diaphragm with recessing facing axially towards the said one chuck, an annular collar connected to move axially with the shaft and having a radial face close to anD extending radially inwardly and outwardly beyond the recessing, the high-pressure liquid supply being connected to the recessing and there being a drain from the casing, there being a leakage path for flow of pressure fluid from the recessing past the face to the drain thereby creating an hydraulic thrust-opposing load on the collar.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
Friction welding apparatus according to claim 2, said recessing being an annular channel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
Friction welding apparatus according to claim 2, said recessing being an annular arrangement of pockets.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
206 words
Friction welding apparatus of the class comprising a pair of chucks in which the workpieces to be joined are held; support means comprising a ram having an axially displaceable nonrotating ram piston, one of said pair of chucks being mounted for axial displacement on said piston; a bearing arrangement including a hydrostatic journal bearing means and a hydrostatic thrust bearing means; and a driven shaft rotatively mounted in said bearing arrangement, the second of said pair of chucks being mounted on said shaft; said hydrostatic thrust bearing means including a casing, a diaphragm fixedly mounted in said casing and encircling said shaft, a collar fixed on said shaft, said diaphragm and said collar being axially spaced and having cooperating axially facing surfaces defining between them a high-pressure space with radially extending axially narrow outlets from said high-pressure space to a low-pressure space within said casing; the size of said outlets and hence also the pressure of the hydrostatic bearing varying in response to small axial movements of the ram as the pressure applied to the ram, and hence the thrust applied by the ram varies, and a high-pressure liquid source and a common supply connection from said source to said ram and to said high-pressure space.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
206 words
Friction welding apparatus of the class comprising a pair of chucks in which the workpieces to be joined are held; support means comprising a ram having an axially displaceable nonrotating ram piston, one of said pair of chucks being mounted for axial displacement on said piston; a bearing arrangement including a hydrostatic journal bearing means and a hydrostatic thrust bearing means; and a driven shaft rotatively mounted in said bearing arrangement, the second of said pair of chucks being mounted on said shaft; said hydrostatic thrust bearing means including a casing, a diaphragm fixedly mounted in said casing and encircling said shaft, a collar fixed on said shaft, said diaphragm and said collar being axially spaced and having cooperating axially facing surfaces defining between them a high-pressure space with radially extending axially narrow outlets from said high-pressure space to a low-pressure space within said casing; the size of said outlets and hence also the pressure of the hydrostatic bearing varying in response to small axial movements of the ram as the pressure applied to the ram, and hence the thrust applied by the ram varies, and a high-pressure liquid source and a common supply connection from said source to said ram and to said high-pressure space.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-17 | 1975-07-19 | 1976-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-17 | 1979-07-19 | 1980-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-17 | 1983-07-19 | 1984-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |