Abstract Welding electrodes are disclosed including an elongated ribbon or strip coated with insulating and fluxing material for closefitting insertion in a gap between conductive plates or other shapes to be welded. The width of the electrode strip is substantially the same as the thickness of the members to be joined, while the thickness of the electrode is substantially equal to the width of the gap so that the gap is substantially filled when the electrode is inserted endwise through the gap. Very little electrode length need be subsequently inserted into the gap as welding proceeds to compensate for flux coating displacement and gap clearances. The electrode is coated with a glasslike or ceramic fluxing material having (e.g. for welding steel) a melting point above 900* F. The coating is a strong dielectric at lower temperatures but exhibits fluxing characteristics when molten at higher temperatures. The dielectric flux can be applied by dipping, spraying or painting, or by applying a sleeve of woven, matted or wrapped glass or glasslike fibers.
A welding electrode comprising an elongated solid strip of weld filler metal, and a fluxing and insulating coating thereon which when solidified is electrically insulating and when molten is weld fluxing, said coating covering at least those surfaces of said strip which are juxtaposable to surfaces of members to be joined by welding so that said coating is disposed adjacent the junctions of a molten weld pool with said member surfaces during a welding operation, cooling means coupled to said members adjacent said weld gap to chill said members and said electrode to minimize melting of said coating in advance of a weld pool produced during a welding operation said cooling means being closely spaced to said weld gap and including collecting means juxtaposed to said gap for collecting and solidifying the fluxing and insulating coating which is melted during said welding operation, said cooling means enclosing both sides of said weld gap, sealing means sealing said cooling means to said members and sealing the end of said gap opposite from the insertion point of said electrode, and a bellows sealed to said electrode and to said cooling means and said members to seal said gap and to permit a limited and sealed insertion of said electrode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
207 words
A welding electrode comprising an elongated solid strip of weld filler metal, and a fluxing and insulating coating thereon which when solidified is electrically insulating and when molten is weld fluxing, said coating covering at least those surfaces of said strip which are juxtaposable to surfaces of members to be joined by welding so that said coating is disposed adjacent the junctions of a molten weld pool with said member surfaces during a welding operation, cooling means coupled to said members adjacent said weld gap to chill said members and said electrode to minimize melting of said coating in advance of a weld pool produced during a welding operation said cooling means being closely spaced to said weld gap and including collecting means juxtaposed to said gap for collecting and solidifying the fluxing and insulating coating which is melted during said welding operation, said cooling means enclosing both sides of said weld gap, sealing means sealing said cooling means to said members and sealing the end of said gap opposite from the insertion point of said electrode, and a bellows sealed to said electrode and to said cooling means and said members to seal said gap and to permit a limited and sealed insertion of said electrode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said fluxing and insulating coating includes fiberglasslike fibrous material surrounding and secured to said filler metal strip.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein said fibrous material is matted or woven to form a fibrous sleeve through which said elongated strip is inserted.