Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
An apparatus for welding metal sheets comprising a clamping device for gripping the sheets to be welded, a welding device combined with said clamping device into a first operative unit that is displaceable substantially in the path of movement of said sheets, a heating device operable for thermal pretreatment of the sheet edges, and for the thermal aftertreatment of the welding joints, a grinding device adjusted for leveling the welding joints, said heating device and said grinding device being combined into a second operative unit that is displaceable substantially in the path of movement of said sheets together with said first operative unit, thus forming with said first operative unit a single, centrally controlled operative system.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
An apparatus for welding metal sheets comprising a clamping device for gripping the sheets to be welded, a welding device combined with said clamping device into a first operative unit that is displaceable substantially in the path of movement of said sheets, a heating device operable for thermal pretreatment of the sheet edges, and for the thermal aftertreatment of the welding joints, a grinding device adjusted for leveling the welding joints, said heating device and said grinding device being combined into a second operative unit that is displaceable substantially in the path of movement of said sheets together with said first operative unit, thus forming with said first operative unit a single, centrally controlled operative system.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus accoRding to claim 1, wherein said heating and grinding unit is situated at the inlet side of said clamping and welding unit, and is displaceable therewith in a horizontal plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said heating device comprises vertical guide means supported on a carriage that is arranged for movement on a horizontal plane in the direction of said welding joint, and said vertical guide means supporting vertically adjustable burner means for thermal pretreating and aftertreating said metal sheets.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said grinding device comprises vertical guide means that is supported on a carriage guided for a displacement in a horizontal plane in the direction of said welding joints, and said vertical guide means supporting a vertically adjustable grinding disc for grinding said welding joints.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said heating and grinding unit further comprises a gripping device having upper and lower clamping jaws, and control means for said gripping device to grip and release the treated sheets.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said lower clamping jaw is displaceable in vertical direction, and said upper clamping jaw is swingably supported on a hinge means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising a locking device controlled by a separate control means for locking said upper clamping jaw in a gripping position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the facing surfaces of said upper and lower clamping jaws have an arcuate form.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the arcuate surface of said lower clamping jaw is provided with an array of side-by-side arranged segments that are laterally displaceable in a limited range to improve the gripping effect against said sheets.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
The device according to claim 4 further comprising curved guiding means extending substantially parallel to the arched gripping surface of said gripping device, and follower means integral with the vertical guide means of said heating device and of said grinding device, respectively, said follower means engaging said curved guiding means to maintain equal distance of said burner means and of said grinding disc from said metal sheets.