US3662941A — Apparatus for removing a weld upset

Claim 1

Independent Claim 220 words

Friction welding apparatus for friction welding a plurality of workpieces into an integral member, said friction welding apparatus comprising: a plurality of support means for selectively gripping a respective plurality of workpieces and relatively rotating adjacent ones of the workpieces about a common axis, means for relatively moving adjacent ones of the workpiece support means along said axis toward each other during friction welding and away from each other upon completion of friction welding, a first one of each adjacent pair of workpiece support means releasing its respective workpiece prior to relative axial movement of the workpiece support means away from each other and the second one of each adjacent pair of workpiece support means gripping its respective workpiece during relative axial movement of the workpiece support means away from each other, and means for automatically removing the peripheral weld upset formed between an adjacent pair of workpieces during friction welding, said weld upset removing means comprising: shearing means, and means interconnecting said shearing means and said associated first workpiece support means, said interconnecting means supporting and positioning said shearing means relative to said first workpiece support means such that said shearing means is automatically drawn through the weld upset by said interconnecting means as said workpiece support means are moved away from each other upon completion of friction welding.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 220 words

Friction welding apparatus for friction welding a plurality of workpieces into an integral member, said friction welding apparatus comprising: a plurality of support means for selectively gripping a respective plurality of workpieces and relatively rotating adjacent ones of the workpieces about a common axis, means for relatively moving adjacent ones of the workpiece support means along said axis toward each other during friction welding and away from each other upon completion of friction welding, a first one of each adjacent pair of workpiece support means releasing its respective workpiece prior to relative axial movement of the workpiece support means away from each other and the second one of each adjacent pair of workpiece support means gripping its respective workpiece during relative axial movement of the workpiece support means away from each other, and means for automatically removing the peripheral weld upset formed between an adjacent pair of workpieces during friction welding, said weld upset removing means comprising: shearing means, and means interconnecting said shearing means and said associated first workpiece support means, said interconnecting means supporting and positioning said shearing means relative to said first workpiece support means such that said shearing means is automatically drawn through the weld upset by said interconnecting means as said workpiece support means are moved away from each other upon completion of friction welding.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which said shearing means is an annular cutter supported and positioned by said interconnecting means so as to coaxially surround during friction welding the workpiece supported by said second workpiece supporting means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 55 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which said annular cutter has surfaces facing generally radially inwardly and axially toward said first workpiece support means, said surfaces cooperating to define a continuous cutting edge having side rake angles such that said annular cutter peripherally progressively initiates and completes removal of the weld upset.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which said second workpiece support means non-rotatably supports its workpiece and said first workpiece support means rotatably supports its workpiece, said first workpiece support means including a housing non-rotatably supporting said interconnecting means and said annular cutter during rotation of its workpiece.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 80 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 4 further comprising means securing said second workpiece support means in an axially fixed position, said means for producing relative axial movement between said first and second workpiece support means comprising means axially slidably supporting the housing of said first workpiece support means and power cylinder means connected to said housing to exert axial force thereon to selectively move said first workpiece support means axially toward and away from said fixed second workpiece.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 5 in which said second workpiece support means is axially interposed between a pair of first workpiece support means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 41 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 4 in which said interconnecting means comprises an annular carrier supporting said annular cutter and a plurality of axial pull bars interconnecting said annular carrier and the housing of said first workpiece support means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 68 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 7 in which said annular carRier is slidably mounted on said pull bars, said interconnecting means further comprising means spring biasing said annular carrier axially away from said housing such that relative axial movement between said first and second workpiece support means will not be prevented by engagement of said second workpiece support means or its workpiece by said annular carrier.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 55 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 8 in which said annular cutter has surfaces facing generally radially inwardly and axially toward said first workpiece support means, said surfaces cooperating to define a continuous cutting edge having side rake angles such that said annular cutter peripherally progressively initiates and completes removal of the weld upset.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 67 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 9 in which said generally radially inwardly facing surfaces of said annular cutter is disposed to provide suitable relief angles for providing clearance for the movement thereof over the workpieces and said generally axially facing surface of said annular cutter is disposed to provide suitable back rake angles for providing clearance for the weld upset removed by said annular cutter.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 82 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 10 further comprising means securing said second workpiece support means in an axially fixed position, said means for producing relative axial movement between said first and second workpiece support means comprising means axially slidably supporting the housing of said first workpiece support means and power cylinder means connected to said housing to exert axial force thereon to selectively move said first workpiece support means axially toward and away from said fixed second workpiece support means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

Friction welding apparatus as defined by claim 11 in which said second workpiece support means is axially interposed between a pair of first workpiece support means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-05-16	1975-11-15	1976-05-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-05-16	1979-11-15	1980-05-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-05-16	1983-11-15	1984-05-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for removing a weld upset

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