Apparatus for electrohydraulic pressure arc control

Claim 2

Apparatus for preventing erroneous arcing during electrohydraulic pressure reforming of tubular elements comprising a split mold defining a cavity, flexible chamber means in said cavity, means supporting a plurality of electrodes in said chamber means, means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for discharging electrical current across said electrodes, means for pressurizing the fluid medium in said chamber means, prior to the operation of said discharge means, between 300-3,000 p.s.i. to prevent erroneous discharge of the current between one of said electrodes and said supporting means, and means for removing the fluid medium from said chamber means to collapse the latter whereby a reformed tubular element is readily removable from its normal external telescopic relationship relative to said chamber means.

Claim 3

Apparatus for preventing erroneous arcing during electrohydraulic pressure reforming of tubular elements comprising a split mold defining a cavity, flexible chamber means in said cavity, means supporting a plurality of electrodes in said chamber means, means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for discharging electrical current across said electrodes, means for pressurizing the fluid medium in said chamber means, prior to the operation of said discharge means, between 600-800 p.s.i. to prevent erroneous discharge of the current between one of said electrodes and said supporting means, and means for removing the fluid medium from said chamber means to collapse the latter whereby a reformed tubular element is readily removable from its normal external telescopic relationship relative to said chamber means.

Claim 4

Apparatus for preventing erroneous arcing during electrohydraulic pressure reforming of tubular elements comprising a split mold defining a cavity, flexible chamber means in said cavity, means supporting a plurality of electrodes in said chamber means, means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for discharging electrical current across said electrodes, means for pressurizing the fluid medium in said chamber means, prior to the operation of said discharge means, between 600-800 p.s.i. to prevent erroneous discharge of the current between one of said electrodes and said supporting means, and means for removing the fluid medium from said chamber means to collapse the latter whereby a reformed tubular element is readily removable from its normal external telescopic relationship relative to said chamber means.

Claim 5

Apparatus for preventing erroneous arcing during electrohydraulic pressure reforming of tubular elements comprising a split mold defining a cavity, flexible chamber means in said cavity, means supporting a plurality of electrodes in said chamber means, means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for discharging electrical current across said electrodes, means for pressurizing the fluid medium in said chamber means, prior to the operation of said discharge means, between 300-3,000 p.s.i. to prevent erroneous discharge of the current between one of said electrodes and said supporting means, said pressurizing means is a hydraulic cylinder, a double-ended piston in said cylinder defining a pair of fluid chambers, means for introducing the fluid medium into one of said chambers, said one chamber being connected to said chamber means, means for introducing a pressurized fluid in the other chamber whereby said fluid medium in said chamber means is pressurized within the latter-noted range, and means for removing the fluid medium from said chamber means to collapse the latter whereby a reformed tubular element is readily removable from its normal external telescopic relationship relative to said chamber means.

Claim 6

Apparatus for preventing erroneous arcing during electrohydraulic pressure reforming of tubular elements comprising a split mold defining a cavity, flexible chamber means in said cavity, means supporting a plurality of electrodes in said chamber means, means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for discharging electrical current across said electrodes, means for pressurizing the fluid medium in said chamber means, prior to the operation of said discharge means, between 300-3,000 p.s.i. to prevent erroneous discharge of the current between one of said electrodes and said supporting means, said pressurizing means is a hydraulic cylinder, a double-ended piston in said cylinder defining a pair of fluid chambers, means for introducing the fluid medium into one of said chambers, said one chamber being connected to said chamber means, means for introducing a pressurized fluid in the other chamber whereby said fluid medium in said chamber means is pressurized within the latter-noted range, and means for removing the fluid medium from said chamber means to collapse the latter whereby a reformed tubular element is readily removable from its normal external telescopic relationship relative to said chamber means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for preventing erroneous arcing during electrohydraulic pressure reforming of tubular elements comprising a split mold defining a cavity, flexible chamber means in said cavity, means supporting a plurality of electrodes in said chamber means, means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for discharging electrical current across said electrodes, means for pressurizing the fluid medium in said chamber means, prior to the operation of said discharge means, between 300-3,000 p.s.i. to prevent erroneous discharge of the current between one of said electrodes and said supporting means, said supporting means includes an electrically conductive suspension rod for supporting one of said electrodes, said electrodes are supported in axially opposed relationship, and means for removing the fluid medium from said chamber means to collapse the latter whereby a reformed tubular element is readily removable from its normal telescopic relationship relative to said chamber means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for preventing erroneous arcing during electrohydraulic pressure reforming of tubular elements comprising a split mold defining a cavity, flexible chamber means in said cavity, means supporting a plurality of electrodes in said chamber means, means for introducing a fluid medium into said chamber means, means for discharging electrical current across said electrodes, means for pressurizing the fluid medium in said chamber means, prior to the operation of said discharge means, between 300-3,000 p.s.i. to prevent erroneous discharge of the current between one of said electrodes and said supporting means, said supporting means includes an electrically conductive suspension rod for supporting one of said electrodes, said electrodes are supported in axially opposed relationship, and means for removing the fluid medium from said chamber means to collapse the latter whereby a reformed tubular element is readily removable from its normal telescopic relationship relative to said chamber means.