Friction welder and friction welding methods

Claim 1

A method of friction welding workpieces together comprising the steps of arranging first and second workpieces so that the workpieces have side surfaces disposed in closely abutting relationship with each other, providing said workpieces with substantially coplanar upper surfaces, rotating and advancing a temperature-stable friction welding tool into frictional engagement with said upper surfaces so that said tool transversely intersects a line on said upper surfaces defined by the abutting side surfaces of said workpieces, continuing the rotation of said tool so that said tool frictionally heats and plasticizes the material of said workpieces frictionally engaged by said tool, forming a single groove in said plasticized material of said workpieces transverse of said line, wiping a portion of said plasticized material of said first workpiece into the plasticized material of said second workpiece and simultaneously wiping a portion of said plasticized material of said first workpiece into the plasticized material of said second workpiece, withdrawing said rotating tool from frictional engagement with said workpieces, and allowing said plasticized material to solidify to thereby rigidly join said first and second workpieces together.

Claim 2

A method of friction welding workpieces together comprising the steps of arranging first and second workpieces so that the workpieces have side surfaces disposed in closely abutting relationship with each other, providing said workpieces with substantially coplanar upper surfaces, rotating and advancing a temperature-stable friction welding tool into frictional engagement with said upper surfaces so that said tool transversely intersects a line on said upper surfaces defined by the abutting side surfaces of said workpieces, continuing the rotation of said tool so that said tool frictionally heats and plasticizes the material of said workpieces frictionally engaged by said tool, forming a single groove in said plasticized material of said workpieces transverse of said line, wiping a portion of said plasticized material of said first workpiece into the plasticized material of said second workpiece and simultaneously wiping a portion of said plasticized material of said first workpiece into the plasticized material of said second workpiece, withdrawing said rotating tool from frictional engagement with said workpieces, and allowing said plasticized material to solidify to thereby rigidly join said first and second workpieces together.

Claim 3

A method of frictionally welding metallic workpieces together comprising the steps of forming a circUlar arrangement of spaced openings in a supporting workpiece, inserting and maintaining additional workpieces in each of said openings, aligning the end faces of said additional workpieces with the face of said supporting workpiece, rotatably driving an annular friction welding bead of temperature-stable material relative to said workpiece at a speed sufficient to frictionally weld the plurality of workpieces to said supporting workpiece, linearly advancing said rotating welding bead toward said workpieces so that said bead simultaneously engages all of the faces of said workpieces at a single predetermined position, maintaining said rotating bead in contact with said workpieces at said predetermined position, forming an annular groove in said supporting workpiece that transverses said faces of said additional workpieces while frictionally heating and plasticizing material of all of said workpieces in a weld zone generally defined by said groove by the continued rotation of said bead, linearly withdrawing said bead from friction engagement with said workpieces and allowing said plasticized material to solidify and thereby weld said workpieces together.

Claim 4

A method of frictionally welding metallic workpieces together comprising the steps of forming a circUlar arrangement of spaced openings in a supporting workpiece, inserting and maintaining additional workpieces in each of said openings, aligning the end faces of said additional workpieces with the face of said supporting workpiece, rotatably driving an annular friction welding bead of temperature-stable material relative to said workpiece at a speed sufficient to frictionally weld the plurality of workpieces to said supporting workpiece, linearly advancing said rotating welding bead toward said workpieces so that said bead simultaneously engages all of the faces of said workpieces at a single predetermined position, maintaining said rotating bead in contact with said workpieces at said predetermined position, forming an annular groove in said supporting workpiece that transverses said faces of said additional workpieces while frictionally heating and plasticizing material of all of said workpieces in a weld zone generally defined by said groove by the continued rotation of said bead, linearly withdrawing said bead from friction engagement with said workpieces and allowing said plasticized material to solidify and thereby weld said workpieces together.

Claim 5

A method of frictionally welding metallic workpieces together comprising the steps of providing a plurality of spaced openings in a curved path in a supporting workpiece, fitting an additional workpiece into each of said openings, aligning the front face of said supporting workpieces with the front faces of said additional workpieces so that said faces are all substantially coplanar, providing an annular bead of temperature stable material on a rotatable friction welding tool, rotatably driving said tool and said annular bead at a speed sufficient to frictionally weld said plurality of workpieces to said supporting workpiece, linearly advancing said friction welder tool toward said workpiece, engaging said annular bead with said workpieces, continue rotating said bead so that said bead makes simultaneous annular contact with said supporting workpieces and the front faces of said plurality of said workpieces, forming an annular groove in said workpieces by holding said rotating annular bead in fixed alignment with said workpieces, frictionally heating and plasticizing material of said workpieces in a weld zone defined by said groove, displacing and mixing a portion of said plasticized material of said supporting workpiece into the plasticized material of said additional workpieces and displacing and mixing a portion of said plasticized material of said additional workpieces into the plasticized material of said supporting workpiece, and allowing said plasticized material to solidify and cool to thereby simultaneously weld said workpieces together.

Claim 6

A method of frictionally welding metallic workpieces together comprising the steps of providing a plurality of spaced openings in a curved path in a supporting workpiece, fitting an additional workpiece into each of said openings, aligning the front face of said supporting workpieces with the front faces of said additional workpieces so that said faces are all substantially coplanar, providing an annular bead of temperature stable material on a rotatable friction welding tool, rotatably driving said tool and said annular bead at a speed sufficient to frictionally weld said plurality of workpieces to said supporting workpiece, linearly advancing said friction welder tool toward said workpiece, engaging said annular bead with said workpieces, continue rotating said bead so that said bead makes simultaneous annular contact with said supporting workpieces and the front faces of said plurality of said workpieces, forming an annular groove in said workpieces by holding said rotating annular bead in fixed alignment with said workpieces, frictionally heating and plasticizing material of said workpieces in a weld zone defined by said groove, displacing and mixing a portion of said plasticized material of said supporting workpiece into the plasticized material of said additional workpieces and displacing and mixing a portion of said plasticized material of said additional workpieces into the plasticized material of said supporting workpiece, and allowing said plasticized material to solidify and cool to thereby simultaneously weld said workpieces together.