Patent US3816695A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3816695A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flash welders
Assignee: Wean United Inc
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Filing: 1973-08-02
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Granted: 1974-06-11
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Expires: 1993-08-02
Abstract
Abstract A flash welder, particularly adaptable for welding two metal sheets of unequal thickness. The invention incorporates means for automatically aligning the horizontal centers of the mating edges of two sheets of unequal thickness within close tolerances, without requiring any manual operation on the part of an operator. The invention also enables optimum welding of two metal sheets that have cross-sections which vary from side edge to side edge.
Inventors
- 👤 J Deffenbaugh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 04:43
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K11/00; B23K11/24; B23K11/241; B23K11/246
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A method of automatically adjusting the two sets of welding clamps of a flash welder for welding two metal sheets of unequal thickness so that the horizontal thickness of the edge of the thinner sheet will be arranged to be welded to the edge of the thicker sheet intermediate the horizontal thickness of the latter, said welder having one set of clamps mounted on a support which in turn is mounted on a fixed base for vertical movement, and vertical motion means for moving said support, said method comprising: engaging the sets of welding clamps on respective sheets, measuring in electrical values the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thicker sheet, and measuring in the same electrical values the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thinner sheet, translating the two electrical values to an electrical calculating circuit which correlates the same and automatically divides the correlation in a predetermined amount, and translating the predetermined divided amount to electrical circuitry which controls operation of said vertical motion means to relatively move said two sets of clamps an amount wherein the horizontal thickness of the edge of the thinner sheet is disposed intermediate the upper and lower horizontal surfaces of the edge of the thicker sheet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
210 words
A method of automatically adjusting the two sets of welding clamps of a flash welder for welding two metal sheets of unequal thickness so that the horizontal thickness of the edge of the thinner sheet will be arranged to be welded to the edge of the thicker sheet intermediate the horizontal thickness of the latter, said welder having one set of clamps mounted on a support which in turn is mounted on a fixed base for vertical movement, and vertical motion means for moving said support, said method comprising: engaging the sets of welding clamps on respective sheets, measuring in electrical values the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thicker sheet, and measuring in the same electrical values the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thinner sheet, translating the two electrical values to an electrical calculating circuit which correlates the same and automatically divides the correlation in a predetermined amount, and translating the predetermined divided amount to electrical circuitry which controls operation of said vertical motion means to relatively move said two sets of clamps an amount wherein the horizontal thickness of the edge of the thinner sheet is disposed intermediate the upper and lower horizontal surfaces of the edge of the thicker sheet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the gaps of the two sets of clamps are measured in volts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said electrical calculating circuit divides said correlated values in substantially one half.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the arithmatical difference in the electrical values is translated to said calculating circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 4 wherein said calculating circuit divides said difference substantially one half.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
227 words
A method of automatically adjusting the two sets of welding clamps of a flash welder for welding two metal sheets of unequal thickness, said welder having one set of clamps mounted on a support which in turn is mounted on a fixed base for vertical movement, and vertical motion means for moving said support, said method comprising: engaging the sets of welding clamps on respective sheets, measuring in volts the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thicker sheet, and measuring in volts the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thinner sheet, conducting the measured volts of the two gaps to respective non-inverting unity gain buffers of opposite polarity and connected in a circuit including a third buffer so that the voltage output of the latter is equal to the difference between the measured volts of the gaps of the clamps on the thicker and thinner sheets, conducting the voltage output of said third buffer to a voltage divider which is adjusted to divide in half the output of said third buffer, and translating such half voltagE to electrical circuitry which controls operation of said vertical motion means to relatively move said two sets of clamps an amount wherein the horizontal centerline of the edge of the thinner sheet is aligned with the horizontal centerline of the edge of the thicker sheet.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
227 words
A method of automatically adjusting the two sets of welding clamps of a flash welder for welding two metal sheets of unequal thickness, said welder having one set of clamps mounted on a support which in turn is mounted on a fixed base for vertical movement, and vertical motion means for moving said support, said method comprising: engaging the sets of welding clamps on respective sheets, measuring in volts the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thicker sheet, and measuring in volts the amount of gap of the set clamped on the thinner sheet, conducting the measured volts of the two gaps to respective non-inverting unity gain buffers of opposite polarity and connected in a circuit including a third buffer so that the voltage output of the latter is equal to the difference between the measured volts of the gaps of the clamps on the thicker and thinner sheets, conducting the voltage output of said third buffer to a voltage divider which is adjusted to divide in half the output of said third buffer, and translating such half voltagE to electrical circuitry which controls operation of said vertical motion means to relatively move said two sets of clamps an amount wherein the horizontal centerline of the edge of the thinner sheet is aligned with the horizontal centerline of the edge of the thicker sheet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
285 words
A flash welder for welding two metal sheets of unequal thickness, said welder having two sets of welding clamps, one set to be clamped on each sheet, one set of clamps being mounted on a sub-base which in turn is mounted on a base for vertical movement, vertical motion means for moving said sub-base to in turn move said one set of clamps vertically and relative to the other set so that when sheets of unequal thickness are clamped in said clamps, one sheet may be moved vertically relative to the other for predetermined horizontal alignment, a plurality of electromechanical displacement devices, each having fixed and movable sections and each of which produces an electrical signal proportional to the physical displacement between its fixed and movable sections, a first one of said devices having its fixed and movable sections connected between the clamps of said one set so that such sections are physically displaced in proportion to the movement of the clamps, a second one of said devices having its fixed and movable sections connected between the clamps of said other set so that such sections are physically displaced in proportion to the movement of the clamps, and a third one of said devices having its fixed and movable sections connected between said sub-base and base so that such sections are physically displaced in proportion to the vertical movement between said sub-base and base, said first, second and third devices being electrically connected in an electrical circuit wherein unequal electrical signals from said first and second devices cause operation of said vertical motion means until the signal from said third device caused by movement of said sub-base relative to said base reaches a predetermined value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
285 words
A flash welder for welding two metal sheets of unequal thickness, said welder having two sets of welding clamps, one set to be clamped on each sheet, one set of clamps being mounted on a sub-base which in turn is mounted on a base for vertical movement, vertical motion means for moving said sub-base to in turn move said one set of clamps vertically and relative to the other set so that when sheets of unequal thickness are clamped in said clamps, one sheet may be moved vertically relative to the other for predetermined horizontal alignment, a plurality of electromechanical displacement devices, each having fixed and movable sections and each of which produces an electrical signal proportional to the physical displacement between its fixed and movable sections, a first one of said devices having its fixed and movable sections connected between the clamps of said one set so that such sections are physically displaced in proportion to the movement of the clamps, a second one of said devices having its fixed and movable sections connected between the clamps of said other set so that such sections are physically displaced in proportion to the movement of the clamps, and a third one of said devices having its fixed and movable sections connected between said sub-base and base so that such sections are physically displaced in proportion to the vertical movement between said sub-base and base, said first, second and third devices being electrically connected in an electrical circuit wherein unequal electrical signals from said first and second devices cause operation of said vertical motion means until the signal from said third device caused by movement of said sub-base relative to said base reaches a predetermined value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The construction according to claim 7 wherein said electromechanical displacement devices are linear potentiometers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
75 words
The construction according to claim 7 wherein said flash welder has a near side at which the operator of the welder is normally positioned, and an opposite far side, one group of first, second and third displacement devices being located at the near side of said welder and a similar group of first, second and third displacement devices being located at the far side of said welder, each group being in a separate electrical circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The construction according to claim 7 wherein each set of clamps has steel inserts at the heel portion, and said first and second devices being connected between clamps of the respective set at the heel portion thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
148 words
The construction according to claim 7 wherein the signal from said first device is conducted to the input of a first buffer and the signal from the second device is conducted to the input of a second buffer, a first conductor between the outputs of said first and second buffers to electrically connect the same, whereby such outputs are of opposite polarity, a second conductor electrically connecting said first conductor to the input of a third buffer, the output of which is connected to ground, said first, second and third buffers being connected in electrical circuit so that the gains of all three are unity, whereby any gap difference between the clamp sets caused by sheets of unequal thickness will produce a signal at the output of said third buffer, the output of said third buffer being connected to relays which control operation of said vertical motion means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3227851A
Cited
US3036202A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-10 | 1977-12-10 | 1978-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-10 | 1981-12-10 | 1982-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-10 | 1985-12-10 | 1986-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |