US3851137A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Welding apparatus with consumable welding wire
Assignee: US Philips Corp
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Filing: 1973-04-23
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Granted: 1974-11-26
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Expires: 1993-04-23
Abstract
Abstract In welding apparatus employing a consumable welding wire, the wire feed rate and the welding source voltage, as parameters of the required welding energy and for the proper functioning of the welding process, should be precisely adapted to each other if a weld of high quality is to be attained under varying welding conditions. The invention provides a solution for this by measuring the wire feed rate as a parameter and by controlling control devices in the welding circuit by means of this parameter. This considerably simplifies adjustment of the welding equipment, thus enabling remote control, for example, from the welding torch, also during welding. An advantage is that the operator can introduce small, continuous variations of the welding voltage during welding.
Inventors
- 👤 J Verhagen
- 👤 G Willems
- 👤 E Dekeyser
- 👤 J Claes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:17
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K9/00; B23K9/12; B23K9/124; B23K9/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A consumable electrode electric arc welding apparatus comprising, an adjustable welding voltage source with electronically controlled control devices connected in a welding current circuit that includes a workpiece and a consumable wire electrode, a wire electrode feed device including a motor driving the consumable wire electrode and provided with a wire feed rate meter, a program device coupled to said wire feed device for adjusting the welding source and the wire feed rate, wherein the improvement comprises a control unit having output terminals connected to a control input of the electronically controlled control devices and a first input connected to the output of the wire feed rate meter for controlling the control devices in accordance with the wire feed rate, the control unit comprising control elements for obtaining a desired relationship between wire-feed rate and welding source voltage, and said program device includes controls which are connected to the wire feed device for adjusting the wire feed rate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
A consumable electrode electric arc welding apparatus comprising, an adjustable welding voltage source with electronically controlled control devices connected in a welding current circuit that includes a workpiece and a consumable wire electrode, a wire electrode feed device including a motor driving the consumable wire electrode and provided with a wire feed rate meter, a program device coupled to said wire feed device for adjusting the welding source and the wire feed rate, wherein the improvement comprises a control unit having output terminals connected to a control input of the electronically controlled control devices and a first input connected to the output of the wire feed rate meter for controlling the control devices in accordance with the wire feed rate, the control unit comprising control elements for obtaining a desired relationship between wire-feed rate and welding source voltage, and said program device includes controls which are connected to the wire feed device for adjusting the wire feed rate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
91 words
A welding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises an amplifier one input of which is connected to the first input of the control unit and which amplifier is provided with at least one input connected to a control element for adjusting a bias signal for the amplifier, said amplifier including connection terminals to which a gain control element is connected for adjusting the gain factor of the amplifier, means connecting the amplifier output to a control input of a control device incorporated in the control unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A welding apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the control elements are potentiometers with the ends of each of the potentiometers for the bias signal being connected to a reference voltage and the control signal being taken from the wiper of the potentiometer and one end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
113 words
A welding apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which a welding torch is connected to the wire feed device and receives a consumable welding wire, and the adjustable welding source is connected to a work-piece to be welded and to the welding torch, and the welding torch is provided with a control switch, characterized in that the wiper of one of the potentiometers can be moved by means of a reversible drive motor connected to the control switch, said switch having at least three positions one of which being neutral and two being connected to a voltage source so that the drive motor rotates in one direction or the other direction respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
152 words
A consumable electrode electric arc welding system comprising, means including a motor for feeding a consumable wire electrode towards a workpiece, means for deriving a wire feed signal proportional to the wire electrode feed rate, an adjustable source of welding voltage including a current control device connected in circuit to control the flow of weld current between the wire electrode and the workpiece, a program device coupled to said wire feed means and including means for adjusting the wire feed rate, wherein the improvement comprises a control unit having an input connected to receive said wire feed signal and an output coupled to a control electrode of said current control device for controlling the conduction thereof as a function of the wire feed signal, said control unit including one or more control elements for adjusting the control unit to provide a given relationship between the wire feed rate and the welding voltage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
152 words
A consumable electrode electric arc welding system comprising, means including a motor for feeding a consumable wire electrode towards a workpiece, means for deriving a wire feed signal proportional to the wire electrode feed rate, an adjustable source of welding voltage including a current control device connected in circuit to control the flow of weld current between the wire electrode and the workpiece, a program device coupled to said wire feed means and including means for adjusting the wire feed rate, wherein the improvement comprises a control unit having an input connected to receive said wire feed signal and an output coupled to a control electrode of said current control device for controlling the conduction thereof as a function of the wire feed signal, said control unit including one or more control elements for adjusting the control unit to provide a given relationship between the wire feed rate and the welding voltage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
A welding system as claimed in claim 5 wherein said control unit includes variable gain amplifier means for deriving a generally linear characteristic between an input signal applied thereto and its output signal, and said control elements include a first element for adjusting the slope of said amplifier characteristic and a second element for effectively shifting the amplifier characteristic parallel to itself.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A welding system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said amplifier means comprises a variable gain amplifier and said first control element is connected in circuit therewith to vary its gain factor and the second control element is connected in circuit therewith to vary the amplifier bias voltage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A welding system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said amplifier comprises an operational amplifier having a negative feedback loop and said first control element is included within the negative feedback loop.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
A welding system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said amplifier means includes first and second amplifiers connected in cascade and said first control element is connected in circuit to vary the gain factor of one of said amplifiers and the second control element is connected in circuit to vary the bias voltage of at least one of said amplifiers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
88 words
A welding system as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a remote control unit for further adjusting the welding voltage as a function of said wire feed signal comprising, a further control element connected between the output of said wire feed signal deriving means and the input of the control unit, a reversible motor connected to a control input of said further control element, and a control switch connected in circuit with the motor and a source of motor supply voltage to control the direction of motor rotation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-25 | 1978-05-27 | 1978-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-25 | 1982-05-27 | 1982-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-25 | 1986-05-27 | 1986-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |