Work piece heating and welding control system

Claim 2

A metal joining control system of the type used at construction sites requiring simultaneous discrete welding operations at a plurality of widely dispersed locations and energized by an electrical power source comprising means connected to said electrical power source for providing commercial AC power, meanS for converting said AC power to dual polarity DC power, means for distribution of said AC and dual polarity DC power to said widely dispersed locations, means for termination of said AC and dual polarity DC power at said widely dispersed locations, a grid console at each of said locations for receiving said distributed AC and DC electrical power, and a remote control console at each of said locations connected to said grid console for controlling electrical power consumed in joining metal articles in said discrete welding operations.

Claim 3

A metal joining control system as in claim 1 together with at least one work piece heater connected to said grid console, said heater operating to preheat the metal articles prior to welding.

Claim 4

A metal joining control system as in claim 1 wherein said means for providing commercial AC power comprises a multiphase transformer for receiving power from said AC source and providing a three phase output.

Claim 5

A metal joining control system as in claim 1 wherein said means for providing dual polarity DC power comprises a first rectifier for receiving said commercial AC power and providing a negative DC output, and a second rectifier for receiving said commercial AC power and providing a positive DC output.

Claim 6

A metal joining control system as in claim 1 wherein said means for distributing said AC and dual polarity DC power comprises a distribution box having input terminals for receiving said AC and dual polarity DC power, respective output terminals on said distribution box, and fuses connected in said distribution box between said input and respective output terminals and wherein said means for terminating said AC and dual polarity DC power comprises a plurality of outlet stations located at said widely dispersed locations for receiving said AC and DC power, and circuit means for connecting said respective output terminals with said outlet stations.

Claim 7

A metal joining control system as in claim 1 together with a high frequency unit connected to said remote control console, an inert gas supply connected to said high frequency unit, a tungsten inert gas welding probe connected to said grid console, a normally open probe actuating switch for said welding probe, and an inert gas control circuit connected to said remote control console, said gas control circuit operating to control the inert gas flow around said tungsten welding probe while performing tungsten inert gas welding.

Claim 8

A metal joining control system as in claim 6 together with a work piece heater connected to said grid console.

Claim 9

A metal joining control system as in claim 6 wherein said high frequency unit is of the type having a solenoid operated inert gas valve and wherein said inert gas control circuit comprises a normally open gas switch for actuating said inert gas valve, a timer motor in circuit with said normally open probe actuating switch and a normally closed interrupter switch operating to interrupt power to said tungsten welding probe until said normally open probe actuating switch is closed, said probe actuating switch serving to complete the circuit through said timer motor when closed, said timer motor operating to close said normally open gas switch to open said gas valve allowing inert gas flow around said probe while said normally open probe actuating switch is closed and for a predetermined period of time thereafter.

Claim 10

A metal joining control system as in claim 1 wherein said remote control console has power selection switches and wherein said grid console comprises a cabinet, a welder output connector mounted on said cabinet, a preheat and postheat output connector mounted on said cabinet, a control input connector mounted on said cabinet, a network of grid resistance elements connected in parallel mounted in said cabinet having one side connected to said welder output connector, a plurality of grid element switches connected one each between each grid resistance element and said control input conNector, a fan mounted adjacent to said network of grid resistance elements connected to said electrical power source for cooling said network, a first DC contactor for connecting the positive DC power to said grid element switches, a second DC contactor for connecting the negative DC power to said grid element switches, a third DC contactor in parallel with said first DC contactor for connecting the positive DC power to said preheat and postheat output connection, said first, second, and third contactors and grid element switches being responsive to said remote control console selection, and interlock means between said first and second contactors for opening one DC contactor actuating circuit when the other is remotely selected, said grid console operating to allow concurrent welding and heating operations.

Claim 11

A metal joining control system as in claim 9 together with a thermal switch mounted in said cabinet for opening said first, second, and third contactor circuits at a predetermined temperature in the event of overheating within said cabinet.

Claim 12

A metal joining control system as in claim 9 together with an auxiliary stress relief output connection mounted on said cabinet and energized by actuation of said first and second DC contactors.

Claim 13

A metal joining control system as in claim 9 together with an additional outlet for auxiliary equipment.

Claim 14

A metal joining control system as in claim 2 wherein said remote control console comprises a cabinet, a control outlet mounted on said cabinet for providing connection to said grid console, a polarity switch connected to said outlet for selecting positive or negative DC output from said grid console, current control means connected to said control outlet operating to control magnitude of DC current from said grid console for said discrete welding operations, and an adjustable energy regulator configured to control total heater power consumption.

Claim 15

A metal joining control system as in claim 13 together with a high frequency unit for tungsten inert gas welding connected to said remote control console, and a normally closed electrically actuated switch in series with said polarity switch energized by connecting said high frequency unit to said remote control console whereby said polarity switch is deenergized.

Claim 16

A metal joining control system as in claim 14 together with a tungsten inert gas welding probe and a normally open probe actuating switch and wherein said normally closed electrically actuated switch is deenergized by actuation of said normally open probe actuating switch whereby said polarity switch is energized.

Claim 17

A metal joining control system as in claim 13 wherein said current control means comprises a multi-pole fine step current control connected to said control outlet, a multi-pole coarse step current control connected to said control outlet, and a fine infinitely variable current control having a range greater than the basic increment of the fine step control connected to said control outlet.

Claim 18

A metal joining control system as in claim 13 wherein said energy regulator includes a thermocouple mounted on said work piece heater, and control means for selecting a temperature at which the metal article is to be stabilized, said thermocouple operating as a feedback element in a closed control loop about said work piece heater.

Claim 19

A heating control system of the type used when joining metal articles at construction sites requiring simultaneous discrete heating operations at a plurality of widely dispersed locations utilizing AC and dual polarity DC power, means for distributing said AC and DC power to said widely dispersed locations, and outlet means for terminating said AC and DC power at said widely dispersed locations, comprising at least one work piece heater for mounting on said metal articles to be joined, a plurality of contactors receiving power from said outlet means and connected to said workpiece heater, a programmed stress relief consolE connected to said outlet means and to said contactor for controlling power delivered by said contactor to said heater, and a temperature sensor mounted on said work piece heater for producing a signal proportional to temperature, said signal connected to said programmed stress relief console.

Claim 20

A heating control system of the type used when joining metal articles at construction sites requiring simultaneous discrete heating operations at a plurality of widely dispersed locations utilizing AC and dual polarity DC power, means for distributing said AC and DC power to said widely dispersed locations, and outlet means for terminating said AC and DC power at said widely dispersed locations, comprising at least one work piece heater for mounting on said metal articles to be joined, a plurality of contactors receiving power from said outlet means and connected to said workpiece heater, a programmed stress relief consolE connected to said outlet means and to said contactor for controlling power delivered by said contactor to said heater, and a temperature sensor mounted on said work piece heater for producing a signal proportional to temperature, said signal connected to said programmed stress relief console.

Claim 21

A heating control system as in claim 18 wherein said programmed stress relief console comprises a cabinet, a power input receptacle for receiving power from said outlet means, a program switch, first and second output signal terminals, first and second heater control circuits connected between said program switch and said first and second output terminals, a control module connected between said power input receptacle and said program switch, first and second temperature sensor signal input terminals connected to said program switch, a scanner motor to drive said program switch, and a single-dual heater control switch operating to energise said scanner motor to drive said program switch to continuously direct said first temperature input to said control module for providing a control signal to said first output signal terminals when in the single heater control position, and operating tO energize said scanner motor to drive said program switch to alternately direct said first and second temperature sensor inputs to said control module for providing alternate control signals to said first and second output signal terminals when in the dual heater control position.

Claim 22

A heating control system as in claim 18 together with a grid console for containing said AC and DC contactors including at least one positive DC contactor and at least one negative DC contactor, said grid console comprising a cabinet, input terminals on said cabinet for receiving AC and DC power from said outlet means, an auxiliary stress relief output connector mounted on said cabinet, a preheat and postheat output connector mounted on said cabinet, a control input connector mounted on said cabinet, and interlock means between said positive and negative DC contactors for opening one DC contactor actuating circuit when the other is energized.

Claim 23

A metal joining control system as in claim 1 together with at least one workpiece heater connected to said grid console for mounting on said metal articles to be joined, temperature sensing means in said workpiece heater providing a signal proportional to temperature, a programmed stress relief console powered by said remote control console for receiving said signal proportional to temperature and comparing it to a signal proportional to a selected temperature, wherein said remote control console includes a switch for transferring workpiece heater control to said programmed stress relief console, and an output signal from said programmed stress relief console serving to interrupt power to the heater when said comparison indicates heater temperature is above the selected temperature and to continue power to the heater when said comparison indicates heater temperature is below the selected temperature, said programmed stress relief console output connected to said remote control console.

Claim 24

A metal joining control system as in claim 21 wherein said programmed stress relief console comprises a cabinet; an AC power receptacle mounted on said cabinet for receiving power from said remote control console; an outlet connector mounted on said cabinet for connecting said output signal to said remote control console; a heater control circuit in said cabinet connected between said AC power receptacle and outlet connector; a control module in said heater control circuit for providing said comparison and for forming said output signal in accordance with said comparison; a selector switch for selecting increasing, decreasing and constant level temperature control by said control module; and a percent-timer motor for dividing said rates of increase and decrease of temperature.

Claim 25

A metal joining control system as in claim 22 together with an additional workpieCe heater connected to said grid, an additional temperature sensor in said additional heater providing an additional signal proportional to temperature, an additional output signal from said programmed stress relief console, an additional outlet connector for connecting said additional output signal to said remote control console, an additional heater control circuit connected to said additional outlet connector, a program switch for alternately connecting said signal and additional signal proportional to temperature to said control module and said comparison to said heater control and additional heater control circuits respectively for forming said additional output signal, a scanner motor for driving said program switch, and an additional selector switch for selecting programmed operation of said heater control and additional heater control circuits whereby concurrent dual heating and control is provided.

Claim 26

A programmed stress relief console for use in controlling temperature and change in temperature of articles being heated, comprising a cabinet, a power input receptacle, a program switch, first and second output signal terminals, first and second heater control circuits connected between said program switch and said first and second output terminals, a control module connected between said power input receptacle and said program switch, first and second temperature sensor input terminals connected to said program switch, a scanner motor to drive said program switch and a single/dual heater control switch operating to energize said scanner motor to drive said program switch to continuously direct said first temp sensor input to said control module for providing a control signal to said first output signal terminals when in the single heater control position, and operating to energize said scanner motor to drive said program switch to alternately direct said first and second temp sensor inputs to said control module for providing alternate control signals to said first and second output signal terminals when in the dual heater control position.

Claim 27

A programmed stress relief console for use in controlling temperature and change in temperature of articles being heated, comprising a cabinet, a power input receptacle, a program switch, first and second output signal terminals, first and second heater control circuits connected between said program switch and said first and second output terminals, a control module connected between said power input receptacle and said program switch, first and second temperature sensor input terminals connected to said program switch, a scanner motor to drive said program switch and a single/dual heater control switch operating to energize said scanner motor to drive said program switch to continuously direct said first temp sensor input to said control module for providing a control signal to said first output signal terminals when in the single heater control position, and operating to energize said scanner motor to drive said program switch to alternately direct said first and second temp sensor inputs to said control module for providing alternate control signals to said first and second output signal terminals when in the dual heater control position.

Claim 28

An automatic grid console for use in distributing power in accordance with external control signals, comprising a cabinet; AC and dual polarity DC power input terminals; an AC power outlet, first, second and third DC power outlets; a first DC contactor connected between one polarity DC power input and said first DC power outlet; a second DC contactor connected between the other polarity DC power input and said first DC power outlet; a third DC contactor connected between the other polarity DC power input and said second DC power outlet; first, second, and third electrical actuators for rendering respective contactors responsive to external control signals; a network of grid resistance elements having one side connected in common to said third DC power outlet; a plurality of grid element switches each having one side connected in common to said first DC outlet and the other side connected to one grid resistance element in said network; a plurality of grid element switch electrical actuators for rendering said switches responsive to remote control signals; said contactor and grid element switch actuators operating to provide a selected polarity DC voltage at said first outlet, said other DC polarity voltage at said second outlet, and to meter current of a selected polarity through said third DC power outlet.

Claim 29

An automatic grid console for use in distributing power in accordance with external control signals, comprising a cabinet; AC and dual polarity DC power input terminals; an AC power outlet, first, second and third DC power outlets; a first DC contactor connected between one polarity DC power input and said first DC power outlet; a second DC contactor connected between the other polarity DC power input and said first DC power outlet; a third DC contactor connected between the other polarity DC power input and said second DC power outlet; first, second, and third electrical actuators for rendering respective contactors responsive to external control signals; a network of grid resistance elements having one side connected in common to said third DC power outlet; a plurality of grid element switches each having one side connected in common to said first DC outlet and the other side connected to one grid resistance element in said network; a plurality of grid element switch electrical actuators for rendering said switches responsive to remote control signals; said contactor and grid element switch actuators operating to provide a selected polarity DC voltage at said first outlet, said other DC polarity voltage at said second outlet, and to meter current of a selected polarity through said third DC power outlet.

Claim 30

An automatic grid console as in claim 25 together with interlock means between said first and second contactors for opening one of said first and second contactor actuating circuits when the other is remotely selected.

Claim 31

A remote control console for use in generating signals for controlling circuits which distribute power for use in heating and welding operations comprising a cabinet, means for receiving input power, a DC polarity switch energized by said input power, a heater control circuit energized by said input power, means for generating current control signals eNergized by said input power, an adjustable energy regulator for interrupting power to said heater control circuit, and control outlet means mounted on said cabinet for connecting said D.C. polarity switch, heater control circuit, current control signal, and energy regulator to said circuits to be controlled.

Claim 32

A remote control console for use in generating signals for controlling circuits which distribute power for use in heating and welding operations comprising a cabinet, means for receiving input power, a DC polarity switch energized by said input power, a heater control circuit energized by said input power, means for generating current control signals eNergized by said input power, an adjustable energy regulator for interrupting power to said heater control circuit, and control outlet means mounted on said cabinet for connecting said D.C. polarity switch, heater control circuit, current control signal, and energy regulator to said circuits to be controlled.