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US3857162A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for the production and/or testing of welded helical seam pipe

Assignee: Hoesch Werke AG
•
Filing: 1973-03-14
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Granted: 1974-12-31
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Expires: 1993-03-14
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Abstract

Abstract A method of producing welded helical seam pipe, made from steel sheet or strip which is wound into pipe formation, is disclosed. Prior to the welding of the wound steel sheet, an optically scannable reference line is applied to the steel sheet which extends parallel to and adjacent one of the edges of the sheet. The welding is effected by applying a first welding seam with a first welding head located within the pipe interior and a second welding seam with a second welding head located outside the pipe. In accordance with the invention, the optically scannable reference line is applied to that face of the sheet which forms the inner surface of the welded pipe. The thus interiorly located reference line is optically scanned so as to obtain scanning information which, through operative connection to control means, controls the welding movements or operation of both the first and the second welding heads. The inventive method is particularly suitable in the production of pipe which is tack-welded prior to finish welding. The application also discloses apparatus for carrying out the inventive procedure. This apparatus includes optical scanning means located within the pipe for scanning the reference line and means for operatively connecting the optical scanning means with the first and second welding heads for controlling the heads in dependence on the scanning information received by said optical scanning means. The procedure is also applicable to the testing of the welding seams, in which event the welding heads are replaced by testing heads, or both welding heads and testing heads are supplied.

Inventors

  • 👤 R Hoffmann
  • 👤 W Wennemann

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 18:47
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K9/00; B23K9/12; B23K9/127; B23K9/1272; B23K9/1274; B23K9/02; B23K9/032; B23K9/0325

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 180 words
In a method of producing welded helical seam pipe from steel sheet wound into pipe formation, wherein prior to the welding of the wound sheet, an optically scannable reference line is applied to the steel sheet, which reference line extends parallel to and spaced from one of the edges of the sheet, and wherein the welding is effected by applying a first welding seam with a first welding head located within the pipe, and a second welding seam with a second welding head located outside the pipe, the improvement which comprises applying said optically scannable reference line to that face of the sheet which forms the inner surface of the welded pipe, optically scanning said reference line to obtain scanning information and controlling the welding movements of both said first and second welding heads in dependence on said scanning information, said wound sheet, after application of said reference line, being first tack-welded and then transferred to a finish welding station where the welding by means of said first and second welding heads is performed in dependence on said scanning information.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 180 words
In a method of producing welded helical seam pipe from steel sheet wound into pipe formation, wherein prior to the welding of the wound sheet, an optically scannable reference line is applied to the steel sheet, which reference line extends parallel to and spaced from one of the edges of the sheet, and wherein the welding is effected by applying a first welding seam with a first welding head located within the pipe, and a second welding seam with a second welding head located outside the pipe, the improvement which comprises applying said optically scannable reference line to that face of the sheet which forms the inner surface of the welded pipe, optically scanning said reference line to obtain scanning information and controlling the welding movements of both said first and second welding heads in dependence on said scanning information, said wound sheet, after application of said reference line, being first tack-welded and then transferred to a finish welding station where the welding by means of said first and second welding heads is performed in dependence on said scanning information.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 124 words
A method of producing welded helical seam pipe from steel sheet which comprises: a. applying an optically scannable reference line to that face of the steel sheet which in the final pipe forms the inner surface; b. helically winding the steel sheet into pipe formation; c. tack-welding opposing edges of the wound sheet at spaced locations; d. moving the tack-welded pipe formation to a finish welding station; e. applying a first welding seam from the inside with a first welding head and thereafter applying a second welding seam from the outside with a second welding head and optically scanning said reference line and controlling the movements of said first and second welding heads in dependence on the scanning information obtained by said optical scanning.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 124 words
A method of producing welded helical seam pipe from steel sheet which comprises: a. applying an optically scannable reference line to that face of the steel sheet which in the final pipe forms the inner surface; b. helically winding the steel sheet into pipe formation; c. tack-welding opposing edges of the wound sheet at spaced locations; d. moving the tack-welded pipe formation to a finish welding station; e. applying a first welding seam from the inside with a first welding head and thereafter applying a second welding seam from the outside with a second welding head and optically scanning said reference line and controlling the movements of said first and second welding heads in dependence on the scanning information obtained by said optical scanning.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 53 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said second welding seam is applied by said second welding head after the first welding seam has been applied and optically scanned, the movement of said second welding head also being controlled in dependence on the scanning information obtained by scanning said first welding seam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pipe formation is cut into lengths after the tack-welding and prior to step d.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3207407A Cited
US3360177A Cited
US3594540A Cited
US3735478A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-12-30 1978-07-01 1978-12-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-12-30 1982-07-01 1982-12-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-12-30 1986-07-01 1986-12-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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