Friction welding machine

Claim 2

In a friction welding machine for bonding workpieces together, the improvement comprising a unitized headstock and tailstock assembly including: (a) a rigid tailstock housing having an internal wall which defines a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, tailstock workpiece fixturing means being integrally connected to and rigidly supported against said wall; (b) a cylindrical headstock flywheel rotatably and slidably supported in the bore against the internal wall of the tailstock housing, headstock workpiece fixturing means being securely supported by the end of the flywheel facing the tailstock workpiece fixturing means, said headstock and tailstock fixturing means establishing predetermined workpiece alignment, said flywheel and housing having sufficient rotational and sliding motion imparted therebetween to effect frictional workpiece engagement at a common interface, said predetermined workpiece alignment being maintained throughout such engagement by the supported workpiece fixturing means adjacent the interface and by the unitized headstock and tailstock which are incapable of radial movement with respect to one another.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the headstock and tailstock fixturing means are adapted for holding workpieces of circular cross section in concentric alignment.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 2 wherein said fixturing means are adapted for holding annular workpieces in concentric alignment.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 3 wherein the tailstock fixturing means includes an annular support rib at one end of said bore, the rib being an integral part of the tailstock housing, said rib having an inner circumferential surface concentric with said bore, said surface supporting a collet chuck and a plurality of torque keys thereon, the collet chuck being adapted for gripping the outer workpiece circumference and the torque keys projecting radially inward for preventing workpiece rotation.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 3 wherein the headstock fixturing means includes a central hub and annular support rib concentrically disposed on said end of the flywheel, the hub and rib defining an annular slot for workpiece insertion therein, said hub having disposed therearound a collet chuck adapted for expanding radially outward against the inner workpiece circumference, thereby effecting workpiece fixturing in said slot, said rib having a plurality of torque keys projecting radially therefrom toward the hub for preventing workpiece rotation relative to the flywheel.

Claim 7

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the flywheel includes means for varying the inertial mass thereof.

Claim 8

An inertia bonding machine for joining workpieces of circular cross section together, comprising: (a) a rigid tailstock housing having an internal wall which defines a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, tailstock workpiece fixturing means being integrally connected to and rigidly supported against said wall at one end of the bore; (b) a cylindrical headstock flywheel rotatably and slidably supported in the bore against the internal wall of the tailstock housing, headstock workpiece fixturing means being securely supported by the end of the flywheel facing the workpiece fixturing means, said headstock and tailstock fixturing means establishing concentric workpiece alignment; (c) a base on which the tailstock housing is securely mounted, including means for imparting sufficient rotational and sliding motion to the flywheel to effect frictional workpiece engagement at a common interface and back-up means for providing tailstock workpiece support against the thrust of the sliding flywheel, said concentric workpiece alignment being maintained throughout workpiece engagement by the supported workpiece fixturing means adjacent the interface and by the unitized headstock and tailstock which are incapable of radial movement with respect to one another.

Claim 9

An inertia bonding machine for joining workpieces of circular cross section together, comprising: (a) a rigid tailstock housing having an internal wall which defines a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, tailstock workpiece fixturing means being integrally connected to and rigidly supported against said wall at one end of the bore; (b) a cylindrical headstock flywheel rotatably and slidably supported in the bore against the internal wall of the tailstock housing, headstock workpiece fixturing means being securely supported by the end of the flywheel facing the workpiece fixturing means, said headstock and tailstock fixturing means establishing concentric workpiece alignment; (c) a base on which the tailstock housing is securely mounted, including means for imparting sufficient rotational and sliding motion to the flywheel to effect frictional workpiece engagement at a common interface and back-up means for providing tailstock workpiece support against the thrust of the sliding flywheel, said concentric workpiece alignment being maintained throughout workpiece engagement by the supported workpiece fixturing means adjacent the interface and by the unitized headstock and tailstock which are incapable of radial movement with respect to one another.

Claim 10

The machine of claim 7 wherein said fixturing means are adapted for holding annular workpieces in concentric alignment.

Claim 11

The machine of claim 8 wherein the tailstock fixturing means includes an annular support rib at one of said bore, the rib being an integral part of the tailstock housing, said rib having an inner circumferential surface concentric with said bore, said surface supporting a collet chuck and a plurality of torque keys thereon, the collet chuck being adapted for gripping the outer workpiece circumference and the torque keys projecting radially inward for preventing workpiece rotation.

Claim 12

The machine of claim 8 wherein the headstock fixturing means includes a central hub and annular support rib concentrically disposed on said end of the flywheel, the hub and rib defining an annular slot for workpiece insertion therein, said hub having disposed therearound a collet chuck adapted for expanding radially outward against the inner workpiece circumference, thereby effecting workpiece fixturing in said slot, said rib having a plurality of torque keys projecting radially therefrom toward the hub for preventing workpiece rotation relative to the flywheel.

Claim 13

The machine of claim 7 wherein the flywheel includes means for varying the inertial mass thereof.