Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – Brushing
Patent
1996-12-17
1998-09-29
Spisich, Mark
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
Brushing
15 931, 134 1, 134184, 366114, 366314, B08B 312
Patent
active
058130748
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning the heads of welding robots.
2. Description of the Related Art
Welding robots are used generally within the workshop industry. This applies primarily to MIG-welding and MAG-welding A welding robot is programed to follow a certain pattern of movements, i.e. the robot head is arranged to follow a given pattern of movements. A workpiece to be welded by the robot is positioned accurately in relation to the robot, such that the workpiece will be located in a predetermined position in relation to the robot. As the robot head moves through the predetermined movement pattern, it will move in a predetermined manner in relation to the workpiece.
In welding operations, the robot head carries a welding head. The robot is thus able to move the welding head to those locations and along those edges or corresponding surfaces where welding is to be performed.
A welding head includes a gas casing which includes a central passageway for the delivery of welding gas. The gas is an inert gas and is ejected onto the weld location to prevent oxidation of the melt and also oxidation of those parts of the workpieces that are heated to high temperatures in the welding process.
The gas casing passageway has a funnel-shaped orifice. An electrical contact nozzle is provided in the gas-casing passageway and has a central channel through which welding rod is advanced to the welding location. The forward end of the nozzle terminates short of the orifice of the gas casing opening and is concentric therewith. The nozzle is connected to one terminal of the welding unit voltage source and the workpiece is connected to the other terminal of said source.
Splashes of weld material and slag, so-called weld spray, occur during a welding operation, these splashes landing on the weld head and therewith to a great extent on the edge surfaces defining the gas-casing opening, because the edge surfaces are located close to the workpieces during a welding operation. These splashes result in the build-up of rings of material around and in the opening on the weld head. The weld head and the nozzle also include soot from the fumes generated in the welding process.
The rings of weld-spray that build-up on the welding head and said edge surfaces are electrically conductive and result in spark-over between the rings and the workpieces, whereas the intention is for spark-over to take place between the weld electrode and the workpieces. This results in welding interruptions. The weldspray buildup may also prevent sufficient gas from being delivered to the weld location through the gas casing, resulting in a poor quality weld.
The above-identified weld-spray ring is built-up to an unacceptable size typically in from five to tan minutes, meaning that the gas casing must be cleaned relatively often.
At present, the gas casing is cleaned by placing the gas-casing opening on a milling tool and milling away the weldspray ring mechanically. The ring is often seated very firmly on the gas casing and removal of the ring results in the removal of material from the gas casing by virtue of the ring loosening from the casing and being whirled around in contact with the casing by the milling tool, therewith causing wear to the casing. The task of removing the ring with the aid of other hand-operated tools, such as cutting nippers, for instance, is also time-consuming. The interior of the gas casing and the electrical contact nozzle are cleaned with the aid of compressed air, although the result is not always satisfactory.
The welding equipment may also include watercooled gas casings, which are provided with internal cooling channels. Repeated cleaning of the gas casings with subsequent removal of material therefrom may result in the removal of so such material as to open the cooling channels so that the water conducted therethrough will spray out. This results in interruptions in the welding operation.
In view of the fact that gas casings are relatively expensive
REFERENCES:
patent: 2987068 (1961-06-01), Branson
patent: 4082565 (1978-04-01), Sjolander
Mangels Alfred J.
Spisich Mark
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