Metal fusion bonding – Including means to force or clamp work portions together...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-25
2001-02-20
Ryan, Patrick (Department: 1725)
Metal fusion bonding
Including means to force or clamp work portions together...
C228S044700, C228S049400, C228S212000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189764
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed toward a fitting gear and more particularly toward a fitting gear in the form of an electromagnetic U-bar which is intended to assist in the alignment of two metal plates so that the edges thereof can be welded together.
It is frequently desirable to weld plates together along their edges. This is done, for example, when constructing the outer shell or covering the outer surface of a large tank or building or other structure. These steel plates may have, for example, a thickness between {fraction (3/16)} and ¼ of an inch although the invention described herein may be applicable to plates that are thinner or thicker than these.
The steel plates may be welded together utilizing either a lap welding technique or a butt welding technique. In lap welding, the edges of the steel plates overlap each other by a small amount such as an inch or so and the outermost extreme edge of the upper plate is welded to the upper surface of the underlying plate adjacent its edge. When utilizing a butt welding technique, the extreme edges of the two plates are place adjacent to each other with the plates lying in the same plane and the extreme edges of each of the plates are then welded to each other.
When employing either the lap welding or butt welding technique, it is necessary for the edges of the two plates to be in alignment with each other in order to effectuate a good weld from both a mechanical and aesthetic standpoint. That is, if the edges of the plates are not in direct contact with each, they cannot be uniformly welded along their length.
Two plates frequently do not perfectly align with each other due to imperfections in the plates. That is, the edge of one plate may be slightly bent along its length thereof with respect to the other or may have minor undulations or waves. It is, therefore, necessary to flatten the two edges of the adjacent plates with respect to each other so that they are in proper alignment for welding.
FIGS. 1 and 3
of the enclosed drawings illustrate one method currently used to facilitate the alignment of the edges of two metal plates for welding. The prior art fitting gear
10
shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3
is comprised essentially of a plurality of inverted U-shaped bolts
12
which cooperate with a like number of tapered bull pins
14
or the like. Each of the U-bolts
12
is welded to the upper surface
16
of one of the plates
18
adjacent edge
20
thereof. These are welded in a conventional manner utilizing any known technique and the weld lines are clearly shown at
22
in
FIGS. 1 and 3
. The leading edge
24
of the second plate
26
is then placed over the edge
16
of the first plate
18
. Pins
14
are then forced through the U-bolts so as to force the edges of the two plates together. Since the pins
14
are elongated and tapered, the edges of the two plates are essentially cammed together as the pins engage the upper portion of the bolts
12
and the upper surface of the forward edge
24
of the plate
26
.
The number of U-bolts
12
that may be required depends on the thickness of the plates
18
and
26
and the amount of curvature or wave that prevents the plates from coming into contact with each other. It may sometimes be necessary to use a large number of U-bolts
12
spaced only a few inches from each other or it may be necessary to utilize only a few such bolts placed several feet apart from each other. In any event, once the bolts
12
and pins
14
are in place and the plates are in contact with each other, the edges of the plates are welded together, again, utilizing any known welding technique.
After the plates have been welded together, the U-bolts
12
must then be removed. This is normally done by simply breaking the U-bolts off or dewelding them by again providing the necessary heat or electrical energy in order to destroy the welds. In either event, however, the previous weld spots must either be removed or present cosmetically unappealing appearances. Either choice is clearly non-desirable.
Applicant is also aware of the fact that electromagnetic energy has been utilized to assist in the alignment of metal parts so that they can be joined together. Complex arrangements for accomplishing the same are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,582,609; 3,618,844; 3,701,881 and 5,203,427. To Applicant's knowledge, no one has considered utilizing electromagnetic forces in the manner proposed in the present application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above and is directed toward a fitting gear which has the advantages of the welded U-bars described above without the accompanying disadvantages. The fitting gear of the present invention which is utilized for assisting in the alignment of metal plates so that the edges thereof can be welded together includes a number of inverted substantially U-shaped electromagnets. When these electromagnets are energized, they are adapted to be secured to the upper surface of one of the plates adjacent and edge thereof. A bull pin or other wedge-shaped implement is then forced into the U-shaped electromagnet and contacts the upper surface of the other plate to move the edges into substantial alignment with each other. After the edges of the plates are welded together, the electromagnets are de-energized and removed with the surface of the plates being unmarred.
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Lehrer Norman E.
Pittman Zidia T.
Ryan Patrick
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