Metal fusion bonding – Including means to provide heat by friction between...
Patent
1986-10-28
1988-03-29
Godici, Nicholas P.
Metal fusion bonding
Including means to provide heat by friction between...
228 48, 228112, B23K 2012
Patent
active
047338148
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to apparatus for simultaneously friction welding two members to the ends of an intermediate component, with the members in a required angular orientation relative to one another about a common longitudinally extending axis.
The apparatus according to the invention has been developed in relation to the manufacture on transmission shaft elements for motor vehicles. A typical shaft element required to be manufactured has the central component in the form of a tubular shaft component, with the members at the ends thereof taking the form of universal joint parts, or one member may be a universal joint part and the other a splined element which forms part of a sliding splined connection to enable length variations in the transmission shaft to occur in service. A typical universal joint part is the yoke of a Hookes universal joint. In a Hookes jointed shaft, the joint yokes have to be accurately angularly aligned with one another about the axis of the shaft, in order to avoid unbalance and vibration problems in use.
Further, the apparatus according to the invention has been developed with the object of being capable of welding transmission shafts whose parts are made of aluminium alloys. Friction welding of such materials is difficult, primarily because of the high thermal conductivity thereof which means that, after the parts to be welded have been brought to a welding temperature in the well known first or "burn-off" stage of the welding operation, relative movement between the parts must be halted and a welding force applied therebetween very quickly. Welding conditions are sustained at the interface between the parts for a relatively short time, and if the relative motion is not completely arrested within such a short time poor welds result. The effect may be regarded as being analogous to the formation and tearing apart of a succession of welds during the braking time, if the braking time is too long. Braking times of the order of tens of milliseconds are required.
Although machines-capable of friction welding transmission shaft elements of steel are well known, it has hitherto been difficult reliably to manufacture such shaft elements of aluminum alloy, because of the problems above referred to. It is the object of the present invention to provide apparatus which enables such problems to be overcome or reduced.
According to the invention, we provide apparatus for simultaneously friction welding two members to the ends of an intermediate component, in a required angular orientation relative to one another about a common longitudinally extending axis, comprising:
a bed;
means for holding said intermediate component stationary relative to said bed;
two head assemblies, each adapted to be fixed relative to said bed and comprising a holder for a respective one of said members, bearing means supporting said holder for rotation about said axis, and means for applying a force along said axis to said holder so that said member is brought into engagement with said intermediate component under said force;
a lay shaft supported for rotation about its axis, extending lengthways of said bed;
transmission means connecting each of said holders with said lay shaft, and establishing a positive connection therebetween so that said holders remain in a fixed angular orientation relative to one another about said axis;
means for driving said lay shaft, and
means for braking said lay shaft, said means for braking said lay shaft acting thereon substantially at the centre thereof, equidistant between said transmission means.
In a friction welding machine, stopping the relative rotation between the parts to be welded is, in essence, merely a matter of providing a sufficiently powerful brake. However, such rapid braking can cause problems because of "wind-up" in the rotating components of the machine, due to the inertia of the parts which have to be braked. In the apparatus according to the invention, by braking the lay shaft, and thus the holders of the two members to be welded by way of the transmission means
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patent: 3800995 (1974-04-01), Franks et al.
patent: 3954215 (1976-05-01), Takagi et al.
patent: 4030658 (1977-06-01), Parrish
patent: 4414046 (1983-11-01), Palmer
patent: 4552609 (1985-11-01), Larsen
Godici Nicholas P.
Heinrich Samuel M.
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