Abstract:
A bonded pipe produced by using the liquid phase diffusion process in which the pipe ends of pipes to be bonded are butted with an insert material lower in melting point than the pipe material against each other, wherein the thickness is increased in such a manner that the outside diameter of the butted portion is expanded and the inside diameter thereof is reduced. A method for bonding pipes in which pipe ends of the pipes are butted through an insert material lower in melting point than the pipe material against each other, and the butted portion is heated to and held at a holding temperature higher than the melting point of the insert material, whereby the insert material is diffused in liquid phase into the pipe material, characterized in that at the time point when the outer pipe face temperature of the above-mentioned butted portion reaches a value which is not less than the A.sub.1 critical temperature of the pipe material and not more than the holding temperature in the process for raising the temperature of the pipe material, the application of a pressure in the pipe axial direction capable of plastically deforming the butted portion to the above-mentioned butted portion is started to increase the thickness of the butted portion.
Abstract:
A remote controlled welding and cutting carriage, with an automated positioning arm, to facilitate welding and cutting of flat and curved surfaces including plate and pipe without the use of track, band or similar carriage positioning or guidance mechanisms. Multiple motor driven precision ground magnetic wheel sets align and propel the carriage across a surface. Precision maintenance of magnetic wheel position is facilitated by use of spring steel axles which resist distortion from impacts. A separate magnetic wheel set alignment adjustment is provided to correct magnetic wheel set positioning. The system of motor driven magnetic wheel sets permits the carriage, or carriages, to transport cutting and welding materials required for welding and cutting around the complete circumference of a pipe or other surface regardless of orientation or slope. One or a plurality of motor driven torch positioning arms with photo sensors will track patterns delineated, for example, with a reflective tape or guidance line for additional accuracy in the positioning of the torch or welding head. The torch positioning arm may additionally be positioned, for simple as well as complex patterns, by computer and computer program guidance. Multiple welding heads or cutting torches may be positioned via the manual or automated positioning arm and carriage. A variety of transmission devices including chain and gear, worm gears, and reduction gears are powered by a power source including electrical motors, including variable speed electrical motors, to rotate the magnetic wheel sets. Travel speed of the carriage may be varied.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for resistance welding and then hot forging first and second workpieces together is disclosed. The first workpiece is provided with a deformable rivet. The second workpiece is provided with an aperture sized to receive the deformable rivet. The first and second workpieces are placed together with the deformable rivet of the first workpiece extending through the aperture in the second workpiece. A resistance heating power supply having a pair of power output terminals is provided. One of the terminals is connected in electrical communication with the first workpiece and the other one of the terminals is connected to a hot forging electrode. The hot forging electrode is movable relative to the deformable rivet. The hot forging electrode is affixed to an actuator. The actuator shifts the hot forging electrode into and out of engagement with the deformable rivet. A transducer provides an output indicative of the position of the hot forging electrode to determine rivet deformation. The controller cooperates with the transducer and the resistance heating power supply wherein the controller regulates the power output of the resistance heating power supply as a function of rivet deformation to ensure that the deformable rivet properly deforms.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method for resistance welding tubular parts is disclosed. The apparatus includes a weld gun having displaceable electrodes with contact faces engaging the parts. The contact faces are designed to distribute the forces applied to the parts by the electrodes to prevent deformation and to hold the parts together steadily in order to minimize undesired electrode displacement. A test computer monitors the amount of electrode displacement occurring as a result of penetration of the parts into each other during welding. When the displacement between the electrodes falls within a predetermined displacement range, which is indicative of a proper weld between the parts, the computer cooperates with a weld controller to terminate the welding power, thereby inhibiting any substantial further penetration of the parts. The apparatus and method is suitable for tube-to-tube and wire-to-tube applications commonly performed in the manufacture of automobile seats.
Abstract:
A clamping apparatus for use in clamping a fitting to a pipe or other fitting. The apparatus may be used without supporting the outer surface of the pipe on the opposite side of the fitting, and in the case of a buried pipe, only a portion of the pipe needs to be excavated. The apparatus comprises a clamping plate for engaging an outer surface of the fitting with an adjusting stem threadingly engaged with the clamping plate. A locking bar is pivotally and rotatably attached to an end of the adjusting stem. A weight differential between long and short ends of said locking bar and a cable are used to pivot the locking bar between a first position thereof wherein the locking bar and a portion of the stem may be inserted through aligned openings in the fitting and pipe and a second position. In the second position, the clamping bar may be clampingly engaged with an inner surface of the pipe by rotation of the adjusting stem which also results in the clamping plate being clampingly engaged with an outer surface of the fitting. A lock nut locks the apparatus in the clamping position. The fitting may then be permanently attached to the pipe, such as by an electrofusion process, after which the apparatus may be unclamped and removed. A method of attaching a fitting to a pipe using the apparatus is also disclosed.
Abstract:
A wrap tool having first and second coil regions and flange regions for inducing oscillating magnetic fields to fuse a plastic coupling having heating elements to a substrate. The first and second coil regions are wrapped around a selected plastic coupling and substrate to induce fusion currents causing melting and fusion of plastic pipes inserted into a magnetically energizable pipe coupling. The flange regions of the wrap tool are positioned adjacent each other overlappingly or inner surface to inner surface, permitting opposite current coil portions to cancel the other's magnetic fields and reduce coil inductance.
Abstract:
An induction heating generator is described for braze-welding metallic pipes with a continuous process under a controlled atmosphere, comprising at least one heating inductor composed of two half-inductors in series whose winding directions for their windings are one opposite to the other. The generator is further equipped with a quartz tube placed inside the inductors and in which the metallic pipes pass together with the controlled atmosphere gas. The generator further includes at least one removable sealing insert to join two contiguous inductors. For every medium- and/or high-frequency section of the generator, a load matching system is finally provided to compensate for external diameter variations of the pipes, the system being interlacedly handled by a programmable controller (P.L.C.).
Abstract:
A process for preparing tubular coupons formed of a pair of tube lengths butt-welded together with a full depth circumferential weld includes partially diagonally cutting the coupon sample through its transverse dimension so as to leave a thin bending strip along one wall of the coupon about which the coupon is bent for inspection of the internal surface of the weld area. Two procedures are described, both of which leave the interior surface of the weld exposed adjacent the diagonal cutting line through the coupon. The procedure facilitates bending open the cut coupon for internal inspection of the weld area. A jig fixture for holding the coupon during cutting by a band saw blade is described.
Abstract:
Improved welding method and padeye processing speeds up the connection of individual joints by peripheral fusion welding while the joint to be added stands vertically atop an existing pipe string also standing vertical in the rig floor. A plurality of welders can operate to speed up completion of the weld by removing heat from the pipe during the welding process. Heat is removed by the use of fluid cuffs near the weld area and, optionally, by using a spool within the pipe string to dispense expansion cooled air against the inner pipe wall in the vicinity of the weld. A special improved padeye is provided for welding near the pipe ends for handling. The padeye has a divided profile, a hole for a lifting shackle, and it will be accepted within the skirt of the lead system of the driving hammer. The upper end of the padeye can be cut from the pipe while the pipe is resting, on rig related structure, on the lower surface of the padeye.
Abstract:
A new system for welding sections of pipe together to form a long, continuous pipeline. A welding bug is mounted on a guide track which goes around the circumference of the pipe. The welding bug is provided with a wire feeder, a motor to drive the wire feeder, and driving motor for driving the bug around the track. One may vary the speed of the bug and the wire feeder while the bug is continuously driven around the track. The welding head on the welding bug is powered by a surface-tension-transfer power source. The initial or root pass is made external of the pipe.