GB2150478A

GB2150478A - Welding apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2150478A
Application number: GB08332028A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Danny Albert Crosbie
Original assignee: C C A DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: C C A DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 1983-11-30
Filing date: 1983-11-30
Publication date: 1985-07-03
Also published as: GB8332028D0

Abstract

Welding apparatus usable to facilitate butt welding, which welding apparatus comprises a clamp for holding together in juxtaposed spaced apart relationship two metal piece parts to be butt welded, the clamp comprising first and second clamp parts (2, 4) between which the piece parts to be welded are sandwiched, the clamp parts (2, 4) being adapted to be drawn tightly together by a coupling member (6) which extends between the piece parts to be welded. The second clamp part (4) extends through an opening in the coupling member. In a second embodiment the coupling member and the second clamp member are formed integrally and have a generally T-shaped form. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Welding apparatus This invention relates to welding apparatus and more particularly it relates to welding apparatus which is used to facilitate butt welding.

In order to butt weld two juxtaposed steel sheets for example it is necessary to support the sheets in spaced apart relationship, and it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which can be used to perform this operation with some precision.

According to the present invention welding apparatus usable to facilitate butt welding comprises a clamp for holding together in juxtaposed spaced apart relationship two metal piece parts to be butt welded, the clamp comprising first and second clamp parts between which the piece parts to be welded are sandwiched, the clamp parts being adapted to be drawn tightly together by a coupling member which extends the piece parts to be welded.

The coupling member may comprise at one end a screw threaded bolt which is arranged to pass through a clearance hole in the first clamp part and to receive a complementary nut so that as the nut is tightened the first and second clamp parts are drawn together for clamping purposes against the piece parts sandwiched between them.

The first clamp part may be formed to have a generally C-shaped cross section with a longitudinally slot defining the aperture in the C shape through which the bolt of the coupling member extends, the clearance hole being positioned in the body of the C-shape opposite the slot.

The second clamp part may comprise a bar member which is arranged to be received by the coupling member.

The bar member may be rectangular in cross section.

The coupling member may be formed with an aperture for receiving the bar member.

The coupling member and the second clamp part may be integral.

In this latter case the second clamp part and the coupling member may be arranged to define a Tshape so that the second clamp part forms the horizontal limb of the T-shape.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a weld clamp; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the weld clamp shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative part for the weld clamp shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a weld clamp comprises a first clamp part 2 of generally Cshaped cross section and a second clamp part 4 defined by a steel bar of generally rectangular cross section. The clamp parts 2 and 4 are arranged to be drawn together by a coupling member 6 which links them. As shown in Figure 2 the coupling member comprises a bolt 8 at one end and a flat body part 10 at the other end in which an aperture 12 is defined.

The clamp part 2 is formed to have a generally C-shaped cross section comprising a longitudinal slot 14 which is arranged opposite a clearance hole 16 which serves to receive the bolt 8. At a junction between the bolt 8 and the body part 10 a flange 18 is provided. In use of the clamp, a nut 20 is tightened down on the bolt 8 against a washer 22 so as to draw the bar which defines the clamp part 4 up against an under face 24 of the clamp part 2.

In use of the clamp, two flat steel piece parts (not shown) to be butt welded, are laid on an upper surface 26 of the bar which defines the clamp part 4 so that they butt against the body part 10 whereby the piece parts are sandwiched between the surface 26 and the under face 24 of the clamp part 2, so as to be clamped therebetween when the nut 20 is tightened.

The weld clamp just before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is particularly suitable for butt welding sheet steel material and accordingly will find many applications such for example as in the car body repair business as well as ship and aircraft repair. By using a number of clamps of the kind just before described, flat or curved steel sheets can be effectively clamped together in spaced apart relationship to facilitate butt welding of the lengths of steel sheet positioned between the clamps. The clamps may then be removed and a welding operation can then be applied to weld the regions of the sheets whereat the clamps were fixed.

Although the welding clamp just before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is particularly suitable for many welding jobs, it is desirable on some occasions to weld together two pieces of sheet material which are accessible from one side only. In this case, the coupling member 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be replaced by a coupling member 28 as shown in Figure 3. The coupling member 28 is generally T-shaped and the cross part 30 of the T serves as the clamping member equivalent to the clamp part 4. The coupling member 28 extends to define a bolt 32 which is equivalent to the bolt 8 and a flange portion 34 may also be provided equivalent to the flange 18 shown in Figure 2. By using a coupling member as shown in Figure 3 having an integral clamping member 30 it is possible to position the clamp from one side of two sheet metal piece parts to be welded, the clamping part 30 being pushed through a gap between the parts to be welded and turned so as to give support to the parts when clamped in position.

Various modifications may be made to the welding apparatus just before described and for example the clamping part 4 may be of any suitable cross section and in one contemplated embodiment may be wedge shaped so as to jam in the aperture 12.

1. Welding apparatus usable to facilitate butt

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Welding apparatus This invention relates to welding apparatus and more particularly it relates to welding apparatus which is used to facilitate butt welding. In order to butt weld two juxtaposed steel sheets for example it is necessary to support the sheets in spaced apart relationship, and it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which can be used to perform this operation with some precision. According to the present invention welding apparatus usable to facilitate butt welding comprises a clamp for holding together in juxtaposed spaced apart relationship two metal piece parts to be butt welded, the clamp comprising first and second clamp parts between which the piece parts to be welded are sandwiched, the clamp parts being adapted to be drawn tightly together by a coupling member which extends the piece parts to be welded. The coupling member may comprise at one end a screw threaded bolt which is arranged to pass through a clearance hole in the first clamp part and to receive a complementary nut so that as the nut is tightened the first and second clamp parts are drawn together for clamping purposes against the piece parts sandwiched between them. The first clamp part may be formed to have a generally C-shaped cross section with a longitudinally slot defining the aperture in the C shape through which the bolt of the coupling member extends, the clearance hole being positioned in the body of the C-shape opposite the slot. The second clamp part may comprise a bar member which is arranged to be received by the coupling member. The bar member may be rectangular in cross section. The coupling member may be formed with an aperture for receiving the bar member. The coupling member and the second clamp part may be integral. In this latter case the second clamp part and the coupling member may be arranged to define a Tshape so that the second clamp part forms the horizontal limb of the T-shape. Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a weld clamp; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of parts of the weld clamp shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative part for the weld clamp shown in Figures 1 and 2. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a weld clamp comprises a first clamp part 2 of generally Cshaped cross section and a second clamp part 4 defined by a steel bar of generally rectangular cross section. The clamp parts 2 and 4 are arranged to be drawn together by a coupling member 6 which links them. As shown in Figure 2 the coupling member comprises a bolt 8 at one end and a flat body part 10 at the other end in which an aperture 12 is defined. The clamp part 2 is formed to have a generally C-shaped cross section comprising a longitudinal slot 14 which is arranged opposite a clearance hole 16 which serves to receive the bolt 8. At a junction between the bolt 8 and the body part 10 a flange 18 is provided. In use of the clamp, a nut 20 is tightened down on the bolt 8 against a washer 22 so as to draw the bar which defines the clamp part 4 up against an under face 24 of the clamp part 2. In use of the clamp, two flat steel piece parts (not shown) to be butt welded, are laid on an upper surface 26 of the bar which defines the clamp part 4 so that they butt against the body part 10 whereby the piece parts are sandwiched between the surface 26 and the under face 24 of the clamp part 2, so as to be clamped therebetween when the nut 20 is tightened. The weld clamp just before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is particularly suitable for butt welding sheet steel material and accordingly will find many applications such for example as in the car body repair business as well as ship and aircraft repair. By using a number of clamps of the kind just before described, flat or curved steel sheets can be effectively clamped together in spaced apart relationship to facilitate butt welding of the lengths of steel sheet positioned between the clamps. The clamps may then be removed and a welding operation can then be applied to weld the regions of the sheets whereat the clamps were fixed. Although the welding clamp just before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 is particularly suitable for many welding jobs, it is desirable on some occasions to weld together two pieces of sheet material which are accessible from one side only. In this case, the coupling member 6 shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be replaced by a coupling member 28 as shown in Figure 3. The coupling member 28 is generally T-shaped and the cross part 30 of the T serves as the clamping member equivalent to the clamp part 4. The coupling member 28 extends to define a bolt 32 which is equivalent to the bolt 8 and a flange portion 34 may also be provided equivalent to the flange 18 shown in Figure 2.By using a coupling member as shown in Figure 3 having an integral clamping member 30 it is possible to position the clamp from one side of two sheet metal piece parts to be welded, the clamping part 30 being pushed through a gap between the parts to be welded and turned so as to give support to the parts when clamped in position. Various modifications may be made to the welding apparatus just before described and for example the clamping part 4 may be of any suitable cross section and in one contemplated embodiment may be wedge shaped so as to jam in the aperture 12. CLAIMS

1. Welding apparatus usable to facilitate butt welding, which welding apparatus comprises a clamp for holding together in juxtaposed spaced apart relationship two metal piece parts to be butt welded, the clamp comprising first and second clamp parts between which the piece parts to be welded are sandwiched, the clamp parts being adapted to be drawn tightly together by a coupling member which extends between the piece parts to be welded.

2. Welding apparatus according to claim 1 in which the coupling member comprises at one end a screw threaded bolt which is arranged to pass through a clearance hole in the first clamp part and to receive a complementary nut so that as the nut is tightened the first and second clamp parts are drawn together for clamping purposes against the piece parts sandwiched between them.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the first clamp part is formed to have a generally Cshaped cross section with a longitudinal slot defining the aperture in the C-shape through which the bolt of the coupling member extends, the clearance hole being positioned in the body of the Cshape opposite the slot.

4. Welding apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the second part comprises a bar member which is arranged to be received by the coupling member.

5. Welding apparatus according to claim 4 in which the bar member is rectangular in cross section.

6. Welding apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the coupling member is formed with an aperture for receiving the bar member.

7. Welding apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the coupling member and the second clamp part are integral.

8. Welding apparatus according to claim 7 in which the coupling member and the second clamp part are arranged to define a T-shape so that the second clamp part forms the horizontal limb of the T-shape.

9. Welding apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.