Oct. 6, 1942.

s, H. GORDON ETAL
ELECTRIC FLASH WELDING MACHINE

2,298,051
5 Sheets-Sheet 1

Filed Jan. 18, 1941

Fig I.

Oct. 6, 1942.

$_ H~ GORDON ETAL
ELECTRIOFLASH WELDING momma

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2,298,051
_ 5 Sheets-Sheet?

Filed Jan. 18, 1941

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Oct. 6, 1942.

s. H. GORDON ETAL
ELECTRIC FLASH WELDING MACHINE
vFiled Jan. 18, 1941

2,298,051
5 Sheets-Sheet 3

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ELECTRIC FLASH WELDING'MAGHINE

2,293,051
5 Sheets-Sheet 4

FilOd Jan. 18, 1941

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s. H. GORDON ETALELECTRIC FLASH WELDING MACHINE

2,298,051
5 Sheets-Shet 5

,Filed Jan. 18, 1941

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Patented Oct. 6, 1942

2,298,051

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,298,051
ELECTRIC FLASH WELDING momm: .

Samuel Hunter Gordon and William Forbes

> Young, Inverness, Scotland

Application January 18, 1941, Serial No. 375,074

In Great Britain January 11, 1940

(Cl. Gil-54.5) not dependent upon the temperature of the liquid. ?ash-wielding machines of the kind described in 7 Patent No. 2,187,452. In the speci?cation of that Referring to the accompanying drawings:
I _ . 6 Claims.

'Ihisv invention relates to automatic electric

,! Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation 5 partly in section of mechanism according to this piecesto'bewelded-to the other, for the purpose ' invention. , ' of preheating the workpieces, is maintained by Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of v ?uctuations of ?uid pressure in a ?uid-operated the pump mechanism, _ ?uctuations being Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2, and ' feed mechanism, . these

patent means are described whereby a recipro cating motion of approach of one of the work

brought about by the meeting together of the

cation the regulation of the speed of the feeding

10

_Figure 4 is a circuit diagram,

cold unsoftened workpieces. In the embodiment

I . of that invention described in the priorspeci?

Referring to Figure 1, the feed mechanism con sists of two hydraulic cylinders Ill, l2 placed back to back and secured to a ?xed part ll of the

welding machine. The cylinder I0 is larger in creep valve, whereby the rate at which liquid 15 diameter than the cylinder 12 and a ram I6 in ' ?owed into or out of a hydraulic cylinder could the cylinder i0 is connected directly to the mov be adjusted. In some circumstancesthis mode ' ing head l6, so that outward movement of the
' of regulating the feed movement has the disad ' vantage that with a given adjustment the speed -

movement was e?fected by means of an adjustable

" advantages would be free from liability to un

ram i6 causes the forward feed movement. A ram 20 in the cylinder I2 is attached to a cross will vary with the temperature of the liquid. It 20 head 22 connected by tie-rods 24 to the moving is the object of the present invention to provide head [8, the outward movement of the ram 26 an improved feed mechanism which among other thereby causing the return motion of the moving

head.
cylinder and bored to receive a ?xed ram 30.

desired variation due to changes of temperature. The pump consists of a double ram compris According to this invention the moving head 425 ing a fixed cylinder 26, a ram 28 moving in this
of the welding vmachine is moved in both direc-, 'tions'by hydraulic means supplied with liquid, by-a mechanically driven reversible pump, the reversing means being under the control of a
The cylinder 26 is connected by a pipe 32 to, the feed cylinder l0 and the bore in the moving ram 28 is connected by a pipe 34 to the return cylin device sensitive to the pressure of the liquid 30 der =2 through a passage 36 extending from end to end of the ?xed ram 36. The ratio of the di which causes the forward movement of the mov ing head. ' ameters of the pump cylinder 26 and of the ,bore in the moving ram 28 is equal to the ratio of It will be appreciated that when the cold work

the diameters of the cylinders ill, l2. Thus, if feed movement, thereby causing a rise of pressure 35 the moving ram 28 is moved to the left liquid will be forced into the cylinder i0 thereby driving in the hydraulic driving means and when this the moving head i8 forward, while liquid will be pressure exceeds a predetermined aniount the driven out of the cylinder l2 into the'bore in v l movement of the pump is reversed automatically the moving ram 28. If this ram 28 is moved to' thereby separating the workpieces. The pres sure thereupon falls, the pressure-sensitive de 40 the right, liquid will be forced into the cylinder i2, while the liquid displaced from the cylinder viee is no longer operative and the pump reverts ill will passlinto the pump cylinder 26. The di to. its original direction of operation to cause ameter of the pump cylinder is only a fraction. v the forward feed movement to be resumed. of that of the forward feed cylinder i0 and there These successive reversals of movement will con tinue until the workpieces attain such a tempera 45 fore the travel of the moving head I6 will be much smaller than the travel of the pump ram ; ture that ?ashing occurs, whereupon no further 28. As shown in Figures, 2 and 3, the: ram 28 mechanical resistance to the feed movement oc carries a crossh'ead 38 in which are ?xed two ~ curs, the pressure of the liquid does not rise be nuts 40, 42 threaded onto similarly threaded ' yond the predetermined limit and therefore the

piecesmeet they will oppose resistance to the

forward feed movement continues uninterrupted

50 - ed screw inv spindles hearings 46, in All, brackets Thesespindles 46, 66 which are support mount- _ _ 1 ".

Owing to the fact that the pump is'mechan

ically driven and that restricted ori?ces are not

the cylinder 26 and the ?xed ram 36.

The

spindles carry equal gearwheels 52, 64, meshing

with a pinion 6.6 ?xed to a shaft 68 which carries

employed, the speed of the feed movement is 55 a pulley 60 driven by a belt 62 from an electric

motor

order to

_,

which wiil be referred to as the forward

feed circuit, runs from A through a, b, c, to, 7, switch 896 which is closed at this time, e, 98,
switches 92, so both of which are closed, 9, h, C.

operation or the pressure-sens

es s, a sim

plified arrangement will first be described. In this arrangement the supply of current to the

motor is taken through s reversing switch t6

which is biased into one position by a spring (68 and is moved into thetnther position by an elec

The switch or will be described later; it is a. for ward limit switch and is opened automatically at the end of the welding operation. The switch

96 is an interlock switch on the reverse motor tromagnet The electrornugnet is energised by the closing oi a 'pressiuewgrerated switch 712 ' contactor 95 and is opened when this contactor the pile-e Stiles-ding from the pump cylinder 10 is closed. The closing of the forward contactor 98 sup to the feed cylinder it, the arrange plies current to the motor 66 which rotates in the ineht such that when the pressure in the forward direction, moving the ram'28 to the left cylinders it), rises above a predetermined limit thereby causing the moving head l8 to advance. the switch 72 will be closed and the electromag net energised thereby reversing the direction oi 15 At the same time the interlock switch I90 is
rotation of the motor to, .

closed.

When the switch it opens, the switch St is re

When the work pieces make contact, current

flows in the primary winding of the transformer so, and a relay Hit in the primary circuit will be
energised and. will open one switch I08 and close

turned to its original position by the spring {38 and the arrangement is such that when the
switch is in this position the moving ram 28 is driven towards the left, thereby causing the mov= lug head to be fed forward. At the beginning of

another switch N18. The opening ,of I06 breaks the forward feed circuit through the winding 80, but this winding remains energised by a' circuit the welding operation this forward movement from A by way of a, b, c, 89, a, pressure. switch continues until the cold workpieces come togethe er. in general, ?ashing will not occur immedi-= 25 712, 7:, ml, i, e, so, or, Edit, C. This circuit will bereferred to as the pressure switch circuit." ately mil the feed movement will be opposed to This circuit, however, is almost immediately in such an extent that the rise of liquid pressure terrupted by the opening of the pressure switch in the cylinder to causes. the switch 52 to be vl2 consequent on the mechanical resistance of closed, thereby reversing the motor @563 and driv ing the ram 28 in the reverse direction, that is 30 icred by the cold work pieces. Thus, the wind ing 9c is (lo-energised, the forward contactor 9s to soy, towards the right. This will cause the opens, the switch Mil is opened and the switch moving to more to the right thereby sepo
rating the workpieces. As soon as the work
itd is closed. When 90 is de-energised and .

falls, the switch it opens and the string 68 re 35 H2 will be energised momentarily, the circuit be ing from A by way of a, b, 0, INF, H10, 2, m, H2, turns the reversing switch to its original pcsiu C. The motor will thus reverse momentarily as 'tion, thereby causing the motor to rotate in its
. original direction with theresult that forward This sequence oi opera will res

pieces separate, the pressure in the cylinder to

switch ltd closes the reverse motor contactor coil

-- o result of the closing of so and will then stop.

tions continues ntil the ?ashing temperature is the forward movement will. reached, whereu
continue uniritc ~

The two switches HAF and lidBare operated automatically by the motor, MQF being closed while the motor is running forward-and 53

being closed while the motor is running in re= .3113 because the niechamm : verse. . . cal resistance t. rd feed never reaches When the forward contactor coil 99 was ener the limit at whi 2 .e switch it is closed. After a predetermined travel of the moving head a 45 gised the switch 12 was opened. When 90 is. de=energised, however, switch 902 does not .close so=called butting mechanism comes into opera=

pending on the time of action of the dash-pct, is opened when the pressure rises beyond a brew which is made adjustable. During this heating determined iiniit. Provision is made for a delay, period there is s. possibility. of leakage of pressure the extent oi which can be varied, before the in the cylinder to which might cause the pres= motor is reversed, so that the workpieces re sure switch it to close. The forward contactor in in contact for an appreciable time before coil Qt, however, cannot be ire-energised because separated so that their meeting races 1 seated. The resumotion of forward feed v ' ' at this time the switch It! is open. When the switch m2 ?nally closes, a circuit is about as a result of the drop in welding 60 established from A through a, b,c,'B9, 198,182, to the separation of the workpieces.
*

arrangement whereby the machine is operated 50 Therefore, after the motor has stopped, the work pieces remain in contact, being heated by the and controlled. in this arrangement the nres= passage of current through them, for a time de~ mire-operated switch 32 is normally closed and.

tion automatically to complete the weld and to out oi? the current from the welding transformer. Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of the preferred,

again immediately, being prevented from doing

so by a dash-pot Hit. _ So long as I02 is open, the

reverse contactor coil H2 cannot be energised.

cut is supplied from iii-phase mains A, E. C, trough a main switch id. The operating handle it controls three switches #78, 8d, 82. To

the machine the handle is depressed to close 65 is (is-energised, switch ms opens and switch i596 hes cc and open switch S2. The closing closes. oi switch energises the main contactor coil till, The opening of switch M38 (consequent on drop . the circuit being tron: A through points a, b, c, d, of current in the transformer winding 83) breaks it}, a switch are (normally closed) which will be described later, winding til, C. The enersisation 70 the last-mentioned clrcuitithe reverse contactor

Z, m, M2, C. The energisation of lit-.closesltlfie. reverse contactor 96, the motor starts in reverse, '. the already, pressure the switch work pieces it- closes, separate, if it has windingl?t notclosed

of iil closes switches

transformer 88. .

and

thus supplying

current tokthe primary winding of, the welding

winding M2 is ole-energised, the reverse contactor it opens, the interlock switch so closes and the forward feed circuit, previously referred to, is re

established energising so, causing the motor to The closing of switch 8d completes a circuit through the forward feed contactor coil This 75 run forward until the work pieces come together

again as previously described. This cycle

op
demenergises the reverse contactor coil and closes the interlock switch as". The switch 86 being open, 90 cannot be energised through the forward feed circuit, but the motor-operated con
tacts IHB are now closed and there is a circuit

erations is repeated until the work pieces no long er oppose mechanical resistance at the time the pressure switch circuit is established. In these circumstances the pressure switch 72 remains closed and the pressure switch circuit is main

to rotate forwards. starts in the forward direction, 1 14B opens im On the crosshead 22 is mounted an adjustable cam Ii5._ At a predetermined point in the for l0 mediately thereby de-energising the coil 90, which cannot be re-energised through the forward feed ward feed movement this cam will push down; circuit because 80 is open. This brings the oper wards a pivoted lever I I6 thereby opening a valve ation to an end and no current can flow in any I I8 which allows high pressure oil from an inde of the circuits until the switch 80 is closed by pendent source to enter the forward feed cylinder the handle 16 to initiate the next welding oper l0 and thus drive the moving head I8 forward at an increased speed to butt the work pieces to 15 ation. We claim: gether and complete the weld. At the same time 1. A hydraulic system comprising in combi another valve I20 is opened to connect the re nation hydraulic ram means operable in a for turn cylinder I2 to an oil reservoir I22 to allow the oil displaced by the rapid forward movement 20 ward direction and in the reverse direction, a
of the moving head to escape. -

tained, with the result that the motor continues

from A through a, b, 0, H413, f, e, 90, 92, 94, h, C. The forward contactor 98 closes, the motor

The downward movement of the lever IIGalso opens the switch I26 previously referred closes another switch I24. The opening of I26

mechanically driven reversible pump for supply ing liquid under pressure to said hydraulic means,

reversing means for said pump and a device sen

switches 26 and 86. The welding current is 25 ing means to cause reverse movement as a con thereby cut' off from the primary transformer sequence of rise of liquid pressure above a pre winding 68 and the winding I04 is tie-energised, determined limit and for again actuating said . closing switch I06 and opening switch I06. reversing means to cause forward movement as a consequence of fall of liquid pressure below said When the switch I24 is closed there is a circuit from A through a, b, c, 80, I24, k, IN, ,1, e, 90, 30 limit. 2. A hydraulic system according to claim 1, in- I 62, 04,12, C. The switch I24 is, therefore a shunt across the pressure switch I2 and keeps the, moipr eluding an electric motor to drive saidpump and nmning forwards in spite of I2 being opened by wherein said reversing means includes a revers the high pressure supplied to the cylinder I0 ing switch through which current is supplied to through the valve H0. The oil displaced from said motor and which operates to reverse the di rection of rotation of the motor in response to is cylinder 26 during this movement escapes the rise or fall in pressure of the liquid as More through a relief valve I26 into the reservoir l22.
. The cross-head 30 carries a projection I30 which _
said. '

de-energises the winding 84, thereby opening

sitive to variation in the liquid pressure causing the forward movement for actuating the revers~

presently opens the forward limit switch 62 pre~

viouely referred cause to, the which forward will motor de-energise contacts? coil 66 and
86 to open. This establishes a circuit A, a, b, c, II4_F, I00, 1, m, II2, C. This causes the motor to reverse momentarily and then stop. The weld is now complete and the welded woris pieces are removed from the machine. The , op crating handle 10 is moved back to its original position and the lever H6 is lifted. This comes about owing to the fact that its pivots are ec
centrically mounted on the spindle I32 of the op- _

3. A hydraulic system according to claim 1, in eluding an electric motor to drive said pump and
wherein said reversing mechanism includes a re

versing switch, a pressure actuated switch, and an electromagnet which is energized upon closing of the pressure switch to operate the reversing
switch to a, position in which it operates to re

verse the direction of rotation of the motor in response to the rise in pressure of the liquid aforesaid and to return the reversing switch to its normal position in response to fall in pressure of the liquid.
_ (i. A hydraulic system comprising in combina tion hydraulic rain means operable in a forward direction and in the reverse direction, said means

crating handle 16. Thus, the raising of the han dle 76 depresses the right hand end of the lever I I 6 thereby causing its operative left hand end to be raised by a spring,.not shown. The valves II 0 and I20 are thereby closed, the switches 76, 00, I24 are opened, and the switches Ill, I26 are closed. The closing of 02 energises the reverse contactor coil II 2, the circuit being from A through a, b, c, 82, I44, m, II2, C. The motor
runs in reverse, the pump ram 28 being moved

consisting of two cylinders placed back to back,

one for forward movement and the other for re verse movement, a cross head and tie rods con 'i" the rams, a mechanically driven revers

ihle pump supplying liquid under pressure to said cylinders, reversing means for said pump and a

to the right. A limit stop I36 is provided which arrests the rams I6, 20 at a predetermined posi tion. When this takes place, the pump ram 26 is still moving to the right, displacing oil past a second relief valve I36 into the oil reservoir i212. At the same time the pump cylinder :26 receives oil from the reservoir through a non-return valve
I30. A second nomreturn valve serves in. the same way for the bore in the pump ram nd

device sensitive to variation in the liquid pressure causing the forward movement for actuating the
reversing means to cause reverse movement as a consequence of rise of liquid pressure above a pre~ determined limit and for again actuating said re versing means to cause forward movement as a consequence of fall of liquid pressure below said

mint. 5. A hydraulic system according to claim 4,

the two valves 38 and Mil enable the oil circuit . , wherein said pump consists of a ?xed cylinder, a mechanically driven ram moved within the cylin to be filled in the first place and maintain it full tier and bored to constitute a second cylinder, against any small leakages that might take place. and a, ?xed ram within the second cylinder, the A second projection. M2 on the crossh 38 ?rst pump cylinder being connected to the for ultimately opens a back limit switch its ward cylinder and the second pump cylinder be

5 2,298,051 ing connected to the reverse cylinder of the hycylinder. and the second pump cylinder being con
draullc ram means.

wherein the pump consistspt

.. em according to claim 4, 6. A hydraulic syst a ?xed cylinder, a

nected to the reverse cylinder of the hydraulic ram means, and whereinvthe movable ram is driven by two nuts, carried one on either side
. SAMUEL

mechanically driven ram moved within nder, and. der and bored to constitute a second cyli the ?rst cylinder, a ?xed ram within the second ted to the forward pump cylinder being connec

the cylin- 6 vthereof, and engaging two screw spindles posi

~ tively geared together and mechanically rotated. '_

HUNTER GORDON.

WILLIAM FORBES YOUNG.