Tank welding fixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016267-A1
Application number	US-201514705089-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 6, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A welding fixture and method allow for both coarse and fine adjustments of headstocks and tailstocks for securing a tank or other cylindrical-like object within a welding fixture. Coarse adjustment is provided by adjusting the headstock and/or tailstock linearly along a rail system. Find adjustment is provided by linearly adjusting a movable table on which the headstock and/or tailstock rest. The headstock and tailstock may also have compression damping members for securing the tank to the headstock and tailstock. Pipe stands are also provided for supporting the tank before, during, and after the welding process.

First claim

I claim:

1 . A welding fixture comprising:
a headstock attached to a first support, the headstock comprising a first compression clamping member; a tailstock attached to a second support, the tailstock comprising a second compression clamping member; a movable table driven by a linear actuator, the movable table being attached between the headstock and the first support or between the tailstock and the second support; and a rail system, wherein the first support and/or second support are movable along the rail system and can be locked at fixed positions along the rail system, and wherein a position of the headstock or tailstock is adjustable by the linear actuator to cause at least one of the first compression clamping member and the second compression clamping member to contact and secure an object to be welded.

2 . The welding fixture of claim 1 , wherein the linear actuator comprises at least one of a leadscrew operated by a hand crank, a motor, a pneumatic pump, and a hydraulic pump.

3 . The welding fixture of claim 1 , wherein the rail system is a rail-within-a-rail system.

4 . The welding fixture of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first compression damping member and second compression clamping member is spring biased.

5 . The welding fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a second linear actuator that moves at least one of the first support and the second support along the rail system.

6 . The welding fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first support is attached to a first trolley member and the second support is attached to a second trolley member, and the first and second trolley members are each attached to at least one bearing element that moves along the rail system.

7 . The welding fixture of claim 1 , further comprising at least one vertically adjustable pipe stand that is movable along the rail system between the headstock and tailstock, the pipe stand being movable along the rail system via at least one trolley member, and being lockable at fixed positions along the rail system.

8 . A welding fixture comprising:
a headstock attached to a first support, the headstock comprising a first compression clamping member; a tailstock attached to a second support, the tailstock comprising a second compression clamping member; a linear actuator; and a rail system extending along an axis having at least one trolley member, wherein the first support and/or second support are attached to the at least one trolley member, the trolley member being movable along the rail system and lockable at fixed positions along the rail system, and wherein a position of the headstock or tailstock is adjustable by the linear actuator in direction parallel to the axis to cause at least one of the first compression clamping member and the second compression clamping member to contact and secure an object to be welded.

9 . The welding fixture of claim 8 , wherein the linear actuator comprises at least one of a leadscrew operated by a hand crank, a motor, a pneumatic pump, and a hydraulic pump.

10 . The welding fixture of claim 8 , wherein the rail system is a rail-within-a-rail system.

11 . The welding fixture of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first compression clamping member and second compression damping member is spring biased.

12 . The welding fixture of claim 8 , further comprising a second linear actuator that moves the at least one trolley member along the rail system.

13 . The welding fixture of claim 8 , further comprising at least one vertically adjustable pipe stand that is movable along the rail system between the headstock and tailstock, the pipe stand being movable along the rail system via at least one trolley member, and being lockable at fixed positions along the rail system.

14 . A method for welding comprising:
placing an object to be welded on at least one vertically adjustable pipe stand, the vertically adjustable pipe stand being movable along a rail system between a headstock and a tailstock; linearly adjusting at least one of the headstock and the tailstock along an axis to coarsely adjust the distance between the headstock and the tailstock to match the length of the object, the headstock and the tailstock being attached to at least one trolley member, the trolley member being movable along the rail system; securing the at least one trolley member at a location along the rail system; linearly adjusting a moveable table on at least one of the headstock and the tailstock relative to the at least one trolley member to finely adjust the distance between the headstock and the tailstock to match the length of the object; and lowering the at least one vertically adjustable pipe stand, wherein the coarse adjustment or fine adjustment causes at least one compression clamping member on each of the headstock and the tailstock to secure the object to be welded to the headstock and the tailstock.

15 . The method for welding of claim 14 , wherein after welding has been completed, the method further comprises:
raising the at least one vertically adjustable pipe stand to support the object; linearly adjusting the movable table on at least one of the headstock and the tailstock to finely increase the distance between the headstock and the tailstock; and linearly adjusting at least one of the headstock and the tailstock along the rail system to coarsely increase the distance between the headstock and the tailstock, wherein the coarse adjustment or fine adjustment causes at least one compression damping member on each of the headstock and the tailstock to release the object to be welded from the headstock and the tailstock.

16 . The method for welding of claim 14 , wherein the moveable table is linearly adjusted by at least one of a leadscrew operated by a hand crank, a motor, a pneumatic pump, and a hydraulic pump.

17 . The method for welding of claim 14 , wherein the rail system is a rail-within-a-rail system.

18 . The method for welding of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first compression damping member and the second compression damping member is spring biased.

19 . The method for welding of claim 14 , wherein the at least one trolley member attached to the headstock and/or the tailstock is linearly adjusted along the rail system by a linear actuator.

20 . The method for welding of claim 14 , wherein the pipe stand is movable along the rail system via at least one bearing element, and can be locked at fixed positions along the rail system.

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Beatty Johnny W
• Whitworth Travis G
• Whan Michael
• Simons Brian

Classifications

• B23K37/0452

  Orientable fixtures (B23K37/0461 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K37/0538 Primary

  for rotating tubes, e.g. rollers · CPC title