Patent ID: 8066269
Filing Date: 2011-11-29
Classification: B23K,B29C

Abstract:
1. In a device for welding plastic tubes comprising a first tube holder having first and second parallel tube holding areas, a second tube holder having first and second parallel tube holding areas which are alignable with said tube holding areas of said first tube holder whereby a first tube may be placed in the aligned first tube holding areas and a second tube may be placed in the aligned second tube holding areas, said first tube holder having a tube clamp for clamping each of the tubes in the respective tube holding areas, said second tube holder having a tube clamp for clamping each of the tubes in the respective tube holding areas whereby a fluid free area is created in each tube when said tube holders are in a loading station, one of said tube holders being laterally fixed and the other tube holder being laterally movable with respect to said fixed tube holder, and a spring mechanism urging said laterally movable tube holder toward said fixed tube holder while in said loading station, the improvement being in a clamp locking mechanism in said loading station to provide an action which supplements said spring mechanism to maintain said movable tube holder urged toward said fixed tube holder, wherein said clamp locking mechanism includes a pivot arm having a tip selectively imparting a force against said movable tube holder whereby said locking mechanism is in said locked position when said pivot arm tip imparts a force against said movable tube holder and said locking mechanism is in said unlocked position when said tip of said pivot arm does not impart a force against said movable tube holder, and a handle for selectively controlling the position of said tip.