Patent ID: 6121567
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
An apparatus for precisely aligning and welding a first piece of weldable material to a second piece of weldable material, comprising:a high precision alignment device, comprising clamping means sized and shaped for receiving and removably clamping a first terminus of said first piece of weldable material in a first plane of spatial orientation and sized and shaped for receiving, removably clamping and aligning a first terminus of said second piece of weldable material in said first plane of spatial orientation in such a manner that said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material is substantially in alignment with and substantially abuts against said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material to form an abutment junction when said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material and said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material are fully inserted into said alignment device;orbital welding means attached to said high precision alignment device and positioned for applying a weld to said abutment junction as said orbital welding means orbits said abutment junction;a first jaw, having a first end, a second end, first alignment zone, having a first section and a second section inside surface that define an alignment gap;a second jaw, having a first end, a second end, and a second alignment zone having an inside surface that defines a second alignment gap;a pre-lock clamping jaw having a first end, a second end and a third alignment zone having an inner surface that defines a third alignment gap, said third alignment gap being of substantially the same dimensions as said second alignment gap; said pre-lock clamping jaw being pivotably attached and oriented to said first jaw in such a manner that said inside surface of said third alignment zone and said first section inside surface of said first alignment zone cooperatively define a first section of an alignment conduit that is sized and shaped to snugly encircle and firmly secure said first terminus of said first piece of weldable material when said first end of said first jaw is at a first separation distance from said first end of said second jaw; said second jaw being pivotably attached to said first jaw and being oriented to said first jaw in such a manner that said second section inside surface of said first alignment zone and said inside surface said second alignment zone cooperatively define a second section of said alignment conduit that is at least partially contiguous with said first section of said alignment conduit and that is sized and shaped to snugly encircle and firmly secure said first terminus of said second piece of weldable material when said first end of said first jaw is at a second, closer separation distance from said first end of said second jaw.