Apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding

An apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding a hopper containing flux and accommodating a bowl having means for supplying flux and its pressing and having its open upper part facing towards a work being welded, a rear wall of the bowl in the welding direction being made in the form of a movable plate supported by a pivot pin extending perpendicularly with respect to its surface. Adjacent to a movable plate in the bowl is mounted a welding nozzle for supplying a consumable electrode and a forming means is provided above the brim of the open part of the bowl on a suspension supported by a pivot pin for cooperation with the movable plate and for oscillations in the longitudinal and transverse planes, and the hopper is suspended on the pivot pin of the suspension of the forming means. The pivot pin supporting the movable plate is mounted on a means for pressing an upper end face of the movable plate against the front end extremity of the underside of the forming means. Such construction of the apparatus during welding prevents accumulation and jamming of the flux in the bowl under the forming means, creates the optimum conditions for oscillations of the forming means and provides for automatic maintenance of preset pressures of the flux on different parts along a joint being welded. The invention may be preferably used for welding longitudinal and rotatable annular joints.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to equipment for arc welding, and more specifically, 
it deals with an apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
A large number of operations are performed in the manufacture of welded 
structures with welding of rotatable annular joints of hollow products 
with a restricted access to joints being welded from the interior. Such 
joints include annular joints of closed vessels, annular joints of 
pipelines, tanks, casings, assembly welds, shell plating seams of ship 
hulls; longitudinal welds of large-area products which it is difficult to 
place to a position facilitating welding. Such joints include joints 
between difficult-to-position webs, segments, three-dimensional and planar 
sections and other members. 
The overhead submerged-arc welding method is characterized by the fact that 
a consumable electrode and welding bath are turned at 180.degree. in 
comparison with the downhand submerged-arc welding. Flux and electrode are 
supplied from bottom up, i.e. as though towards a ceiling. The electrode 
is supplied through compacted flux. 
This is why this welding method will be referred to hereinbelow as overhead 
submerged-arc welding. 
This welding method is referred to as the overhead submerged-arc welding 
also because arc is in the body of metal. 
So called overhead welds are produced as a result of such welding. 
Overhead welds may be of various types, e.g. penetration overhead welds and 
sealing overhead welds. There may also be one-pass overhead welds and 
other overhead welds. 
The penetration overhead welds are the welds which are first to be produced 
in welding a joint and which are located in the top part of sections being 
welded, on the opposite side of the joint with respect to the electrode 
supply. Further welding of the joint, i.e. producing further welds, can be 
carried out by any appropriate known method, the electrode being supplied 
on the same side as was the case in producing the penetration overhead 
weld, e.g. producing inner penetration welds of rotatable annular joints 
of vessels, tanks, joints between bottom sections of shell plating of 
ships, and other structures. 
The overhead submerged-arc welding of penetration welds mainly allows 
welding inside vessels in producing rotatable annular welds to be 
eliminated, and welding can also be avoided in confined spaces in 
producing straight welds of structures with an access on the side opposite 
to the ceiling. 
The sealing overhead welds are the welds which are first to be produced in 
welding a joint and which are located in the bottom part of sections being 
welded on the joint side in the vicinity to the electrode supply. Further 
welding is carried out by any appropriate known method, the electrode 
being supplied on the opposite side of the joint as compared with overhead 
welding. 
In practice, the penetration overhead welds are produced in welding annular 
and longitudinal joints of structures with a restricted access to joints 
being welded from the interior. 
The sealing welds are produced in welding elongated longitudinal joints of 
difficult-to-position products such as plate structures made out of 
segments or other members. 
The one-pass overhead welds are the welds produced in welding joints of a 
limited thickness located over the whole welded section. No further 
welding of the joint on either side is required. 
Many problems arise in producing sealing and one-pass welds in forming the 
surface of the finished weld. 
The metal in the welding bath formed during arcing by fusion of the metal 
being welded, electrode material and welding flux is held by the crust of 
partly melted flux and by forming means. Forming means may be of various 
configuration and size and may be, e.g. in the form of plates, backings, 
bars, sliders and other members. 
Flux is positively pressed against the welding spot from bottom, and as 
flux is consumed, its stock is continually replenished. Flux may be 
supplied for forming the top part of the weld either on the bottom side 
through the gap between the edges of welded members or from top by any 
appropriate known method so as to form a filled flux layer. Special 
forming backings or flux holders may also be used. 
Special problems arise in welding joints of large-size cylindrical or like 
products such as ship hulls and boiler units where especially high quality 
of welds is required and where the product should be rotated about its 
axis during welding, and also in welding large-size planar members which 
it is difficult to place to a position facilitating welding. 
Known in the art is an apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding 
(SU,A,1348111), comprising a hopper containing flux and accommodating a 
bowl and a welding nozzle for a consumable electrode extending through the 
hopper and bowl. 
The hopper supports a welding head. The hopper is pivotally mounted on a 
suspension for rotation about a pivot pin of the suspension. The same 
pivot pin supporting the hopper also supports a forming means and a 
copying member in the form of a copying wheel. The apparatus has means for 
turning the hopper about its support pivot pin and a means for pressing 
the forming means with the copying member against a work being welded. The 
support pivot pin of the hopper is aligned with the upper end face of a 
rear wall of the bowl. The forming means is mounted in such a manner that 
the main part thereof is received in the bowl above the brim of an outlet 
port thereof facing towards the work being welded. The pivot pin 
supporting the hopper is mounted on a mounting arm provided on a carriage 
which has the means for pressing the forming means with the copying member 
against the work being welded, comprising a power actuator for moving the 
carriage in the direction towards the work being welded. 
The support pivot pin is mounted on the hopper in an offset position with 
respect to a means for supplying flux and pressing it against the work 
being welded so that the hopper supported by this pivot pin forms a 
double-arm lever, one arm of the lever supporting the means for supplying 
flux and pressing it against the work being welded and the other arm being 
connected to the means for turning the hopper about the support pivot pin. 
The means for turning the hopper is in the form of a power actuator 
pivotally connected to the hopper and carriage. 
The hopper suspension is mounted on a driven trolley which is adapted to 
move in the welding direction. 
The construction of the prior art apparatus makes it possible to vary both 
absolute values of flux pressure in the bowl and force with which the 
forming means is pressed against the work being welded and the ratio 
therebetween. 
This apparatus allows welding to be carried out with the desired weld 
formation on either side thereof in a broad range of process capabilities 
with a wide range of welded structures. 
However, as the forming means and the copying wheel in this apparatus are 
mounted on one and the same pivot pin aligned with the upper end face of 
the rear wall of the bowl which is stationary, the forming means is 
pressed away from the work in cases of substantial convexities of the 
joint being welded on the underside thereof. This results in a substantial 
change in position of the axis of oscillations of the hopper and copying 
wheel with respect to the surface of the work being welded, hence, in an 
abrupt change in preset flux pressures in the bowl at various points of 
formation of the welding bath (upstream of the arc, in the zone of the arc 
and welding bath, and at the point of solidification of the welding bath), 
i.e. in a disruption of welding as a whole and in impaired quality of 
welded joints. 
In case of a substantial concavity of a joint being welded on the underside 
of the work, the forming means is separated therefrom, and a substantial 
additional space is formed between the working face of the forming means 
and the work so that welding is also disrupted. 
In addition, the provision of the main part of the forming means inside the 
bowl, in the area of strongly compacted flux filling it during welding, 
hampers oscillations of the forming means with respect to its pivot pin 
thus hampering copying of the surface of the work and disrupting 
conditions for maintaining a constant preset flux pressure in the bowl, 
hence, resulting in a lower welding quality as a whole. 
Also known in the art is an apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding 
(DE,C, 3430394), comprising a hopper containing flux and accommodating a 
bowl having inlet and outlet ports. The inlet port of the bowl 
communicates with a supply pipe which house an auger connected to a drive. 
The outlet port of the bowl faces towards a work being welded. A welding 
nozzle for a consumable electrode extends through the hopper and the bowl. 
The hopper supports a welding head and an auger drive. 
The hopper is pivotally mounted on a mounting arm for rotation about its 
pivot pin. 
The pivot pin supporting the hopper is mounted on the mounting arm which is 
movable in the direction towards the work being welded. This mounting arm 
also supports a forming means and a copying member which are attached 
thereto by means of pivot pins and suspensions. 
The forming means is mounted for oscillations in its transverse and 
longitudinal planes. A transverse bar is provided at the front edge of the 
forming means located adjacent to the welding nozzle on the bottom face of 
the forming means, the transverse bar cooperating with the rear wall of 
the bowl during welding. 
The copying member engages the surface of the work being welded during 
welding. The support pivot pin of the forming means is in the form of a 
point-like abutment at the end of a double-arm lever having its fulcrum 
attached to a mounting arm, the other arm of the lever being connected to 
another power actuator pivotally connected to the mounting arm. The 
copying member is in the form of a copying wheel and is mounted on the 
pivot pin supporting the hopper. The pivot pin supporting the forming 
means in another embodiment of the apparatus is in the form of a 
point-like abutment at the end of a mounting arm adjacent to the welding 
nozzle. In this embodiment of the apparatus, the copying member is in the 
form of projections on the surface of the forming means, the pivot pin 
supporting the hopper is located on the side of the forming means remote 
from the nozzle, and the hopper has a means for moving it with respect to 
its support pivot pin. 
In this apparatus, the mounting arm is mounted on a carriage which has a 
drive for moving it and is mounted on a driven trolley for moving the 
whole apparatus in the welding direction. 
This apparatus allows permanent contact between the forming means and 
copying member on the one hand and the work being welded on the other hand 
to be ensured during welding with various errors of assembly before 
welding and of geometry of the joint being welded (e.g. misalignment of 
plate edges, convexity and concavity, undulations, clearances, and the 
like). 
Therefore, upon any change in position of the forming means during welding 
caused by an admissible change in profile of the surface of the work being 
welded at point of their contact the possibility of the forming means 
acting upon position of the hopper containing flux is prevented. This 
facility prevents the hopper from performing undesired oscillations upon 
changes in profile of the work surface and stabilizes welding parameters 
such as flux backing thickness and flux pressure in the welding zone. 
The flux backing is an area of a compacted compressed flux layer which has 
a preset pressure distributed over the whole area of the flux backing and 
which is located between the top part of the bowl facing towards the work 
being welded and the surface of the work being welded to exert a local 
pressure upon the surface of the joint being welded in the welding zone. 
This construction of the apparatus provides conditions for a smooth copying 
of the surface of the joint being welded by the forming means without 
jerks and shakes which is necessary for maintaining stable preset values 
of flux pressure acting upon the welding bath and upon zones in which the 
welding bath is formed along the joint being welded. 
The construction of the prior art apparatus also provides conditions for a 
smooth copying of the surface of the joint being welded by the forming 
means and for adjusting position of the hopper with respect to the work 
being welded which is necessary for carrying out welding of products of 
different configurations. 
In this apparatus, a change in position of the forming means during welding 
which occurs because of errors of geometry and assembly of the joint being 
welded does not cause a change in position of the pivot pin supporting the 
hopper with respect to the surface of the work being welded. 
In welding with such an apparatus, owing to the creating and maintenance at 
a constant level of preset flux pressures at various points along the 
joint being welded (upstream of the arc, in the arc and welding bath zone, 
and in the zone downstream of the welding bath and up to the formed weld), 
the possibility of automatic conduct of welding of overhead welds and 
production of high-quality welded joints is ensured. 
This apparatus also ensures high-quality overhead welding in a broad range 
of process capabilities. 
However, in welding products with large assembly errors of joints before 
welding or with local changes in geometry of joints being welded (e.g. in 
welding thin-walled bottles, receivers, and the like), when the forming 
means substantially changes its position with respect to the work, flux 
can be jammed in the space between the rear wall of the bowl and the bar 
at the bottom of the forming means. This jamming of flux results in the 
bowl being pressed away, together with the hopper, from the surface of the 
work being welded; an additional space is formed between the bowl and 
work, hence, the preset flux pressure in the zone of the electrode and at 
various points along the joint being welded is changed thus bringing about 
disruption of welding and lower welding quality over a broad range of 
process conditions. 
In addition, the pivot pin supporting the hopper and the pivot pin 
supporting the forming means in this apparatus are spaced from each other 
which, in welding the abovementioned products having errors of geometry 
and assembly of joints, causes a substantial relative movement of the 
forming means with the transverse bar located at its bottom and the rear 
wall of the bowl so as to intensity jamming of flux in the clearance 
between the rear wall of the bowl and the transverse bar and result in 
fluctuations of the preset pressure of flux in the bowl and in a lower 
welding quality. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The main object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for 
overhead submerged- arc welding in which construction of the rear wall of 
the bowl and its fixation and corresponding location of the pivot pin 
supporting the forming means and the pivot pin supporting the hopper 
containing the flux during welding would allow free oscillations of the 
forming means on the pivot pin relative its longitudinal and transverse 
surfaces required to maintain a preset pressure of flux on the portions of 
the works having different geometry and errors of assembly, as well as 
crystallization of the weld metal with significant offsets of the edges of 
welded joints to produce high-quality overhead welds with a required 
formation of a weld at both sides over a broad range of process 
capabilities (as during bottom welding). 
The above object is accomplished by an apparatus for overhead submerged-arc 
welding, comprising a suspended pivotally mounted rotatable hopper 
containing flux and accommodating a bowl having means for supplying flux 
and pressing it against a work being welded, the open top part of the bowl 
facing towards the work being welded, a welding nozzle for supplying a 
consumable electrode extending through the bowl and mounted adjacent to a 
rear wall thereof in the welding direction, and a forming means mounted 
above the brim of the open part of the bowl on a suspension supported by a 
pivot pin, the forming means being mounted on a suspension for cooperation 
with the rear wall of the bowl and for oscillations in its own 
longitudinal and transverse planes. According to the invention, the rear 
wall of the bowl is in the form of a movable plate mounted on a pivot pin 
extending perpendicularly to its surface and mounted on a means for 
pressing the upper end face of the movable plate against the front end 
extremity of the underside of the forming means, the hopper containing 
flux being supported by the pivot pin supporting the suspension of the 
forming means. 
This construction of the apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding, in 
which the rear wall of the bowl is in the form of a movable plate mounted 
on a pivot pin which is perpendicular with respect to its surface and 
mounted on the means for pressing the upper end face of the movable plate 
against the front end extremity of the underside of the forming means, and 
in which the pivot pin supporting the forming means suspension is the 
pivot pin supporting the hopper containing flux, prevents flux from 
accumulating and being jammed in the bowl under the forming means and 
ensures free oscillations of the forming means on the suspension in the 
longitudinal and transverse planes thereof, the forming means movement 
with respect to the rear wall of the bowl being prevented, whereby optimum 
conditions for oscillations of the forming means are provided in welding 
products with errors of assembly of joints, especially with large 
alternating misalignments of plate edges, errors of geometry, e.g. in 
welding bottom plates of railway tanks, receivers, boiler and other 
products so that automatic maintenance of preset flux pressures can be 
ensured at various points along the joint being welded and high-quality 
welds can be produced in welding intricately profiled structures, 
especially those with long joints having errors of geometry and assembly 
before welding. 
The means for pressing preferably comprises a double-arm lever mounted on 
the bowl, the pivot pin supporting the movable plate being attached to one 
end of the lever, the other end of the double-arm lever being biased by an 
adjustable spring, a retainable means for adjusting the stroke of the 
movable spring being provided on the double-arm lever, the fulcrum of the 
double-arm lever extending in parallel with the axis of oscillations of 
the movable plate. 
This construction of the means for pressing the movable plate ensures the 
necessary adjustable pressure of the upper end face of the movable plate, 
which forms the rear wall of the bowl, against the front end extremity of 
the underside of the forming means and provides for a distribution of 
forces of pressure of the forming means and bowl against the work being 
welded necessary for the overhead submerged-arc welding, whereby the 
overhead submerged-arc welding can be carried out under optimum process 
conditions so as to substantially enhance quality of welded joints. 
The apparatus features enhanced quality performance in carrying out 
overhead submerged-arc welding owing to the maintenance of substantially 
all welding parameters at a stable level.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The reference is now made to the accompanying drawings which show a 
specific embodiment of an apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding 
according to the invention. 
An apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding comprises a hopper 1 (FIG. 
1) containing flux 2. The hopper 1 accommodates means for supplying flux 2 
and for pressing it against a work 3 being welded, and a bowl 4 having 
inlet and outlet ports is provided in the upper part of the hopper 1. 
The inlet port of the bowl 4 is connected to a supply pipe 5 housing an 
auger 6 which is connected, by means of spur gears 7, 8, to a drive 9. The 
outlet port of the bowl 4 faces towards the work 3 being welded. The pipe 
5 with the auger 6 form means for supplying flux 2 and pressing it against 
the work 3 being welded. 
The supply of flux 2 from the hopper 1 to the joint being welded is carried 
out in the following manner. 
During rotation of the auger 6 by means of the drive 9, flux 2 is supplied 
through a port 10 in the bottom part of the supply pipe 5, through the 
supply pipe 5 to the bowl 4. 
The bowl 4 is designed for forming a flux backing and for exerting 
therethrough a local pressure upon an area extending along the joint being 
welded upstream the arc with respect to finished weld 11 as well as along 
the welding bath on the underside of the work 3 being welded. 
The hopper 1 has a welding head 12 having a welding nozzle 13 for supplying 
a consumable electrode 14, e.g. from a coil 15 of electrode wire by a 
supply means of the welding head 12. 
The nozzle 13 is mounted in the hopper 1 in such a manner as to extend 
through the bowl, and its end extending in the bowl 4 is offset with 
respect to the supply pipe 5. 
This offset position of the nozzle 13 with respect to the supply pipe 5 is 
made because non-uniform distribution of preset flux pressure 2 upon the 
work 3 being welded occurs in the zone of supply of flux 2 from the hopper 
1 to the bowl 4. At the same time, to ensure stability of parameters of 
overhead submerged-arc welding, it is necessary to have uniform pressure 
and pressure distribution of flux 2 in the arcing zone adjacent to the 
electrode 14. 
This uniform distribution of pressure in the vicinity to the electrode 14 
is achieved owing to the fact that flux backing is pressed against the 
work 3 being welded at a constant preset pressure, and uniform 
distribution of this pressure over the welding zone occurs owing to 
friction forces developed upon relative movement of the work 3 being 
welded and the welding apparatus. 
Surplus flux that did not participate in welding overflows through the bowl 
4 and spills freely back to the hopper 1. 
Circulation of flux 2 from the hopper 1 to the welding spot is thereby 
provided thus enhancing cost-effectiveness of welding. 
A forming means 16 is provided adjacent to the welding nozzle 13 in a 
spaced relation to the electrode 14. The forming means 16 is in the form 
of a bar made of a heat-resistant heat conducting material with a profile 
of the face cooperating with the flux backing and the work 3 being welded 
which ensures the build-up of necessary pressures in the welding zone and 
formation of the finished weld 11. The bar may be cooled, e.g. with water 
or air. 
For producing welded joints with a preset configuration of weld 
reinforcement on the underside of the work, i.e. on the ceiling side, the 
forming means 16 may be made, e.g. in the form of a slider. In this case 
the slider is adapted for a direct contact with the weld being formed. The 
provision of the forming means 16 in the form of a slider enhances quality 
of the surface of the finished weld 11. 
Configuration and profile of such a contact face of the forming means 16 
cooperating with the work during welding are chosen mainly in accordance 
with the joint type, desired shape and dimensions of the finished weld, 
grade and type of fluxes used and welding conditions. 
The suspended pivotally mounted rotatable hopper 1 containing flux 2 is 
supported by a pivot pin 17 of a suspension of the forming means 16. 
According to the invention, the pivot pin 17 supporting the hopper 1 and 
suspension of the forming means 16 is mounted in a mounting arm 18 of a 
carriage 19 mounted on guide rods 20. 
The welding nozzle 13 extends through the bowl 4 and is located adjacent to 
the rear wall of the bowl in the welding direction. 
The forming means 16 is mounted above the brim of the open part of the bowl 
4 on a suspension which is supported by the pivot pin 17 and is mounted on 
the suspension for cooperation with the rear wall of the bowl 4 and for 
oscillations in the longitudinal and transverse planes of the forming 
means. 
The pivot pin 17 supporting the hopper 1 containing flux 2 and the 
suspension of the forming means 16 should ensure oscillations of the 
hopper 1 and suspension of the forming means 16 in the plane of the joint 
being welded. 
The suspension of the forming means 16 is in the form of a double-arm lever 
21. One end of the double-arm lever 21 supports the pivot pin of the 
suspension of the forming means 16 which is in the form of a point-like 
abutment 22. 
The forming means 16 is constructed and mounted on the abutment 22 in such 
a manner as to ensure its self-positioning with respect to the surface of 
the work 3 being welded. 
The other arm of the double-arm lever 21 is connected to a power actuator 
23 (e.g., with an air or hydraulic cylinder). The power actuator 23 may be 
in the form of spring means, weights and counterweights, and the like. 
The power actuator 23 is pivotally mounted on the mounting arm 18. 
This construction of the suspension of the forming means 16 allows the 
surface of the work 3 being welded to be copied by the forming means 16 in 
an especially accurate and smooth manner. This suspension ensures 
compensation for friction forces developed during cooperation of the 
surface of the work 3 being welded with the forming means 16 so as to 
provide conditions for a stable maintenance of preset overhead welding 
parameters. 
A copying member 24, e.g. in the form of a copying wheel is provided at the 
end of the mounting arm 18 by means of a pivot pin. The copying member 24 
is designed for ensuring a constant distance from the surface of the work 
3 being welded to the pivot pin supporting the hopper 1 containing flux 2 
and the suspension of the forming means 16. 
This constant distance is necessary to stabilize pressures exerted by the 
flux backing upon the surface of the work 13 being welded thus stabilizing 
all parameters of overhead submerged-arc welding. 
The carriage 19 is adapted to move in the direction towards the work 3 
being welded, and for that purpose it is installed on appropriate guide 
members, e.g. in the form of the guide rods 20. 
The carriage 19 is provided with a means for pressing the copying member 24 
against the work 3 being welded, which is in the form of a power actuator 
25 (e.g., an air or hydraulic cylinder) for moving the carriage 19 in the 
direction towards the work 3 being welded. 
In order to ensure necessary pressures of the flux backing upon the work 3 
being welded, the apparatus is provided with a means for turning the 
hopper 1 about its support pivot pin 17. 
The means for turning the hopper 1 about its support pivot pin 17 is made 
in the form of a power actuator 26 (e.g., an air or hydraulic cylinder), 
which is pivotally connected to the hopper 1 and to the carriage 19. 
The pivot pin 17 may be mounted on the hopper 1 in an offset position with 
respect to the means for supplying flux 2 and pressing it against the work 
3 being welded. 
In this case, the hopper 1 is preferably connected to the means for turning 
the hopper 1 about its support pivot pin 17 on the opposite side. 
The power actuator 26 may also be of any other appropriate known type, e.g. 
in the form of spring means or a weight attached to the hopper 1. 
This construction of the hopper 1 makes it possible to provide a highly 
sensitive system reacting to changes in profile of the surface of the work 
3 being welded and automatically maintaining the necessary preset 
pressures of flux 2 in the welding zone. 
Supporting the double-arm lever 21 of the suspension of the forming means 
16 on the abutment 22, arranging the pivot pin 17 supporting the hopper 1 
and supporting the lever on the mounting arm 18 of the carriage 19, and 
the operative connection of the carriage 19 through the mounting arm 18 to 
the copying member 24 and the work 3 being welded allow position of the 
double-arm lever 21 with respect to the work 3 being welded to be 
stabilized with deviations from regular geometry of the products and in 
welding products of irregular geometry. 
This stabilization of position of the double-arm lever 21 ensures, during 
welding, constant preset angles of cooperation of the forming means 16 
with the surface of the work 3 being welded thereby maintaining a constant 
distributed pressures of flux 2 at various points along the joint being 
welded at the welding spot. 
In the apparatus according to the invention, the rear wall of the bowl 4 is 
made in the form of a movable plate 27 (FIGS. 1,2). The plate 27 is 
mounted on a pivot pin 28 extending perpendicularly with respect to its 
surface. The pivot pin 28 is mounted on a means for pressing an upper end 
face 29 of the movable plate 27 against the front end extremity of the 
underside of the forming means 16 (FIG. 1). 
The underside of the front end extremity of the forming means 16 may be 
flat, and the upper end face of the movable plate 27 engageable with this 
flat surface of the forming means 16 may be straight, with rounded edges 
to facilitate cooperation. 
The rear wall of the bowl 4 may be in the form of the planar movable plate 
27 (FIGS. 1,2) mounted on the pivot pin 28 extending perpendicularly with 
respect to the plane of the plate 27 and equally spaced from its edge 30 
(FIG. 2.) 
The provision of the rear wall of the bowl 4 in the form of the movable 
plate 27 mounted on the pivot pin 28 extending perpendicularly with 
respect to its surface and installed on the means for pressing the upper 
end face 29 of the movable plate 27 against the front end extremity of the 
underside of the forming means 16 (FIG. 1) and supporting the hopper 1 and 
the suspension of the forming means 16 on one and the same pivot pin 
prevent flux 2 from being jammed in the bowl 4 under the forming means 16 
during welding and ensure optimum conditions for unobstructed oscillations 
of the forming means 16 on the suspension in the longitudinal and 
transverse planes of the forming means. 
In addition, with such a construction, movement of the forming means 16 
with respect to the rear wall of the bowl 4 is prevented so that optimum 
conditions are provided for oscillations of the forming means 16 and for 
solidification of the weld metal in welding products with errors of 
assembly and geometry of joints, e.g. in welding annular joints of 
boilers, receivers, railway tanks and longitudinal joints and seams of 
bottom sections of ship hulls and other products, whereby automatic 
maintenance of preset pressures of flux 2 at various points along the 
joint being welded is ensured and high-quality welds 11 can be produced in 
welding intricately profiled works 3, especially with long joints having 
errors of geometry and assembly before welding. 
The means for pressing the movable plate preferably comprises a double-arm 
lever 31 (FIG. 2) mounted on the bowl 4 and pivotally secured to a pivot 
pin 32. 
The pivot pin 28 for oscillations of the movable plate 27 is mounted at one 
end of the double-arm lever 31. 
The other end of the lever 31 is biased by an adjustable spring 33. The 
lever 31 also has a retainable means 34 for adjusting the stroke of the 
movable plate 27 which is engageable with a projections of the bowl 4. The 
pivot pin 32 of the double-arm lever 31 extends in parallel with the pivot 
pin 28 supporting the movable plate 27. 
This construction of the means for pressing the movable plate 27 ensures 
the necessary adjustable pressure of the upper end face 29 of the movable 
plate 27 forming the rear wall of the bowl 4 against the front end 
extremity of the underside of the forming means 16 (FIG. 1) and ensures a 
distribution of forces pressing the forming means 16 and the bowl 4 
against the work being welded necessary for the overhead submerged-arc 
welding so as to allow the overhead submerged-arc welding to be carried 
out under optimum process conditions thereby substantially enhancing 
quality of welded joints. 
For moving the apparatus in the welding direction, it is provided with a 
driven trolley 35 to which the guide rods 20 for movement of the carriage 
19 are rigidly secured and on which the power actuator 25 for moving the 
carriage 19 is pivotally mounted. The driven trolley 35 has its own drive 
36. 
The driven trolley 35 is necessary for moving the apparatus along a joint 
being welded. The driven trolley 35 is designed for moving the whole 
apparatus along the joint being welded which is necessary in welding long 
longitudinal joints of difficult-to-position planar sections or plate 
structures as well as other products, especially in carrying out the 
overhead welding. 
The advantages of the abovedescribed apparatus will be especially 
remarkable in producing penetration, sealing and one-pass overhead welds. 
The abovedescribed apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding functions 
in the following manner. 
Flux 2 is loaded in the hopper 2 before welding. Composition of flux 2 used 
for the overhead welding is chosen mainly in accordance with the material 
of welded structures, geometry of joints and welding conditions. 
The fluxes used mainly consist of SiO.sub.2, MnO, CaO, MgO, Al.sub.2 
O.sub.3, CaF.sub.2 and other components which ensure stable arcing, fusion 
of the work metal, protection of the welding bath and formation of the 
finished weld. 
Before welding, the apparatus for overhead submerged-arc welding is placed 
under the work 3 being welded. Two options are available in doing this. 
In welding long straight joints of large-size products, the apparatus is 
generally moved along the joint being welded. 
In welding annular joints of rotatable structures, the apparatus remains 
stationary, and the structure is caused to rotate about its own axis in 
such a manner that the joint being welded remains in the electrode zone. 
When the apparatus is placed under the work 3 being welded, the power 
actuator 25 of the carriage 19 adjusted for welding a given product is 
switched on to press the copying member 24 against the work 3 being welded 
through the intermediary of the carriage 19 mounted on the guide rods 20 
and mounting arm 18. 
This pressure of the copying member 24 is effected during the entire joint 
welding time period. The copying member 24 is in permanent contact with 
the surface of the work 3 being welded. 
Then the power actuator 23 of the suspension of the forming means 16 and 
the power actuator 26 for turning the hopper, adjusted for welding of a 
given product, are switched on simultaneously. The forming means 16 is 
pressed against, and self-positioned with respect to the joint being 
welded, and the open upper part of the bowl facing towards the work 3 
being welded is pressed against the work 3 being welded. 
This pressure of the forming means 16 by means of the double-arm lever 21 
supported by the pivot pin 17 is carried out until the upper face of the 
forming means comes in touch with the outer surface of the work 3 being 
welded and the forming means 16 is self-positioned with respect to this 
surface of the joint being welded. 
During this self-positioning of the forming means 16 mounted on the 
abutment 22 of the double-arm lever 21, the forming means oscillates in 
its own longitudinal and transverse planes in response to changes in 
geometry and profile of the joint being welded. 
At the same time, the bowl 4 is positioned with respect to the surface of 
the work 3 being welded. This positioning of the bowl 4 occurs under the 
action of the power actuator 26 turning the bowl about the pivot pin 17 
supporting the hopper 1 and mounted on the mounting arm 18. 
The forming means 16 acts by the underside of its front end extremity upon 
the upper end face 29 of the movable plate 27 mounted on the pivot pin 28 
located midway between the edges of the movable plate 27 (FIG. 2). The 
upper end face 29 of the movable plate 27 is intimately pressed against 
the forming means 16 (FIG. 1) by means for pressing it and remains in 
permanent contact therewith during welding. Jamming of flux 2 and its 
spillage back to the bowl are thereby prevented. 
The pivot pin 28 supporting the movable plate 27 is permanently biased by 
the double-arm lever 31 (FIG. 2) mounted on the pivot pin 32 and biased by 
the spring 33. 
Before the welding, the force of the spring 33 is adjusted in accordance 
with the desired welding conditions by adjusting its length by means of 
nuts provided on a threaded portion of a rod on which the spring in 
installed. 
Position of the movable plate 27 with respect to the brim of the open part 
of the bowl 4 is also adjusted before welding by rotating the means 34 for 
adjusting the stroke of the movable plate 27. 
Then the drive 9 of the auger 6 (FIG. 1) is switched on after its 
adjustment for welding of a given work 3, and the drive imparts rotation 
to the auger 6 through the spur gears 7,8. Rotation of the auger results 
in flux 2 being supplied through the ports 10 in the bottom part of the 
supply pipe 5 and through the pipe 5 to the bowl 4. Flux 2 supplied to the 
bowl acts upon the surface of the joint being welded at the welding spot 
and forms a flux backing. 
Subsequently the drive 36 of the trolley 35 is switched on (it is switched 
on in welding longitudinal joints, and in welding annular joints, the 
drive 36 is not switched on, and a rotary drive for rotating the work is 
switched on, which is not shown in the drawing), and the trolley moves 
along a track 37. 
Voltage is then applied to the consumable electrode 14, the supply means of 
the welding head 12 is switched on for supplying the consumable electrode 
14 from the coil 15 through the welding nozzle 13 to the joint being 
welded. The joint is welded. The finished weld is produced. 
The accompanying drawings show an embodiment for overhead arc welding of 
longitudinal joints with the moving apparatus for overhead arc welding. 
When the apparatus according to the invention moves along the joint being 
welded, the forming means 16, mounted on the abutment 22 at the end of the 
double-arm lever 21 for oscillations in its own longitudinal and 
transverse planes, cooperates with the surface of the work 3 being welded, 
the forming means 16 copies the work profile and, depending on nature of 
changes in this profile, acts upon the movable plate 27 and the means for 
pressing the upper end face 29 thereof against the front end extremity of 
the underside of the forming means 16. The spring 33 (FIG. 2) ensures a 
constant preset pressure of the upper end face 29 of the movable plate 27 
against the forming means 16 (FIG. 1). 
The fact that the forming means 16 is supported by the abutment 22 of the 
double-arm lever 21 for oscillations in the longitudinal and transverse 
planes of the forming means and suspension of the forming means ensure 
copying of the surface of the work 3 being welded by the forming means 16, 
and the provision of the rear wall of the bowl 4 in the form of the 
movable plate 27, its support on the bowl and the provision of the means 
for pressing the upper end face 29 of the movable plate 27 against the 
front-end extremity of the underside of the forming means 16 allow a 
highly sensitive system to be provided which reacts to changes in profile 
of the surface of the work 3 being welded, ensures unobstructed 
oscillations of the forming means 16 on its suspension and prevents 
displacement of the forming means 16 with respect to the rear wall of the 
bowl 4 so as to automatically maintain preset flux pressures in the 
welding zone and enhance quality of welded joints. 
With such a contact between the forming means 16 and bowl 4 with the work 3 
being welded (through the intermediary of the flux backing) it is possible 
to ensure production of overhead welds with a better quality of their 
surface. 
The finished weld 11 in such cases is produced with accurately preset 
dimensions and features smooth transitions between the weld metal and base 
metal of the work 3 being welded even with ultimate admissible errors of 
assembly and geometry of joints and has a good external appearance and 
high surface finish. 
The apparatus according to the invention for overhead submerged-arc welding 
makes it possible to carry out automatic overhead welding of joints with 
enhanced quality in forming both sides of the welds and with a much higher 
productivity of the overhead welding in comparison with prior art 
apparatuses, the overhead welds produced by such an apparatus having a 
better quality and featuring preset dimensions of weld reinforcement on 
either side. 
To the most advantage the apparatus may be used for overhead submerged-arc 
welding for producing back-up and single-pass welds in cases when an 
increased quality of surface formation is required, both from outer and 
inner sides of a joint being welded (for example, annular joints of 
reservoirs, pipelines, vessels, casings and boilers or elongated 
longitudinal welds of large size planar and three-dimensional sections, 
widths, segments et al).