ELECTRIC FUSION WELDING OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS

Abstract: An improved welding rod having a solid homogeneous core of thermoplastic material and a resistance element comprised of a plurality of wires is presented with a method and apparatus for forming the welding rod. The welding rod is positioned between members of the thermoplastic material to be welded and a current and pressure is applied to the resistance element causing the thermoplastic material of the solid core and the adjacent thermoplastic members to fuse and form a unitary weld. Simultaneously the electrical resistance element is embedded in the weld, mechanically reinforcing and strengthening the connection. There is also disclosed a method for electric fusion welding of thermoplastic members wherein the welding rod is pre-attached to one of the thermoplastic members.

Description: ELECTRIC FUSION WELDING OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIALS This is a continuation-in-part of application Serial Number 07/698,243, filed May 6, 1991, which was a continuation of application Serial Number 07/456,576, filed December 29, 1989, abandoned, which was a continuation-in-part of application Serial Number 07/152,016, filed February 3, 1988, abandoned FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the welding of members of thermoplastic materials including polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylons, polypropylene, acetals, and the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thermoplasticmaterials includingpolyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylons, polypropylene, acetals, and the like have become increasingly important as materials of construction because of their moldability, ease of handling, light weight, and ability to withstand corrosion. In many applications however, mechanical joints such as threaded joints are unacceptable because they are not fluidtight. This is particularly of concern in the handling of hazardous materials and waste. Numerous techniques have therefore been developed for the joining of thermoplastic materials including welding and the use of adhesives. The use of adhesives or solvents for making joints in plastic pipe, etc. is inconvenient in field applications where conditions are not ideal and where the time SUBSTITUTESHEET and other factors required to develop the maximum bond strength may not be available. Moreover, it may be impossible to find a suitable adhesive for the thermoplastic material. Polyethylene has in the past been welded by techniques such as extrusion welding using a tool which applies heat to overlapped sheets of the thermoplastic material, and extrudes a bead of thermoplastic material at the edge of the lap. The bead of thermoplastic material is intended to fuse with the preheated sheets of the thermoplastic to form a liquid fusion of the two sheets and the extrudate to weld the overlapped sheets. This technique has not proven entirely satisfactory in practice because of a lack of uniformity in the welding process especially where hand held extrusion welding tools are used on large sheets of material. Another technique known in the prior art involves the use of a so-called "speed-tip" for welding sheets of thermoplastic material in which a welding rod of the thermoplastic material is fed through the nozzle of a hot air gun. The stream of hot air together with the melted thermoplastic are applied to the area to be welded. Once again problems of uniformity and completeness of weld are evident. Frequently such welds include pinholes or unwelded portions and can also include portions in which excess heat has been applied and the thermoplastic material damaged. Obviously, damaged and incomplete welds are most undesirable. A further technique utilizes a hot wedge which is passed between the sheets of thermoplastic material to heat the opposite faces which are then pressed together to form a bond. A number of electrically heated techniques for forming either lap or butt welds between two members of a thermoplastic material have been attempted in the past. SUBSTITUTE SHEET One technique involves the use of a bare wire or metal strip which is placed between the two members of thermoplastic material. This method is disclosed in the teachings of the following United States Patents: 2,243.506 (Mitchell); 2,647,072 (Smith); 2,742,390 (Beck); 2,974,566 (Hurley); 3,049,465 (Wilkins); 3,061,503 (Gould); 3,348,640 (Thompson); 4,416,713 (Brooks); 4,176,274 (Lippera); and 4,375,591 (Sturm). The present inventors have had experience in the welding of thermoplastic members without the supply of new material and have found that the wire can actually burn holes in the thermoplastic material of the members being welded. Accordingly it is very important to supply new material when welding two thermoplastic members. Some other forms of welding rods have been disclosed in which wire or metal strips are coated in a relatively thick layer of thermoplastic material. Thiε type of welding rod is disclosed in the following patents: US 2,983.306 (Resnick) ; US 3,506,519 and CA 837,562 (Blumenkranz) ; US 3,378,672 and CA811,837 (Blumenkranz); and FR 1.072.800. The present inventors have found that this type of welding rod results in the element being too remote from the surfaces to be welded. The plastic immediately surrounding the wire or metal strips burns before the material of the thermoplastic members melts. The weld, if formed, is of poor quality. French Patent Number 1,072,800, also describes the use of an adhesive to hold the welding rod in place on one sheet before applying the second sheet and welding the sheets together. The present inventors have tried this method of holding the welding rod in place. They have found that the use of adhesives or double-sided tape adversely affects the integrity of the weld SUBSTITUTE SHEET because the adhesive and double-sided tape act as a contaminants. These contaminants prohibit the intermolecular bonding that is desired between the thermoplastic members being joined and the welding rod. Many of the prior art techniques have only limited applications and are limited to the welding of certain shapes. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an improved welding rod, a method and apparatus for forming the welding rod, and methods of use of the welding rod. The welding rod is formed of a resistance element and a solid homogeneous core of thermoplastic material which provides a supply of thermoplastic material to the weld between two adjacent thermoplastic members. The resistance element is formed of a number of wires either wrapped in a helical pattern or braided around the solid core. The resistance element is then embedded in the solid core to draw the wires just below the surface of the solid core. Alternatively, the resistance element and the solid core are coated in a thin layer of thermoplastic material. The welding rod of the present invention provides a better distribution of heat and reduces the risk of overheating and burning of the thermoplastic, both of the solid core and the members being joined, which can adversely affect the quality of the weld. A double welding rod is also disclosed which can be formed into a variety of shapes to adapt to many different applications. In use the welding rod is positioned between the thermoplastic members to be welded and an electrical current is applied to the resistance element. Simultaneously, the members SUBSTITUTESHEET to be welded are pressed together. The electrical current is applied for a time and at an intensity to cause the solid core and portions of the thermoplastic material of the adjacent members to soften and fuse thereby welding the two members together. The resistance element forms a mechanical reinforcement in the weld thereby rendering a superior weld between the thermoplastic members. There is also disclosed a method for welding of adjacent members of thermoplastic material wherein the welding rod is pre-attached to one of the adjacent members of thermoplastic material. The welding rod and process for electric fusion welding of the present invention is very versatile, providing a means for the welding together of different shapes and sizes of thermoplastic members. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments of the present invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a welding rod in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the welding rod of Figure 1 taken along the line 2-2, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for forming the welding rod, Figure 4 is a perspective view of a welding rod at Stage A of production shown in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the welding rod of Figure 4, Figure 6 is a. perspective view of a terminal pin, SUBSTITUTESHEET Figure 7 illustrates the general procedure used to form a lap joint of thermoplastic material using the welding rod of Figure 1. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the completed weld of Figure 7, Figure 9 illustrates a butt weld between curved members such as for a longitudinal butt weld on a pipe, Figure 10 illustrates the weld of Figure 9 on completion. Figure 11 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the invention in performing a transverse butt weld on piping, Figure 12 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the welding rod of Figure 11, Figure 13 is a top plan view of a welding rod pre-attached to a thermoplastic member, Figure 14 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a welding rod pre-attached to a thermoplastic member. Figure 15 is a perspective view illustrating the use of a fusion ring for a transverse butt weld with a socket fitting of pipe sections, Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 15, Figure 17 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the fusion ring. Figure 18 is a front elevational view of the fusion ring of Figure 17, Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 15 with a rabbet fitting of the pipe sections, Figure 20 is a perspective view of a flattened double welding rod, and Figure 21 illustrates the use of the flattened double welding rod of Figure 20 to repair a seam between two thermoplastic sheets. SUBSTITUTESHEET DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the welding rod 10 of the present invention. The welding rod 10 is formed of a solid core 11 of thermoplastic material and a resistance element 12. The resistance element 12 is connected to terminal pins 15 at each end of the welding rod 10 for subsequent connection to a power supply (not shown) . The choice of materials and the dimensions of the solid core 11 and the resistance element 12 are dependent on the requirements of a particular application. For example the solid core 11 may be formed of thermoplastic materials including polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, nylons, polypropylene, acetals, and the like. In turn, the resistance element 12 may be formed of conducting metals including stainless steel, nichro e, iron, tin-copper alloy, and the like. For the purposes of this description, the solid core 11 is formed of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and the resistance element 12 is formed of stainless steel. The dimensions of the solid core 11 and the resistance element 12 presented in thiε discussion are chosen to provide a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It will be understood that these dimensions and the operating parameters discussed hereinafter are dependent on the particular application and the choice of materials. In the prior art "speed-tip" technique of joining thermoplastic members discussed above, a welding rod of thermoplastic material is fed through a nozzle. One type of thiε prior art welding rod is an extruded HDPE rod having a diameter of 5 millimetres. This welding rod is an ideal solid core 11 for the present invention. The solid core 11 should be homogeneous and free of any significant voids as discussed hereinafter. SUBSTITUTESHEET To form the welding rod 10 with the 5 millimetre diameter HDPE solid core 11, the resistance element 12 is comprised of sixteen strands of stainless steel wire 17 having a diameter of 0.006 inch. As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the wires 17 are would in eight pairs in a helical pattern around the solid core 11. The size and number of wires 17 of the resistance element 12 are factors which dictate the length of this helical pattern along the length of the solid core 11. In the present example, one revolution of a pair of wires 17 is approximately 1.25 inches long. In all caseε the configuration of the reεiεtance element 12 should provide a distribution of energy from the power source to cause uniform heating of the solid core 11. Often the limiting factor in the use of the welding rod 10 is the voltage permisεible at the welding site. For safety reaεonε the voltage iε often limited to a maximum of 120 volts. Accordingly the current iε dependent on the reεiεtance of the resistance element 12. One relatively large diameter wire 17 cannot be used as a resistance element 12 since it would tend to overheat and cause the solid core 11 to burn. By uεing a number of εmaller diameter wireε 17 diεtributed evenly around the solid core 11, there is better heat distribution in the solid core 11 without overheating and greater lengths of welds are achievable than would be possible with a single conductor. Once the wireε 17 are wound around the εolid core 11, the reεistance element 12 is embedded in the solid core 11 by holding the wires 17 in tension while softening the surface of the solid core 11 so that the wires 17 are drawn below the surface of the solid core 11. By embedding the resiεtance element 12, it iε not exposed to the atmosphere on the εurface of the εolid core 11. If the reεiεtance element 12 iε expoεed to the atmoεphere when connected to a power source, a hot spot can be created and the thermoplastic material of the solid core SUBSTITUTESHEET 11 and the thermoplastic memberε being welded will be burned. There are alεo advantages in the handling of the welding rod 10 having an embedded resiεtance element 12. It will be understood by thoεe εkilled in the art that the wireε 17 might catch and get tangled if they are expoεed on the εurface of the εolid core 11. Furthermore, the expoεed wireε 17 are more likely to get covered by dirt, greaεe, and other contaminantε which could adverεely affect the quality of the weld. A welding rod 10 which has an embedded resiεtance element 12 iε more readily cleaned of theεe contaminantε. While it is desirable to embed the resiεtance element 12 in the solid core 11, it is also desirable to control the depth of the embedding. If the resistance element 12 is embedded too deeply, the element 12 is too remote from the surfaceε being welded. The thermoplaεtic material immediately εurrounding the reεiεtance element 12 will burn before the thermoplaεtic material of the memberε being joined can εoften, resulting in a poor weld. Moreover the sixteen strandε of wire 17 would then begin to act as one larger diameter wire which is also unacceptable as it could cause overheating and therefore burning of the thermoplastic material of the solid core 11. Preferably the resistance element 12 is embedded just below the surface of the solid core 11. Figure 3 illustrates schematically an apparatus 20 which can be used to form the welding rod 10. The εolid core 11 is uncoiled from a core spool 21 and drawn through wire winding machine 22. The wire winding machine 22 winds sixteen wireε 17 in eight pairε in a helical pattern about the solid core 11. One revolution of a helix of a pair of wires 17 is approximately 1.25 inches long. Figures 4 and 5 show the welding rod 10 in more detail at Stage A of the process of forming the welding rod 10 with the wires 17 wound in a helical pattern about the solid core 11. SUBSTITUTE SHEET The solid core 11 and the resistance element 12 are held in tension and drawn through a heating chamber 25. The tension of the wires 17 and the softening of the solid core 11 cause the resistance element 12 to be drawn below the surface of the solid core 11. Subsequently the welding rod 10 is drawn through a cooling chamber 26 and wound on a welding rod spool 27. In this continuous process of forming the welding rod 10, it is advisable to engage the movement of the core spool 21 with the welding rod spool 27 by a common drive mechanism 28 so that the appropriate tension is maintained throughout the process. An example of the operating parameters of the apparatus 20 is: the solid core 11 is unwound from the core spool 21 at a rate of 6 to 7 feet/minute, the heating chamber 25 is controlled at a temperature of 400°C and has a length of 1.5 feet, and the cooling chamber 26 is a water bath controlled at a temperature of 38°C and haε a length of 1.0 foot. Aε shown in Figure 1, the welding rod 10 has a spiral pattern on its surface defining the path of the resistance element 12 as it is embedded in the softened solid core 11. If desired the apparatuε 20 can be adapted to include a die (not shown) after the heating chamber 25 to smooth the surface of the welding rod 10 or to mold the welding rod 10 into another shape. The resistance element 12 could also be formed of wires braided around the solid core 11. The apparatuε 20 could alεo be adapted to replace the heating chamber 25 with a cross-head extruder (not shown) to apply a thin coating of thermoplastic material over the resistance element 12. This adaptation is particularly useful when the resistance element 12 is braided around the solid core 11 and/or when the solid core 11 is formed of a relatively soft material such as polyvinyl chloride. SUBSTITUTESHEET Some methodε of producing the εolid core 11 use a fast cooling cycle of the thermoplastic extrudate. However, if the core 11 is cooled too quickly in the manufacture thereof, the exterior of the core 11 is hardened while the interior is still molten so that voids are formed in the interior of the core 11. Accordingly, as the core 11 is heated in the heating chamber 25 of the apparatus 20 during formation of the welding rod 10, the core 11 collapses at the voids so that the quality of the welding rod 10 is adverεely affected. Preferably, the solid core 11 should be homogeneous and free of any significant voids. In preparation of the welding rod 10 for use in the welding together of thermoplastic members, the required length of welding rod 10 is cut from the welding rod spool 27 and the terminal pins 15 are attached to the resiεtance element 12 at each end of the welding rod 10. Aε shown in Figure 6, the substantially trumpet-shaped terminal pin 15 could be formed of a thin-walled brasε tube. Preferably the terminal pin 15 haε a mouth 16 of a diameter εlightly leεε than that of the welding rod 10. The terminal pin 15 iε heated and the end of the welding rod 10 iε forced into the mouth 16 of the terminal pin 15. Aε the welding rod 10 iε further forced into the neck 14 of the terminal pin 15, the thermoplaεtic material of the εolid core 11 iε stripped from the resiεtance element 12. The terminal pin 15 iε then crimped onto the reεistance element 12 at the neck 14. Alternatively, a portion of the reεiεtance element 12 at each end of the welding rod 10 iε exposed by heating and stripping approximately 1/4 inch of the solid core 11 from each end of the welding rod 10 using, for example, a hot air gun and a pair of wire strippers. The exposed wires 17 of the resistance element 12 are then twisted together and a terminal pin 15 is connected to the reεiεtance element 12. After the terminal pin SUBSTITUTESHEET 15 iε attached, the thermoplastic at the base of the terminal pin 15 is reheated and the softened thermoplastic is pushed over the base of the terminal pin 15. Theεe methodε of attaching the terminal pin 15 enεure that the reεiεtance element 12 iε not expoεed to the atmoεphere when connected to a power εource thereby preventing overheating of the welding rod 10 at that point during welding due to the lack of thermoplaεtic material to abεorb the heat. If these steps are not taken, the thermoplastic material of the memberε being welded will burn rather than εoften on contact with the reεistance element 12. The welding rod 10 is very versatile and can be bent and formed into esεentially any εhape to effect welding of thermoplaεtic memberε. For example, the welding rod 10 can be uεed to fuεe tubular or planar thermoplaεtic members with butt or lap joints. Figure 7 illustrateε the general procedure for forming a welded lap joint between thermoplastic members. A pair of sheetε of thermoplaεtic material 32 and 33 are positioned on either side of a welding rod 10. A variable voltage transformer 34 is connected to a source of power at 35 and further connected via a suitable switch 36 to the resiεtance element 12 through the terminal pins 15. An electrical current is pasεed through the reεiεtance element 12 and εimultaneously presεure is applied above and below on the sheets 32 and 33. As the electrical current paεεeε through the resistance element 12, the solid core 11 and the thermoplastic material of the thermoplastic sheets 32 and 33 in the vicinity of the welding rod 10 begin to soften. The electrical current is continued for a time and intensity to cause the thermoplastic material of the welding rod 10 and the SUBSTITUTESHEET thermoplastic sheets 32 and 33 to soften and melt. After the electrical current iε diεcontinued, the application of preεεure above and below the thermoplaεtic εheetε 32 and 33 is continued so that the solid core 11 and the two thermoplastic sheets 32 and 33 fuse and solidify thereby forming a unified weld. The resiεtance element 12 remains in the weld and reinforces or "stitches" the weld mechanically. Another advantage to having the resiεtance element 12 in place in the weld iε to allow reheating of the weld in the event of a weld failure due to inεufficient heat or preεsure application during the initial weld cycle. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the weld formed by the process illustrated in Figure 7. As can be seen from this cross-sectional view, the material of the solid core 11 is now indistinguishable from the welded material of the sheets 32 and 33, and the weld is reinforced by the resiεtance element 12 embedded therein. Figure 9 illuεtrateε a butt weld between curved members 38 and 39 of, for example, a longitudinally slit thermoplastic pipe. The welding rod 10 is poεitioned between the curved memberε 38 and 39. Presεure iε applied to urge the edgeε of the curved members 38 and 39 into contact and an electrical current is passed through the resistance element 12. The weld is completed when the welding rod 10 and curved members 38 and 39 are fused and the resiεtance element 12 iε embedded in the weld. The εtructure of the weld is εuch that the solid core 11 becomes part of the body of material of the two curved members 38 and 39 that are joined and the weld is εimultaneously reinforced by the preεence of the reεiεtance element 12. Thiε latter completed configuration of the butt weld is illustrated in Figure 10. Figure 11 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which a pair of tubular thermoplastic members 41 and 42, such SUBSTITUTESHEET aε εectionε of piping, can be welded end to end with a butt joint. The welding rod 10 iε formed into a ring εhape and iε poεitioned between the tubular members 41 and 42. An electrical current iε paεsed through the resistance element 12 and the tubular members 41 and 42 are pressed together to complete the weld. Alternatively, referring to Figure 12, a welding ring 43 is used to weld the tubular thermoplastic members, 41 and 42. The welding ring 43 is formed of two welding rods 10, each having a length slightly longer than half of the circumference of the tubular thermoplastic members 41 and 42. The resistance element 12 is expoεed at each end of the welding rodε 10 by heating and stripping the solid core 11 using, for example, a hot air gun and a pair of wire strippers so that the length of each welding rod 10 is then approximately equal to half of the circumference of the tubular members 41 and 42. The exposed wires 17 of the resiεtance element 12 at a firεt end of the firεt welding rod 10 are then twiεted together with the expoεed wireε 17 of the resistance element 12 at a first end of the second welding rod 10. Further, the exposed wires 17 of the second endε of the firεt and εecond welding rodε 10 are alεo twiεted together to form a double welding rod (not εhown). The terminal pinε 15 are εubsequently attached to the resiεtance element 12. The welding rods 10 are then pulled apart, without separating them from the terminal pins 15, to form the welding ring 43. This type of welding ring 43 is particularly uεeful in the welding together of large diameter thermoplaεtic pipe εectionε and in εituations where the available voltage is limited. The power supply used to effect electrofusion welding of thermoplastic members with the welding rod 10 of the present invention preferably offers control of the current in the range SUBSTITUTE SHEET of 0 to 20 amperes. Often the limiting factor in the use of the welding rod 10 is the voltage permisεible at the welding εite. For safety reasonε the voltage iε often limited to a maximum of 120 voltε. The voltage then becomeε the limiting factor to the length of the weld that can be achieved. For example a 6 inch weld will take the εame length of time to complete aε a 30 foot weld at the same current using a 4 volt and a 240 volt source respectively. Furthermore, the length of time required to complete a weld can be varied by changing the current; at lower amperages the required welding time is increased. Generally, the integrity of the weld benefits by using lower amperages for longer periodε of time becauεe the heat diεtribution iε improved and overheating of the thermoplaεtic of the welding rod 10 and the thermoplaεtic memberε iε leεε likely. Preferably, the welding process is conducted at a current between 6 amperes and 15 amperes for the single welding rod 10 and between 12 amperes and 40 amperes for the double welding rod (not shown) or the welding ring 43. The length of time required to effect the weld may be determined by using a temperature probe 37 placed, for example, on the upper surface of the thermoplastic sheet 32 in Figure 7 directly over the welding rod 10. When the temperature probe 37 indicates that the temperature has reached 120°C, the power source 35 is disconnected and the weld is allowed to fuse and solidify while the weld is still under preεεure. The thickness of the thermoplastic sheet 32 and the resulting temperature gradientε muεt be compenεated for in the determination of temperature aε the probe 37 will take longer to detect the temperature when thicker pieceε of thermoplastic are welded. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the conditions at the welding site will affect the time required to complete the welding operation. A single welding rod 10 might require a SUBSTITUTESHEET welding time of eight minutes at 6 amperes or two minutes at 12 amperes. An alternative approach to the method of welding described herein is to subεtitute the 0.006 inch stainlesε εteel wire 17 of the resistance element 12 with 0.008 inch magnetic wire and to use a radio frequency (RF) generator (not shown) to induce a current in the magnetic wire. Thiε method enables the completion of very long welds by εimply sliding the RF generator coil along the length of the weld rather than having to supply a serieε of terminal pins 15 for connection to an electrical power source at various points along the weld. It is important to apply pressure to the weld during the welding operation. If the welding rod 10 is simply placed between the thermoplastic sheetε 32 and 33, it will "εnake" or move out of poεition on application of electrical current. A weight (not εhown) placed on the weld holdε the thermoplaεtic εheetε 32 and 33 and the welding rod 10 in relative poεition to each other. Furthermore, it iε important to maintain the pressure until the weld is fused and solidified. Depending on the situation, the weld should generally be left to cool under preεεure for approximately four inuteε. If the preεsure is discontinued before the thermoplastic material haε εolidified, the εheetε 32 and 33 and the welding rod 10 will, in fact, tend to εeparate from each other while in the softened state. Preferably the weight has a relatively soft base which will conform to the surface of the member being welded. A rigid surface on the base of the weight can effect unequal pressure on both sideε of the weld. This problem is compounded if the underlying surface is uneven. The weight should be designed to distribute the load equally along the length of the weld particularly in the case of a relatively long weld. The design of the weight can incorporate an insulating effect, allowing SUBSTITUTESHEET welds to be completed at ambient temperatures below 40°C. For example, the base of the weight may be comprised of a length of plywood (3/4 inch thick and 4 incheε wide) having a layer of 1/2 inch thick neoprene rubber attached to itε underεide. The baεe iε placed over the weld and weightε of, for example, 10 poundε per linear foot are then placed on the baεe. Thiε arrangement, provideε even distribution of pressure over the length of the weld. It is often desirable to pre-attach the welding rod 10 to one of the thermoplastic memberε to be welded. The present inventors, however, have found that the use of adhesiveε or double-εided tape to hold the welding rod in poεition adverεely affectε the integrity of the weld becauεe the adheεive and double-εided tape act as contaminants which prohibit the desired intermolecular bonding between the thermoplastic members being joined and the welding rod 10. Accordingly, the welding rod 10 should be held in position by fuεing the welding rod 10 in part, or in whole, to one of the two thermoplaεtic memberε to be joined. Referring now to Figure 13, the length of welding rod 10 can be pre-attached, in any deεired εhape, to the thermoplaεtic member 44 either with or without the terminal pins 15 connected to the resiεtance element 12. Thiε can be done, for example, by using a hot air gun and the prior art "speed-tip" technique to soften the thermoplastic material of the εolid core 11 and to tack the welding rod 10 in place. Referring now to Figure 14 which illuεtrates the pre-attaching of Figure 13 with an alternative embodiment of the welding rod 10 formed into a patch welding rod 45. This particular patch welding rod 45 iε formed in the same manner as the welding ring 43 discussed previously and is particularly SUBSTITUTESHEET useful for patching holes in εheets of thermoplastic material. The patch welding rod 45 is formed of two welding rods 10 substantially equal in length. The resiεtance element 12 iε exposed at each end of the welding rods 10 by heating and stripping the solid core 11 using, for example, a hot air gun and a pair of wire stripperε. The exposed wires 17 of the reεiεtance element 12 at a firεt end of the firεt welding rod 10 are then twiεted together with the exposed wires 17 of the resistance element 12 at a first end of the second welding rod 10. The exposed wires 17 of the second ends of the first and εecond welding rods 10 are then twisted together to form a double welding rod (not shown). The terminal pins 15 are attached to the resiεtance element 12 and the patch welding rod 45 iε formed into the deεired εhape by pulling apart the pair of welding rods 10 without separating them from the terminal pins 15. The patch welding rod 45 is then pre-attached to the thermoplastic sheet 44 by simultaneously applying a current and pressure. In both of the applications shown in Figures 13 and 14, it is preferable to pre-attach the rods 10 and 45, respectively, so that the terminal pins 15 do not extend beyond the edge of the thermoplastic member 44 thereby preventing overheating of the exposed metal of the terminal pins 15. This is also a safety feature as contact with the terminal pins 15 can result in an electrical shock. In applications aε shown in Figure 14 where two welding rods 10 are connected at a terminal pin 15, there may be a localized overheating of the patch welding rod 45 at the terminal pins 15. In this case, it iε advisable to provide, for example, pieces of foil tape 46 on the opposite side of the thermoplastic sheet 44. The foil tape 46 acts to draw off the heat from the terminal pin 15 and conducts it over the area of the foil tape 46 to prevent burning of the thermoplastic material immediately SUBSTITUTESHEET adjacent the terminal pin 15. An alternative to pre-attaching the welding rod 10 is to provide a channel (not shown) in one of the thermoplastic members to be joined to hold the welding rod 10 in place during the welding operation. Referring now to Figures 15 and 16, an application of the welding rod 10 and the procesε of forming a weld between two thermoplaεtic memberε is a fusion ring 50 for welding together two sectionε of pipe 51 and 52 with a butt joint. The fuεion ring 50 iε formed of a welding rod 10 and a collar 54 of thermoplaεtic pipe having an inεide diameter εubstantially equal to the outside diameter of the sections of pipe 51 and 52 being joined. The distance between the mouths 16 of the terminal pinε 15 of the welding rod 10 is subεtantially equal to the inside circumference of the collar 54. The welding rod 10 is shaped along the inεide surface of the collar 54 and the terminal pins 15 are pushed to the outside through holeε in the collar 54. The welding ring 53 iε then pre-attached to the inεide wall of the collar 54. The shaping and pre-attaching of the welding rod 10 can be done, for example, with a pair of non- conductive, heat resistant rings (not εhown) which are preεεed together aε a current is pasεed through the reεiεtance element 12 of the welding rod 10. The fuεion ring 50 iε poεitioned between the two εections of pipe 51 and 52 as in a socket fitting and the two sectionε of pipe 51 and 52 are then welded together while pressure is applied to puεh the pipes 51 and 52 together. The fusion ring 50 supplieε a third thermoplastic member, in the form of a collar 54, to the weld. This iε particularly advantageouε SUBSTITUTESHEET in situationε where containment of the fluidε tranεported in the pipe 51 and 52 iε a priority. The welding ring 43 of Figure 12 can be substituted for the welding rod 10 in the fusion ring 50 for larger diameter and/or thicker walled pipes. Alternatively, the welding rod 10 could be formed with a loop as shown in Figures 17 and 18. The fusion ring 50 shown in Figureε 17 and 18 is formed by pre-attaching the welding rod 10 to a disc 56 of relatively thin thermoplastic material and subεequently attaching the disc 56 to the collar 54. The heat generated by this arrangement of the welding rod 10 sufficiently melts the thermoplastic material of the disc 56, as well as softening and melting the thermoplastic material of the pipes 51 and 52 adjacent the fusion ring 50. Referring now to Figure 19, the fusion ring 50 may also be formed with a collar 54 of thermoplastic pipe having an outside diameter subεtantially equal to the outεide diameter of the εectionε of pipe 51 and 52 being joined. The pipe εectionε 51 and 52 are rabbeted to a depth εubεtantially equal to the wall thickneεs of the collar 54. This enables the joint between the εectionε of pipe 51 and 52 to be fluεh along the inεide and outεide εurfaces of the pipe sections 51 and 52. The welding rod 10 and process for electric fusion welding of the present invention iε very verεatile, providing a meanε for the welding together of different εhapes and sizeε of thermoplastic members, a number of which have been described herein. Because of this versatility, these welding operations can be carried out in otherwise less than ideal conditions underwater, in pondε, εewerε, and the like. Under theεe conditionε, allowanceε muεt be made for the diεεipation of heat in the aqueouε environment. SUBSTITUTESHEET For example, in the case of the application shown in Figure 14, the patch welding rod 45 is pre-attached to a thermoplaεtic εheet 44. To reduce the dissipation of heat through the aqueous environment, the pre-attached patch welding rod 45 is flattened by applying pressure and current to the patch welding rod 45. Flattening the patch welding rod 45 increaseε the contact area between the patch welding rod 45 and the thermoplaεtic member under repair (not shown). Accordingly, the heat generated in the resiεtance element 12 during the weld cycle evaporateε any moisture remaining between the patch welding rod 45 and the thermoplastic member under repair. The patch welding rod 45 iε flattened after pre-attaching to the thermoplaεtic εheet 44, for example, by placing the thermoplaεtic εheet 44, patch welding rod 45 εide down, on a εheet of heat reεiεtant glaεε. A weight, εufficient to cauεe flattening of the patch welding rod 45 in the εoftened εtate before burning of the thermoplaεtic εheet 44, iε placed on top of the thermoplaεtic εheet 45. For example, the weight could he approximately 65 poundε for an 8 inch by 8 inch εheet of thermoplaεtic material. A current of 17 ampereε is applied to the resiεtance element 12 for 2.5 minuteε. The power iε disconnected and the fused patch welding rod 45 and thermoplastic sheet 44 is left to cool with the weight applied for 2 minutes. The resulting patch haε a flattened welding rod 45 with a εmooth glaεε-like finiεh. Referring now to Figures 20 and 21, there are also applications where a long thin patch is required, for example, to repair a faulty seam in a pond liner. In thiε case, it iε adviεable to use a double welding rod 58. The double welding rod 58 is formed as described in the discuεεion of the welding ring 43 and the patch welding rod 45. The reεiεtance element 12 is exposed at each end of a pair of SUBSTITUTE SHEET welding rods 10 of subεtantially equal length by heating and εtripping the solid core 11 using, for example, a hot air gun and a pair of wire strippers. The expoεed wires 17 of the resistance element 12 at a first end of the first welding rod 10 are then twisted together with the exposed wires 17 of the resistance element 12 at the first end of the εecond welding rod 10. The exposed wires 17 of the second ends of the first and second welding rods 10 are then twisted together to form a double welding rod 58. The two welding rods 10 are not separated but are pre-attached to the thermoplaεtic sheet 59 as previously discussed. The double welding rod 58 is flattened by the simultaneous application of pressure and current on a non-stick surface, such as heat resiεtant glass. When the flattened patch welding rod 45 and double welding rod 58 are used to effect weldε in an aqueouε environment, it iε important to take into consideration the temperature of the environment, the buoyancy of the weight used to apply pressure, and the disεipation of heat through the aqueous environment. The flattened patch welding rod 45 and double welding rod 58 increase the contact area between the rods 45 and 58 and the thermoplastic member under repair (not shown). Accordingly, the heat generated in the resistance element 12 during the weld cycle evaporates any moisture remaining between the patch welding rod 45 and the thermoplastic member under repair. Figure 21 illustrates the use of the double welding rod 58 to repair a seam between two thermoplastic sheets 60 and 61. The heat generated by the resistance element 12 is εufficient to fuεe the thermoplaεtic εheet 59, the double welding rod 58, and the two thermoplaεtic sheetε 60 and 61 into a unitary structure. This type of patch repair is very strong and very effective. SUBSTITUTESHEET

Claims: THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS: 1. A welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplastic material comprising: a solid homogeneous core of εaid thermoplastic material, a resistance element comprised of a plurality of wires wound in a helical pattern around said εolid core, said resiεtance element embedded in said solid core approximate the surface of said solid core. 2. A welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplaεtic material compriεing: a εolid homogeneouε core of εaid thermoplastic material, a resiεtance element comprised of a plurality of wires braided around said solid core, said reεistance element and said solid core coated in a thin layer of said thermoplastic material. 3. A double welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplastic material comprising: a firεt welding rod, and a εecond welding rod, said first and said εecond welding rodε compriεing: a εolid homogeneouε core of εaid thermoplaεtic material, a reεiεtance element comprised of a plurality of wires wound in a helical pattern around said solid core, said resiεtance element embedded in εaid εolid core proximate the εurface of εaid εolid core, εaid reεiεtance element at a firεt end of εaid first welding rod connected to said resistance element at a first end of εaid second welding rod, and SUBSTITUTE SHEET said resistance element at a second end of said first welding rod connected to said resistance element at a second end of said second welding rod. 4. A double welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said first welding rod iε diεtanced from said second welding rod between said first and said second ends. 5. A double welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplastic material compriεing: a firεt welding rod, and a second welding rod, said first and said second welding rods comprising a εolid homogeneous core of said thermoplastic material, a resiεtance element comprised of plurality of wires braided around εaid εolid core, said resiεtance element and said εolid core coated in a thin layer of εaid thermoplastic material, said resistance element at a first end of said first welding rod connected to εaid resistance element at a first end of said second welding rod, and said resistance element at, a second end of said first welding rod connected to said resistance element at a second end of said εecond welding rod. 6. A double welding rod for welding adjacent memberε of thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said first welding rod is distanced from said second welding rod between said first and said second ends. SUBSTITUTESHEET /. A method of forming a welding rod for welding adjacent memberε of thermoplastic material comprising the stepε of: providing a solid homogeneous core of thermoplastic material, wrapping a resistance element comprised of a plurality of wires around said solid core, holding said plurality of wireε in tenεion, and heating εaid εolid core and εaid plurality of wireε, thereby embedding εaid resistance element in said solid core proximate the surface of said εolid core. 8. A method of forming a welding rod for welding adjacent memberε of thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said step of wrapping a resistance element around said solid core comprises winding said resiεtance element in a helical pattern about said solid core. 9. A method of forming a welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplastic material compriεing the εteps of: providing a solid homogeneous core of thermoplastic material, wrapping a resiεtance element compriεed of a plurality of wireε around εaid solid cor, coating said reεiεtance element and said solid core with a thin layer of said thermoplastic material. 10. A method of forming a welding rod for welding adjacent memberε of thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 9 wherein εaid εtep of wrapping a resistance element around said solid core compriseε winding said resiεtance element in a helical pattern about εaid solid core. SUBSTITUTESHEET 11. A method of forming a welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 9, wherein εaid εtep of wrapping a reεiεtance element around εaid solid core comprises braiding said resistance element around said solid core. 12. An apparatus for forming a welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplastic material comprising: a drive meanε connected to a supply of a solid homogeneous core of said thermoplastic material, a means for winding a plurality of wires, a means for holding said plurality of wires in tenεion, and a heating chamber, whereby εaid εolid core iε fed through εaid meanε for winding, εaid plurality of wireε are wound in a helical pattern around εaid εolid core, and εaid plurality of wireε are embedded while in tenεion into εaid heated εolid core proximate the εurface of εaid εolid core. 13. An apparatuε for forming a welding rod for welding adjacent members of thermoplastic material comprising: a drive meanε connected to a supply of a εolid homogeneouε core of εaid thermoplaεtic material, a meanε for braiding a plurality of wireε around εaid εolid core, and a means for coating said plurality of wires and said solid core with a thin layer of said thermoplastic material. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 14. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material, comprising the stepε of: providing a welding rod having a εolid homogeneouε core of said thermoplastic material and a resiεtance element embedded proximate the εurface of εaid solid core, positioning said welding rod between said adjacent member's of said thermoplastic material, applying a current to said resiεtance element, applying pressure to said members such that the facing εurfaceε of said members are in contact with said welding rod, said current being applied to said resistance element for a time and intensity sufficient to cause said solid core of said welding rod and portions of said members proximate said welding rod to soften and melt, discontinuing said current, and maintaining said presεure until portionε of εaid reεiεtance element penetrate into each of said adjacent members to bind them together as a mechanical coupler and until said members are fused and solidified. 15. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 14, wherein said current is an electrical current. 16. A method of welding adjacent memberε of a thermoplastic material) as claimed in Claim 15, further including the step of providing a heat diεεipation meanε at the connection between the current source and said reεiεtance element. 17. A method of welding adjacent memberε of a thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 14, wherein εaid current is generated by a radio frequency generator. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 18. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material comprising the steps of: providing a welding rod having a εolid homogeneous core of said thermoplastic material and a resiεtance element embedded proximate the εurface of said solid core, positioning said welding rod a first of said adjacent members of said thermoplastic material, applying a current to said resistance element, applying pressure to said firεt member such that said first member is in contact with said welding rod, said current being applied to said resiεtance element for a time and intenεity εufficient to cause εaid εolid core of εaid welding rod and portions of said first member proximate said welding rod to εoften and melt, diεcontinuing said current, and maintaining said pressure until said solid core of said welding rod and said portionε of εaid firεt member are fused and solidified, whereby said welding rod is pre-attached to εaid firεt member. 19. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material aε claimed in Claim 18, wherein said current is an electrical current. 20. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 19, further including the step of providing a heat disεipation meanε at the connection between the current εource and εaid resistance element. 21. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 18, wherein εaid current iε generated by a radio frequency generator. SUBSTITUTESHEET 22. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplaεtic material aε claimed in Claim 18, further compriεing the εteps of: positioning εaid welding rod pre-attached to εaid firεt member on a εecond εaid adjacent memberε of εaid thermoplastic material, applying a current to said resistance element, applying pressure to said first and second members such that, the facing surfaceε of εaid first and εecond memberε are in contact with εaid welding rod εaid current being applied to εaid resistance element for a time and intensity sufficient to cause said solid core of said welding rod and portionε of εaid firεt and εecond memberε proximate εaid welding rod to εoften and melt, diεcontinuing εaid current, and maintaining said pressure until portions of said resiεtance element pellet-rate into each of εaid first and second members to bind them together aε a mechanical coupler and until said first and second members are fused and solidified. 23. A method of welding adjacent memberε of a thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 22, wherein said current is an electrical current. 24. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 23, further including the step of providing a heat dissipation means at the connection between the current source and said resiεtance element. 25. A method of welding adjacent memberε of a thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 22, wherein said current is generated by a radio frequency generator. SUBSTITUTESHEET 26. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 18, further comprising the steps of: positioning said welding rod pre-attached to said firεt member between a εecond and a third of εaid adjacent member of εaid thermoplastic material, applying a current to εaid reεiεtance element, applying preεεure to εaid εecond and third memberε such that the facing surfaces of said second and third members are in contact with said welding rod, said current being applied to said resiεtance element for a time and intenεity εufficient to cauεe εaid εolid core of εaid welding rod and portions of said first second and third members proximate said welding rod to soften and melt, discontinuing said current, and maintaining εaid preεεure until portions of εaid reεiεtance element penetrate into each of εaid εecond and third memberε to bind them together aε a mechanical coupler and until εaid second and third members are fuεed and εolidified. 27. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 26, wherein said current is a electrical current. 28. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 27, further including the step of providing a heat disεipation means at the connection between the current source and said resiεtance element. 29. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material aε claimed in Claim 26, wherein εaid current is generated by a radio frequency generator. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 30. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material, comprising the stepε of: providing a welding rod having a εolid homogeneouε core of εaid thermoplaεtic material and a reεistance element embedded proximate the surface of said solid core, applying heat to said welding rod to soften said εolid core, attaching said welding rod to a first of said adjacent members of said thermoplastic whereby said welding rod is pre-attached to said first member. 31. A method of welding adjacent memberε of a thermoplaεtic material as claimed in Claim 30, further comprising stepε of: poεitioning said welding rod pre-attached to said first member on a second said adjacent members of said thermoplastic material, applying a current to said resiεtance element, applying pressure to said first and second members such that the facing εurfaceε of said first and second members are in contact with εaid welding rod, said current being applied to said resistance element for a time and intensity, sufficient to cause said solid core of said welding rod and portions of εaid first and second members proximate said welding rod to soften and melt, discontinuing said current, and maintaining said presεure until portions of said resistance element penetrate into each of said first and second members to bind them together as a mechanical coupler and until said firεt and second members are fuεed and solidified. 32. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 31, wherein said current is an electrical current. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 33. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 32, further including, the step of providing, a heat dissipation means at tile connection between the current source and said resistance element. 34. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 31, wherein said current is generated by a radio frequency generator. 35. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 30, further comprising the steps of: positioning said welding rod pre-attached to said first member between a second and a third of said adjacent memberε of said thermoplastic material, applying a current to said resistance element, applying pressure to said second and third members such that the facing εurfaces of εaid second and third members are in contact with said welding rod, said current being applied to said resistance element for a time and intensity sufficient to cause said solid core of said welding rod and portions of said first second and third members proximate εaid welding rod to εoften and melt, discontinuing said current, and maintaining said preεεure until portionε of said resistance element penetrate into each, of said second and third members to bind them together as a mechanical coupler and until said second and third members are fused and solidified. 36. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 35, wherein εaid current iε an electrical current. SUBSTITUTE SHEET 37. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 36, further including the step of providing a heat dissipation means at the connection between the current source and said resiεtance element. 38. A method of welding adjacent members of a thermoplastic material as claimed in Claim 35, wherein said current is generated by a radio frequency generator. SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Inventors: BUTTS ERNEST O, BUTTS NICHOLAS E, PINDER ROBERT, BUTTS, ERNEST, O., BUTTS, NICHOLAS, E., PINDER, ROBERT
Applicants: BUTTS E O CONSULTANTS, E. O. BUTTS CONSULTANTS LTD.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B29C65
IPC codes: B29C63, B29C65, B29C70, B29D23