Patent GB-1495171-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for moving a cutting or welding torch
IPC: B23K9/028
Filed: 1975-02-27
Abstract: 1495171 Welding by fusion; cutting by fusion MESSER GRIESHEIM GmbH 27 Feb 1975 [28 Feb 1974] 8252/75 Headings B3R and B3V [Also in Division G3] Apparatus for moving a cutting or welding torch 11 relative to a tube 40 for effecting shaped uts or welds on the tube has a tube control device 14 to control rotation of the tube 40 hrough predetermined angles of rotation and a torch control device 12 to control movement of he torch 11 in the direction of the axis of the ube 40, wherein the torch control and/or tube ontrol devices each includes adjustable lever means, for varying the rate of movement of the orch and/or tube, the movement of which lever means is detected by part of a contactless ransmission device 15 (e.g. a photo-electric ensitive head 53 or 59) which operates to move the torch along a guide rod 19, and/or a tube rotating device. The torch control device 12 has a guide shaft 20 rotatable by a motor 21 so driving a worm gear 22 which can move along the shaft 20. The end 23a of the output shaft of gear 22 is connected to an adjustable length lever 24 which is guided in a vertical guideway 26; whereas the end 23b of the output shaft is connected to a second adjustable length lever 31 which is parallel to the lever 24 and is provided with a pivot hinge 33, adjustable in the direction E-E. The hinge 33 is connected to an adjustable length link 36, pivotally connected to a carriage 38, on a guide rod 39, said carriage having on its base a disc 50a having a dark line (50, Fig. 4, not shown) whose movement along the guide rod 39 is detected by said part of the contactless transmission device. The tube control device 14 comprises an adjustable length lever 43 and a longer, but fixed length, link 44 both guided in a vertical guideway 45 slidable in the direction of G-G, the lever 43 being connected to the guideshaft 20 and the link 44 being able to move about a bearing 46. The tube rotating device includes a chuck 41, for holding the tube, driven by a shaft 41a from a motor 41b when an "adaptation" cut is required or from a resolver/ motor 63 when a "perforation" is required. The chuck 41 may be replaced by motor driven rollers for supporting the tube. The contactless transmission device 15 includes two of said discs 50c connected to the carriage 38 and the limb 44 respectively, the photo-electric sensing heads 53, 59 detecting said dark lines (50) on the discs 50a. The heads 53, 59 are moved to follow said dark lines by motors 54, 60, associated resolvers 55, 61 transmitting impulses to resolver (motor units 58, 63 which operate to move the torch 11 and rotate the tube 40. By adjusting the lengths of levers and links 24, 31, 36, 43 and rotating the guide shaft 20 by the motor 21 "perforation" cuts can be performed. For a cut which does not require predetermined angles of rotation to be applied to the tube, e.g. "adaptation" cuts, the tube is allowed to rotate through 360 degrees by disconnecting the resolver/motor 63. For large tubes an amplifier 58c may be provided between the sensing head and the torch 11. It is possible to control a plurality of tube machines with one control means. The photo-electric cells may be replaced by magnetically, capacitively or inductively operated transmission devices.