Patent GB-866673-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus employing vibratory energy for bonding metals
IPC: B23K20/10
Filed: 1957-09-04
Abstract: 866,673. Welding by pressure. JONES, J. B., DEPRISCO, C. F., and ELMORE, W. C. Sept. 4, 1957 [Sept. 5, 1956], No. 27937/57. Class 83 (4). In welding a metal member to a supported workpiece where the member is unsuitably shaped for retention in the welding position by frictional engagement with the surface of the workpiece, the member is retained in the welding position in firm contact with the surface of the workpiece by positive engagement between abutting surfaces of the member and of a vibrating jaw shaped to fit the member and through which the vibratory energy to effect the weld is applied to at least a substantial extent in the plane of the contacted surfaces of the members. In an embodiment a metal tube 12, Figs. 1, 1A, is held in with members 16, 18 and a metal rib 8 is held in contact with the tube by a cylindrical rod 22 having a mass 28 at the one end and a notch 24 at the other end to engage the rib. The rod is welded or brazed to a tapered coupling member 34 brazed, soldered or welded to a transducer 32 which vibrates the rod in the directions of the arrows. The transducer comprises a laminated core of nickel on which are wound an A.C. excitation coil 40 and a D.C. polarizing coil 38. The rib and tube may be of the same or different metals, e.g. steel, aluminium, nickel, copper titanium and molybdenum. The mass 28 may be replaced by spring, compressed air or hydraulic means. In a modification an aluminium wire is welded to a plate, the end of the vibrating rod having a semi-circular recess engaging the rod and the plate being frictionally engaged with the upper surface of an anvil. In another embodiment aluminium wire mesh is produced by welding weft wires 50, Fig. 3, engaged in grooves 52 in a platen 54 to upper warp wires 48 engaged in annular grooves 56 in the ends 57 of vibrating arms 22b. The arms 22b are vibrated by magnetostrictive transducers in the direction of the arrows to simultaneously weld three wires 48 to a wire 50 and the arms are movable into fresh positions by rack and pinion devices 58, 60. A cylindrical button having a frusto conical or truncated spheriodal upper surface is welded to a flat tab by a vibrating rod with a recess to fit the upper surface. A bevelled strip 76, Fig. 6, is engaged by a groove 80 in the tip of a tapered arm 83 bonded to a transducer 85 supported by a cylindrical shell 86 welded, brazed or soldered at 88 and having a length of one or more half wavelengths of the applied frequency and having a flange 92, fixed to a support 94 movable about a pivot 95 by a weight 98 or by pneumatic or hydraulic means. The plate 78 to which the strip is welded is supported by an anvil 79. The vibrating frequency may be 59-300,000, preferably 400- 75,000 and the optimum 5,000-40,000 cycles per second. The nickel in the magnetostrictive transducer may be replaced by iron-cobalt, nickel-iron or aluminium-iron alloy. The transducer may comprise a piezo-electric ceramic, e.g. barium titanate, lead zirconate or quartz; ferro-electric materials or an electromagnetic device. One or both of the parts to be welded may be e.g. of sintered aluminium and aluminium oxide powder, copper, titanium or iron. The following metals may be welded: aluminium to aluminium; aluminium alloy to aluminium alloy ; copper to copper; brass to brass; magnesium alloy to magnesium alloy; nickel to nickel; stainless steel to stainless steel; silver-titanium alloy to silver-titanium alloy; gold-platinum alloy to stainless steel; platinum to copper; platinum to stainless steel; goldplatinum alloy to nickel; titanium alloy to titanium alloy ; molybdenum to molybdenum; aluminium to nickel; stainless steel to copper alloy; nickel to copper alloy; nickel alloy to nickel alloy; sintered aluminium powder to sintered aluminium powder. A fin, flange, rib, &c. may be welded to a box when the support means may be within the box. The welding may take place in ambient, evacuated or inert gas atmospheres with or without some heating and some precleaning, e.g. removal or hydrocarbon or other lubricant may be effected. Specifications 837,279 and 837,869 are referred to.