Patent EP-1867426-B1 (EP)
Inventor: VOKURKA FRANZ
IPC: B23K15/06
Filed: 2007-06-05
Granted: 2009-11-25
Abstract: The chamber assembly for electron-beam welding, comprises a chamber housing (26), which defines a chamber (23) and has a filling/emptying opening (30), a ring (2), which surrounds the opening and is revolvably placed at the chamber housing around an axis of rotation relative to the opening, a plate-shaped chamber closure (3) for tight locking of the opening, a rotary drive (4) for the ring, a seal (5) intended between the chamber housing and the ring, a device for locking the ring and the chamber closure, a lifting device (6) for raising and lowering the chamber closure, and a clutch. The chamber assembly for electron-beam welding, comprises a chamber housing (26), which defines a chamber (23) and which has a filling/emptying opening (30), a ring (2), which surrounds the opening and which is revolvably placed at the chamber housing around an axis of rotation relative to the opening, a plate-shaped chamber closure (3), which is connectable with the ring for tight locking of the opening, a rotary drive (4) for the ring, a seal (5) intended between the chamber housing and the ring, a device for locking the ring and the chamber closure, a lifting device (6) for raising and lowering the chamber closure, and a clutch. The filling/emptying opening is intended for admitting fluid into the chamber and for evacuating the chamber by using a pump. The chamber closure has an external element for connecting the ring around the axis of rotation, and an internal element, which is arranged in a state, in which the opening is locked by the chamber closure, on the side turned to the chamber of the external element. The internal element is movable and lockable with respect to the external element. The clutch has a shaft, which is connected with the internal element in torque-proof manner, a ring region at the external element, which faces the shaft under formation of a wedge-shaped annular gap, and a wedge-shaped ring for the annular gap and a spring, which pre-stretches the ring toward the longitudinal axis of the shaft in the annular gap for producing a traction between the internal- and the external element. The wedge-shaped ring is movable for selective releasing of the movement of the internal element relative to the external element against the pre-stretching of the spring. The internal element is adapted with the lifting device for rotation of the external element. Gear wheels and gear rims are arranged on the external- and internal element respectively. The gear wheels are attached in the gear rim and are driven by the relative motion of the external- and internal element. Axles of work piece holding devices extend from the gear wheels through the internal element and are rotatably driven through the rotation of the gear wheels. A manipulator for positioning the work pieces in the chamber is driven by the relative motion of the elements. A worm shaft is located on the axles and has a rotation axis and/or a translation axis. A regulating device in the chamber enables a transmitting of the relative motion of the external- and internal element on different, alternately operated axles. Notches are intended according to a number of working positions of the manipulator in the shaft and in which a wedge intervenes with the raising of the lifting device.