Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Welding or Working Metals.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 17th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Welding or Working
Metals.
A communication by CHARLES L. COFFIN, of Detroit, in the County of Wayne
and State of Michigan, United States of America, Chemist.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for electric welding herein-
after described.
In carrying out the invention, the apparatus comprises a table of suitable size
and of any desired material, a clamp approximately U-shaped provided with dove-
tails, by which it is secured to table and capable of sliding backwards and forwards
thereon. Two posts each stand on a plate, which is dove-tailed and slides in dove-
tail grooves in the ends of yoke, the motion of plates being at right angles with the
motion of yoke. Movable slotted cylinders are carried on posts, they are vertically
movable in said posts by a screw mechanism, which will be hereinafter described.
Slotted cylinders lie in the movable slotted cylinders and are adapted to rotate
therein, and these cylinders are intended to hold the work which is to be operated
upon. Collars are secured on the ends of the slotted cylinders, provided with
screw bolts by which a bar of metal placed in the cylinder may be securely
clamped therein. Levers are each fulcrumed to a yoke by a link and this is also
connected with one of the sliding plates by a link, and by means of these two levers,
the clamps may be moved towards or away from each other. There is a rack bar
on the yoke. A gear wheel is carried on a shaft which is journalled in a bracket
at the back of the table and meshes in the rack bar. A lever is provided by which
the gear-wheel can be turned, thus moving the yoke on the table. The furnace
may be in the form of a double box, the lower part of which is carried on fingers
at each end thereof while the upper part is also carried on fingers, these fingers
being severally secured upon shafts which are journaled in a bracket and are
connected by the intermeshing gear wheels so that the weight of the box keeps
it normally closed. A hand lever is secured to one end of the gear wheels by
turning which the box or furnace may be opened. Guide rods run through eyes in
a bracket on the support to guide the upper part of box or furnace as it rises or
falls. An opening is provided through the front of the box or furnace and opposite
openings at the sides thereof admit the introduction of a rod or rods of metal which
are to be heated within the furnace. Guides are arranged at the sides of each of
these openings, and shutters slide in said guides and are supported upon pins. These
shutters are preferably made in halves, but may be single if preferred. A box
containing regulating mechanism is provided which for the purposes of this
application may be of any known regulating mechanism for the purpose of making
an electric arc light. A carbon holder projects downwards from the box and the
upper carbon is carried in said carbon holder and projects through a hole in the top
of box or furnace into said furnace. The lower carbon is attached to a stationary
holder below table, provided with adjusting screws, and projecting upwards into the
interior of the furnace opposite the upper carbon. The lower carbon may be made
hollow, but connected with a pipe through which may be forced a blast of air or
gas to intensify the arc if desired. In operating upon articles of unequal size or

page_text: irregular shape, or for purposes of making a lap-weld, it is often desirable to have
one of the clamps higher or lower than the other.
A bolt screw-threaded engages with a screw thread formed in post aforesaid and
has a shoulder head engaging with the clamp; whereby the rotation or said screw
bolt raises or lowers said clamp. A gear wheel is connected with posts by a slot
and feather and a collar turns loosely on the top of post. The collar has a
projecting lug and carries a spring pawl so that it may be made to act upon
the gear wheel in either direction, moving the tail of pawl to one side or the other
of the actuating spring. By means of a bar both pawls may be actuated at once if
desired.
The operation of the invention is as follows:-
If two bars of iron are to be welded, they are severally inserted within the
slotted cylinders and clamped by the bolts. They are then passed within the box
or furnace and this may be done in one of two ways; either the clamps may be
drawn apart by the levers until the ends of the rod will pass by the sides of the
furnace when the yoke is retracted by means of lever, wheel and rack bar until the
rods stand opposite the openings in the sides of the furnace, when the clamps are
brought towards each other by the levers, then inserting the rods through the
openings or by raising the end of lever, the two halves of the box or furnace are
opened, the upper one rising and the lower one falling, when by rotating the yoke
the rods are brought in a right position, and by lowering lever the furnace is closed
around it. The shutters are preferably made in halves, so that each moves with its
half of the box, though they may be made in single pieces, and that for the front
part is preferably made of mica and coloured glass, preferably a deep wine. The
work being in position a current is passed through the carbon from any suitable
source of electricity and an arc is formed within the furnace and in close proximity
to the ends of the rod. While subjected to the arc, the rods may be revolved, the
slotted cylinder turning freely in the clamps and this may be done either by
rotating the collars by hand or by turning the rods themselves. If it is desired to
intensify the heat of the arc, a blast of air or gas may be driven through the pipe
and through the lower carbon. When the rods have been raised to a welding heat,
they may be forced together by the lever and may be still revolved slowly while
being so pressed together, but as they lie in front of the arc of carbon the carbons
do not interfere with this operation. If it be desired to make a lap-weld between
two bars, either one of the clamps may be raised high enough to permit the
surfaces of the bars to come together. When the heating and pressing together
have sufficiently progressed, the box or furnace is opened, and the work is with-
drawn. It is of course to be understood that the box or furnace is lined with
suitable refractory material. By moving the clamps by means of levers the rods
can be moved to and fro before the arc, and this can be done either while the
rods are being rotated or while they are not rotating as preferred. This motion
extends the heating influence of the arc along the rods and aids in the operation
of welding or working. The lower half of the furnace is guided by pins in the
same manner as the upper half of said furnace.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Electrically Welding or Working
Metals.
A communication by CHARLES L. COFFIN, of Detroit, in the County of Wayne
and State of Michigan, United States of America, Chemist.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the

page_text: County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for electric welding, herein-
after fully described and claimed.
Figures 1 and 2 are perspectives from opposite ends of the complete machine;
Figure 3 is a plan of a hoop with the clamp supports in section;
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the clamps and clamp supports, partly in
section;
Figure 5 is a detail of one of the pawls; and
Figure 6 is an elevation of the lower carbon, partly in section.
A represents a table of suitable size and of any desired material. B represents
a clamp, approximately U-shaped, provided with dove-tails K, by which it is
secured to table A, and capable of sliding backwards and forwards thereon.
CC represent two posts, each standing on a plate D, which is dove-tailed and
slides in dove-tail grooves D₁ in the ends of yoke B, the motion of plates D
being at right angles with the motion of yoke B. CC represent movable slotted
cylinders carried on posts C, C, and vertically movable in said posts by the
screw mechanism shown in Figure 4, which will be hereinafter described.
LL represent slotted cylinders lying in the cylinder CC and adapted to rotate
therein, and these cylinders L are intended to hold the work which is to be operated
upon, this being omitted in the drawings to show the lines more clearly.
M M represent collars secured on the ends of cylinders L L, provided with screw
bolts m, by which a bar of metal placed in cylinder L may be securely clamped
therein. EE represent levers, each of which is fulcrumed to yoke B by a link E',
and this is also connected with one of the sliding plates D by a link E², and
by means of these two levers the clamps C may be moved towards or away
from
each other. F represents a rack bar on yoke 13. G represents a gear wheel
carried on a shaft which is journaled in a bracket H at the back of table A, and
meshes in the rack bar F. J represents a lever by which gear-wheel G can be
turned, thus moving the yoke B on table A. N represents a furnace, in the form
of a double box, the lower part of which is carried on fingers P¹ at each end thereof
as shown in Figures 1 and 2, while the upper part is carried on fingers P,
Figures 1 and 2; these fingers being severally secured upon shafts R and Ri
which are journaled in bracket H, and which are connected by the intermeshing
gear wheels, so that the weight of the box keeps it normally closed. S repre-
sents a hand lever secured to one end of gear wheel », by turning which the box
or furnace N may be opened. O O represent guide rods running through eyes
in a bracket Q on the support I, to guide the upper part of box or furnace N as it
rises or falls. represents an opening through the front of the box or furnace N,
and 22 represent opposite openings at the sides thereof to admit the introduction
of a rod or rods of metal which are to be heated within the furnace. 44 represent
guides at the sides of each of these openings, and 3 3 represent shutters sliding
in said guides and supported upon pins. These shutters are preferably made in
halves, but may be single if preferred. i represents a box containing regulating
mechanism, which, for the purposes of this application, may be of any known
regulating mechanism for the purpose of making an electric arc light. I repre-
sents a carbon holder projecting downward from the box i, and c represents the
upper carbon carried in said carbon holder and projecting through a hole in the
top of box or furnace N into said furnace. The lower carbon c' is shown in
Figure 6 attached to a stationary holder below table A, provided with adjusting
screws, and projecting upward into the interior of the furnace N opposite the upper
carbon c.
The lower carbon may be made hollow, as shown in the drawing, but
connected with a pipe p, through which may be forced a blast of air or gas to
intensify the arc if desired. In operating upon articles of unequal size or irregular
shape, or for purposes of making a lap-weld, it is often desirable to have one of the
clamps higher or lower than the other.

page_text: Turning to Figure 4, T represents a bolt screw-threaded to engage with a screw
thread formed in post C, and having a shoulder head t engaging with the clamp C¹;
whereby the rotation of said screw bolt raises or lowers said clamp. V represents
a gear wheel connected with bolt T by a slot and feather v, and W represents a
collar which turns loosely on the top of post C. The collar W has a projecting
lug w and carries a spring pawl Z, Figure 5, so that it may be made to act upon
gear wheel V, in either direction, moving the tail z of pawl Z to one side or the
other of the actuating spring. Y represents a bar pivoted to lug w by which both
pawls may be actuated at once if desired.
The operation of the invention is as follows-
If two bars of iron are to be welded, they are severally inserted within the slotted
cylinders L and clamped by the bolts m. They are then passed within the box or
furnace N, and this may be done in one or two ways; either the clamps CC may
be drawn apart by the levers E, until the ends of the rod will pass by the sides of
the furnace N, when the yoke B is retracted by means of lever J, wheel G and
rack bar F until the rods stand opposite the openings 22 in the sides of the
furnace, when the clamps are brought towards each other by the levers E, then
inserting the rods through the openings 2, 2; or by raising the end of lever S, the
two halves of the box or furnace N are opened, the upper one rising and the lower
one falling, when, by rotating the yoke B, the rods are brought in a right position,
and, by lowering lever S, the furnace is closed around it. The shutters 3 are
preferably made in halves so that each moves with Its half of the box, though they
may be made in single pieces, and that for the front part I is preferably made of
mica and coloured glass preferably a deep wine. The work being in position, a
current is passed through the carbon cc' from any suitable source of electricity and
an arc is formed within the furnace N and in close proximity to the ends of the
rod. While subjected to the arc, the rods may be revolved, the slotted cylinder L L
turning freely in the clamps C¹ C, and this may be done either by rotating the
collars M by hand or by turning the rods themselves. If it is desired to intensify
the heat of the arc, a blast of air or gas may be driven through the pipe p and
through the lower carbon. When the rods have been raised to a welding heat,
they may be forced together by the lever E and may be still revolved slowly while
being so pressed together, but, as they lie in front of the arc of carbon c c', the
carbons do not interfere with this operation. If it be desired to make a lap-weld
between two bars, either one of the clamps C¹ may be raised high enough to
permit the surfaces of the bars to come together. When the heating and pressing
together has been sufficiently progressed, the box or furnace N is opened, and the
work is withdrawn. It is of course to be understood that the box or furnace N is
lined with suitable refractory material. By moving the clamps C¹ C¹ by means of
levers E, the rods can be moved to and fro before the arc, and this can be done
either while the rods are being rotated, or while they are not rotating, as preferred.
This motion extends the heating influence of the are along the rods and aids in the
operation of welding or working. The lower half of the furnace N is guided by
pins O¹ in the same manner as the upper half of said furnace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a. machine for electrically heating metal, the combination of a pair of
movable and rotating clamps, a furnace between them, means for opening and closing
said furnace, and mechanism for maintaining an electric arc within said furnace,
substantially as shown and described.
2. In a machine for electrically working metal, a support, a yoke movably
mounted on said support, two rotatable clamps movably mounted on said yoke, a
furnace and means for maintaining an electric arc within said furnace, substantially
as shown and described.
3. In a machine for electrically heating metal, a movable support, a movable

page_text: clamp mounted on said support, a furnace, and means for maintaining an electric
arc in said furnace, substantially as shown and described.
4. In a machine for electrically welding metal, a table, a yoke mounted movably
on said table, a separable furnace lying in the opening of said yoke, two posts
mounted in the ends of said yoke and movable therein across the path of motion of
said yoke, and a clamp adjustably mounted on each post, substantially as shown
and described.
5. In a machine for electrically welding metal, a separable furnace consisting of
a two-part box, two rock-shafts, each supporting one part of the furnace, and
intermeshing gear-wheels on said rock-shafts, for opening and closing said furnace,
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 17th day of April 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.