Year: 1886

page_text: I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The object of my invention is to provide for firmly welding bars, wires, tubes or
other pieces of metal by the aid of electricity.
My said invention comprises a method or process which I term "electric welding,"
and which consists in forcibly pressing against each other the bars or other pieces to
be united, and then passing an electric current through the same, a portion of each of
the said bars or pieces on either side of their meeting point being used as a path for
the said current. The resistance to the passage of the current at the meeting point of
the said bars or pieces produces a welding heat at this point.
The currents used for the purpose of my invention must be of great strength, or, in
other words, of large quantity, but need not be of an electromotive force more than
will cause such currents to flow. With large bars, the current must be much greater
than with small bars or wires, and it is well to employ, as a source of electricity, an
apparatus capable of regulation for the purpose of varying the current as may be
required. Either continuous, quickly intermittent, quickly varying, or alternating
currents may be used. In any case, the current must be increased until the desired
weld is effected by the heat developed at the contiguous ends of the bars or other
pieces.
My method or process is applicable with more or less advantageous results, to most
of the metals, for instance, cast or wrought iron, steel,. copper, German silver,
aluminium, silver, gold, platinum, and also to various alloys. It is, moreover, useful
for joining one metal or alloy to another metal or alloy, such as soft iron to steel, steel
to cast iron or German silver, brass to steel or iron, silver to copper, gold to copper,
and many others.
By my process, I am enabled to obtain a true and firm joint or weld without the
application of solder or metals which will melt at lower temperatures than the metal
or metals to be united. In some instances, I use fluxes, such as borax. These fluxes

page_text: of par
been brought into contact with each other, and care must be taken to prevent its
introduction between the said ends or parts and thus avoid the consequent liability to
insufficiency of electrical contact.
When the bars or other pieces to be united are of different diameters, it is desirable
to reduce the end of the larger piece to the size of the smaller piece before making
the joint, in order to facilitate the equalization of temperature in the ends of the said
pieces. When one piece is of a metal of less resistance or of higher softening or
fusing temperature than the other piece, it is desirable to employ means for preventing
conduction or radiation of heat therefrom during the operation of welding.
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated apparatus suitable for the purpose
of my invention.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of a simple form of my apparatus.
Figures 3 to 6 are side elevations shewing different forms of clamping blocks herein-
after described.
Figures 7 and 8 are front elevations shewing modifications of my apparatus.
Figure 9 is a side elevation, and
Figure 10 a front elevation shewing another modification thereof.
Figure 11 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 9.
Figure 12 is a front elevation shewing my apparatus adapted for use with a secon-
dary battery or accumulator.
Figure 13 is a front elevation, and
Figure 14 a side elevation shewing another modification of my apparatus.
Figure 15 is a front elevation shewing a further modification thereof.
Figures 16 to 40 are different views hereinafter described.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
e is a
a, a¹ are two levers, which are connected at a by a hinge-joint, but are insulated
from each other by means of paper, mica, or other suitable material interposed in the
said joint. The levers a, a¹ are of good conducting metal and are made sufficiently
heavy to permit the passage through them of the required current without appreciable
resistance. b, b¹ are clamping plates connected with the levers a, a¹ by screws c
whereby the pieces to be welded may be firmly clamped between the plates b, 61 and
the levers a, a¹. d, d are two bars which are to be united at d by welding. These
bars are firmly clamped between the parts a, a and b, b¹ in such a manner that they
extend a short distance from the same and their ends abut against each other.
spring, which connects the levers a, a¹ at their lower ends and tends to draw them
together, and which is provided with a screw-rod e¹ and nut e for adjusting its tension
to regulate the pressure exerted upon the bars d to press them against each other.
f is a screw, whereby the spring e may be extended and the levers a, a¹ held apart
during the setting of the bars d in place in the clamps, and which may be adjusted to
limit the movement of the levers a, a¹ towards each other. The screw falso acts as a
bridge or shunt to divert the current from the junction d' of the bars d as soon as the
weld is completed and the end of the screw f touches the lever a. The spring e is
insulated so that it will not conduct the current from one to the other of the levers a, a¹.
The hinge-joint a must not be so slack as to interfere, by its lost motion, with the
correct abutting of the ends of the bars d.
9, 9 are wires or conductors which are connected with any suitable source of
electricity supplying alternating currents and also with the primary h of an induction
coil provided with a suitable iron core h¹. The secondary of this induction coil
consists of a few turns of very coarse wire, it will, therefore, yield very heavy or
strong currents of low electromotive force. The circuit of the primary his preferably
controlled by a switch or other device whereby the flow of current in the primary
may be modified or cut off at will. The secondary h³ has its terminals connected
with the levers a, a¹ by very heavy conducting cables i, in such a manner as to permit
the requisite movement of the said levers.
The shape and arrangement of the clamping surfaces may be modified to suit the

page_text: shape and character of the pieces to be joined or welded. I find it convenient to make
the levers a, a with V-shaped grooves a³ and to secure therein grooved bars or
clamping blocks k for holding in place the pieces to be welded. Different forms of
these grooved bars or blocks are shewn in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, the dotted lines, in
each case, indicating the position of the piece to be welded.
In Figure 7, the levers a' are arranged substantially as above described, with the
exception that the spring e is dispensed with and the levers a, a¹ are provided with
suitably shaped handles a', whereby they may be grasped by hand to exert the
necessary pressure upon the contact at d¹ between the ends of the bars d.
In Figure 8, the part a is fixed or stationary and the part al is hinged thereto at a
as above described and constitutes a movable lever. The spring e above described is
replaced by a weight which, in addition to the weight of the lever a¹, tends to press
one of the bars d against the other bar. The weight is fitted to slide upon a
graduated extension as of the lever a', so that it may be adjusted to regulate the
pressure upon the bars d. If desired, this pressure may be increased or diminished by
adding weights to, or removing them from, the said lever a¹.
In the forms or modifications of my apparatus hereinbefore described, a hinge-joint
is used as a guide to hold the bars d from getting out of line, but it is evident that,
where very accurate guidance or true alignment is required, a hinge-joint is defective,
because the clamps describe arcs around it. In operating with small bars or other
pieces, this is of little consequence, but, with large work requiring accuracy, the
arrangements hereinafter described are preferable.
To effect an electric weld, the bars d of iron or other metal are placed, as in
Figure 1, with their ends in contact at d¹. The spring e is adjusted to ensure the
required pressure, which will depend upon the diameter of the said bars and their
resistance to compression when hot. The ourrent is now put on by closure of the
switch h³, at which time, if the coil be large enough and the other parts properly.
proportioned to yield the requisite currents, a quick heating at d¹ will take place,
softening or partial fusion of the metals where they touch each other will ensue, and a
complete weld will result in consequence of the pressure exerted by the spring e. To
avoid waste of electric energy, it is advisable that the chief resistance to the current of
the coil A should exist at d¹; this is ensured by making all the parts massive so that
the energy will be evolved chiefly where the joint is to be made. The current for
heavy bars will necessarily be of very large volume, that is to say, of great strength,
for instance, from 50,000 to 100,000 ampères or more. With most metals, a small
amount of flux, such as dried or fused borax, applied at d¹ materially assists the
thorough union of the pieces, and such union is denoted by a slight swelling or
enlargement at d' or by a burr raised at this point. If this burr is very irregular, it
is probable that too much pressure is exerted by the spring or equivalent device.
I sometimes provide for ensuring the true axial alignment of the pieces to be united
by constructing the apparatus in the manner shewn in Figures 9, 10 and 11. In this
case, the lower clamping block ¹ is firmly secured to an upright or standard m in such
a position that the lower piece d will be held vertically between the said block and the
clamping plate b. The upper clamping block is movable up and down in guides
provided in the standard m, so that it will hold the upper piece d always in line
with the lower piece d. The clamping blocks k¹, are insulated from each other by
means of insulating material interposed between the block and the standard m and
wherever else it is needed to prevent electrical connection between the said blocks. If
the weight of the block and of the upper piece d is insufficient to ensure the required
pressure, additional weights are placed upon an extension of the said block; or
other suitable force is applied to the said block for this purpose. The extension ** is
provided with a number of prongs k dipping into a metal box n containing mercury
and connected by one of the conductors i with the source of electricity; the clamping
block may, therefore, be moved up and down and still be in excellent connection
with the said conductor. The other conductor i is connected with the block k¹ through
the standard m as shewn.
The block has to move freely up and down whilst retaining the pieces & in line

page_text: with each other; it is, therefore, provided with a flat surface which slides upon a flat
surface on the standard m, and a bar is fixed in the block . This bar extends
through a slot in the standard m, and carries rollers ks, Figures 9 and 11, which bear
upon the back of the said standard and keep the block from falling forward. By
these means, a true alignment of the pieces d is ensured, and the welded joint at d¹
resulting from the passage of the electric current will be true, so that the axes of the
pieces d will remain co-incident after their removal from the clamps.
The source of current for my invention may be any known means of obtaining very
heavy or strong currents capable of regulation, such as heavy current dynamo-electric
machines, batteries of large surface, or induction apparatus. A convenient manner of
utilizing a continuous current of small volume or strength is to cause it to charge a
secondary battery or accumulator, which will, during discharge, give a very heavy or
strong current. A simple Planté cell will suffice if it have a very large surface of
plate and extremely low resistance; the actual amount of energy required to make a
joint being small and the time of passage of current being only from a few seconds, in
most cases, to one half of a minute.
In Figure 12, I have illustrated an example of the employment of a large surface
secondary battery or accumulator B. g¹, g' are wires or conductors connecting a
source of continuous current with the terminals of the said secondary battery. An
arc-light line may be connected with the wires g¹ to pass into the battery B say from
10 to 20 ampères. After the said battery has received its charge, the pieces to be
welded are placed in suitable clamps and brought together at d with the requisite
pressure. The discharge of the battery then begins and effects a weld in a few
seconds.
In Figures 13 and 14, I have shewn an excellent form of induction coil which I
have devised for use with alternating currents, more especially for the welding of
heavy pieces. The primary coil h has many convolutions and is ring-shaped as shewn.
The secondary consists of a single turn of a very heavy copper bar, reduced in
thickness at h so that it has sufficient flexibility to permit the requisite movement of
the levers a, a, which are extensions of the said har; the said bar is provided with a
cable shunting the flexible part thereof. The primary h and secondary h² are placed
concentric and parallel with each other and are wound with iron wire or strips of
sheet iron as at o so that they are enclosed in iron or surrounded by a circuit of
magnetizable material of easy permeability and well divided so as to avoid local
currents in its mass.
ed
a¹
The iron o is so placed as to allow the copper bar h² free play in its own plane to
a limited extent, so that the ends of the levers a, a¹ may be moved towards and away
from each other through the space of an inch or more. For forcing the levers а,
together, a screw-clamp p and spring are used, the spring being compressed
between the part a¹ and the screw-rod pl of the said clamp, and the clamp-body
extending around to the opposite side of the lever a. The said clamp must be
insulated to prevent the passage of current through the same from one to the other
of the levers a, a¹. I find that, if the diameter of the secondary /² be twelve inches or
even less, with a good source of alternating currents supplying the primary h, a
sufficient electromotive force is generated, even though only a single turn be used as
the secondary. The energy is evolved at the point of greatest resistance in the circuit,
viz, the conductivity at all other points of the circuit being very much better
than at this point.
When the copper bar has a transverse sectional area of upwards of four square
inches, bars of iron of an inch in diameter may be welded, and tubes of much larger
size may be joined end to end; copper bars of one half of an inch in diameter may be
joined; and cast iron pieces one inch square in transverse sectional area may be firmly
welded. A sufficient length of each bar must project from the clamps towards the
point to prevent too easy conduction of heat from this point to the levers a¹ ;
and, when the bars are of copper, it is well to have a greater length thereof thus pro-
jecting than when they are of iron, because copper is a better conductor of heat than iron.
Different sizes of bars require different strengths of current, an
a,
any means of

page_text: regulating the current may be employed. For instance, in Figure 15, the primary
coil h and the secondary are wound, and placed axially in line with each other, upon
an iron core h', which may be moved by a handle 7 to influence the energy of induc-
tion from h to h², or the coil h alone may be moved towards and away from h³, or h²
alone may be moved for this purpose. Again the coils are sometimes so constructed
and arranged that more or less of their convolutions may be switched out of, or
included in, the circuit as required. I find it useful, in some cases, particularly where
the pieces operated upon are so large as to be near the limit of capacity of the
apparatus, to cause a blow-pipe flame to play upon the junction before or during the
passage of the current, so as to add heat and prevent radiation to some degree and
also to check oxidation of the metal at the joint. The application of the blow-pipe
flame is indicated in Figure 16, in which is the end of a blow-pipe, which is supplied
with gas through the piper and with air through the pipe. Where two pieces of
different size or diameter are to be welded, it is, as above stated, desirable to reduce
the end of the larger piece to the same, or nearly the same, size as the smaller piece,
before placing the two pieces in position for welding. It is also desirable, in this case,
to use a blow-pipe flame, as in Figure 17, allowing it to play upon the larger piece
only, and to permit a greater length of the larger piece to project from the clamps.
When the metals to be joined have different conductivity for electricity and heat, it
is well to allow the flame to play upon the better conductor as in Figure 18, and to
clamp the poorer conductor so that it projects a shorter distance from the clamps than
the better conductor. And where a great disparity exists in the fusing points of the
two metals, the flame should play upon the metal of high fusing point, and the other
metal should be clamped close to the joint. However these conditions are not invari-
able and are indefinitely modified by relative softening temperatures, tendency to
alloying of the two bars, electrical resistance, conductivity of heat, relative sizes or
sections, and the like.
In some cases, it is useful to hammer the joint during, or immediately after, its for-
mation and before it cools. This operation is illustrated in Figure 19, the hammer s
and anvil t being employed to condense the metal at d. In other cases, especially
where the metals fuse readily, it is well to partially enclose the joint, during its for-
mation, in a grooved block u, Figure 20, of non-conducting material, which approxi-
mately fits the bars. A 'block of carbon or of wood will often suffice. Fire-brick or
baked clay will also answer the purpose.
In Figure 21, the appearance of a pair of bars before welding is shewn, and, in
Figure 22, these bars are shewn as they appear after the electric weld has been effected.
In Figures 23 and 24, the appearance of flat strips before and after welding are
illustrated.
In Figures 25 and 26, one of the pieces is a flat bar and the other a round bar. It
is desirable, though not essential, to flatten the end of the round bar, as shewn, before
welding.
Although I have illustrated my apparatus as designed for welding bars and wires. of
regular outline, yet it will be readily understood that, by suitably arranging the
clamping surfaces to hold irregular forms, the capability of the apparatus will be
greatly increased.
The useful applications of my invention are very numerous. For instance, as shewn
in Figure 27, an enlarged shank d' may be welded to a small drill so as to be
accurately in line therewith, the said shank, if desired, being of inferior steel, or of
wrought or cast iron. Moreover, it easy to replace a drill on its shank when broken,
or to substitute for a drill other sizes of drills at will. Reamers, taps, and other tools
may be dealt with likewise. Screws, bolts, drills or the like may be lengthened or
shortened by inserting sections therein or removing them therefrom and uniting the
parts by welding. An example of this operation is illustrated in Figure 28, wherein d'
is a section to be inserted between the head and the screw d of a bolt which has
been cut or divided into two parts for the purpose. Rings or washers, such as those
shewn in Figure 29, may be joined edgewise as in Figure 30. Chains may be built
up of links made in halves and welded as in Figure 31. Eyes or loops may
be welded

page_text: to bars as in Figure 32. One piece may be united to another piece at right angles
thereto as in Figure 33, the same or different metals being used, such as cast iron and
steel, or steel and German silver as in mathematical instruments.
My invention permits the easy production of endless metal bands, such as wheel
tires of any size, or barrel and tank hoops. For this purpose a metal bar is bent to
the required shape and inserted into suitably shaped clamps such as those shewn at
,,Figure 34, and an electric current is caused to pass through the ends of the bar
while they are pressed against each other; a small portion of the current passes around
the ring, but it is too small to prevent the firm welding of the hoop at d. Two or
more pieces may be welded to one piece as in Figure 35. A steel knife-blade may be
welded to its handle, which may be of cast metal, Figure 36. Cast or wrought iron
pipes may be made in long lengths by welding together several short lengths or sec-
tions. It is often useful, in such cases, as well as when dealing with bars, to slightly
chamfer the outer edges, as at in Figure 37, before effecting the weld.
When tubes of different diameter are to be joined, the larger tube should be spun
down or otherwise contracted to the diameter of the smaller tube, as in Figure 38.
It is possible, by my invention, to repair twist-drills when broken, as in Figure 39,
or to repair bars or pieces of other irregular form in transverse section.
Steel edges or points may be welded to bodies of cast-iron forming the greater mass
of a tool, such as a pick or the like, as in Figure 40. Many other uses will readily
suggest themselves.
The enlargement or burr generally raised at the joint can be readily filed or ground
off, if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I wish it understood that I claim :-
First. The welding of metals by pressing against each other the pieces or parts to
be united and passing an electric current through the same.
Second. In the welding of metals by the aid of electricity, the employment of
heavy or strong electric currents of low electromotive force, substantially as, and for
the purpose, set forth.
Third. In the welding of metals by the aid of electricity, the heating of one or
more of the pieces or parts to be united, by means of a blow-pipe flame, substantially
as, and for the purposes, specified.
Fourth. An apparatus for welding metals by the aid of electricity, consisting
essentially of clamps movable toward and away from each other and connected with a
source of electricity, for the purposes above specified.
Fifth. The combination, with the movable clamps, of a spring, weight, or other
suitable means for drawing or forcing the same towards each other, for the purpose
above specified.
Sixth. In an apparatus for welding metals by the aid of electricity, the employment
of a primary circuit connected with any suitable source of current and controlled by a
switch or equivalent device, and a secondary welding circuit connected with the pieces
to be united and so arranged that energy will be transferred from the primary circuit,
either inductively or otherwise, to the secondary circuit, for the purpose above specified.
Seventh. The combination of two levers connected by a hinge-joint and provided
with clamps, a spring, weight, or other suitable means for drawing or forcing the said
levers towards each other, and means whereby an electric current may be caused to
pass through bars or other pieces of metal held by the said clamps, all substantially as,
and for the purposes, set forth.
Eighth. The combination of a secondary battery or accumulator with my apparatus,
substantially as described with reference to Figure 12 of the drawings, for the purpose
specified.
Ninth. An induction coil whose primary and secondary are concentric and parallel
with each other and are enclosed or surrounded by iron or other magnetic metal,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

page_text: Tenth. The modification of my apparatus (substantially as described with reference
to Figure 15) wherein I employ an induction coil so constructed and arranged that it
can be adjusted as, and for the purpose, specified.
Eleventh. The improved apparatus consisting of the parts constructed and com-
bined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or to Figure 7, or
to Figure 8, or to Figures 9, 10 and 11, or to Figures 13 and 14 of the drawings for
the purpose specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.