Improvements in Apparatus for Forming and Welding Metal Rings and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HERMANN LEMP, of 19, Allen Avenue, Lynn,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Electrical Engineer.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Forming and Welding Metal Rings
and the like.
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of rings or other metal objects of curved
outline and having an open conter, in which the electric welding process is employed
for the purpose of forming a union between the free ends of one continuous piece of
metal or between two pairs, or more, of the free ends of a number of pieces which,
being all welded together make the complete article of curved or endless form.
The special object of my invention is to facilitate the operation of forming welded
joints in rings or other curved pieces of metal. In apparatus of this character heroto-
fore employed the curved piece or pieces of metal at the opposite sides of the joint
have been held or grasped by two sets of jaws or clamps fixed upon the metal and
adapted to move one towards the other on a curved line corresponding to the curve of
the object or piece of metal under manipulation. In this apparatus the metal
requires to he clamped at both the inner and outer sides of the curved portion
thereof.
My invention consists of clamping conducting jaws suitably mounted so as to be
moved in a line which will intersect the curve of the piece or pieces of metal to be
welded together, at a point near the weld or part to be worked and bearing against
the curved piece of metal at the outside of the same, as will be more particularly
described.
My invention consists also in curved clamping jaws pivoted eccentrically to the
curve on which their clamping surfaces are formed so that when they are moved
towards one another they will move on a line intersecting the curve of the curved
piece or pieces of metal between them.
My invention consists further in moulding or conforming the metal of the ring or
other curved object to the required outline or shape simultaneously with the operation
of forming the weld or joint electrically between the parts which require to be united
in order to make the finished article.
The invention consists likewise in softening the continuous portion of the metal
blank used in making the object by causing an electric current to pass through
the same in sufficient volume thereby assisting in the conforming or moulding
process.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of a form of apparatus heretofore employed for welding metal
rings.
Fig. 2 is a plan of a form of apparatus embodying my invention.
Fig. 3 shows the same apparatus as opened after the formation of the weld.
Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of my invention in which clamps or clamping jaws
instead of being pivoted are made to slide in a straight line.
Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of apparatus adapted for use in welding and
moulding metal rings or other curved objects of endless form.
Fig. 6 shows a blank adapted for use in forming a metal ring.
In Fig. 1 showing a form of apparatus employed previous to my invention two
pairs of clamping jaws are indicated pivoted at a point P, approximately the center

page_text: of the ring R, which is to have a weld formed at the point m. The clamping jaws
themselves consist of blocks of copper or other good conductor indicated at J, J¹,
which are carried upon the arms pivoted at P, and are provided with clamping
screws 8, by which the blocks of copper may be made to grasp the ring or bear upon
the same on the inside and outside thereof. The current is conveyed to the blocks
of copper by means of flexible conductors D, as well understood in the art.
In my improved form of apparatus shown in Fig. 2 C, C, indicate two jaws whose
interior faces, when they are brought together to the proper extent, will conform to
the shape of the ring or other finished article. One of the jaws or both may be
movable and may be mounted on a suitable plate or base adapted to receive the
work. I have shown the jaw C, as fixed and the jaw C' as movable to and from it
for which purpose it is pivoted at a point as P, and is provided with a suitable
operating handle or other device. A stop p, limits the movement of the jaw (",
towards C.
R, is the metal ring or blank the free ends of which are to be welded together
at W, to form a finished ring.
J, J, are conducting blocks of copper or other good conducting material adapted to
bear upon the ring at opposite sides of the weld W, for the purpose of furnishing
an electric current to the metal of the ring in a way to cause the current to pass
across the point W, where the free ends of the blank are abutted.
It will be seen that by pivoting the jaws so that they will move in a direction
which will intersect the curve of the ring or piece of metal under manipulation
between them, the movement of the jaws towards one another will cause them to bear
against the outside of the ring or other curved object and to force the two parts of the
same together at the discontinuous portion or welding point W, and that this action
takes place without any grasping of the ring at its inner and outer surfaces as is
required with the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1.
The blank itself in the present instance, is shown as consisting of a single piece of
metal the two free ends of which have been curved around to the general shape of the
desired article and have been made to abut. In forming this blank or ring, L. may, if
desired, take a piece of metal somewhat longer than the circumferential extent of the
finished ring and bend such blank into the form of the ring with its ends however,
overlapping as illustrated in Fig. 6. The extent of the overlap is determined by the
extent of metal which is taken up in the welding process when the two ends are
forced together. After formning the blank in the shape shown in Fig. 6, the two ends
may be sprung apart and abutted as indicated in Fig. 2, when the blank is placed in
the apparatus. This method of making the blank has the advantage that very little
conforming or shaping of metal is required, especially if the material be springy and
adapted to resume its shape after having been sprung to permit the overlapped ends
to abut. Even when, however, the blank is of springy metal, the conforming or
moulding operation is desirable because it insures the production of a finished ring of
exact circular outline.
It is obviously not necessary to the carrying out of my invention that the blank
should be formed to the exact shape of the finished ring, but I might take a piece of
metal and bend it to a general circular outline or to a form approaching that of a
finished article bringing the ends of the same together in abutment at the time of first
bending. It is generally preferable however, to make the curved blank on a form
which is the same as that of the finished article and to spring the ends apart for
abutment.
The conducting blocks J, J. of copper may be and are preferably, mounted in the
jaws of C, C, the faces of the blocks J, J', being a part of the conforming or moulding
surfaces. Electric current may be supplied to such blocks through any desired
means; thus for instance the block J, may be mounted on a copper bar D2, and the
block J, may be supplied through a flexible conductor e, connected with another
block or bar D³. Electricity from any source supplying current of the requisite
volume for heating the metal to be worked to the welding temperature is furnished

page_text: to the bars D, D*, as well understood in the art. The forming jaws C, C, excepting
at the parts J, Ji, are preferably of iron or some inferior conductor and should be
insulated from one another at the point P.
To assist in the operation of conforming the article to the desired shape, I make the
faces of the blocks J, J', of sufficient angular extent to cause a considerable part
of the electric current to pass around by way of the continuous portion of the
ring R, and in such amount as to soften the same and render it easy of bending or
shaping.
It is obvious that in the case of blanks formed of a single piece of metal the
angular extent of the blocks J, J, in the direction around towards the continuous
portion of a ring or blank will determine the amount of current so passing for the
purpose of softening the metal. The amount of current so passing would, to some
extent, be determined also by the nature of the jaws or conforming faces C, (1, if the
latter are inferior conductors. If they were of insulating material entirely, the
blocks J, J', would have to be continued around or extended to a greater distance for
the purpose of softening the blank than would be the case if the jaws C, C¹, were
conductors.
While I have described my invention as applied to the making of rings from a
single piece of metal bent to the general outline of the ring, it is obvious that it might
be carried out by making the ring from two or more pieces. Thus, for instance, as
indicated in Fig. 5, each jaw C, C, might have two sets of conducting blocks J, J¹,
instead of one, and one jaw might be forced towards the other by means of a screw
as indicated, being for that purpose mounted in suitable guides. Each piece of metal
from which the ring is formed would in such case embrace a little more than a half of
the completed ring to allow for the part taken up in welding.
After forming the blocks or blanks in any desired manner and making them of a
shape approaching or exactly answering to the shape of the finished article the object
or objects are placed in the apparatus, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, with the ends of
the portions to be welded in abutment. The electric current is then supplied to the
apparatus as well understood in the art, and being caused to pass across the joint,
the parts contiguous to the joints are softened and heated to a welding temperature
whereupon the parts are forced towards one another by means of devices shown thus
causing them to be welded together with (in ordinary cases) simultaneous formation
of a burr or expansion as indicated in Fig. 3, which burr or expansion represents the
amount of metal taken up in the welding operation and allowed for by making the
blank which is placed in the apparatus somewhat longer than would be necessary if
no metal were used at the weld.
When the objects are forced towards one another for the purpose of forming a weld
just mentioned the conforming or moulding devices (), C³, being moved towards one
another at the same time, will shape or mould the ring to the exact finished form
which it will assume when the parts have reached the limit of their movement as
determined by the stop p, or other device.
As heretofore stated while I prefer to cause the current to pass through the
continuous portions in volume sufficient to soften the same, I do not confine myself
to this expedient, and in the case of rings or other objects formed of metal of small
gauge, or of a metal which is naturally plastic, I may omit the softening of the blank
or blanks by heat produced by the current.
Instead of pivoting the clamps as indicated in Fig. 2, to permit them to abut on
the outside of the ring in a line intersecting the curve of such ring, they may be
mounted to slide as indicated in Fig. 4, where the two jaws or clamps C, C¹, consist
of blocks of copper as indicated, one fixed and the other movable by means of pressure
screw H. The two jaws are mounted upon suitable conducting blocks or bars D'.
Mounted on the fixed jaw, but suitably insulated therefrom, is a post K, which carries
a lever L. Supported on such lever is a forked or curved piece C, adapted to grasp
the ring R, or other piece to be welded at a point opposite the weld so as to maintain
the form of the ring or other object during the operation. A screw S, serves to
adjust the piece (, down upon the ring. The lever L is held in position by means of

page_text: the clamp lever 1, which may be turned over upon or away from the free end of the
lever, being pivoted as shown upon the post K2, suitably mounted on any desired
support but preferably insulated from the jaw C'.
The operation of this apparatus is similar to that of the apparatus already described
except that in this case the ring cannot be so effectually formed or moulded in the
welding operation. The jaws C, C, being in the position shown, the lever L, is
thrown back out of position, and the ring R, or other object inserted with the part m,
which is to be welded or otherwise manipulated after heating by the electric current
in position between the jaws C, C'; the lever I, is then brought down so that the
jaw C, will grasp the ring and the clamp 1, is turned up so as to engage and hold
the lever down. The jaw C³, may be adjusted against the ring by means of the
screw S. As soon as the weld is completed the lever L is thrown back and the ring
may be then removed.
Having now particularly described and explained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an electric metal working apparatus, the combination of two clamps or
clamping jaws having a conducting bearing on the outside of the curve of the ring
or other curved object and adapted to be moved towards one another on a line
intersecting such curve, as and for the purpose described.
2. In an electric welding apparatus for welding and forming rings and other curved
pieces, the combination of two semicircular forming and conducting jaws one or both
mounted to move on a line intersecting the circumference of the circle of which their
curved clamping or moulding faces form a part.
3. In an electric welding apparatus, the combination substantially as described, of
two semicircular jaws pivoted to one side of the circumference of a circle formed by
the ring or other curved object which is to be welded or worked electrically between
them.
4. The moulding and conducting clamping jaws conformed to the ring or other
object to be manipulated between them and having electric conducting blocks
adapted to touch upon a part of the ring or other object as and for the purpose
described.
5. The herein described improvement in welding metal rings or other curved
metal objects which consists in causing the electric current to pass through the
continuous portion of the blank or blanks in amount sufficient to soften the same,
and moulding or conforming such continuous portion to the curve required
simultaneously with the welding operation.
6. The herein described improvement in making electrically welded rings which
consists in forming a curved blank from a continuous piece of metal of somewhat
greater length than the circumferential length of the finished ring, placing the free
ends of the blank in abutment in an electric welding apparatus and then forcing them
towards one another to effect the weld while at the same time shaping or moulding
the other portions of the blank to the desired curve or form.
7. The herein described improvement in forming rings or other curved metal
objects by the electric welding process consisting in moulding or shaping the
continuous parts of the objects to the finished form in the operation of the forcing
the parts to be welded towards one another.
DL: 0711 JM 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.