Improvements in and relating to the Welding and Brazing of Metals by Electricity.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Welding and Brazing
of Metals by Electricity.
I, MARK WESLEY Dewey, of 150 North Salina Street in the City of Syracuse, in
the County of Onondaga, in the State of New York, United States of America,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO THE WELDING AND BRAZING OF METALS BY ELECTRICITY," 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 methods or processes of forming welded or brazed joints
between two metal pieces or portions of a metal object consisting essentially in
electrically heating the material at the junction to soften the same as by passing a
heavy electric current from one side to the other of the joint, and then, when the
material is properly heated, subjecting the joint to a force tending to compress and
twist the same.
It has been found that the ordinary electric joint or weld becomes greatly weakened
if reheated, owing to an imperfect interknitting or intermingling of the atoms of the
metal when the joint was formed, and the object of my invention is to strengthen the
joint by interlocking the same by twisting the metal at the junction while in a heated
or softened condition.
The apparatus or means for effecting the twisting operation upon the welding or
welded junction may be of any suitable construction, but is preferably the same or
similar to the devices shown in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described.
In the drawing Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus suitable for practising my
invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line x, x, of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a specimen
of a weld after the operation, Fig. 4 is a front elevation of another form of apparatus
for practising my method, Fig. 5 shows a part of Fig. 4 on line 3, 3, Fig. 6 is a
modified form of the same part, Fig. 7 is a specimen of the work done with the latter
apparatus, and Fig. 8 shows a front view of an apparatus more especially designed for
effecting butt joints by my method.
Referring specifically to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2, B and B are clamps or
holders, mounted upon a base H and insulated from one another at e.
Cand C¹ indicate electric conductors connected to the clamps, and which may be
connected with any suitable source of heavy electric current, such for instance as that
described in my prior United States Patents in metal working No. 402,416, dated
April 30th, 1889, and No. 408,875 dated August 13th, 1889. The clamps serve to hold the
bars or pieces A to be welded and to convey the current thereto. In this case the said
pieces are shown arranged to be united by a lap weld where their ends meet. The
electric current is passed through the pieces between the clamps so as to heat or soften
the metal at the junction as desired. A suitable pressure clamp J is applied to press
laterally upon the pieces at the joint to force together and keep the parts in contact,
while by means of the handles jj on the clamp the joint is wrenched or twisted,
when sufficiently softened, in a manner the same or similar to that shown in Fig. 3,
thus forming a thoroughly united joint which will stand a very great strain even when
in a heated condition. When the pieces are to be brazed brass with borax may be
applied to the joint before or while effecting the twisting operation.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
In the apparatus shown in Figure 4 the clamp B' is arranged movable toward and
from the other clamp B by means of a screw D and is also arranged to be rotated in

page_text: its support by the handle E. Between the clamps B and B' is a stationary insulated
prassure clamp or die press F for producing latoral pressure upon the joint during the
twisting operation which is effected by rotating the clamp 'B'. In order to form a
wold with this apparatus the pieces to be united are proferably placed in contact with
each other and in the clamps, then the current is passed through said pieces to soften
them, the die press is by means of its screw brought close to the joint, but not so as to
press the same tightly as that would hinder the twisting of the metal at the joint
between the dies when the clamp 13 is rotated, then the said clamp is rotatel by means
of the landle E and the junction or softened part is twisted. The said joint may be
completed or finished, if desired, either by moving the clamp B by means of the
screw D toward the other clamps to upset the metal at the joint between the dies,
giving an appearance to the weld similar to that represented in Fig. 7, or, by effecting
greater pressure upon the junction by means of the press F. It will be obvious that
this pressure may be applied in either way simultaneously with the twisting operation,
if desired. Instead of employing a screw operated press for effecting lateral
pressure such pressure may be applied by hammering as clearly illustrated
in Fig. 6.
Not only is electric lap welding improved and strengthened by twisting the junction
while being welded or in a softened condition, but butt welding is also greatly
improved by my process as the ntoms or fibres of the metal in the parts become more
closely united or interwoven one with the other.
In the apparatus shown in Fig. 8, the rotable clamp B' is provided with a screw
where it turns in its support so that the pieces to be welded are moved together
simultaneously with the twisting operation produced by rotating the clamp by means
of the handle E.
The apparatus shown in Figure 4 may be also used for butt welding by using the
serew D to move the pieces together and the rotable clamp with its handle E to twist
the metal. In some cases the clamp B³ may be rotated first in one direction and then
in the other.
I prefer to perform the twisting operation while the pieces are still heated by the
current used in welding but do not limit myself to so doing, since obviously the pieces
might be allowed to cool and be afterwards again heated and then twisted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is
-:
1. The improvement in electric welding, consisting in twisting the material at the
welding junction while said junction is electrically heatel.
2. The improvement in electric welding, consisting in electrically heating the parts
to be united and then applying pressure or foren tending to move together the pieces
to be welded and to twist them at the junction.
3. The method or process of metal working consisting in electrically heating and
softening the junction of pieces of metal by traversing it with a heavy electric current
and then applying a force to twist the metal at the junction.
4. The herein described method of electric welding, consisting in passing an electric
current through the metal from one side to the other of the joint, and then applying
latoral pressure to the metal at the part where the joint is to be formed together with
a force tending to twist said part.
5. The herein-described method of electric welding, consisting in suitably shaping
and lapping the ends of the pieces of metal to be united, passing an electric current
through the pieces from ono side to the other of the joint and then applying pressure
or force tending to move together the pieces to be welded and to twist them at the
point of union.
6. The method of electric welding consisting in applying to suitably guided and
clamped pieces to be joined a heavy electric current at the junction to soften them and
a force to twist and compress the pieces.

page_text: 7. The method of electric welding consisting in applying to suitable guided and
clamped pieces to be joined a heavy electric current at the junction simultaneously
with a force to twist the pieces.
MARK WESLEY DEWEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.