Patent ID: 8707558

Claim:
A method of welding a threaded weld fitting to a tank wall of a water storage tank to form a water heater tank weldment, the method comprising the steps of: positioning an edge of a weld projection of a facing surface of a threaded weld fitting against the tank wall, thereby forming an annular area defined at least in part by (a) the tank wall, (b) a first beveled surface portion of the facing surface extending from the edge of the weld projection, (c) a landing surface portion of the facing surface extending from the first beveled surface portion toward a longitudinal axis of the threaded weld fitting and oriented at an angle with respect to the first beveled surface and substantially parallel to the tank wall, and (d) a second beveled surface portion of the facing surface extending from the landing surface portion to a female thread of the threaded weld fitting; and applying heat to the weld projection of the threaded weld fitting and the tank wall, thereby forming a weld at least partially consuming the first beveled surface portion of the facing surface of the threaded weld fitting and extending into the annular area, wherein the positioning step is completed without positioning a sleeve in the threaded weld fitting to shield the female threads of the threaded weld fitting from the weld.