Patent ID: 7034247

Claim:
An apparatus for handling a pair of sheet metal workpieces to be welded, comprising: a first workpiece holder; a second workpiece holder; wherein the first and second workpiece holders are positioned so that an edge of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces is in contact with, or separated by a gap from, an edge of the other sheet metal workpieces; a backing element disposed on a first side of the sheet metal workpieces; and a squeeze roller, disposed on a second side of the sheet metal workpieces opposite the first side and substantially aligned with the backing element, the squeeze roller being mounted on a support to permit rotation of the squeeze roller in any direction, wherein the squeeze roller is formed as a body symmetrical in rotation, and wherein force selectively applied to the squeeze roller will cause plastic deformation of one of the pair of sheet metal workpieces and thereby cause the deformed sheet metal workpiece to extend into the gap.