Patent ID: 7118021

Claim:
A tooling fixture for applying a compressive load across a bond plane of a component having a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion, as heat is applied to the component and the fixture, the tooling comprising: a tie arm base, having a coefficient of thermal expansion relatively of the same order of magnitude as the predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion, structured to capture a portion of the component on a first side of the weld line and extend up along at least two opposite sides of the component a given distance short of another end of the component; a plurality of adjustment arms spaced around the component, each having a coefficient of thermal expansion relatively of the same order of magnitude as the predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion, attached to the tie arm at the given distance and extending toward the other end of the component short of the other end of the component; a plurality of tensioning arms, having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially less than the predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion, respectively attached to each of the adjustment arms at an end of the adjustment arms closest to the other end of the component and extending past the other end of the component, a combination of the respective adjustment arms and tensioning arms extending to a second side of the weld line; a top plate situated over the top of the component and connected to each of the tensioning arms; and fastening means attached to an end portion of the tensioning arms for tightening the top plate down on the other end of the component and imparting a preload sufficient to hold the component in position, wherein the tie arm base is common to and captures each of the components spaced from one another, and separate top plates and tensioning arms are provided for each component and each top plate is spaced from one another.