Patent ID: 8714431

Claim:
A friction welding tool comprising: a pin having a longitudinal axis, an encircling radial projection, a coupling end and an engagement end lying opposite the coupling end, said longitudinal axis extending between the coupling end and the engagement end, said pin being rotatable about said longitudinal axis, said encircling radial projection being disposed between said coupling end and said engagement end, said coupling end being adapted to be releasably coupled to an output device of a machine tool for rotation therewith, wherein rotation of said in about said longitudinal axis is adapted to engage said engagement end with a surface of a workpiece arrangement, a clamping device surrounding said pin and being movable along said longitudinal axis, said clamping device being configured for exerting pressure on the surface of the workpiece arrangement, said clamping device having a counter bearing, which is held on said pin between said coupling end and said engagement end in a manner which allows said clamping device to be rotated freely around the longitudinal axis of said pin and prevents said clamping device from being moved along said longitudinal axis, said clamping device having a holddown element surrounding said pin, said holddown element being arranged on a side of the counter bearing facing said engagement end and having a contact surface that is configured to contact the workpiece arrangement, and a spring element provided between the holddown element and the counter bearing such that said holddown element is slidable along said longitudinal axis of said pin and biased away from said counter bearing, wherein said counter bearing has a bearing housing with an encircling radial recess, said encircling radial recess receiving said encircling radial projection, said counter bearing being configured to permit free rotary motion of said pin about said longitudinal axis relative to said bearing housing and to engage opposite sides of the encircling radial projection to inhibit axial movement of said in along said longitudinal axis relative to said bearing housing.