Other

Newcor, Inc.

Robert G VanOtteren

Donald J Spinella

Edward P Patrick

A projection coined onto a metal sheet, preferably an aluminum sheet, for projection welding the sheet to an adjacent metal sheet. The projection has a thickness greater than the thickness of the sheet on which it is formed. The wall of the projection surrounds a first recess and a second recess is formed in a side of the sheet opposite the projection from which the metal cold flows to form the projection. A welding gun assembly having an improved low interia, fast response to the collapse of the projection welding the sheet having the projection to the adjacent sheet.

Projection welding of an aluminum sheet

A seam welding apparatus having an improved bearing support arrangement for the transversely movable upper weld wheel. This upper weld wheel is nonrotatably secured adjacent one end of an elongate electrically conductive shaft, which shaft adjacent its other end is supported within a conventional electrically conductive bearing assembly which rotatably supports the shaft and transmits electrical energy thereto from an external source such as a transformer. The nonrotatable housing associated with the bearing assembly is pivotally supported relative to the machine frame by a pivot which extends adjacent the housing in perpendicular relation to the shaft axis, with this pivot axis being disposed remote from the weld wheel. A welding force generating assembly such as a pressure cylinder and ram are mounted on the machine frame, with the ram being movably supported and acting downwardly onto a spring unit which has an electrical insulator associated therewith. This spring unit and its electrical insulator in turn are rotatably supportingly engaged with the shaft closely axially adjacent the weld wheel. The bearing housing as well as the weld wheel shaft are mounted on a slide member which is supported for movement generally perpendicularly with respect to a plane which is defined by the nip between the weld wheels. The ram of the force generating assembly is preferably coupled directly to the slide member. The spring unit in turn is coupled between the slide unit and the shaft, preferably at the end of the shaft adjacent the weld wheel.

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Bay City, MI, United States of America

Robert G VanOtteren