Battelle Memorial Institute

Rolf Roggen

Jean-Pierre Budliger

Guido Walt

Jean Katzarkoff

Valentin Stingelin

A tool for underwater welding comprises an open-mouthed bell with an axially extending electrode inside, part of that electrode being surrounded by a tube supplying gas under pressure from a pumping station floating on the surface. Another tube linking the bell with that pumping station supplies water under pressure to an annular chamber open toward an array of fluid-guiding blades carried by the bell. In one embodiment, the bell is rotatably mounted and carries the blades on its outer surface, being set in rotation by the oncoming flow; in another embodiment, the bell is stationary and the blades are arranged on its inner surface whereby the water swirls in a film along that surface. In either case the circulating water forms a vortex that passes along the bell periphery and around the bell mouth which is slightly spaced from the workpiece to be welded, the resulting centrifugal forces preventing the entry of surrounding water into the bell whereby a gaseous atmosphere is maintained in its interior.

Underwater welding apparatus

A self-implanting anchor comprising an elongated body having a first portion comprised of a consumable combustible material extending from a leading end of the body and back along the length of the body, and a second portion defining an anchor for implantation in a compact material and which extends from the first portion of the body and back along the length thereof. The elongated body includes a conduit extending axially therethrough and opening at the leading end of the body for supplying an oxidizer through the conduit to the consumable combustible material at the leading end. In use, the leading end portion is positioned against a surface of the compact material and the combustible material is ignited to melt the compact material in a vicinity of the leading end portion of the elongated body. The elongated body is then progressively advanced to progressively melt a portion of the compact material in the vicinity of the leading end portion until the anchor has penetrated the compact material to a certain depth. Combustion is then terminated and the anchor maintained in position at the certain depth until the melted compact material has solidified to secure the anchor in the compact material.

Growing community of inventors

Grand-Lancy, Switzerland

Rolf Roggen