The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 11, 1996
Filed:
Feb. 21, 1995
Michael L Pease, Richmond, IN (US);
Holiday Rambler, L.L.C., Wakarusa, IN (US);
Abstract
A welding apparatus and method is provided for automatically welding a stack of two or more metal tubes together. The tubes are stacked such that there is a pair of opposed longitudinal interfaces (or seams) between each tube in the stack. The welding apparatus broadly comprises: a stationary welding means for forming welds along the seams between each tube; a drive means for linearly advancing the stack of tubes relative to the welding means and for preventing separation of the tubes as the welds are being formed; and an alignment means for continuously and accurately keeping the stack of tubes in proper alignment as the drive means advances the tubes. The welding method broadly comprises: aligning the tubes in accurate stacked relation; holding the tubes together in stacked relation; advancing the tubes relative to a stationary welding means while maintaining the tubes in stacked relation; and welding the opposed longitudinal interfaces between each tube as the tubes are moved relative to the welding means.