GB1037541A - Improvements in or relating to methods and apparatus for producing component parts for a radiator by welding - Google Patents

Abstract

1,037,541. Making radiators; welding by pressure; welding by fusion. RUNTAL HOLDING CO. A.G. Feb. 5, 1963 [Feb. 5, 1962], No. 4747/63. Headings B3A and B3R. In making a component part for a radiator, ribs are held on a tube transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tube and relative movement is effected between the ribs and a welding machine to weld the ribs to the tube. A radiator comprising three side by side flat tubes la, 1b, 1c, Fig. 1 (not shown), and upper and lower corrugated sheets 2a, 2b is assembled on a guideway 3, Fig. 5, and held together and jaws 5, one on each side of the guideway, move towards the radiator assembly so that fingers 5a and 5b on the jaws enter the corrugations in the sheets 2a, 2b to hold the assembly correctly positioned relatively to the electrodes 4a, 4b, Fig. 4 (not shown), of a welder 4 and faces 5c on the jaws press the tubes 1a 1b, 1c together. The guideway is moved transversely towards the electrodes which when the radiator is correctly positioned come together and effect spot welding of the bases of the corrugations to the tubes. The guideway is moved stepwise until all the transverse weld spots are made, the jaws 5 are withdrawn, the radiator is advanced on the guideway to bring another corrugation base in line with the electrodes, the jaws are returned and the guideway is moved transversely in the opposite direction. A baseplate 6 adjacent the welder 4 has guides 8, Fig. 9 (not shown), for guiding slides 7 carrying the jaws 5 and has two guideway parts 14, 15, each comprising a support surface 3a<SP>1</SP>, b<SP>1</SP> and fixed and movable side cheeks. Extension guideway parts 9, 10 are secured to the plate 6 and the assembly of plate 6 and parts 9, 10 is movable transversely in steps by rollers 19 on rails 18 by chain drives 26 driven by a shaft 25 in turn rotated by a pneumatic piston operated ratchet device. When the guideway reaches in end of its traverse travel a limit switch is operated which causes the jaws 5 to be withdrawn and the opening of the jaws causes the operation of a pneumatic cylinder 49 which via linkage 50 and a lever 51 moves the radiator assembly along the guideway one step. The electrodes may be moved relatively to the radiator assembly and seam welding instead of spot welding may be employed. Two flat tubes spaced apart may have ribbed metal sheets welded thereto and a flat tube may have individual flanged ribs welded thereto. Two electrodes may replace each electrode 4a, 4b or automatic arc welding may be used for welding individual ribs or hollow flat tubes to radiator elements.