Apparatus for friction welding

{
  "publication_number": "US3570740A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Apparatus for friction welding",
  "abstract": "A friction welding apparatus and method wherein workpieces such as the center section and wheel bearing end spindles of a vehicle axle housing are frictionally welded together by rotating the end spindles and axially accelerating the rotating end spindles towards opposite ends of the center section, decelerating the advancing end spindles as they approach the center section so that they gently contact the center section, abruptly and materially increasing the axial thrust urging the rotating end spindles against the center section immediately upon contact, then gradually increasing the axial thrust applied to the rotating end spindles from the abruptly increased thrust level, stopping rotation of the end spindles, and abruptly increasing the axial thrust again to a much higher level and holding the axial engagement pressure at this last level until the welds, which are formed when the end spindles stop rotating, have cooled. A control and sequencing circuit provides for the automatic welding of the end spindles to the center section either simultaneously or sequentially.",
  "claims": [
    "1. Apparatus for integrally joining by friction welding first and second workpieces to a third workpiece to form an integral article, said apparatus comprising: mounting means gripping and holding said third workpiece stationary, first rotating means gripping said first workpiece and capable of being actuated to rotate said first workpiece, second rotating means gripping said second workpiece and capable of being actuated to rotate said second workpiece, first force application means operatively connected to said first rotating means and capable of being actuated to move said first workpiece toward and into contact with said third workpiece, second force application means operatively connected to said second rotating means and capable of being actuated to move said second workpiece towards and into contact with said third workpiece, first control circuit means operatively connected to both said rotating means and both said force application means and manually energizable to actuate initially said first rotating means and said first force application means and subsequently to actuate said second rotating means and said second force application Means, and second control circuit means operatively connected to both said rotating means and said force application means and manually energizable to actuate simultaneously said first and second rotating means and said first and second force application means.",
    "2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein energizations of said first and second control circuit means are mutually exclusive.",
    "3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said third workpiece is held between said first and second workpieces in alignment with a common axis about which both said first and second workpieces are rotated, said first and second force application means respectively applying forces along said axis to said first and second workpieces to displace said first and second workpieces into rubbing engagement with opposite ends of said third workpiece with sufficient pressure to render fusible and workpiece regions being rubbed together, whereby welds are formed at said regions when rotation of said first and second workpiece is stopped."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "B23K 20/121"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "ROCKWELL STANDARD CO"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1968-08-16",
  "publication_date": "1971-03-16",
  "grant_date": "1971-03-16",
  "priority_date": "1968-08-16",
  "application_number": "US-3570740D-A",
  "family_id": "25029667",
  "citations": [
    "US3238612A",
    "US3417457A",
    "US3484926A"
  ]
}