Magnetic crawler vehicle for soldering apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US3973711A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Magnetic crawler vehicle for soldering apparatus",
  "abstract": "A magnetic seam tracking device designed to orientate the feed or forward motion of a soldering tool along the edges of metal sheets disposed head against head and to be submitted to the soldering operaion. The device comprises a carriage or truck B capable of retaining the soldering tool A, said carriage or truck being provided with track-chains (30), the articulated elements whereof have permanent magnets (40-42) which co-operate with metal sheets (D1) and (D2) to be soldered.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A magnetic crawler vehicle especially adapted for running soldering apparatus along a joint between metal members to be solder-joined, the vehicle being provided with member-engaging endless crawler track means, and means for driving the track means, said track means comprising: magnetic shoe units which have respective pairs of spaced generally coextensive magnetic pole plates; said shoe units being articulated in spaced relation in an endless chain disposed inwardly relative to said units and including links; respective permanent magnets fixed between the pole plates; said plates having traction shoe surfaces projecting beyond the respective magnets and operable in magnetic traction along said joint; and means pivotally connecting said links to the shoe units generally in the planes of said plates.",
    "2. A magnetic crawler vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said shoe surfaces comprise edge portions of said plates of substantial length projecting in parallel relation beyond the respective magnets.",
    "3. A magnetic crawler vehicle according to claim 1, including attachment plates secured to proximal portions of said pole plates, and said connecting means connecting said links to said attachment plates.",
    "4. A magnetic crawler vehicle according to claim 3, wherein distal portions of said magnetic unit plates project substantially beyond the respective magnets.",
    "5. A vehicle according to claim 3, including laterally extending guide surfaces structure on said attachment plates.",
    "6. A magnetic crawler vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said plates have proximal portions which project beyond the respective magnets and distal portions projecting beyond the magnets and providing said traction surfaces, and means securing the plates to the magnets.",
    "7. A magnetic crawler vehicle according to claim 1, including a frame providing support for the endless track means, guide structure on the track means, and adjustable guide means on the frame coacting with the guide structure on the track means for controlling orientation of the track means with respect to the profile of surface along which the track means travels.",
    "8. A magnetic crawler vehicle especially adapted for running soldering apparatus along a joint between metal members to be solder-joined, the vehicle being provided with member-engaging endless crawler track means, and means for driving the track means, said track means comprising: articulated magnetic shoe units which have respective pairs of spaced generally coextensive magnetic pole plates; respective permanent magnets fixed between the pole plates; said plates having traction shoe surfaces projecting beyond the respective magnets and operable in magnetic traction along said joint; a frame providing support for the endless track means; guide structure on the track means; and adjustable guide means on the frame coacting with the guide structure on the track means for controlling orientation of the track means with respect to the profile of surface along which the track means travel.",
    "9. A magnetic crawler vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the guide structure on the track means comprises guide surfaces extending laterally relative to the magnetic shoe units, and said adjustable guide means carried by the frame comprises a slider engageable with the guide surfaces.",
    "10. A magnetic crawler vehicle according to claim 9, wherein said guide means carried by the frame comprises a member adjustably secured to the frame by adjustment screw means."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The invention refers to a device to retain and displace soldering tool carrying carriages or trucks all along a soldering path for metallic materials in general and, in particular, for large size sheet metal.\n\nWith particular, although not exclusive reference to the process which is carried out to solder very large sized metal pieces, for instance such as required to prepare hulls for water craft or metallic structures in general, which it is necessary to connect to one another metal sheets, profiled pieces or other members by means of soldering effected along the limbs or edges of said pieces which are, of course, arranged in advantageous positions, according to the requirements of the dockyard and with several others, for the reason that the positions and orientation of said parts are the most different ones.\n\nTherefore, the soldering tool is required to work, each time, in different positions, which are, in certain cases, practically impossible to realize, owing to the position and orientation of the limbs to be submitted to the soldering operation.\n\nTo carry out the solderings concerned, has been, until now, necessary to provide and to erect at the dockyard, scaffoldings capable of retaining special guides, along the areas to be soldered, such guides being of course required to travel along different and, in some cases, very irregular paths.\n\nTo solder metal sheet limbs head against head, a carriage or truck whereon an automatic unit, as well as a soldering equipment are installed, is caused to travel along said guides.",
  "cpc": [
    "C07D 211/22",
    "B23K 3/08",
    "B23K 9/0209",
    "B23K 9/038",
    "Y10S 180/901"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B23K 25/00",
    "B23K 3/08",
    "B23K 37/02",
    "B23K 9/02",
    "B23K 9/038",
    "B63B 9/00",
    "C07D 211/22"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Compagnia Italiana Montaggi Industriali SpA"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Emilio Perego"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1974-03-06",
  "publication_date": "1976-08-10",
  "grant_date": "1976-08-10",
  "priority_date": "1973-04-03",
  "application_number": "US-44876174-A",
  "family_id": "11197589",
  "cited_by_count": 16,
  "citations": [
    "US2132661A",
    "US3249733A",
    "GB978600A",
    "US3437786A",
    "US3777834A"
  ]
}