APPARATUS FOR SEALING TUBULAR ARTICLES BY MEANS OF CONTACT BUTT WELDING Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: power engineering, namely nuclear power reactors, particularly sealing of fuel elements by means of contact butt welding with use of plugs.

SUBSTANCE: apparatus includes sealed welding chamber with housing non-detachable at operation and having through duct for feeding parts to welding zone; mechanisms for sealing welding chamber; device for feeding parts to welding zone; additional clamp of tube; mechanisms for gripping and fixing welded parts; drive device for supplying welding pressure; autonomous drive units. Mechanisms for gripping and fixing welded parts are in the form of collet chucks with respective drives. Welding pressure supply drive device is connected with electrode holder of plug. Welding chamber is restricted by non-detachable housing and flange-current supply lead that is fluid -tightly connected with housing and fixed relative to housing at operation. One collet chuck has annular detachable current supply lead in the form of sectors and it rests by its end at side of large base of petal cone upon said flange-current supply lead. Collet chuck of tube grip and electrode-holder of plug have coaxial electrically insulated one relative to other tie rods arranged in through duct of chamber and joined with autonomous drive units.

EFFECT: enhanced stability of process, improved quality of welded joint due to lowered misalignment of tube and plug.

1 dwg