Apparatus for welding a stud to a workpiece

U.S. Patent Number: 5321226

Abstract: Apparatus is presented herein for controlling a stud welding gun for welding a stud to a workpiece. The stud welding gun has a gun body and a gun shaft mounted to the body in such a manner to permit reciprocal movement of the shaft relative to the body. The shaft has a distal end having means for carrying a stud to be welded to the workpiece. A linear motor is carried by the gun for directly driving the shaft in forward and reverse directions between fully extended and fully retracted positions relative to the gun body. A floating point detector provides a control signal when the stud engages the workpiece as the shaft is being driven in a forward direction to establish a reference position of the gun body relative to the workpiece. A control responds to the floating point signal for controlling the motor for driving the shaft in the reverse direction to a retracted lift position away from the workpiece and in the forward plunging direction to a plunge position causing the stud to engage the workpiece to achieve welding.

Inventors: Raycher; Robert J. (Amherst, OH)

Assignee: TRW Inc. (Lyndhurst, OH)

Application Number: 08/134,745

Issued: 1994-06-14

Expired: 2006-06-14

Classes: 219/98

Field of search: 219/98,99

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