Capacitor discharge process for welding braided cable

Patent · 31 December 1994

OSTI ID:870110

Wilson, Rick D ^[1]

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1. Corvallis, OR

A capacitor discharge process for welding a braided cable formed from a plurality of individual cable strands to a solid metallic electrically conductive member comprises the steps of: (a) preparing the electrically conductive member for welding by bevelling one of its end portions while leaving an ignition projection extending outwardly from the apex of the bevel; (b) clamping the electrically conductive member in a cathode fixture; (c) connecting the electrically conductive member clamped in the cathode fixture to a capacitor bank capable of being charged to a preselected voltage value; (d) preparing the braided cable for welding by wrapping one of its end portions with a metallic sheet to form a retaining ring operable to maintain the individual strands of the braided cable in fixed position within the retaining ring; (e) clamping the braided cable and the retaining ring as a unit in an anode fixture so that the wrapped end portion of the braided cable faces the ignition projection of the electrically conductive member; and (f) moving the cathode fixture towards the anode fixture until the ignition projection of the electrically conductive member contacts the end portion of the braided cable thereby allowing the capacitor bank to discharge through the electrically conductive member and through the braided cable and causing the electrically conductive member to be welded to the braided cable via capacitor discharge action.

• Research Organization: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Pittsburgh, PA, and Morgantown, WV
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Secretary of (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5457301
• OSTI ID: 870110
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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action
allowing
anode
apex
bank
bevel
bevelling
braided
braided cable
cable
capable
capacitor
capacitor bank
capacitor discharge
cathode
causing
charged
clamped
clamping
comprises
conductive
connecting
contacts
discharge
discharge process
electrically
electrically conductive
extending
extending outwardly
fixed
fixed position
fixture
form
formed
ignition
individual
individual strands
leaving
maintain
metallic
metallic electrical
moving
operable
outwardly
plurality
portion
portions
position
preparing
preselected
process
projection
retaining
sheet
solid
solid metal
steps
strands
towards
unit
value
via
voltage
voltage value
welded
welding
wrapped
wrapping