Advanced automatic machine for rapidly fabricating net metallic honeycomb core

摘要

An automatic machine for rapidly fabricating a continuous length of metallic honeycomb core having a finite width and a precise height for use, substantially as fabricated, in bonding in a honeycomb core panel structure from a continuous strip of preformed metal foil having spaced crest and trough sections. The machine includes a fixed central foil guide that directs a continuous strip of metallic foil to a horizontally translatable guide that positions the foil strip between two banks of vertically biased banks of individual weld blocks having sets of vertically disposed weld pin electrodes. A spreader carriage that is horizontally translatable in synchronism with the translatable guide momentarily spreads individual opposed biased weld blocks to permit the foil strip to be laid against a previously received portion of such foil strip in horizontal and vertical registry of the crests and troughs of the preformed strip. As the foil strip is so positioned, the two opposing sets of weld wheel electrodes are sequentially actuated to weld the vertically registered crests and troughs of foil together in precise horizontal and vertical alignment in a continuous sequential wave-like motion.