SEAM WELDING METHOD AND SEAM WELDING APPARATUS

摘要

A pair of plate-like workpieces 12H, 12M are fed by guide rollers 14 and guide members 18U, 18S and at the same time positioned relative to each other such that the edge portions of the workpieces overlap each other with a predetermined lap amount S, and the edge portions are welded together with a welding current applied between a pair of roller electrodes 20U, 20S while the edge portions are squeezed and mashed by these roller electrodes 20U, 20S. The present seal welding apparatus is less complicated and smaller in size than an apparatus which uses a clamping mechanism for moving the plate-like workpieces 12H, 12M to the pair of roller electrodes 20U, 20S while the workpieces are held by upper and lower clamping members. The present apparatus does not require a mechanism as provided in the apparatus with the above clamping mechanism, for returning the upper and lower clamping members after its removal from the welded plate-like workpieces 12H, 12M. Further, the present process and apparatus are free from deterioration of seam welding efficiency due to movements of the roller electrodes 20U, 20S, and permit higher seam welding efficiency than in an apparatus adapted to reciprocate the roller electrodes 20U, 20S relative to the upper and lower clamping members. <IMAGE>