ROTATABLE WELDING FIXTURE AND METHOD FOR METAL CLADDING TUBULAR MEMBRANE PANELS

摘要

ROTATABLE WELDING FIXTURE AND METHOD FOR METAL CLADDING TUBULAR MEMBRANE PANELS A rotatable welding fixture for supporting elongated structures such as tubes while performing metal welding operations on the tubes. The fixture includes an elongated central rigid frame which is rigidly attached at each end to an end plate and a trunnion aligned with the longitudinal axis of the frame. The central frame can be conveniently formed by a plurality of adjacent tubes each having a rectangular cross-sectional shape. A plurality of elongated structures such as tubes to be metal clad welded are supportably attached to the outer longitudinal surfaces of the fixture. The tubes being welded can be advantageously cooled during welding by passing a fluid such as water through the tubes. The invention also provides a method for metal clad welding the elongated structures while being rigidly supported by the rotatable welding fixture.