Apparatus for aligning welding joints

Claim 1

Apparatus for positioning endwise adjacent one another a pair of structural members each having a web and at least one flange disposed at an angle with respect to the web to facilitate welding of the same together and for reshaping the webs and flanges to ensure precise endwise alignment therEof prior to welding, said apparatus comprising: a body having anvil means providing a pair of elongated pattern surfaces disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to one another, one surface adapted to be engaged by one side of the web of each member and the other surface adapted to be engaged by one side of the flange of each member; a pair of clamping plates carried by said body at spaced locations across from said one pattern surface; means mounting said clamping plates for movement in spaced paths toward and away from said one pattern surface; a pair of shaping plates carried by said body at spaced locations adjacent said pair of clamping plates and across from the other pattern surface; means mounting each shaping plate for movement independently of its associated clamping plate and in paths transverse to the paths of movement thereof toward and away from said other pattern surface; said pattern surfaces spanning in a continuous fashion across the spaced paths of movement of said plates; and means for urging said plates toward and away from their respective pattern surfaces; so that when the structural members are disposed on the pattern surfaces with a gap between their ends, movement of the plates toward their respective pattern surfaces causes the webs and flanges to be displaced into precise endwise alignment.