Welding clamps, placed inside and outside a rocket case, hold it in proper alignment during tungsten inert gas welding. These metal blocks, connected by a stainless steel band, eliminate the need for backup bars

Franklin, W. J.

Martin, N. C.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

NASA TECH BRIEF 0
Rocket Case 
—
i	 Aluminum 
I	 1/) I.,.-k 
Clamp 
Stainless Stee 
Outside Clam
d turns to 
t up ribbon 
January 1964	 Brief 63-10376 
This NASA Technical Brief is issued by the Office of Technology Utilization to acquaint 
industry with the technical content of an innovation derived from the NASA space program. 
Novel Clamps Align Large Rocket Cases, Eliminate Back-Up Bars 
The problem: Proper alignment, without the use 
of back-up bars, of large aluminum rocket cases dur-
ing tungsten inert-gas welding. 
The solution: Novel welding clamps are fabricated 
and used in pairs, one on the inside of the rocket case 
and the other on the outside. Clamps are two metal 
blocks connected by a 0.005-inch thick stainless steel 
band, one inch wide. A pin in the inside clamp holds 
the band and there is a take-up spool in the outside 
clamp. 
How it's done: Prior to welding, 0.015-inch slots 
are cut in the top edge of the bottom cylinder or case 
on six-inch centers. One case section is then stacked 
on the other. The stainless steel band is attached to
the inside clamp, passed through the slot and on to the 
take-up spool of the outside clamp. Turning the take-
up spool brings the edges of the two cylinders into 
proper alignment. Clamps are released about six 
inches in front of the weld during welding. 
A circumferential, two-pass weld can be made with 
these clamps on 160-inch diameter, 1/2-inch thick 
2219/T87 aluminum. Offset after welding was gener-
ally 1/32-inch maximum, except for longitudinal 
welds. Longitudinal welds were offset from 3/32 to 
1/8-inch. Back-up bars are completely eliminated. 
Joint geometry was a double-vee joint, 45 degrees on 
one side, 20 degrees on the other side and with a 1/8-
inch root face. (continued on next page) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States Govern-
ment. nor NASA, nor any person acting on behalf of NASA: A. Makes 
any warranty or representation, express or implied, with respect to the 
accuracy, com pleteness, or usefulness of the information contained in
this document, or that the use of any information, apparatus, method, 
or process disclosed in this document may not infringe privately-owned 
rights: or B. Assumes any liabilities with respect to the use of, or for 
damages resulting from the use of, any information, apparatus, method, 
or process disclosed in this document.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19630000065 2020-03-11T16:47:56+00:00Z
Note: 
Since back-up bars are not needed, these tools 
should lower the cost of this type of welding. They 
are designed for the manufacture of the Saturn C-5 
Booster Stage S-lC but would prove useful in the weld-
ing of other large, curved metal structures.
Patent status: NASA encourages the immediate 
commercial use of this invention. Inquiries about 
obtaining rights for its commercial use may be made 
to NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C., 20546. 
Source: W. J. Franklin and N. C. Martin 
Marshall Space Flight Center (M-FS-l) 
Brief 63-10376


Novel clamps align large rocket cases, eliminate back-up bars

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