Barrier formed by resistance projection welding
A barrier such as a fence is formed by welding conductive upright members to conductive U-shaped rails by a projection resistance welding process. The rail includes at least one weld-forming region which projects within the rail channel, and may be formed wither as a ridge, or as a longitudinally spaced series of nipple-shaped projections. The upright member is transversely positioned within the rail channel in contact with the weld-forming region. A welding current transmitted between the upright member and the rail causes the weld-forming region to at least partially melt and form a weld within the rail channel.
1 - 35 . (cancelled).
36 . A barrier comprising:
at least one elongate rail, comprising:
an elongate web; and
a pair of opposed first and second side walls depending from the web to define a rail channel, the first side wall having a first surface contiguous to the rail channel and an opposed second surface having an indentation formed therein; and
at least one upright member disposed in transverse relationship to the rail and secured to the rail by at least one weld formed between the upright member and the first surface of the first side wall at a position immediately opposite the indentation in its second surface.
37 . The barrier of claim 36 in which the rail and upright member are each formed from a conductive material.
38 . The barrier of claim 37 in which the weld is a resistance weld.
39 . The barrier of claim 36 further in which the rail comprises one of a plurality of rails disposed in spaced and parallel relationship, and in which the upright member comprises one of a plurality of laterally spaced upright members, with each upright member extending in transverse relationship to the plural rails, with a weld formed between each upright member and each rail at the first surface of the first side wall, immediately opposite an indentation in the second surface.
40 . The barrier of claim 39 in which the plural rails comprise:
an upper rail characterized by a web having no openings of sufficient size to receive an upright member therethrough; and
a lower rail characterized by a web having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings formed therein, each opening sized to clearingly receive an upright member therethrough.
41 . The barrier of claim 40 in which the web of each rail is characterized by a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings formed therein, each opening sized to clearingly receive an upright member, and in which each upright member traverses the rail channel and extends through a corresponding opening.
42 . The barrier of claim 36 in which the second side wall is characterized as having a first surface contiguous to the rail channel and an opposed second surface having an indentation formed therein, and in which a pair of welds is formed between the rail and the upright member at the first surface of each side wall, immediately opposite the indentation in its second surface.
43 . The barrier of claim 36 in which the indentation comprises a score formed in the first side wall.
44 . The barrier of claim 43 in which the score extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail.
45 . The barrier of claim 42 in which the indentation in each side wall comprises a score formed in the side wall.
46 . The barrier of claim 45 in which the score extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail.
47 . The barrier of claim 36 in which the indentation comprises at least one dimple formed in the first side wall.
48 . The barrier of claim 43 in which a plurality of dimple-shaped indentations is formed in the second surface of the first side wall.
49 . The barrier of claim 42 in which the indentation in each side wall comprises at least one dimple formed in the side wall.
50 . The barrier of claim 49 in which a plurality of dimple-shaped indentations is formed in the second surface of each side wall.
51 . The barrier of claim 36 in which the upright member is characterized as one of a plurality of laterally spaced upright members, each upright member disposed in transverse relationship to the rail and positioned to contact the first surface of the first side wall immediately opposite an indentation in the second surface, with a separate weld formed between the upright member and the first side wall at its area of contact with the first side wall.
52 . The barrier of claim 51 in which the indentation comprises a score extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the second surface, such that a plurality of spaced upright members may be transversely positioned within the rail channel in contact with first surface at different longitudinal positions, each in immediate opposition to the same score.
53 . The barrier of claim 50 in which the dimple-shaped indentations are longitudinally spaced, and in the upright member is characterized as one of a plurality of laterally spaced upright members, each upright member disposed in transverse relationship to the rail and positioned to contact the first surface of the first side wall immediately opposite a dimple in the second surface, with a separate weld formed between the upright member and the first side wall at its area of contact with the first side wall.
54 . A barrier comprising:
at least one elongate channel-shaped rail, the rail having at least a first structural element having opposed first and second surfaces, with the first surface contiguous to the rail channel and the second surface having an indentation formed therein;
at least one upright member disposed in transverse relationship to the rail and secured to the rail by at least one weld formed at the first surface of the first structural element, at a position immediately opposite the indentation in the second surface.
55 . The barrier of claim 54 in which the rail and upright member are each formed from a conductive material.
56 . The barrier of claim 54 in which the weld is a resistance weld.
57 . The barrier of claim 54 in which the rail comprises one of a plurality of rails, the rails disposed in spaced and parallel relationship, and in which the upright member comprises one of a plurality of laterally spaced upright members, with each upright member extending in transverse relationship to the plural rails, with a weld formed between each upright member and each rail at the first surface of the side wall, immediately opposite the indentation.
58 . The barrier of claim 57 in which the plural rails comprise:
an upper rail having no openings of sufficient size to receive an upright member; and
a lower rail having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings formed therein, each opening sized to clearingly receive an upright member.
59 . The barrier of claim 57 in which each rail is characterized by a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings formed therein, each opening sized to clearingly receive an upright member.
60 . The barrier of claim 47 in which the rail is further characterized as having a second structural element, spaced from the first structural element, the second structural element having opposed first and second surfaces, with the first surface contiguous to the rail channel and the second surface having an indentation formed therein.
61 . The barrier of claim 54 in which the first structural element comprises a side wall of the rail.
62 . The barrier of claim 60 in which the first and second structural elements comprise side walls of the rail, and in which the upright member is secured to the rail by a pair of welds formed between the upright member and each of the side walls.
63 . The barrier of claim 54 in which the indentation comprises a score formed in the second surface of the first structural element.
64 . The barrier of claim 54 in which the indentation comprises at least one dimple formed in the second surface of the first structural element.
65 . The barrier of claim 64 in which the indentation comprises a plurality of dimple-shaped indentations formed in the second surface of the first structural element.
66 . The barrier of claim 60 in which the indentation in each structural element comprises a score formed in the second surface thereof.
67 . The barrier of claim 60 in which the indentation in each structural element comprises at least one dimple formed in the second surface thereof.
68 . The barrier of claim 67 in which each indentation comprises a plurality of dimple-shaped indentations formed in the second surface of each structural element.
69 . The barrier of claim 61 in which the indentation comprises a score formed in the second surface of the first structural element.
70 . The barrier of claim 69 in which the score extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail.
71 . The barrier of claim 61 in which the indentation comprises at least one dimple formed in the second surface of the first structural element.
72 . The barrier of claim 71 in which the indentation comprises a plurality of dimple-shaped indentations formed in the second surface of the first structural element.
73 . The barrier of claim 62 in which the indentation in each structural element comprises a score formed in the second surface thereof.
74 . The barrier of claim 69 in which the score extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rail.
75 . The barrier of claim 62 in which the indentation in each structural element comprises at least one dimple formed in the second surface thereof.
76 . The barrier of claim 75 in which each indentation comprises a plurality of dimple-shaped indentations formed in the second surface of each structural element.
77 . The barrier of claim 36 in which the upright member comprises one of a plurality of laterally spaced upright members, each upright member disposed in transverse relationship to the rail and positioned to contact the first surface of the first side wall immediately opposite an indentation in the second surface, with a separate weld formed between the upright member and the first side wall at its area of contact with the first side wall.
78 . The barrier of claim 77 in which the indentation comprises a score extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the second surface, such that a plurality of spaced upright members may be transversely positioned within the rail channel in contact with first surface at different longitudinal positions, each in immediate opposition to the same score.
79 . The barrier of claim 77 in which the indentation comprises a plurality of spaced dimples extending longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the second surface, with a plurality of spaced upright members transversely positioned within the rail channel in contact with first surface at different longitudinal positions, each in immediate opposition to a separate dimple in the second surface.
80 . A rail formed from a conductive material, comprising:
an elongate web having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings formed therein, including at least one opening situated closer to the midpoint than to either end; and
a pair of opposed first and second side walls depending from the web to define a rail channel, the first side wall having a first surface contiguous to the rail channel and an opposed second surface, the second surface having an indentation formed therein and the first surface having a weldable projection situated immediately opposite the indentation.
81 . The rail of claim 80 in which the indentation comprises a score.
82 . The rail of claim 80 in which the second side wall has a first surface contiguous to the rail channel and an opposed second surface, the second surface having an indentation formed therein and the first surface having a weldable projection situated immediately opposite the indentation.
83 . The rail of claim 82 in which the weldable projection of each rail comprises a ridge.
84 . The rail of claim 80 in which the indentation comprises a dimple.
85 . The rail of claim 84 in which the indentation comprises a plurality of spaced dimples.
86 . A fence panel formed from a plurality of rails as defined in claim 80 and a plurality of laterally spaced upright members, the rails disposed in spaced and parallel relationship, and each upright member extending in transverse relationship to the plural rails, with a weld formed between each upright member and each rail within the rail channel at the weldable region of the rail side wall.
87 . A fence panel formed from a plurality of rails as defined in claim 82 and a plurality of laterally spaced upright members, the rails disposed in spaced and parallel relationship, and each upright member extending in transverse relationship to the plural rails, with a pair of welds formed between each upright member and each rail within the rail channel at the weldable regions of the rail side walls.