Ring gear based welding system

1. A method of welding a pipe section in a ring-based welding system, wherein the welding system comprises: (i) an adjustable ring gear mount; (ii) a ring gear assembly positioned on the adjustable ring gear mount, the ring gear assembly having an inner diameter and a center point; and (iii) at least one weld head assembly mounted on the ring gear assembly; wherein the method comprises the steps of:

(a) positioning the pipe section within the ring gear assembly, the pipe section having (i) an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the ring gear assembly, (ii) a pipe center point, (iii) a longitudinal axis, and (iv) an object attached to the pipe section which enlarges a cross-sectional profile of the pipe section;

(b) moving the pipe section through the ring gear assembly in a direction substantially parallel to the pipe section's longitudinal axis;

(c) operating the adjustable ring gear mount to move the center point of the ring gear assembly relative to the pipe center point in a plane substantially orthogonal to the pipe section's longitudinal axis; and

(d) moving the attached object through the ring gear assembly while the ring gear assembly remains an enclosed circular structure.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring gear assembly comprises two half ring sections with a locking mechanism maintaining the half ring sections together.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring gear assembly comprises a unitary circular ring.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring gear mount allows two dimensional movement in a plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the pipe section.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the ring gear mount comprises guide rail and rail carriage assemblies allowing movement of the half ring sections on a base, wherein the adjustable ring gear mount is positioned on the base.

6. A method of welding a pipe section in a ring-based welding system, wherein the welding system comprises: (i) an adjustable ring gear mount; (ii) a ring gear assembly positioned on the adjustable ring gear mount, the ring gear assembly having an inner diameter and a center point; and (iii) at least one weld head assembly mounted on the ring gear assembly; wherein the method comprises the steps of:

positioning the pipe section within the ring gear assembly, the pipe section having (i) an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the ring gear assembly, (ii) a pipe center point, (iii) a longitudinal axis, and (iv) an object attached to the pipe section which enlarges a cross-sectional profile of the pipe section;

moving the pipe section through the ring gear assembly in a direction substantially parallel to the pipe section's longitudinal axis;

operating the adjustable ring gear mount to move the center point of the ring gear assembly relative to the pipe center point in a plane substantially orthogonal to the pipe section's longitudinal axis; and

moving the attached object through the ring gear assembly while the ring gear assembly remains an enclosed circular structure;

wherein the ring gear assembly comprises two half ring sections with a locking mechanism maintaining the half ring sections together;

wherein the ring gear mount comprises guide rail and rail carriage assemblies allowing movement of the half ring sections on a base, wherein the adjustable ring gear mount is positioned on the base;

wherein the ring gear mount comprises a first guide rail positioned between the base and a mounting plate, and a second guide rail positioned on the mounting plate, wherein the second guide rail is substantially perpendicular to the first guide rail.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second guide rail is positioned horizontally such that extension arms of the half ring sections may travel along the second guide rail.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the half ring sections each include upper and lower extension arms to which the guide rails are attached.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inner diameter of the ring gear assembly is at least eight percent greater than the outer diameter of the pipe section.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the welding system further comprises a system controller and the outer diameter of the pipe section has been entered into the welding system and the controller employs the outer diameter to calculate a maximum allowable movement of the ring gear assembly.

11. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the pipe section and the attached object are passed entirely through the ring gear assembly without the half ring sections being separated from one another.

12. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the ring gear mount is positioned on a base, the base comprising guide rail and rail carriage assemblies allowing the ring gear mount to move relative to the pipe section in a direction substantially parallel to the pipe section's longitudinal axis.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring gear mount comprises guide rail and rail carriage assemblies allowing the enclosed circular structure to move relative to the pipe section in a direction substantially parallel to the pipe section's longitudinal axis.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ring gear assembly comprises a plurality of ring sections and a releasable fastener fastening at least two contiguous ring sections together.

15. A welding system comprising:

an adjustable ring gear mount;

a ring gear assembly positioned on the adjustable ring gear mount, the ring gear assembly comprising a substantially planar circular structure and having an inner diameter and a center point;

at least one weld head assembly mounted on the ring gear assembly; and

wherein the ring gear assembly is in an enclosed position and when a pipe section is positioned within the ring gear assembly, the center point of the ring gear assembly is moveable a distance in at least one dimension within a plane of the ring gear assembly relative to a center point of the pipe section.

16. The welding system of claim 15 , further comprising:

the pipe section positioned within the ring gear assembly, the pipe section having (i) an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the ring gear assembly and an object attached to the pipe section which enlarges a cross-sectional profile of the pipe section; and

wherein the plane of the ring gear assembly is substantially orthogonal to the pipe section's longitudinal axis.

17. The welding system of claim 16 , wherein the adjustable ring gear mount is positioned on a base, the base comprising guide rail and rail carriage assemblies allowing the ring gear mount to move relative to the pipe section in a direction substantially parallel to the pipe section's longitudinal axis.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, at least during step (d), the pipe section's longitudinal axis extends through the pipe center point and does not intersect the ring gear assembly's center point.

19. The welding system of claim 16 , wherein the pipe section's longitudinal axis extends through the pipe center point and does not intersect with the ring gear assembly's center point.

20. A method of welding a pipe in a ring-based welding system, wherein the welding system comprises: (i) a base, (ii) an adjustable ring gear mount positioned on the base to allow at least two dimension movement; (iii) a ring gear assembly positioned on the adjustable ring gear mount, the ring gear assembly having an inner diameter and a center point; and (iv) at least one weld head assembly mounted on the ring gear assembly, the weld head assembly including a welding torch; wherein the method comprises the steps of:

positioning a pipe section within the ring gear assembly, the pipe section having (i) an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the ring gear assembly, (ii) a pipe center point, and (iii) an object attached to the pipe section which enlarges the cross-sectional profile of the pipe section;

moving the pipe section through the ring gear assembly in a lateral direction; and

operating the adjustable ring gear mount to move the center point of the ring gear assembly relative to the center point of the pipe section in order to allow passage of the attached object through the ring gear assembly while the ring gear assembly is in an enclosed position.

21. The welding system of claim 15 , wherein the pipe section is positioned within the ring gear assembly.

22. The welding system of claim 15 , wherein the adjustable ring gear mount is positioned on a base and wherein the ring gear mount comprises a first guide rail positioned between the base and a mounting plate, and a second guide rail positioned on the mounting plate.

23. The welding system of claim 15 , wherein the distance is sufficient to allow an attached object to pass through the ring gear assembly in the enclosed position.