The invention concerns: an electrolytic acting torch for the surface treatment of metals, or rather a device in which a nib is taken into contact on the surface of the metal to carry out cleaning, pickling, polishing, electrodeposition or permanent writing with oxidation works on it; said torch has improved devices for protecting the operator from the gases and vapours generated in the aforementioned treatments.
The state of the art comprises electrolytic action devices on the surfaces of metals in which gases and vapours generated in the treatment are sucked into a suction device.
From European patent EP 0 852 629 an electrolytic action torch device for the surface treatment of metals is known in which an electrode with a nib, coated with a pad of fabric made from insulating material impregnated with an acid solution, is fed with low-voltage current and in which the other electrode is connected to the surface of the metal being treated and, to make the operation of the device safer, has suction ports near to said pad, connected with a suction fan for the gases and vapours that form during treatment.
In the state of the art it is known to carry out the polishing, pickling and cleaning treatments of the weldings in the metals under suction hoods, whereas the treatments that are less aggressive on the metal, for example the permanent writing with oxidation, are usually carried out without any protection for the operator.
Moreover, the use of spaces with hoods or areas with suction forces the construction or the adoption of somewhat bulky and expensive apparatuses and, moreover, the operator in his work often finds himself avoiding positioning the metal parts being treated in the correct position for maximum efficiency of said hoods or suction areas.
Furthermore, the device described in patent EP 0 852 629 is bulkier since the efficiency of suction has only been checked with high flow rates of air sucked in; as a consequence of this the suction device adopted by machines constructed according to the patent is of a size suitable for carrying out the required high flow rate.
Therefore, known devices are rather bulky and suitable for high productions and with well-defined working areas that cannot easily be moved. Indeed, the suction devices of the gases and vapours generated in said electrolytic action both due to the configuration—hoods and suction areas in the work environment—and due to the weight and bulk—like the suction integrated into the electrolytic cleaning and pickling machine described in the prior patent—are not very practical and also rather expensive.
Such a state of the art can undergo substantial improvements with regard to the possibility of making an electrolytic action torch for the surface treatment of metals equipped with a device for protecting the operator from the gases and vapours generated in treatment, which whilst being practical in use is simple to assemble in any work place and is not very expensive.
From the above derives the need to solve the technical problem of finding a protection device from the gases and vapours generated in the treatment of the surface of metals that is simple in its construction and easy to use and to assemble.
A further purpose of the present invention is to make a device for protecting the operator from the gases and vapours in the electrolytic action for the surface treatment of metals that is cost-effective in construction, in use and in maintenance.
The invention solves the aforementioned technical problem by adopting: an electrolytic action torch for the surface treatment of metals, comprising a nib connected with the unipolar supply of electric current from an external apparatus, the other pole being connected with the metal surface being treated and a device for protecting the operator from the gases and vapours generated, characterized in that the protection device consists of a member suitable for providing the area of the nib with a flow of pressurized air.
Moreover, by adopting, in a further preferred embodiment: said member consisting of a supply tube of the pressurised air that terminates with a hole aiming towards the nib and said hole advantageously being throttled.
Furthermore, by adopting, in a further preferred embodiment: said supply tube outside the body or shell of the torch and fixed to it; said supply tube, more advantageously, being able to be arranged inside the body or shell of the torch.
By adopting, in a further and different embodiment: in the vicinity of the attachment zone of the nib to the torch, one or more slits or holes for releasing the flow of air aimed towards the nib.
Moreover, by adopting, in a further and preferred embodiment: said pressurised air obtained by connection of the torch to a compressed air distribution apparatus or network; more advantageously, the compressed air distribution apparatus consisting of a motor compressor equipped with an electric motor or a combustion engine.
Furthermore, by adopting, in a further preferred embodiment: in the connection of the torch to the apparatus or network, an electrovalve for controlling the delivery of compressed air to the torch.
Finally, by adopting, in a further preferred embodiment: to constitute said member, between the body of the torch and the support of the nib, a deflector with a prevalently radial position, tilted towards the nib and with a concavity facing towards the nib; a hole positioned between the deflector and the nib releases said flow of compressed air against the concave part of said deflector; advantageously, a ring and a cylindrical support body of the deflector being coaxial to the body of the torch; the hole is made on said ring and constantly orientated towards said concave part of the deflector; the supply of pressurised air advantageously occurring from inside the body of the torch.
A way of carrying out the invention is illustrated, purely as an example, in the three attached tables of drawings in which:
In
In
The first embodiment, when applied to a complete type torch 19, is made as illustrated in
In
In
The advantages obtained by this invention are: the protection of the operator during the electrolytic action surface treatment of metals is ensured by the jet of air that hits the area of the nib 4, 11 and the pad 6, 18. In the various embodiments illustrated the action of the air in expansion is, indeed, different in the case of a hole 5, which if advantageously throttled, the action of the air condenses the water vapour so as to cool the pad and to prevent the dispersion in the environment of the vapour, which usually partially encapsulates the condensation of the gases generated in the treatment.
On the other hand, in the case of the slits 9, the flow of air generates a gas current in the vicinity of the nib and of the pad such as to obtain similar, but weaker effects: in this case in the tests carried out no condensation of the water vapour was noted, but the evacuation with the dispersion of the gases and vapours was however significant.
In the case of use of the deflector 27, finally, the barrier effect that the jet of air D carries out is comparable and, if the deflector is orientated away from the operator correctly, he is not reached by the motion of the gases and vapours generated in the electrolytic action treatment of the metal surface.
Following tests a longer lifetime of the pad and the condensation of the water vapour in the area of the nib was noted.
The torches thus constructed according to the present invention carry out the protection of the operator from the gases and vapours generated in the electrolytic action surface treatment on metals in a simple, cost-effective and practical manner both in assembly and in use. The pressurised air can be drawn in an any useful and advantageous way for example by connecting the tube 3 or duct 15 to the compressed air distribution network present in industrial plants; in this case it is advantageous to insert an electrovalve for controlling the supply to the torch of compressed air between the network and the torch: it is easily controlled when connected to said buttons for controlling the other functions of the torch. Said compressed air can be produced on site with small electrical motor compressors, so as to ease the actuation with the control of the torch, or a combustion engine for the maximum freedom of positioning of the electrolytic action treatment also in areas outside of industrial plants.
In the practical embodiment the materials, the sizes and the details of embodiment can be different to those indicated, but technically equivalent to them, without for this reason departing from the legal scope of the present invention. Thus, the embodiment of the simple torch 2 of
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB2005/000282 | 2/4/2005 | WO | 00 | 6/11/2008 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2006/082462 | 8/10/2006 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20090127103 A1 | May 2009 | US |