Claims
- 1. A MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus including a pneumatic supply line; vent means; and a mechanical transmission shaft, wherein said pneumatic supply line supplies air to said vent means for venting a directed debris-scattering air-flow against said mechanical transmission shaft proximal to exposed seals thereon.
- 2. The MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pneumatic supply line is adapted to supply pneumatically driven mechanical means, and to vent air from said mechanical means, through said vent means.
- 3. A MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus including a pneumatic supply line for supplying pneumatic rotary drive means and drive vent means for venting a directed debris-scattering air-flow towards a mechanical transmission shaft proximal to seals thereon.
- 4. The MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said transmission shaft is a rotary drive shaft arranged in driven relation with said pneumatic drive means, and in driving relation with a reaming tool to be aligned and inserted within a torches gas-shield and to be operable therein to remove at least some of any back-splash deposits laid down on interior surfaces of said gas-shield.
- 5. The MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transmission shaft is an extensible rotary drive shaft, adapted to be retractably extended past said seal to position said reaming tool within said gas shield.
- 6. A MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus including a pneumatic supply line for supplying pneumatic lift means and lift vent means for venting a directed debris-scattering air-flow towards a mechanical transmission shaft proximal to seals thereon.
- 7. The MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said transmission shaft is an extensible shaft, adapted to be retractably extended past said seals to position a reaming tool within a gas shield.
- 8. The MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said transmission shaft is a rotary drive shaft arranged in driving relation with a reaming tool to be aligned and inserted within a torches gas-shield and to be operable therein to remove at least some of any back-splash deposits laid down on interior surfaces of said gas-shield.
- 9. A MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus comprising: a pneumatic supply line; pneumatic lift means powered from said supply line, pneumatic rotary drive means powered from said supply line; a mechanical transmission shaft that is connected in rotary driven relation to said drive means and is retractably extensible on operation of said lift means; and, an exhaust vent supplied by at least one of air from said supply line, air exhausted from said lift means and air exhausted from said rotary drive means to vent a directed debris-scattering air-flow towards said transmission shaft proximal to seals thereon.
- 10. The MIG welding torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said exhaust vent is supplied by exhausted air from said rotary drive means.
- 11. A MIG torch reconditioning apparatus comprising an in-line, direct-drive arrangement of a motor, a mechanical transmission shaft, and chuck means for receiving a reaming tool, and wherein pneumatic lift means is provided to lift said direct drive arrangement into reaming tool engagement with a torches gas shield wherein said tool is operable to remove at least some of any back-splash deposits laid down on interior surfaces of said gas shield.
- 12. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said motor is a pneumatic motor.
- 13. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said direct-drive arrangement is movably arranged as a piston within a channel in a housing, and said pneumatic lift means is operable to introduce a supply of air under pressure into said channel to move said piston arrangement there-along.
- 14. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said direct-drive arrangement includes a cradle for supporting said pneumatic motor within said channel, and wherein said cradle comprises surfaces adapted to cooperate with interior channel surfaces of said housing, to form a sliding air-tight seal there-between.
- 15. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said cradle surfaces include sealing rings.
- 16. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said channel is cylindrical and said cradle is mounted in slidably positionable relation along an at least one guide rail arranged within said channel, parallel to said channels longitudinal axis, and wherein said rail is offset from said direct drive arrangement and operable to resist rotation of said cradle within said channel.
- 17. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 11, further including pneumatic retractor means operable to retract said direct drive arrangement from out of reaming tool engagement within said torches gas shield after said tool has removed at least some of any back-splash deposits laid down on interior surfaces of said gas shield.
- 18. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said cradle comprises at least two, mutually spaced apart sealing surfaces defining a space there-between which is otherwise bounded by adjacent cradle and channel surface portions, and wherein a pneumatic inlet through said housing communicates with said space, and wherein said cradle includes a pneumatic passage communicating between said space and an air inlet into said pneumatic motor, and whereby air supplied through said housing inlet is deliverable to said motor through said space and said passage over a range of positions in which said inlet is in register between said spaced apart sealing surfaces.
- 19. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said cradle includes a port for exhausting drive air from said motor.
- 20. The MIG torch reconditioning apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said port comprises a telescoping snorkel adapted to channel drive air exhaust exteriorly of said housing.
- 21. A clamp for engaging a cylindrical body between a pair of generally orthogonally-offset faces of a “V”-block and respective gripping surfaces on gripping surface members of a pair of opposed jaws that are arranged on respective jaw pivots and which further include respective lever arms extending beyond said pivots, with each said lever arm supporting respective cam followers in spaced apart relation from their respective jaw pivots, and wherein said clamp further includes movable cam surfaces which are adapted to act on said cam followers to rotate said lever arms and associated jaws about said pivots to move said gripping surfaces in and out of a three-way engagement wherein said cylindrical body is engaged between said surfaces and said “V”-block.
- 22. The clamp according to claim 21, wherein said each of said orthogonally-offset faces is arranged in generally parallel, mutually-opposed relation to a corresponding gripping surface on a gripping surface member, and said “V”-block is mounted on a “V”-block pivot and is rotatable about same to permit said cylindrical body to be engaged in self-centering relation between said faces and said surfaces.
- 23. The clamp according to claim 21, wherein said cam surfaces are side walls of a milled track arranged in a slide plate which is selectively movable between positions corresponding to said gripping surfaces being, respectively, in and out of said three-way engagement with said cylindrical body.
- 24. The clamp according to claim 23, wherein said cam surfaces comprise a primary portion that is configured to translate through said cam followers and said lever arms, to rapidly move said jaws towards engagement with a lower mechanical advantage; and, a secondary portion that is configured to translate through same cam followers and said lever means to more slowly move said jaws into said engagement, with greater mechanical advantage.
- 25. The clamp according to claim 24, wherein said plate is selectively driven by a pneumatic piston.
- 26. The clamp according to claim 25, wherein said plate, said lever arms, and said cam followers are enclosed within a housing, with said “V”-block and said gripping surface members arranged externally thereof, and wherein a central resilient cylindrical seal is arranged generally tangentially against said jaws, between said jaw pivots, to thereby reduce ingress of debris into said housing.
- 27. The clamp according to claim 26, wherein respective ones of outboard cylindrical seals are arranged generally tangentially between corresponding ones of said jaws, and adjacent portions of said housing, to thereby reduce ingress of debris into said housing.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/558,016, filed Apr. 25, 2000.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09558016 |
Apr 2000 |
US |
Child |
10132615 |
Apr 2002 |
US |