Patent Application
20230339036
The present invention relates to an attachment for a welding torch, and more particularly to an attachment for a welding torch that allows for the cutting of a predetermined shape.
Welding is a process that has increasingly become ubiquitous in all industries. While such processes may be automated in certain contexts, a large number of applications continue to exist for manual welding operations, the success of which relies heavily on the proper use of a welding gun or torch. For instance, an improper torch angle can lead to a spatter, improper penetration, and overall poor weldments. However, inexperienced welders often have difficulty establishing the proper torch angle and torch to workpiece distance during welding, and such skills may be somewhat difficult to teach. Furthermore, even experienced welders may have difficulty maintaining these important parameters throughout welding processes.
Certain attachments have been proposed that are used to establish the proper torch to workpiece distance during spot welding. However, these attachments are less than satisfactory in addressing the overall problem, in particular because they do not allow for the movement of the torch along a predefined path to create the proper cutout, and they are limited in scope to spot welding applications, and do not teach proper technique. Therefore, there exists a need for a device that will aid welders or welding trainees in establishing the proper torch angle, torch to workpiece distance, and pattern cutout.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for an attachment for a torch welder to be able to properly position the torch from a surface as well as provide for a device which assists in the cutting of a pattern in the material. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from the description which follows.
In a first embodiment, the invention is an attachment for a welding torch, comprising: a body wherein the body has a first opening sized to receive a torch and a second opening; and an arm, wherein the arm is sized to fit within the second opening.
The present invention provides a device which attached to a torch to assist the welder in both establishing a position and distance from the surface for the ideal positioning for the torch to perform the cutout, and also assist the welder in following a pattern to cutout the ideal size opening in the piece.
As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustrated herein has discrete components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular embodiments described, as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described.
All publications and patents cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication or patent were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference and are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and/or materials in connection with which the publications are cited. The citation of any publication is for its disclosure prior to the filing date and should not be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention. Further, the dates of publication provided may be different from the actual publication dates which may need to be independently confirmed.
It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is further noted that the claims may be drafted to exclude any optional element. As such, this statement is intended to serve as antecedent basis for use of such exclusive terminology as “solely,” “only” and the like in connection with the recitation of claim elements, or use of a “negative” limitation.
Set screws 106 and 108 are shown an embodiment to secure the rod 104 in the holder 300 and to secure the holder 300 to the torch 200. Various types of locking mechanism can be implemented into the present invention and the set screws with threaded openings are merely one example of a locking mechanism which can be implemented into the present invention. The parts of the attachment are made from a material which is able to withstand the heat of a welder. Various types of steel may be used as well as other materials with high melting points.
The parts of the attachment 100 may be made of a metal, such as brass or steel, which is resistant to the heat generated during welding. In other embodiments, attachment 100 may be made of ceramic. It should be noted that, although the embodiments illustrated in the figures relate generally to metal inert gas (MIG) welding arrangements, the invention may be adaptable to other systems and technologies, such as tungsten inert gas (TIG) torches.
While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.
