Patent Application
20180199642
This application is directed, in general, to a TIG welding finger shield and, more specifically, to a shield to cover and protect a welder's glove finger from heat while TIG welding.
The American Welding Society's term for arc welding wherein a non-consumable tungsten electrode is utilized to produce a weld in an area protected from atmospheric contamination by an inert shielding gas is gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). The process is more generally known in the trade as tungsten inert gas, or TIG, welding. Hereinafter, the term “TIG” shall be used.
TIG welding is primarily a manual, hand-held welding method that is comparatively more complex and difficult than competing processes. In most cases TIG welding requires two hands since the welder will be manipulating a filler metal rod with one hand while the other hand is manipulating a welding torch. Manual coordination is required to manually feed filler metal from the filler rod into the weld area with one hand while the other is manipulating the welding torch to maintain proper angle and arc length. For this reason, TIG welding is significantly slower than most other welding techniques. Properly done, TIG welding results in strong high quality welds, particularly when welding stainless steel and non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys.
Protective clothing is important to a TIG welder because, in addition to the heat generated, the TIG welding process subjects the welder to intense light and strong ultraviolet light. As with other welding techniques, the TIG welder wears heavy flame resistant gloves as protection against the heat and UV light. However, the manual dexterity required of a TIG welder calls for gloves that are more flexible than that required for other welding processes. This is because the welder must maintain a sense of touch or feel for his tools and his work piece. For this reason, TIG welding gloves are usually leather and are frequently made of the most flexible skin available, such as kidskin or deerskin, and are, as a rule, more expensive than welding gloves used in other processes.
In order to maintain the proper welding torch position, the TIG welder will generally support one or both hands by resting on or propping against some object while welding. Generally either the index or little finger is used as a prop against the object, which, in many cases, is the work piece itself. This, of course, increases the potential for heat transfer from the work piece to the welding glove. Because the TIG welding glove is generally thinner than welding gloves used in other welding processes, the heat generated will feel more intense, even if the process itself is conducted at a lower temperature than other processes.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a protective shield that can be placed over the index or little finger of the TIG welding glove in order to provide better heat protection and increase the useful life of the TIG welding gloves.
One aspect provides a TIG welding finger shield for a TIG welding glove, comprising (1) a sheet of flexible woven fiberglass material having a first end formed into a pocket to enclose a finger of a TIG welding glove, the sheet having a second end constructed to extend along a side of the TIG welding glove with flame resistant tabs attached to each edge of the second end; and (2) an elastic strap attached to and extending between the flame resistant tabs, the elastic strap and flame resistant tabs configured to wrap around the TIG welding glove and secure the TIG welding finger shield over the finger of the TIG welding glove. Another aspect provides for a method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield for a TIG welding glove. Still another aspect provides for a method of using a TIG welding finger shield for a TIG welding glove.
Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Turning initially to
Illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the sheet 110 of flexible woven fiberglass material has an aluminized Mylar coating 160 bonded thereto. Generally, the aluminized Mylar coating 160 will have a thickness of about one thousandth of an inch. In the illustrated embodiment the flame resistant tabs 140 are leather, although other materials may be used in other embodiments.
In the embodiment illustrated, the flame resistant tabs 140 are attached by sewing the tabs 140 to each edge 135 of the second end 130. This embodiment also shows the elastic strap 150 fastened to the flame resistant tabs 140 by rivets 170. Those skilled in the pertinent art will understand that other fastening means may be used and still be within the scope of the intended invention.
In one embodiment of the invention, a second layer 180 of flexible woven fiberglass material is fastened to the sheet 110 of flexible woven fiberglass material. This is designed to increase the protective features of the TIG welding finger shield 100 as well as extend its useful life.
Turning to
Turning now to
In an attach elastic strap step 540, each end of an elastic strap is attached to the flame resistant tab, so that the flame resistant tabs and elastic strap wrap around the TIG welding glove and secure the TIG finger heat shield into position over a finger of the TIG welding glove. In one embodiment, the elastic strap is riveted to the flame resistant tabs. The method concludes with an end step 550.
Those skilled in the art to which this application relates will appreciate that other and further additions, deletions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the described embodiments.
