Background of the Invention
This invention relates in general to welding torches and, more particularly, to welding torches for electric arc welding which can be adapted to function interchangeably for electric open arc welding, or for inert gas shielded arc welding.
In the carrying out of electric arc welding operations, it is often necessary or desirable to switch from open arc welding, which employs a consumable electrode, to electric arc welding of a different type employing inert gas shielding and a nonconsumable electrode. For interchangeably performing these two different types of electric arc welding, my U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,140, issued June 12, 1973, discloses and claims a combination welding torch which includes a torch body member connectable to gas, electrical and cooling water supplies, the body member having a head portion encased in an insulating cover, and including a hollow collar having internal screw threading.
If the welder wishes to perform electroc open arc welding, using a consumable electrode, he screws the upper end of a downwardly extending hollow chuck member into the internal collar of the welding head. He then fits a consumable electrode into the downwardly extending splined portion of a chuck member and fits on and screws in place a hollow cylindrical adapter over the upper end of the chuck member with the upper end of the adapter juxtaposed against the lower end of the welding head collar.
If the welder wishes to perform an inert gas shielded arc weld, the consumable electrode arc welding chuck and adapter must be unscrewed. These are replaced in the welding head collar by a three-piece assembly which includes a hollow electrode retainer having a splined chuck member into which is fitted a nonconsumable electrode, and over which is superposed a hollow collar member including a plurality of peripheral gas vents, a hollow ceramic shield being fitted over the assembly.
Summary of the Invention
In order to substantially reduce the number of operations in shifting from electric open arc welding using a consumable electrode, to electric arc welding of the shielded gas type using a nonconsumable electrode, I have invented a combination collet body and chuck which is externally screw-threaded at its upper end to screw into the internally screw-threaded collar at the lower end of the welding head of the torch body member. The combination collet body of the present invention is generally cylindrical in shape, having a slightly enlarged mid-section, and tapered to a slightly smaller cross-section at the slitted or splined lower end comprising the chuck. The middle and upper sections enclose a cylindrical chamber of substantially uniform cross-section, having a plurality of peripheral openings or vents at the lower constricted end of the chamber for the escape of gas during the inert gas shielded arc welding process.
To practice inert gas shielded arc welding, once the combination collet body is in place, the nonconsumable electrode is passed through the chuck of the combination collet body and is secured into an electrode retainer which is accommodated in the cavity of the welding head. A cylindrical ceramic shield in the form of a sleeve is superimposed over the collet body so that its upper end screws onto the external screw threads at the lower end of the welding head collar of the torch body member, and its lower end is open and spaced apart from the chuck and the gas vents to permit the flow of shielding inert gas to surround the nonconsumable electrode during this operation.
If it is desired to switch to electric open arc welding, it is only necessary to remove the ceramic shield, remove the nonconsumable electrode, place a consumable electrode in the chuck of the combination collet body, and screw the upper end of a cylindrical metal adapter onto the screw-threaded lower end of the welding head collar of the arc welding torch. The cylindrical adapter functions to bear against and constrict the chuck of the combination collet body, so that the consumable electrode is firmly held in place. It also functions to close the gas vents during the more conventional welding operation.
In the first case, when welding with a nonconsumable electrode, the gas intake pipe is connected up to a source of inert gas, such as argon, which is passed into the welding torch under pressure and passes out through the perforations in the collet body. Cooling water passes into and out of the welding head, which is connected through an electrical lead to a transformer or other conventional source of high current.
During the open arc welding, the inert gas intake is disconnected.
The chief advantage of the combination collet body of the present invention is that the welding operator can quickly shift from open arc welding using a consumable electrode, to inert gas welding using a nonconsumable electrode, with almost no loss of time, greatly reducing welding labor costs. The safety factor is also increased, as there is less danger to the welding operator with fewer elements to screw and unscrew during the changeover operation.
These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a detailed study of the specification with reference to the attached drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
FIG. 1 is an overall showing, partly in section, of a combination welding head, together with a combination collet body and attachments for alternative use for electric open arc welding or for inert gas welding;
FIGS. 2 and 3 are sections taken along the planes indicated by the arrows 2--2 and 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective showing of the combination collet body of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section along a diametrical plane of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational showing of the collet body of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is an end elevation looking in through the chuck of FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 shows the welding head of FIG. 1, including the combination collet body of the present invention, assembled for electric open arc welding; and
FIG. 9 shows the welding head of FIG. 1, including the combination collet body, assembled for inert gas shielded arc welding.
Detailed Description
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown, partly in section and with the parts disassembled in exploded view, a combination welding torch 1 in accordance with the present invention, which is constructed to be used, in the alternative, either for electric open arc welding, employing a consumable electrode, or for inert gas shielded electric arc welding, employing a nonconsumable electrode. In the embodiment under description, the elements of welding torch 1 are formed of a metal having a high conductivity for electricity and heat, and a high melting point, such as, for example, beryllium, or various alloys of chromium and copper, and other metals such as an alloy known in the art by the trademark "DURONZE," manufactured by the Bridgeport Brass Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
In the present embodiment, the solid cylindrical body member 2 may be, for example, 15/16 inch (2.4 cm.) along the axis and 3/4 inch (1.9 cm.) in maximum diameter, having an externally screw-threaded portion 2a at its outer end and an annular collar 2b extending in an axial direction at its inner end. The body member 2 is solid, except for three tubular openings 2c, 2d and 2e, each about 3/32 inch (5 mm.) in cross-section, which may be substantially symmetrically disposed about the axis of 2, each extending through the length of member 2, parallel to the axis. See FIG. 2, which shows a section through member 2 along the plane indicated by the arrows 2--2 in FIG. 1.
The collar 2b is welded or otherwise secured to an annular shoulder at one end of a tubular member 5 of the welding torch, having a cylindrical inner chamber 5a. Tubular member 5 is 3/8 inch (1.0 cm.) in inner diameter, 1/2 inch (1.35 cm.) in outer diameter and extends about 13/4 inches (4.5 cm.) along the axis where it connects to the head portion 3.
The three openings 2a, 2b and 2c are designed to accommodate the metal connecting tubes 4a, 4b and 4c, which fit into the respective openings as shown in section in FIG. 2.
Cooling water passes into the internal chamber 5a through a conduit from a source not shown, which is connected to tube 4b. The latter is about 11/16 inch (1.8 cm.) long, extending a short distance into the right-hand end of the tubular opening 2e. In addition to functioning as a cooling water inlet, tube 4b serves as a conduit for an electrical lead to a transformer or other high direct current source of electrical power of a type conventionally used for welding. Tube 4b makes electrical contact by means of an annular shoulder which rests on the flat metal surface at the external face of body member 2. Thus, high amperage electrical current from the conventional transformer, or other source, is conducted through the tubular member 5 to the welding head and through welding electrode to form the arc, the return to ground being through the work. The welding operation is usually carried out using current within the range, for example, of 100 to 500 amperes, depending on the weld to be performed and the materials used. The voltages are kept low, within the range 10-20 volts, for safety.
The tube 4a, which in the present embodiment is about 21/4 inches (5.5 cm.) long, extends through opening 2d, the axial length of body member 2, and projects about 1 7/16 inches (3.6 cm.) beyond the right-hand end, being screw-threaded at its external end for fastening to a hose (not shown) serving as a cooling water exhaust from the inner chamber 5a of tubular member 5.
The gas intake tube 4c, which is about 51/4 inches (13.2 cm.) long, passes through the tube 2c and continues parallel with the axis of tube 5, being secured at its left-hand end in gastight relation transversely to the inner chamber 3a of welding head 3, the two axes forming an angle of about 113.5.degree.. The screwthreaded end of tube 4c, which projects about 21/2 inches (6.5 cm.) from the external face of body member 2 when the torch is assembled, is connected through a hose (not shown) to a source of inert gas, such as argon, which is stored in a conventional cylinder and fed into the pipe at the rate of, say, 10 liters of gas per hour. For electrical and heat insulation during operation, the tubular member 5 is surrounded by a sleeve 5b of insulating material, such as hard rubber, neoprene or the like.
The hollow cylindrical welding head 3, when the torch is assembled, is securely fitted into an indentation in the left-hand end of tube 5, so that the axes of the two tubes form an internal angle of, say, 113.5.degree.. The upper portion of welding head 3 is 1/2 inch (1.3 cm.) in outer diameter and 5/16 inch (8 mm.) in inner diameter in the central chamber, which measures about 13/16 inch (2.0 cm.) along the axis. Between the two ends, the diameter of the upper portion of welding head 3 is slightly recessed to accommodate an insulating sleeve (not shown). The upper end 3b is internally screw-threaded for a distance of, say, 1/4 inch (6 mm.) along the axis. The connecting collar 3c at the lower end, which is stepped back relative to the upper portion, to an outer diameter of 1/4 inch (6 mm.), is both internally and externally screw-threaded for an axial distance of 1/4 inch (6 mm.).
The insulating handle 6 is of hard rubber, or some other suitable insulating material, and is somewhat frustroconical in shape so that it can be easily grasped, extending 1 3/8 inches (3.5 cm.) along the axis. A screw-threaded portion 6a, which is just under 5/16 inch (8 mm.) in outer diameter and reduces to an internal diameter of about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm.), projects an axial distance of about 1/4 inch (6 mm.) from the lower end and is designed to mate with and screw into the internal screw-threaded portion 3b of the cylindrical head 3, against the internal rubber gasket 6b.
Specifically, for use during the inert gas shielded welding, a slitted or splined electrode retainer, shown at 9 in FIG. 1, is interposed into the cavity 3a of the welding head 3, with its axis disposed parallel to the axis of the cavity. Electrode retainer 9 is 11/8 inches (3 cm.) long. The body portion has an outer diameter of 1/8 inch (3.5 mm.) and an inner diameter of 3/32 inch (2.5 mm.). The lower end 9a has a pair of diametrical slits 9b, 30 mils wide, extending 3/4 inch (1.9 cm.) above the open lower end. The electrode retainer 9 functions to hold in place the nonconsumable electrode 21, which is tightly secured when the projection 6a of the handle 6 is screwed into place in the screw-threaded portion 3b of the welding head 3.
A particular feature of the present invention is the combination collet body 7, which is shown in enlarged detail in FIG. 4, in longitudinal section in FIG. 5, in longitudinal elevation in FIG. 6, and in lower end elevation in FIG. 7.
In the present illustrative embodiment, the combination collet body 7 is 15/16 inch (2.4 cm.) in overall length, having an upper connecting end 7a, a body portion 7b and a slitted or splined chuck member 7c. The upper part of body portion 7b is 5/16 inch (8 mm.) in outer diameter at shoulder 7e adjacent screw-threaded end 7a. The latter, which is externally screw-threaded, extends about 1/4 inch (6 mm.) in an axial direction above shoulder 7e and has an outer diameter of just under 1/4 inch (6 mm.), so that it is accommodated in the internal screw-threaded portion 3c of head 3. Body portion 7b, which is a rounded frustroconical shape, extends about 1/4 inch (6 mm.) along the axis and is constricted at its lower end to an outer diameter of 1/4 inch (6 mm.) at the plane where the bifurcated or slitted cylindrical chuck member 7c is concentrically formed in integral relation with the body portion. Chuck member 7c extends about 3/8 inch (9 mm.) in an axial direction. Its two longitudinal slits 7f are each about 30 mils wide, extending along the length of the chuck, the slits separating it into two halves along a diametric plane. It will be understood, of course, that the chuck 7c is not limited to two longitudinal slits, but could have a plurality of slits, so that the chuck could comprise a plurality of longitudinal splines. The inner diameter of central opening 7h of chuck 7 is 1/8 inch (3 mm.), which enables it to accommodate either the consumable electrode used for open arc welding or to pass through the nonconsumable electrode used for inert gas shielded welding. A plurality of gas vent openings 7g (which number four in the present embodiment), each about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm.) in diameter, are symmetrically disposed around the lower end of body portion 7b adjacent the upper end of chuck member 7c. Two of the openings are connected to the ends of diametrical slits 7f. The body portion 7b is flattened at two opposite sides with planes 7d, about 3/16 inch (4 mm.) wide at the top, to provide gripping positions for a wrench in tightening and loosening the collet body 7 when it is interposed in the torch head 3.
The cylindrical inner chamber 7j, formed in body portion 7b, above chuck member 7c, has an inner diameter of 1/8 inch (3 mm.) and extends about 1/4 inch (6 mm.) along the axis to an internal shoulder where it widens out to a diameter of 3/16 inch (5 mm.), extending to the end of externally screw-threaded portion 7a.
In adapting the welding torch for electric open arc welding, the operator disconnects the tube 4c or closes a valve from the inert gas source. A hose connection to a source of cooling water is made to tube 4b. The contacting plug of tube 4b is also connected by means of a lead wire to a transformer or other source of high current (which may range from 100 to 500 amperes) for energizing the welding torch. Tube 4a is connected up to a vent for return of the cooling water. The power remains turned off until the welding head is ready for operation.
Referring to FIG. 1, the operator interposes in slitted chuck 7h of combination collet body 7 the upper end of a consumable electrode 22, comprising, for example, a rod of steel, such as stainless steel, chromiun, or an alloy of chromium and steel, which may range, for example, from 40 mils (1 mm.) to 1/4 inch (6 mm.) in cross-section and may be any desired length, depending on the weld to be made. The combination collet body 7 has been screwed into the welding torch head 3 at 3c. The cylindrical shield 10, which may be, for example, beryllium, or an alloy containing copper and chromium, such as DURONZE, is 1 inch (2.5 cm.) in overall length and 1/2 inch (1.3 cm.) in outer diameter. The upper end of shield 10 is internally screw-threaded for an axial length of, say 5/8 inch (1.6 cm.), having an internal diameter of, say, 3/8 inch (1 cm.). The lower end of shield 10 is constricted to an axial bore 10b, which is 3/8 inch (1 cm.) long and 3/16 inch (5 mm.) in inner diameter, being just smaller than the diameter of chuck member 7c, unless the latter is squeezed together inside of shield 10 so as to close the slits 7f. The external surface of shield 10 is preferably scored or roughened so that it can more readily be tightened in place with a wrench.
Shield 10 is fitted over collet body 7 so that the upper end of the shield screws onto the external screw threads at the lower end 3c of the welding torch head 3. Thus, the bore 10b in shield 10 contacts and constricts the chuck member 7c, forcing it to tightly grip the upper end of consumable electrode 22. At the same time, the bore 10b serves to close the gas vents 7g, which are not used during the conventional welding operation, during which the insulating handle 6 is screwed into the upper end 3b of the welding head 3. The power is then turned on and the welding head, connected as shown in FIG. 8, is ready for open arc welding.
In order to change to inert gas shielded arc welding, the operator, after temporarily turning off the power, simply removes the shield 10 and the consumable electrode 22.
He then inserts the relatively short nonconsumable electrode rod 21, which may, for example, be a tungsten rod having a thickness, say, within the range 20 mils to 5/32 inch (0.5 mm to 3 mm.) and several inches long, depending on the weld to be performed. Rod 21 is passed through the chuck 7h and is gripped in the slitted end 9b of the electrode retainer 9, which is disposed longitudinally in the cavity 3a of the welding head 3. When the connecting collar 6a of handle 6 is tightened in place in the screwthreaded portion 3b of the head 3, this serves to secure the nonconsumable electrode 21 in place. The electrode retainer 9 remains in the cavity 3a, it not being necessary to remove it for open arc welding. After the tungsten or other nonconsumable electrode rod 21 is in place, the operator screws torch welding head 3 into the cylindrical ceramic shield 8, which is 13/16 inches (3 cm.) in axial length and 5/8 inch (1.6 cm.) in overall outer diameter. The upper end 8a of shield 8, which is stepped back to an outer diameter of 1/2 inch (1.25 cm.), is internally screw-threaded an axial length of about 1/4 inch (6 mm.) down from the top, having an inner diameter of 3/8 inch (8 mm.), which is designed to be accommodated in the lower connecting collar 3c of welding torch head 3. Ceramic shield 8 has a cylindrical cavity 8b open at the lower end, which is 1 inch (2.5 cm.) along the axis and 7/16 inch (1.15 cm.) in inner diameter, so that the inner walls of shield 8 are spaced apart from the chuck 7c and the electrode rod 21 passing through its opening. Also, space is provided around the gas vents 7g so that inert gas flows out of them, passing under and out of the welding shield 8 during the inert gas welding operation.
The tube 4c is connected to a cylinder, or other supply source, of inert gas, such as argon, which is conventionally fed into the welding torch at the rate of, say, 10 liters of gas per hour. The gas passes in through the tube 4c into cavity 3a of head 3 and is vented through the openings 7g in combination collet body 7, as previously described. The power is turned on when the operator is ready to perform inert gas shielded arc welding.
It will be understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific forms or dimensions disclosed herein by way of example, but only as defined in the appended claims.