GB1568790A

GB1568790A - Gas-shielded arc welding torche

Info

Publication number: GB1568790A
Application number: GB21008/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-05-18
Filing date: 1977-05-18
Publication date: 1980-06-04
Also published as: FI771574A7; FI68183C; DE7715603U1; DK151692C; DK213477A; NO144911B; DK151692B; NO144911C; FI68183B; NO771737L

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO GAS-SHIELDED ARC WELDING TORCHES (71) I, CLAES HENNING EDLUND, of Ngatan 27, 630 20 Eskilstuna, Sweden, a subJect of the King of Sweden, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a gas-shielded, arc welding torch for welding with protec tive gas, tungsten electrode and supplied filler wire.

Welding apparatuses are known which comprise a handle of insulating material having means to supply protective gas to a welding head and electric current to a tungsten electrode in the welding head, and means adapted to supply filler wire to an arc generated between the tungsten electrode and the article to be welded. These appar atuses function satisfactorily but suffer from the drawback of being relatively difficult to handle and tiresome to work with for a long time.

According to the present invention, there is provided a gas-shielded arc welding torch for welding with protective gas, tungsten electrode and supplied filler wire, compris ing a handle of insulating material rotatably carrying a welding head and having a first pipe of electrically conductive material for supplying protective gas to the head and electric current to a tungsten electrode protruding from said head, and a second pipe adapted to supply filler wire to an arc generated between the tungsten electrode- and the article to be welded, wherein the two pipes have substantially straight axes and are so encapsulated in the handle that they diverge from adjacent inlets toward said head so that the axes form, when extended, with said head, lines of an un equal-sided triangle with the triangle line of said second pipe being longer than the triangle line of said first pipe, said second pipe leading into sleeve means attached to said handle. said sleeve means being adjustable in position so as to be able to supply said filler wire to said arc whatever be the position of said head relative to said handle.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a gas-shielded arc welding torch, and Figure 2 is a front view of the welding torch shown in Figure 1.

The welding torch illustrated comprises a handle 1, which is made from an insulating material and which has a width which tapers from a front end to a rear end thereof. A welding head 2 having a neck portion 18 is rotatably mounted on the front end of the handle 1. A passage 3 in the handle 1 extends parallel to one longitudinal side of the handle 1. and a passage 6 in the handle 1 extends parallel to the other longitudinal side of the handle, said other side making an angle with the first mentioned side by reason of the taper of the handle. A metal pipe 7 is disposed in the passage 3 and the front end of the pipe 7 protrudes from the passage 3 and extends through the neck portion 18 of the head 2 and is connected in the head 2 with a metal cross-piece 11.

The cross-piece 11 has a longitudinal hollow space. which is in communication with the pipe 7 and has a metal insert 19 in which a tungsten electrode 5 extending along the axis of the head 2 can be clamped.

The electrode 5 is also supported in a gas cup 13, which forms the front end of the head 2. by means of a support member 12 secured in the cross-piece 11 and having passages 20 and openings 21.

A sleeve 8 is fixed to the rear end of the pipe 7 and a compression spring 9 is disposed between the end of the sleeve 8 facing the head 2 and a shoulder provided in the passage 3, this shoulder facing away from the head. The spring 9 is adapted to urge the pipe 7, which is movable slightly in a longitudinal direction, in a rearward direction. The pipe 7 is provided with a connector 10. With the aid of the connector 10, a hose and an electric conductor provided therein is connected to the welding torch for supplying protective gas, usually argon, and electric current.

The connector 10. the pipe 7 with associated parts and the cross-piece of the head 2 can have various known constructions. It is sufficient to establish that these parts provide a reliable supply of protective gas to the head 2. The protective gas can be caused to exit through the gas cup 13 about the electrode 5 via the pipe 7. the hollow space of the cross-piece 11, the passages 20 and the openings 21. Current is supplied via the insert 19. the cross-piece 11, the pipe 7 and the connector 10 to the electrode 5 through the metallic connection thereof with the electric conductor in the gas supply. A toggle switch 22 is provided for controlling the current. gas and filler wire supply.

A pipe 14 extends through the passage 6 and a filler wire 4 is advanced toward the head 2 by means of a feed mechanism (not shown). A sleeve means 15, 16 is mounted for rotation in the front end of the handle 1 beneath the neck portion 18 of the welding head 2 and the filler wire 4 extends through the sleeve means up to a point adjacent to the tungsten electrode 5. The sleeve means 15, 16 comprises a bearing portion 16 which is mounted for rotation in a widened front portion of the passage 6. and a tubular sleeve 15 which is slightly cranked. as shown in Figure. 1.

The head 2 is mounted for rotation in the handle 1 by means of a journal 17 protecting into the passage 3. The head 2 may be infinitely rotatable but snap means for stepwise adjustment is preferaly disposed in the transition between the neck portion 18 and the handle 1. the snap means being for instance a projection protruding from one surface and fitting into a corresponding recess in the other surface and. when rotated, the head 2 is pulled slightly forward against the action of the spring 9 so that the projection can be moved from one recess to the other. By rotation of the head 2 and the sleeve means 15, 16 the position where welding is performed can be adjusted within broad limits relative to the handle 1, as is illustrated in Figure 2. The welding torch thus permits welding of joints which are extremely difficult to weld with the aid of conventional welding apparatuses of this kind.

Instead of the rotatable arrangement of the sleeve means 15, 16, the bearing means 16 may be fixedly arranged in the handle 1 and the tubular sleeve 15 can be pivotal or flexible so that its front end can be set at any desired angle relative to the welding head 2.

The sleeve 15 may be of consideraly longer length than that shown in Figure 1 so that it can be shaped into a large bend and approach the welding head 2 from pactically any direction.

It will be seen that the pipes 14 and 7 have substantially straight axes which form, when extended, with the head 2, lines of an unequal-sided triangle with the triangle line of the pipe 14 being longer than the triangle line of the pipe 7.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A gas-shielded arc welding torch for welding with protective gas, tungsten elec trode and supplied filler wire, comprising a handle of insulating material rotatably car rying a welding head and having a first pipe of electrically conductive material for sup plying protective gas to the head and electric current to a tungsten electrode protruding from said head, and a second pipe adapted to supply filler wire to an arc generated between the tungsten electrode and the article to be welded, wherein the two pipes have substantially straight axes and are so encapsulated in the handle that they diverge from adjacent inlets toward said head so that the axes form, when extended, with said head, lines of an unequal-sided triangle with the triangle line of said second pipe being longer than the triangle line of said first pipe, said second pipe leading into sleeve means attached to said handle, said sleeve means being adjustable in position so as to be able to supply said filler wire to said arc whatever be the position of said head relative to said handle.

2. A welding torch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means for the filler wire is cranked and rotatably attached to said handle.

3. A welding torch as claimed in claim 1, wherein an end portion of said sleeve means remote from said handle is flexible.

4. A gas-shielded arc welding torch, substantially as hereinbefore described with

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. which a tungsten electrode 5 extending along the axis of the head 2 can be clamped. The electrode 5 is also supported in a gas cup 13, which forms the front end of the head 2. by means of a support member 12 secured in the cross-piece 11 and having passages 20 and openings 21. A sleeve 8 is fixed to the rear end of the pipe 7 and a compression spring 9 is disposed between the end of the sleeve 8 facing the head 2 and a shoulder provided in the passage 3, this shoulder facing away from the head. The spring 9 is adapted to urge the pipe 7, which is movable slightly in a longitudinal direction, in a rearward direction. The pipe 7 is provided with a connector 10. With the aid of the connector 10, a hose and an electric conductor provided therein is connected to the welding torch for supplying protective gas, usually argon, and electric current. The connector 10. the pipe 7 with associated parts and the cross-piece of the head 2 can have various known constructions. It is sufficient to establish that these parts provide a reliable supply of protective gas to the head 2. The protective gas can be caused to exit through the gas cup 13 about the electrode 5 via the pipe 7. the hollow space of the cross-piece 11, the passages 20 and the openings 21. Current is supplied via the insert 19. the cross-piece 11, the pipe 7 and the connector 10 to the electrode 5 through the metallic connection thereof with the electric conductor in the gas supply. A toggle switch 22 is provided for controlling the current. gas and filler wire supply. A pipe 14 extends through the passage 6 and a filler wire 4 is advanced toward the head 2 by means of a feed mechanism (not shown). A sleeve means 15, 16 is mounted for rotation in the front end of the handle 1 beneath the neck portion 18 of the welding head 2 and the filler wire 4 extends through the sleeve means up to a point adjacent to the tungsten electrode 5. The sleeve means 15, 16 comprises a bearing portion 16 which is mounted for rotation in a widened front portion of the passage 6. and a tubular sleeve 15 which is slightly cranked. as shown in Figure. 1. The head 2 is mounted for rotation in the handle 1 by means of a journal 17 protecting into the passage 3. The head 2 may be infinitely rotatable but snap means for stepwise adjustment is preferaly disposed in the transition between the neck portion 18 and the handle 1. the snap means being for instance a projection protruding from one surface and fitting into a corresponding recess in the other surface and. when rotated, the head 2 is pulled slightly forward against the action of the spring 9 so that the projection can be moved from one recess to the other. By rotation of the head 2 and the sleeve means 15, 16 the position where welding is performed can be adjusted within broad limits relative to the handle 1, as is illustrated in Figure 2. The welding torch thus permits welding of joints which are extremely difficult to weld with the aid of conventional welding apparatuses of this kind. Instead of the rotatable arrangement of the sleeve means 15, 16, the bearing means 16 may be fixedly arranged in the handle 1 and the tubular sleeve 15 can be pivotal or flexible so that its front end can be set at any desired angle relative to the welding head 2. The sleeve 15 may be of consideraly longer length than that shown in Figure 1 so that it can be shaped into a large bend and approach the welding head 2 from pactically any direction. It will be seen that the pipes 14 and 7 have substantially straight axes which form, when extended, with the head 2, lines of an unequal-sided triangle with the triangle line of the pipe 14 being longer than the triangle line of the pipe 7. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A gas-shielded arc welding torch for welding with protective gas, tungsten elec trode and supplied filler wire, comprising a handle of insulating material rotatably car rying a welding head and having a first pipe of electrically conductive material for sup plying protective gas to the head and electric current to a tungsten electrode protruding from said head, and a second pipe adapted to supply filler wire to an arc generated between the tungsten electrode and the article to be welded, wherein the two pipes have substantially straight axes and are so encapsulated in the handle that they diverge from adjacent inlets toward said head so that the axes form, when extended, with said head, lines of an unequal-sided triangle with the triangle line of said second pipe being longer than the triangle line of said first pipe, said second pipe leading into sleeve means attached to said handle, said sleeve means being adjustable in position so as to be able to supply said filler wire to said arc whatever be the position of said head relative to said handle.

reference to the accompanying drawing.