GB1582722A - Torch for the thermochemical treatment of workpieces - Google Patents

Description

(54) A TORCH FOR THE THERMOCHEMICAL TREATMENT OF WORKPIECES (71) We, MESSER GRIESHEIM G.M.B.H.

a Company organised under the laws of Germany, of Hanauer Landstrasse 330, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- A A torch for the theromchemical treatment of work pieces' The present invention relates to a torch for the thermochemical treatment of workpieces, and more particularly to a cutting torch and/or scarfing torch having valves for regulating te preheating oxygen and the fuel gas stream, and having separate means to operate a treatment oxygen valve in the form of a slidable control member of the type disclosed in German Patent Specification No. 2,326,125.

With torches of the above-defined kind there is always a danger that, due to the dimensional tolerances of the individual -components of the valve for the treatment oxygen (cutting oxygen), the open end the closed positions of the slidable member accommodated in the torch housing cannot always be accurately maintained. The summated dimensional tolerances of the cutting oxygen valve sometimes produces the result that, before the valve opens at all, the slidable member has first to be moved a certain distance, and this position is then not in accordance with the open position of the valve originally provided on the housing.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to eliminate the inaccuracies of the cutting oxygen valve dictated by pro diction tolerances so that correct opening and closing of the valve by means of the slidable member in its corresponding positions is always ensured, and that further, even during long periods of use of the torch, any variation in the closed or open posi tions of the valve can be corrected in a simple manner.

According to the present invention, there is provided a torch for the thermochemical treatment of workpieces, more particularly a cutting torch and/or scarfing torch having valves for regulating the preheating oxygen and the fuel gas stream, and having separate means to operate a treatment oxygen valve in the form of a slidable control member, wherein a housing accommodating the slidable member is pivotally supported on the top side of the handle of the torch and is angularly adjustable about its pivotal connection by means of an adjusting device.

In this respect it is particularly advantageous if the adjusting device comprises a threaded bolt fixed at one end in the handle of the torch, The free end of the bolt having an adjusting nut turnably mounted thereon.

In the case of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous if the adjusting nut frictionally engages a recess formed in the housing.

Due to the articulated arrangement of the housing on the handle, namely through the screw connection, it is possible to regulate the distance between the control surface of the slidable member and the cutting oxygen valve respectively in such a way, namely by adjusting the adjusting nut, that frictional engagement always exists between the slidable member and the valve. Depending upon the amount of the tolerances of the individual components of the cutting oxygen valve, the distance between the latter and the control surface of the slidable member may be correspondingly large. However, in order that the control surface is in contact with the valve even in the initial position (closed position of the valve), the adjusting nut is turned upwards or downwards as required on the threaded bolt, so that the housing carrying the slidable member is pivoted correspondingly by means of said adjusting nut and the control surface is moved to the required distance from the cutting oxygen valve. Even if during long service of the torch, due to wear of the individual cutting oxygen valve components, a slight gap occurs between the slidable member and valve, this defect can advantageously be remedied by turning the adjusting nut and thus pivoting the housing.

The description given hereinbelow of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves for further explanation in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which shows a sectional elevation of a torch according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, on the top side of a handle 12 of a cutting torch 10, shown only in part, there is arranged a housing 26 by which a valve 38 for the treatment oxygen (cutting oxygen, scarfing oxygen) is covered. The housing 26 includes in its top wall 34, a slot 56 which serves to guide a slidable member 28 on which (in the interior of the housing 26) a control element 52, having a control surface 58, is provided.

Adjusting movement of the slidable member 28 determined by the slot 56, corresponds to the maximum stroke of a valve element 40 from its open position into its closed position.

As will also be seen from the drawing, the housing 26 is pivotally connected to the handle 12 by means of a hinged connection 34 positioned in a projection 36 formed on said handle. One end of the threaded bolt 60 is screwed firmly into the body of the handle 12, and an adjusting nut 62 is in threaded engagement with its protruding free end.

In the region of the adjusting device constituted by the threaded bolt 60 and the adjusting nut 62, the housing 26 is bent downwards to present a vertical part 64 which has a slit-shaped recess 66 which frictionally engages the adjusting nut 62 as shown in the drawing.

By means of a tool, e.g. a screwdriver, the tip of which is of a size that it can be introdused from the outside into the recess 66 without obstruction, the adjusting nut 62 can now be screwed upwards or downwards on the threaded bolt 60.

By virtue of the vertical adjustment of the adjusting nut 64 on the threaded bolt 60, the housing 26 is pivoted upwards or downwards about its pivotal connection 34.

At the time of assembly of the torch 10, after the valve 38 for the treatment oxygen has been positioned, the control surface 58 of the slidable member 28 is brought into contact with the valve element 40 by adjusting the pivotable housing 26 using the adjusting nut 62 as hereinbefore described. Depending upon the amount of the tolerance values of the individual elements of the valve 38, it may be necessary to turn the adjusting nut 64 to a greater or lesser degree in order to establish contact between the valve element 40 and the control surface 58 of the slidable member 28. By using this mode of adjustment of the slidable member in relation to the valve 38, production tolerances can be compensated for in an advantageous manner.

As may further be seen from the drawing, sealing of the treatment oxygen passageway is effected between a valve seat 44 which co-operates with a projecting annular metallic seal 42. In the course of time, the projecting seal 42 embeds itself progressively deeper into the valve seat 44, i.e., the valve element 40 is constantly urged towards the seal 42 by the spring 45, with the result that the valve element 40 inevitably extends upwards towards the housing 26 corresponding to the amount of wear in the region of the seal. This may mean that, when the slidable member 28 occupies its right-hand limit position (closed position) illustrated in the drawing, the valve 38 may not be closed in the modified position of the valve element 40 and treatment oxygen may continue to flow through the pipes, if perhaps only in small amounts.

This disadvantage due to wear can also be remedied by turning the adjusting nut 64 slightly upwards with the result that the housing 26 is pivoted counterclockwise thereby restoring the correct position of adjustment between valve and slidable member.

By virtue of the pivoting action of the housing 26, and hence of the control surface 58 of the slidable member 28, by means of the adjusting device 60, 62, production tolerances of the valve can be compensated for in an advantageous manner during the assembly of the torch, and furthermore, variations within the valve 38 caused by wear can be subsequently corrected by appropriate turning of the adjusting device.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A torch for the thermochemical treatment of workpieces, more particularly a cutting torch and/or scarfing torch having valves for regulating the preheating oxygen and the fuel gas stream, and having separate means to operate a treatment oxygen valve in the form of a slidable control member, wherein a housing accommodating the slidable member is pivotally supported on the top side of the handle of the torch and is angularly adjustable about its pivotal connection by means of an adjusting device.

2. A torch according to claim 1, where

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

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The description given hereinbelow of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves for further explanation in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, which shows a sectional elevation of a torch according to the invention. Referring to the drawing, on the top side of a handle 12 of a cutting torch 10, shown only in part, there is arranged a housing 26 by which a valve 38 for the treatment oxygen (cutting oxygen, scarfing oxygen) is covered. The housing 26 includes in its top wall 34, a slot 56 which serves to guide a slidable member 28 on which (in the interior of the housing 26) a control element 52, having a control surface 58, is provided. Adjusting movement of the slidable member 28 determined by the slot 56, corresponds to the maximum stroke of a valve element 40 from its open position into its closed position. As will also be seen from the drawing, the housing 26 is pivotally connected to the handle 12 by means of a hinged connection 34 positioned in a projection 36 formed on said handle. One end of the threaded bolt 60 is screwed firmly into the body of the handle 12, and an adjusting nut 62 is in threaded engagement with its protruding free end. In the region of the adjusting device constituted by the threaded bolt 60 and the adjusting nut 62, the housing 26 is bent downwards to present a vertical part 64 which has a slit-shaped recess 66 which frictionally engages the adjusting nut 62 as shown in the drawing. By means of a tool, e.g. a screwdriver, the tip of which is of a size that it can be introdused from the outside into the recess 66 without obstruction, the adjusting nut 62 can now be screwed upwards or downwards on the threaded bolt 60. By virtue of the vertical adjustment of the adjusting nut 64 on the threaded bolt 60, the housing 26 is pivoted upwards or downwards about its pivotal connection 34. At the time of assembly of the torch 10, after the valve 38 for the treatment oxygen has been positioned, the control surface 58 of the slidable member 28 is brought into contact with the valve element 40 by adjusting the pivotable housing 26 using the adjusting nut 62 as hereinbefore described. Depending upon the amount of the tolerance values of the individual elements of the valve 38, it may be necessary to turn the adjusting nut 64 to a greater or lesser degree in order to establish contact between the valve element 40 and the control surface 58 of the slidable member 28. By using this mode of adjustment of the slidable member in relation to the valve 38, production tolerances can be compensated for in an advantageous manner. As may further be seen from the drawing, sealing of the treatment oxygen passageway is effected between a valve seat 44 which co-operates with a projecting annular metallic seal 42. In the course of time, the projecting seal 42 embeds itself progressively deeper into the valve seat 44, i.e., the valve element 40 is constantly urged towards the seal 42 by the spring 45, with the result that the valve element 40 inevitably extends upwards towards the housing 26 corresponding to the amount of wear in the region of the seal. This may mean that, when the slidable member 28 occupies its right-hand limit position (closed position) illustrated in the drawing, the valve 38 may not be closed in the modified position of the valve element 40 and treatment oxygen may continue to flow through the pipes, if perhaps only in small amounts. This disadvantage due to wear can also be remedied by turning the adjusting nut 64 slightly upwards with the result that the housing 26 is pivoted counterclockwise thereby restoring the correct position of adjustment between valve and slidable member. By virtue of the pivoting action of the housing 26, and hence of the control surface 58 of the slidable member 28, by means of the adjusting device 60, 62, production tolerances of the valve can be compensated for in an advantageous manner during the assembly of the torch, and furthermore, variations within the valve 38 caused by wear can be subsequently corrected by appropriate turning of the adjusting device. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A torch for the thermochemical treatment of workpieces, more particularly a cutting torch and/or scarfing torch having valves for regulating the preheating oxygen and the fuel gas stream, and having separate means to operate a treatment oxygen valve in the form of a slidable control member, wherein a housing accommodating the slidable member is pivotally supported on the top side of the handle of the torch and is angularly adjustable about its pivotal connection by means of an adjusting device.

2. A torch according to claim 1, where

in the adjusting device comprises a threaded bolt fixed at one end in the handle, the other and free end of which has an adjusting nut turnably mounted thereon.

3. A torch according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting nut frictionally engages a recess formed in the housing.

4. A torch according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.