US1345817A - Welder's tool - Google Patents

Description

R. 0. WILLIAMS. vW'ELDERS TOOL` APPucATlml man Amm. 1919. RENEwED MAY 15. 1920.

Patented July 6, 1920.

' uNirgDy lSTATES BOY o. WILLIAMS, or cOLUMBUs, OHIO.

WELDERS TGOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application led August 4, 1919, Serial No. 315,058. Renewed May 15, 1920. Serial No. 381,745.

improved tool for eilecting the support andV controlled manipulation of a welders electrode, the object of the invention broadly being to provide a tool or holder for the purpose specified which is characterized by lightness in weight and with corresponding freedom of movement and adjustment, and ofsuch construction as to permit the same 'to be used for relatively extended periods Without causing its operator undue fatigue and to enable an operator to enlarge his working capacity.

Another object of the invention vresides in a tool embodying the above mentioned characteristics and wherein is further formed an improved clamping structure for grounding the feed'wire of the tool upon the frame of the latter, and to render the clamp structure of a positive and reliable nature, so that when the tool is in use and subject to jars and stresses, the wire retained by said clamp structure will be. effectively prevented from lbecoming accidentally displaced' and the operation of the tool impaired, sald clamping structure consisting essentially of a floating jaw having a fulcrum in the handle of the tool and having its opposite end adjustable with respect to the frame by means of a threaded element, whereby upon actuating said element the free end of said jaw may be forced into en gagement with a wire interposed between the jaw and the frame of the toolso that the jaw may be caused to exercisefriction upon the wire and effectively prevent the latter from becoming displaced.

A further object of the invention resides in providing the metallic frame of the tool with an extended handle portion, which is of substantially spool shaped formation and provides between its ends an annular cooling space, and said handle extrennty being shaped to receive a fibrous handle tube which when placed around said handle extremity will inclose the heat circulating chamber formed between the ends of said extremity, thus spacing the twol from the major portion of the metallic frame of the tooly and rendering the latter convenient to operate by eliminating excessively heated portions, one end of said handle extremity being formed with grooves, which serve to permit of the escape of heat from the heat circulating portion formed by said frame extremity.

A still further object of the invention rests in a tool of the above nature and wherein is embodied a stationary and a movable jaw, said jaws having vertical openings formed therein which are capable of receivingthe electrode wires, said openings being so positioned that when the mov' able jaw is spaced from the stationary jaw said openings will be substantially in registration and when said jaws are permitted to come together, said openings will be substantially staggered, so that the electrode wire passing therethrough will be caught by the offset walls of said openings vand re tained in fixed positions.

A further object of the invention resides in a tool of the aforesaid character which constitutes an improvement u on the tool` disclosed inl my prior Patent dated April 22, 1919.

With these and other objects in view, as Will appear as the description proceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and having the scope thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved tool comprising the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof,

j Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken thliugh the rear or handle end of the tool, an

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the wire clamping jaw.

Similar characters of reference denote like and corresponding-parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

The tool A comprising the present invention is preferably used to support an elec'-- trode Ywire of vthe type employed for arc welding purposes, so] that the electrode or wire may be brought to bear upon the work at hand and to be capable of being manipu lated with all requisite skill and convenand longitudinally disposed shank portion 4 which terminates in a substantially spool shaped'manipulating extremity 5, and between the ears 3 and the extremities 5 there is provided an integral upstanding frame 6. Pivoted between the ears 3 is a movable jaw 7, .which is designed to be movedY relativelyl with respect to the stationary jaw 2 and to be of such construction as to permit of the clamping of an electrode between said jaws. To release or clamp an electrode with respect to the jaws, said movable jaw is formed with an actuating extremity 8 which is extended so as to operate within the superposed frame 6. The extremity 8 is suitably bifurcated as at 9, and receives a thumb piece 10, the latter being of a substantially different material than the extremity 8 and is ofsuch material asto offer resistance to the transmission of heat from the extremity 8. In this manner the temperature of the thumb piece 10 is maintained below that of the movable jaw 7 under actual working conditions, so that the jaw 7 may be operated at any time without causing discomfort or physical injury to the operator. This principle of cooling the manipulating end of the movable jaw handle has been clearly set forth, however, in my aforesaid patentr A .coil spring 11 is interposed between the bifurcated end 9 of the handle extremity 8 and the shank portion 4 of the frame 1, and the normal tendency of saidspring is to maintain a movable jaw in closed relation with respect tothe stationary jaw, so that an electrode positioned between said jaws will be securely gripped without involving the agency .of manual pressure. The meeting faces of said jaws may be suitably secured as at 12 so as to increase the gripping effectiveness of the jaws.

The jaws 2 and 7, in-the presentl form of the invention, are capable of clamping an electrode in both horizontal'and vertical positions. Obviously, when an electrode passes between the flat meetin faces of said jaws the same will be maintained in a horizontal position, but under conditions where an electrode is drawn from a spool it is desirable that the electrode pass vertically through the j aws. To secure an electrode in 'this posltion, sald jaws are provided with one or more sets of registering openings 13, each 'the spring 11. The movement of the movable jaw results in bringing the openings 13 of said jaws out of registration with one another, so that the walls of said openings will impingeagainst the electrodes to effectively clamp the latter to the tool. Thus,l when an electrode has been substantially used up, the same may be replaced by merely depressing the thumb piece 10, 'which results in alining the openings 13. The tool is then bodily moved in an upward direction upon the electrode until a suitable length of the v latter has been afforded. Then by releasing the thumb piece, said movable jaw will return to its normallycclosed position and the electrode contained within the openings 13 will be gripped by virtue of the offset relation of the walls of said openings. This construction has the advantage of enabling an operator to secure an electrode of anyl desired length without in any way fingering the electrode or subjecting himself to physical danger. It will thus be apparent that one of the objects of the invention, that is, the provision of a tool which will be safe and convenient to operate, is carried out by the provision of the openings 13 which facilitatethe handling of an electrode.

The rear manipulating extremity 5`of the main frame 1 is substantially of smooth shaped formation and is formed to provide a longitudinally extending port 14 therein, l through which the conductor wire 15 of the 110 tool extends. To enable the tool to be grasped, the extremity 5 is provided with a tubular handle 16, which is preferably formed from a fibrous insulating material. This tube is adapted to be slipped over the manipulating extremity 5 and when thus positioned, said handle will be substantially 'spaced from the major portion of the extremity 5 by virtue of the spool shaped formation of the latter, thus a heat circulating or cooling space 17is defined between the enlarged ends of the extremity 5. It will beobserved that the latter are grooved so that air may circulate into and around the space 17, thus maintaining the latter cool under working conditions and preventing its heat from spreading to an appreciable extent to the handle 16.` he handle is retained in position upon the extremity 5 by providing the latter with an adjustable head i the handle. Qbviously, by inserting the tool through the opening 19, said screw may be so adjusted as to enable itshead to frictionally, press upon the' inner wall of the handle, and suiicjent pressure may be thus exercised to revent accidental removal of said handle. manner 0f securing the handle 16 with the frame 1 will serve to maintain said handle in a relatively cool condition when the same is actively employed and that in combination with the thumb piece 10 the liability of in-- jury to the operator,'by reason of heated portions in the tool, will be reduced to a minimum.

In order to firmly secure the lead wire 15 in a grounded position upon the frame 1,

- use is made of a clamping bar 20. The latter has' itsv rear end loosely mounted upon shoulders 21 formed at the forward end of the bore 14, and theforward end of -said bar is provided with a threaded opening 22 which is adapted to `register with a plain opening 23- formed in the underside 'of the shank 4. It will be noted that the forward end of said bar projects inside of the super- -posed frame 6 and is guided for oscillatory movement by this frame.

j A screw 24 projects through the openings 23 and is adapted to be threaded into the opening 22,-whereby upon the tightening of said screw said bar will have its forward but free end drawn toward the bottom of the shank portion 4. The underside of the bar 20 is provided lwith a knifeedge 25 which is adapted to coperate with a similar edge 26 formed on the shank portion 4. The bared portion of the wire 15 is passed between the edges 25 and 26, and obviously, by tightening the screw 18, said edges may be drawn together in a` manner calculated to effectively grip said wire so that the same will be securely heldin connection with the tool and capable of withstandingl and maintaining the connection under the stresses and pulls of Working conditions. If desired, a shield 27 may be placed upon 'the handle 16Y so as to further l.

protect the hand of the operator from the heat emitted by the electrode.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that there is provided a tool of considerable utility in its own field. By virtue of the construction described improved means have been provided for clamp'- ing the wire in connection with the tool, and

for preventing said wire from becoming accidentally disconnected with respect to its grounded position upon the tool. Also, mechanism has been providedfor retaining the main handle at a low temperature under working conditions, and through the ,provi".

sion of the openings in the jaws 2 and 7, means have -been provided for effectively hus it will be manifest that this` clamping the vertically extending electrode in connection with the tool. In view of the foregoing description it is believed that the many advantages ofthe tool, as well as its operation, will be clearly understood by those versed' in the art, and therefore a more through, said openings being arranged substantially in registration when said jaw members are separated and out of registration when said members are in closed relation. j

l 2. In an electrode holder, a main structure, a stationary jaw member forming a part of said main structure, a movable jaw member pivotally carried by said structure, an actuating handle for said member, a spring arranged lbetween said handle and said structure and `tending to maintain said movable jaw in closed relation with lsaid stationary jaw, and said jaws being provided with openings arranged perpendicularly therein and said openings being so dis osed as to assume staggered positions w en saidjaw members are in closed relation. l

3. In an electrode holder, a mam frame, jaws carried by said frame and arranged to .receive anelectrode, a spool shaped projection formed upon the rear end of said frame,

a tubular handle fitted around said projection, said handle-serving to define in conjunction with said projection an air circulating space, and the ends of said projection being grooved to permit of thecontinuous circulationv of air through said space from exterior sources.

4. In an electrode holder,a main frame, jaws carried by said frame and arrangedto receive an electrode, an extension formed upon the rear end of said frame,'a screw threadedly carried by'said extension, a tubular sleeve formed to be ,fitted over said extension, and said sleeve having an opening formed therein designed for registration with said screw, whereby said screw may be exteriorly actuated to be brought into retaining relation with said handle. l

5. A tool of the character described, a main frame, means'carried by the forward end of said frame for retaining an electrode in secured relation therewith, an extension formed upon the rear end of said frame and having a. longitudinal .bore formed therein, a clamping bar pivotally seated in the forward end of said port, and means for binding said bar in clamping relation with a conductor passing through said port.

6. In a tool of the character described, a main frame, means carried by the forward end of said frame for securing an electrode thereto, an extension formed upon the rear end of said frame, said extension having a longitudinally extending port formed therein, a clamping element, knife edges formed upon said frame and element, and means for drawing said clamping element so that a wire passing through said. port will be clamped between the edge thereof and the edge of said frame.

7. In an electrode holder, a mam frame,

jaw means disposed at the forward end of said frame, an extension formed upon the rear end of said frame, said extension having a longitudinally extending opening formed therein, a clamping bar having its rear end pivotally seated within the forward end of said opening and means for drawing said bar toward said frame and to confine a conductor passing through said port between said bar and said frame.

In testimonyw-hereof I aix my signature.

ROY o. WILLIAMS.

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