US1495164A - Process of and apparatus for cutting metals - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1924.

C. J. COBERLY PROCESS oF AND APPARATUS POR CUTTING METALS Filed June 8, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Cyfazje/zca (.7,

- Patented May 27, 1924.

UNITED STATE-s 51,495,164 vPArelajjr ".OFFIYCE.

CLARENCE J'. COBERLY, or lLos ANGELES., CALIFORNIA, AssIGNokTo CALIFORNIA BUEDETT OXYGEN COMPANY, A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS or `AND yAIPARAzrUs FOR CUTTING' METAIS..

Applicationledlune 8, 1920. Serial ll'o. $87,486.v

Tou-ZZ whom t may concern; Be itknown that' I, CLARENCE J. Co'BERLY, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Y Los Angeles, county of Los'Angeles, and

in this art to heat the metal so that it bel comes incandescent preferably by an Oxy# hydrogen flame and to then supply tothe provide a process and apparatus by which materials may be cut which are at presentv heated metal a jet of oxygen which unites with the metal forming 'an oxide whichis blown away leaving an open space.

The principal object of my invention is to produce an apparatus which will cut metal much more rapidly and at a vgreater efficiency than it is at presentp'ossible.'

A further object of my invention is to found to be impractical.

Further objects and advantages will be made more evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a section through. a diagrammatic form of my invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a top view of same. Fig. 3 is a section on a planel represented by the line 3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on a plane represented by the line 4.--4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an alternate form of my invention. Fig. 6 is a section on -a plane represented by the linel 6 -6of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 isa section on a plane. represented by the line 7.--7 of Fig. 5.

In the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 411 is a'body, having an oxygen passage 12 'and a hydrogen passage 13 formed therein, these passages communieating with suitable sources of supply through flexible tubing, not shown. Valves 14 and 15 control the. supply of gas in the passages 12 and 13, these valves being opened together by means of ascrew 16 and a cross bar 17 against the action of compression springs 18. The passage 13 communicates with a manifold 20 connecting throughl small passages 21` with a hydrogen chamber 22. The hydrogen chamber 22 is formed -bustion readily starts.

between a shell 23 and-a tube 24, the shell 23 is threaded' on the body 11 and clamps'.

the tube 24, as shown, This-tube 24 is preferably formed of zirconium or cerium oxide,- being formed byv mixing these oxides with an'organic binder which is destroyed durs ing the subsequent baking operations leaving the'tubes full of minute holes.

' The method of'o'peration of th's form of my 'inventionv is as follows: l

A vsmall amount of .oxygen and hydrogen being supplied to the passages 12 and 13 byy a slight opening of the valves* l 14 and 15 the hydrogen passes from'the chamber 22 into the interior of the-tubes through the walls thereof mixing'with the oxygen delivered throughy the assages 12 and whenvignited producing a ame outside the lower end of the tube as shown at25. Due to the slow velocity of the gases, this ame lashes'back into the tube 24 and surface combustion is started on the inner wallsof this tube, the hydrogen passing through the "tube being ignited while still-in the pores of' the tube creased, the oxygen being free to pass readily t rough the tube 24, and the hydrogen being prevented from passing so freely as it must pass through/the pores of the tube 24. The surface combustion increases but there is immediately an excess of oxygen'deliveredthrough the lower end ofthe tube. This oxygen 'is highly heated. In practice I -nd that it ispossible tol heatit to 1800 C. or aboveland I further find 'that when this' highly heated jet ofoxygen is delivered to the surface of the metal to be cut which Ais shown dia-grammatically at 26, that a narrow opening'27 will be produced. This narroviT opening I believe is due to the high chemical activity of the highly heatedv oxygen. I find that it is unneeessaryto provide the vusual heating jet for heating the metal, the jet of super-heated oxygen heating the metal to such a degree that coin- My vinvention diers from the ordinary method of cutting, in thatit is not necessary atrthe starting point. of 'cutting in which the material 26 1s first -that the metal to be cut be so highly heated The present .method l10` heated up to in'candescence at the point of cut is uneconomical as considerable heat is carried' away by conduction and as the Width of the opening '27 must beiconsiderable vto `compensate for this conduction. By usingy super-heated jet of oxygen, I amable to make an extremelynarrowfcut which isv not only more economical but more desirable for many reasons. My invention comprises the use of this super-heated jet of oxygen' and I have found that' it may b'e produced by other means such as shown in Figs. 5, '6, and 7 in which 31 is a body and 32 is a cap clamping an insulating refractory tubeV 33 against the body 3l, oxygen isV supplied through a passage34 passing through the center of4 the tube 33 vWhich is heated by means of a heating element 35 supplied with electric current through conductors 36 and 37, these conductors being insulated by means of porcelain beads 38. The tube 33 isv heated up to the incandescent point by 'means of the electric current and the oxygen passing through is highly, heated b its contact with the walls of this tube. ther means may be provided for heating the oxygen, my invention consisting broadly of the idea of a super-'heated oxygen jet. By using a superheated jet of highly active oxygen, I amable to cutV materials which the present types of cutting torches will not handle.

A I claim as my invention: v

1. A process of cutting metals which comprises producing a combustion in a confined space, forcing an. excess of oxygen through the `space in which said combustion takes place so that said oxygen is highly heated, and forcing a jet of said highly heated oxygen against the nietal to be cut.

2. A process of cutting metals which comprises producing a combustion in a conned space of oxygen and another gas, forcing an excess'of oxygen through the space in which said combustion takes place so that said oxygen is highly heated, and forcing a jet of said highly heated oxygen against the metal to be out.

3. An apparatus for cutting metal comprising a refractory tube, meansfor heating saidtube above the meltin metal, and means for orcing oxygen through said tube against the metal to be cut. Q 1

fl. An apparatus for cutting metal coniprising a refractory tube, means for heating said tube to an 4incandescent temperature, and means for forcing oxygen through said tube against the metal to be cut.`

5. A11-apparatus for cutting metal comprising a porous refractory tube, means for supplying hydrogen or the like to the space around said tube and at a pressure sufficient to force. said hydrogen through the pores of said tube, means for initiating a surface combustion inside said tube, and means for forcing `oxygen through said tube against the metal to be cut.

6. .An apparatus *for cutting metals comprising: walls forming a combustion chamber inside said apparatus.; means for initiatinga combustion in said chamber; means for passing oxygen in excess of that needed for combustion through said combustion space; and a tip for directing the mixed products of combustion and the excess ox gwen under pressure against the metal -to e' cut.V v

In testimony whereof, I have hereuntor set `my hand at Los Angeles, California, `this 28th day of'May, 1920.

' .CLARENCE J. COBERLY.

point of any 1

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