US20030203331A1

US20030203331A1 - Safety mechanism for a torch

Info

Publication number: US20030203331A1
Application number: US10/132,202
Authority: US
Inventors: Chin-Mei Hsu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-04-26
Filing date: 2002-04-26
Publication date: 2003-10-30

Abstract

A safety mechanism for a torch includes an activating button movably received in the housing for engaging with one end of the lever to activate gas flow from the gas tank. The activating button has a partially truncated portion and two legs extending out in parallel. Each leg has a first step and a second step. A safety plate is selectively abutted against the partially truncated portion of the activating button and having an extension selectively corresponding to the first and the second steps so that movement of the activating button is controlled by the safety plate.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a safety mechanism, and more particularly to a safety mechanism for a torch. With the safety mechanism, the user is able to use the torch safely and unintended ignition of the torch is avoided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the industrial field, torch is widely used to weld objects via welding rod or to cut object. When using the torch, normally the worker has an electrical igniter in front of the torch. With the sparks of the electrical igniter, the torch is ignited. Then, the worker adjusts the adjusting knob to mix the air and the gas coming from a gas tank to a reasonable ratio so that the worker is able to work with the torch to proceed with the or welding. Before ignited, the gas inside the torch is already ready for ignition. That is, long before the torch is lit, the gas is running out of the torch, which is quite dangerous and harmful to people nearby.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved safety mechanism for a torch to mitigate and obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a safety mechanism for a torch. The safety mechanism ensures that only when the torch is ignited, the gas is free to flow to support the flame. Furthermore, the safety mechanism has a stop movably received inside the torch, with which the user is able to control the gas flow and thus the flame.

In order to accomplish the foregoing objective, the safety mechanism of the torch has a safety plate movably and partially received in the torch housing so as to selectively release the control of the activating button. When the activating button is released, the activating button is able to move to activate the flow of gas from a gas tank and simultaneously activate the electrical igniter so that the torch is safely activated. After activation, the torch further has a stop movably received in the torch housing so as to be selectively move to a position to hold a lever in position, wherein the pivotal movement of the lever turns on/off the gas flow. Therefore, when the torch is ignited and one end of the lever is depressed by the activating button, the stop is moved to a position under the lever so as to hold the lever to allow the gas to continue to flow to support the flame of the torch.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the torch of the present invention; [0007]
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the safety mechanism of the present invention; [0008]
FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the torch in FIG. 1, wherein the front cover of the torch housing is removed for a clear view; [0009]
FIG. 3A is an enlarged schematic view showing the relationship between the activating button and the safety plate in a first mode; [0010]
FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the torch in FIG. 1, wherein the front cover of the torch housing is removed for a clear view; [0011]
FIG. 4A is an enlarged schematic view showing the relationship between the activating button and the safety plate in a second mode; [0012]
FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the torch in FIG. 1, wherein the front cover of the torch housing is removed for a clear view; [0013]
FIG. 5A is an enlarged schematic view showing the movement of the activating button allows the activating button to abut one end of the lever so as to free the control of gas in a gas tank; [0014]
FIG. 6 is a side plan view of the torch in FIG. 1, wherein the front cover of the torch housing is removed for a clear view; and [0015]
FIG. 6A is an enlarged schematic view showing the stop is moved to a position under the other end of the lever to hold the lever in position so as to allow the gas to flow out of the gas tank.[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, the torch constructed in accordance with the present invention has a [0017] housing 1 and a gas tank 2. An activating button 3 is provided at the rear portion of the torch. An adjusting rod 4 has a first end extending out of the housing 1 and a second end connected to an outlet of the gas tank 2 to control the gas flow out of the gas tank 2.
With reference to FIG. 2, it is to be noted that the safety mechanism of the present invention includes an activating [0018] button 3, a safety plate 5 and a stop 6, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A. The activating button 3 is cylindrical shape and has a partially truncated portion 31 and two legs 32 extending out from the cylindrical activating button 3. The cylindrical activating button 3 has a first step 321 and a second step 322 formed on the leg 32. The first step 321 is inclined relative to the second step 322. The activating button 3 is movably mounted at the rear portion of the housing 1. The partially truncated portion 31 of the activating button 3 extends into the housing 1 and receives therein a spring 33. One end of the spring 33 abuts an electrical igniter 11 inside the housing 1 and the other end of the spring 33 abuts the partially truncated portion 31 so that the spring 33 is able to provide a recovery force to the activating button 3 to allow the activating button 3 to return to its original position after being moved. The safety plate 5 has an extension 51 extending out to selectively correspond to the first and the second steps 321,322 of the activating button 3 and a boss 52 extending down from the extension 51 to position a secondary spring 53 which is compressibly received in the housing 1. Therefore, when the safety plate 5 and the activating button 3 is assembled in the rear portion of the torch, the extension 51 engages the first step 321 of the legs 32 of the cylindrical activating button 3. The stop 6 is securely yet movably received in the housing 1 and one distal end of which extends out of the housing 1.
With reference to FIGS. 4 and 4A, when the [0019] safety plate 5 is positioned in the track 12 in the rear portion of the housing 1 and pressed, the extension 51 slides from the first step 321 to the second step 322 and the secondary spring 53 is compressed. After the safety plate 5 is pressed and the secondary spring 53 is compressed, the safety plate 5 leaves the abutment to the partially truncated portion 31 and the activating button 3 is unlocked so that the activating button 3 is able to be moved inward to the housing 1. When the activating button 3 is moved, the bottom of the activating button 3 engages a lever 13 which is on top of the gas tank 2 to control the gas flow out of the gas tank 2. After the bottom of the activating button 3 engages the lever 13, the pivotal movement of the lever 13 turns on the gas flow from the gas tank 2, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A.
With reference to FIGS. 6 and 6A, after the pivotal movement of the [0020] lever 13, the electrical igniter 11 is ignited. With the gas flow from the gas tank 2 and the sparks from the electrical igniter 11, the gas is ignited and the resulting flame is maintained as long as the gas flow is running. Meantime, if the user releases the force applied on the activating button 3, the activating button will return to its original position and shuts the gas flow due to the lever 13 returning to its original position. Therefore, if the user wants to maintain the gas flow as well as the flame, the user will have to move the stop 6 to a position under the lever 13 to stop the lever 13 returning back to its original position. Therefore, with the assistance of the stop 6, the gas flow continues to flow out of the gas tank 2 and the flame is maintained. However, the moment when the activating button 3 is pushed, the safety plate 5 returns to its original position due to the recovery force from the secondary spring 53 so that the extension 51 abuts the first step 321 again and the partially truncated portion 31 of the activating button 3 is again stopped.
With reference to FIG. 2, it is to be noted that the torch of the present invention further has a [0021] head 7 detachably mounted on a front end of the torch so that the torch is able to be used as a welding gun.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. [0022]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A safety mechanism for a torch having a housing received therein an electrical igniter and a gas tank with a lever on top of the gas tank to control gas outflow from the gas tank, the safety mechanism comprising:

an activating button movably received in the housing for engaging with one end of the lever to activate gas flow from the gas tank and having a partially truncated portion and two legs extending out in parallel, each leg having a first step and a second step;

a safety plate selectively abutted against the partially truncated portion of the activating button and having an extension selectively corresponding to the first and the second steps so that movement of the activating button is controlled by the safety plate.

2. The safety mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring provided with a first end abutted the activating button and a second end adapted to engage with the electrical igniter to provide a recovery force to the activating button.

3. The safety mechanism as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a boss formed on a bottom face of the extension to hold a secondary spring which is compressibly received between the extension and the housing to provide a recovery force to the safety plate.

4. The safety mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stop movably received in the housing to stop the lever from returning back to shut the gas flow.

5. The safety mechanism as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a stop movably received in the housing to stop the lever from returning back to shut the gas flow.

6. The safety mechanism as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a stop movably received in the housing to stop the lever from returning back to shut the gas flow.

7. The safety mechanism as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a head adapted to be detachably mounted on a front end of the torch so that the torch is able to be used as a welding gun.