US2284574A - Apparatus for cutting or deseaming metal - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheqi 1 N E 4 7 L w 2 D Z M 0 Z mm J v.5 a m m T a H a a Wm Elv n a 5 5 4 d V A a 4 m m ill M m FM 5 H ilm l I Y May 26, 1942. w. J. JACOBSSON arm.

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR DESEAMING METAL Filed May 4, 1940 y 1942' w. .1. JACOBSSON ETAL 2,234,574

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OR DESEAMING METAL Filed May 4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS WILGOT I J'ACOBSSON ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1942 APPARATUS FOR CUTTING OB DESEAMING METAL Wilgot J. Jacobsson, Plainfleld, N. J., and Cecil VJ Eskridge, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Oxweld Acetylene Company, a corporation of West Virginia Application May 4, 1940, Serial No. 333,320

17 Claims.

This invention relates to deseaming, cutting or flame machining metal work by directing a stream of oxidizing gas onto a surface of a metal body, and more particularly toimproved apparatus for starting and carrying out such a deseaming, cutting or flame machining operation The objects of the present invention are: to provide improved apparatus for starting and carrying out a deseaming, cutting, flame machining or similar operation; to provide, in combination with a blowpipe or torch having an oxidizing gas orifice, improved mechanism and apparatus for feeding combustible material, such as feeding a starting rod or wire, as an aid in starting a deseaming, cutting, flame machining or similar operation; to provide a blowpipe subassembly including rod feeding mechanism, which sub-assembly is adapted to be attached to a blowpipe head and a valve body for either top lever or bottom lever arrangement of the blowpipe; to provide improved apparatus for removing from the vicinity of a cut, loose particles and fin-forming'slag or molten metal formed during a deseaming, cutting, or flame machining operation, together with improved operating controls; and an improved hand-operated deseaming blowpipe of rugged, light-weight construction which may be more conveniently handled over longer periods of time with less fatigue to theoperator, more economically operated, and substantially free of disadvantages of previous apparatus.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be' had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a handoperated deseaming blowpipe embodying the principles of the invention;

, Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the reverse side of the handle and V valve body ofthe blowpipe, of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-4 of Figure 1;

Figures isa side elevational view showing a bottom handle arrangement of a blowpipe embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view, along line l I of Figure 6 of the rodlfeeding mechnism F of Figures 1 and 4;

. Figure 6 is a sectional view, along line 0-4 of Figure 5, of the rod feeding mechanism F;

Figure 7 is a sectional view. along line I-l of Figure 8, of the blowpipe head C of Figures 1 and 4; and

Figure 8 is a sectional yiew, along line 8-4 of Figure '7, of the blowpipe head C.

The use of combustible material such as a ferrous metal wire or rod, as an aid in starting a deseaming, cutting, flame machining operation and the like, and apparatus for feeding metal wire or rod into the heating flames of a deseaming blowpipe, at the start of such an operation are disclosed in Patent No. 2,205,890 and application Serial No; 237,630, filed October 29, 1938, in the names of W. B. Nicholson and E. P. Jones.

Referring to Figures 1, 2'and 3 of the drawings, the form of apparatus shown therein, comprises a blowpipe B having at its forward end a blowpipe head C with a nozzle N attached thereto. The blowpipe B is provided with an improved mechanism F for feeding metal wire or rod into the flame adjacent the end of the blowpipe nozzle N. The blowpipe is also provided with an auxiliary air-delivering device or attachment A which is adapted to supply a stream or jet of auxiliary air, from an air discharge orifice adjacent the end of nozzle N, for the purpose of assisting in the removal of slag from the work during the cutting or metal removal operation and to inhibit the formation of flns on the work surface. A control lever L, pivotally mounted on the blowpipe B adjacent the rearmost part of the blowpipe handle H, is operatively connected to, or associated with, both the wire or rod feeding mechanism F and means for controlling the supply or cutting oxygen and air to the forward end of blowpipe B.

Referring more particularly to Figure 2 of the drawings, blowpipe B comprises a valve body V mounted toward the rearmost end of the blowpipe. The valve body V is adapted to support oxygen and acetylene connections, and to form chambers and passages for controlling the flow of respective gases within the blowpipe. An oxygen inlet connection I! is attached to body V and directs the incoming oxygen into chambers within the body V, which chambers are connected to the cutting oxygen conveying tube or duct i3, and to a conduit I6 within which the preheating oxygen fiows in an annular passage between a duct i4 and the wall of tube It." An acetylene inlet I5 is also attached to the valve body V, and directs the incoming acetylene into chambers within the valve body V, which chambers are connected to an acetylene conveying tube or duct ll. Valves l1 and 18 are "provided for controlling the flow, respectively, of preheatis operated by 'oted on the auxiliary air valve body V at pivot 42. As the air valve lever 4|, as shown in Figure ing oxygen to the annular passage in tube I 6 and of acetylene to the acetylene conduit l4. These gases are mixed in a chamber (not shown) provided in tube i6 for forming a combustible preheating mixture of oxygen and acetylene for delivery to the head and thence to the nozzle N. Between the handle H and the head 0 are provided a number of reenforcing and spacing members 28.

For controlling the supply of incoming cutting oxygen to the tube l3, and consequently to the nozzle N, there is provided a cutting oxygen valve i9 comprising a valve head (not shown) and a valve stem 2| provided with a collar 22 at the outer end of the stem. The valve is of the type wherein the valve head is resiliently held against the valve seat, as by a spring, when the valve is in the closed position. The common control lever L which operates valve I9 is pivoted externally of the handle H at pivot 23. Ann 24 of lever L is directly connected to valve i9 by means of. a slotted cavity or recess 25 provided in the end of the arm 24 adjacent the valve, which recess 25 is adapted to receive therein the collar 22. The edge 26 of the slotted recess forms al houlder which engages the collar 22 in sliding contact and serves to retain the collar within the recess 25 during rocking of lever L.

Am 21 of lever L which extends from pivot 23 forwardly along handle H and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the blowpipe is adapted to be manipulated by a hand grasping the blowpipe at handle H. As shown in Figures land 2 the lever is in its released position, with the valve I! closed. Thus, it is seen that valve stem 2! may be lifted a certain distance and the valve l9 opened by rocking of lever L in a direction which is counterclockwise with reference to Figure 1, and clockwise with reference to Figure 2. For purposesto be hereinafter described, it is desir-able that the'common control lever be movable through a part of its stroke without opening the valve l9. For this reason the recess 25 is made sufliciently larger than the collar 22 (or, conversely, the collar 22 is made sufficiently smaller than recess 25) so as to provide a certain degree of play or lost motion between the lever L and the valve stem 2|.

' I'he blowpipe B additionally comprises an auxiliary valve body V also mounted toward the rearmost end of the blowpipe, and adapted to "receive a connection to a source of air under pressure and to form passages for controlling the flow of the air to an air conveying duct 33. An air inlet connection 32 is attached to the body V'and directs the incoming air into chambers nected to the air duct 33. In the specific form of blowpipe shown, the auxiliary valve body V' 'is rem'ovably mounted on the blowpipe by screws the incoming air to the air ,duct 33, there is provided an air valve 35 in the valve body V',

which valve comprises a valve head36 and-a valve stem 31. A spring 38 resiliently holds the valve head 36 against the valve seat 39 when the valve is in its closed position. The valve: 35

an air valve lever M which is pivas. swung' in -a clockwise direction (counterclockwise direction jas shown in-cFigure 1) it comes against the end of the valve' stemfl which projects from valve body V, and depresses the v valve stem, thus u'nseating the valve head 36 and permitting air to flow into air duct 33. Upon release of the air valve lever 4|, the spring 36 reseats the valve head 36, and simultaneously restores the air valve lever'to its normal released position by the corresponding outward movement of the valve stem 31 from the valve body. Counterclockwise swinging of the air valve lever (Figure 2) is limited by a projection 43 provided on the air valve lever adjacent pivot 42. Projection 43 is adapted to abut against the valve body V when air valve lever 4| is at its normal 4 released position.

The airvalve 35 is also operated by the common control lever L-. For this purpose there is provided, on the common control lever L, a bent lever arm 44 which, on rotation of the common control lever L, is adapted to engage the air valve lever 4| to swing it and thus open the air valve 35. In the particular construction employed the bent lever arm 44 engages the air valve lever 4| at about the place where the extended longitudinal axis of the valve stem '31 intersects the air valve lever, but other arrangements may be used depending upon a number of factors including the leverage, for instance. When the common control lever L is at its normal released position, the bent arm lever 44 is so spaced from the air valve lever 4! that sufficient play or lost motion is provided between them, whereby the air valve 35 is opened duning the latter half of the stroke of the common control lever L. The term .stroke of the common control lever, as here used, means the angle or distance through which the common control lever may be moved.

Referring more particularly to Figures 5 and 6, the wire or rod feeding mechanism F comprises an enclosure or housing body 40 which is mounted on the blowpipe B near the forward end thereof, between the head C and the handle H. .The housing 40 includes a case 45, and a cover 46. At one end the housing 46 is firmly clamped about both the cutting oxygen tube [3 and the preheating gas tube l6 by means oi? and the cover 46 of housing 40 are in holding contact with the tubes l3 and [6, they may conform closely to the curved external surfacesof the ducts so that a substantially tightly closed within the body V, which chambers are conhousing 46 may be provided to exclude dust,

etc., from the interior of the housing.

' In order to secure the housing 46 rigidly against movement toward or away from the head C, and

to prevent it from sliding relatively to the gas ducts, there is provided both in the case 45 and in the cover 46 a. recess or cavity which is adapted to register with, and to receive therein, a spacing member 29. Member 23 is similar to members 28 except that it is not provided with a an opening for the air conveying duct 33, and

the opening for the tiller wire I6 is located at about the middle of the member 29.

Toward the other or lower end thereof, the housing 40 is provided with alined openings adapted to receive starting rod orwlre W for passage through the housing 40 in the direction of the outlets of nozzle N. To avoid. excessive wear and also to guide the wire accurately through the feeding mechanism into the preheat flames, the openings are bushed with guiding bushings 4B and 49 mounted in front and rear assure ll for turning the latter. The rear guiding bushing ll may be nonadiustably mounted in the rear wall of housing ll.

Slidably disposed within the housing ll is a rod gripper or clutch ll having an aperture through which the rod or wire W passes and which is movable in one direction toward the guiding bushing 48 for eifectlnilthe feeding of the. wire in the direction of the nozzle N, and then in the reverse direction toward bushinl II. A slideway for the clutch Ii is defined by the interior surfaces of the bottom wall I2 and side walls II, ll of housing ll and by a projecting ledge I! on wall 53. The ledge I, which projects laterally toward wall It only a short distance sufficient to assist in retaining the clutch It in the siideway, does not extend the full length of the slideway but terminates a short distance from the front wall of the slideway to leave a space for the clutch to-be inserted in the slideway.

The clutch 5|. which is of hardened steel construction, is provided with an aperture N which is of slightly larger dimension than the rod or wire which passes therethrough, so that theclutch It may be tilted through a small angle' relatively to the longitudinal axis of the wire. n the front face of the clutch the aperture 5! is provided with a relatively sharp edge or edges I'l between which the wire may be gr pp d when the block II is tilted and moved forwardly in the direction of the nozzle N. On the rear face of the clutch II, the aperture 5' is provided with a chamfered or countersunk surface primarily to permit the easy entrance of the starting rod. The chamfering also permits.

the clutch 5| to ride freely over the rod when it is caused to move in a rearward direction away from the nozzle N. The clutch Si is resiliently held in its normally released position against the rear wall of the slideway by a spring I. To prevent the W back during the rearward movement of the clutch 5|, rod guide 49 is provided with a friction arrangement comprising balls 82, 83 which are resiliently held in contact with the rod W by a U-spring N. The braking effect of the balls on the rod maybe overcome more or less easily by the hand, however, to move the rod through the guides in either direction when the clutch is at its released position.

The clutch Si is operated by a rockable lever ll which is positioned within the housing 40 with its longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of tubes II and I, and also lying substantially in the-central longitudinal plane of the blowpipe, which .plane includes also the longitudinal axis of the nozzle N. The lever 59 is supported within the housing 0 by a Erossbolt 6|, rigidly mounted on the housing and extending therethrough from rear to front parallel to the side walls of the housing. Crossbolt 6|, which extends also through aperture 62 provided in lever 59, is threadedly secured in a bore in boss 3, and locked in place by a jam nut H,

The lever 59 is formed from fiatstock which clutch from moving the rod is so shaped about its longitudinal'axis as to resuit in the lever having a. U-shaped transverse ,where the crossbolt ll passes through aperture 62, the lever 5| is provided'with a pair of rockers 0!, it about which the lever is adapted to rock on a moving fulcrum. The rocking surfaces, which are at the extremities of the legs of the U of the transverse section, are each of a width about the thickness of the flat stock. To accommodate a slight movement of the lever ll in the direction of its longitudinal axis, due to its swinging about the moving fulcrum of the rockers, the aperture I! is elongated to a small extent above and below the croesbolt CI. The rocker surfaces are resiliently held in contact with the boss it by means of a helical spring 01 on crossbolt OI.

stock of which the lever is formed, is cylindrical- 1y shaped about the longitudinal axis to providean opening ll of circular transverse section. Opening 08 is adapted to receive loosely therein a stem it projecting upwardly from clutch ii, to which the stem II is rigidly attached.

At the other, or upper, extremity of the lever 50, the bottom part of the U of the transverse section is cut away, leaving a fork having flat, parallel prongs II, I! (corresponding to the leg parts of the U of the transverse section) projecting upwardly on either side of gas ducts I3 and Il. At about themidpoint between ducts I8 and i6, notches I3 and 14, opening toward the forward end of the blowpipe, are cut into prongs H and 12, respectively. Notches II and 14 are adapted to receive therein an anchor rod ll which is positioned transversely of the longitudinal axis of the rocking lever 5!, at a place midway between ducts II and It.

The lever II is operated from the rear or handle part of the blowpipe B by means of a tiller rod or cable ll which is positioned substantially parallel to gas ducts I3 and I0, and passes through openings 11 provided in members II and 28. a The forward end of the tiller rod is threadedly secured in the anchor rod II, at about midway between the prongs H and II, and locked in place by a small jam nut 18. The other end of the tiller rod II is threadedly secured to one end of a link 19 which serves as a sleeve for tiller'rod 16. The other end of link I! is pivotally attached to the bent lever arm 44 by a screw II which serves as a pivot. The tiller rod 16 is adjusted by screwing it in'or out of the link 19 until both the control lever L and the clutch II are at about their limits of movement in their normally released positions, with the rockers I! and in .the rod W, is caused to advance in the direction .of the nozzle N until the clutch II reaches the forward end of the slideway. Because of the lost motion or play betweenthe control lever L and the valve stem 2|. the clutch it reaches the limit of its forward movement, however, before the cutting oxygen valve I! is caused to open. Accordingly, it is possible to operate the rod feeding mechanism and feed the rod independently of the cutting oxygen valve, by confining the movement of control lever L to the first or upper part of the stroke. The amount of rod W fed at ,With continued movement each stroke of the lever L should be adjusted preferablyto-the minimum required for starting a cut. Usually a length of rod about flinch long will be satisfactory. ,The amount of w ire fed may be-changed by loosening the hexagonal am nut 59 and turning the adjustable guiding bushing 49 by means of the knurled head 86. Turn-' ing the guiding bushing 49 clockwise into the' slideway to shorten the movement of the clutch 5| decreases the amount of rod W fed; coiihtermovement, remains stationary meanwhile. The

interval between the opening of the oxygen valve and the air valve is dependent upon the amount of lost motion or play between the bent lever arm 44 and the air valvef lever 4|. While the control lever L is being rotated to open the cutting oxygen valve and the air valve, the lever 59 also continuesv to move. The fulcrum abruptly shifts, however, from rockers'65 and 66 to the lower extre'inityof lever 59 which is in engagement with the'stem 69. With the opening of the oxygen valve I9 the spring 191. is compressed and the rockers 65 and 66 are thereupon withdrawn from contact with boss 63. Thus, it is seen that it is also possible to operate cutting oxygen valve l9 without continuously'feeding rod W by conhead 9| isprovided with an air passage 92, and

inlet and outlet bores'93 and 94 respectively, at the ends of the air passage. Also, the air nozzle head is positioned symmetrically with respect to .the central longitudinal plane of blowpipe in which plane lies also the longitudinal axis of nozzle N.

' At'the inlet end of air passage 92, theair nozzle head9l is connected to the air valve 35 by ;means of the air duct 33, the forward end of which is inserted intobore 93 and soldered in place to provide an air tight connection. At

the'outletend of air passage 92, a curved or bent ai'r nozzle 95 is removably attached to the air head 9| by an externally threaded, hollow nut 9} which nut 99 is screwed into the internally threaded bore 94. When the nut 99 is tightened into the bore 94, a' flange 9I,which is provided at one end of the air, nozzle 95, is forced against the bottom of the, bore 94 to provide an air tight connection and to hold the air nozzle in place; on'unscrewing the nut 99 slightly, the I 'curved nozzle 95 may be swung or swivelled about the upper part of its longitudinal axis which is concentric with the nut 96, for the purpose of adjusting the position of the discharge end 99 of the air nozzle. If desired, the nut 99 may be so'adjusted that the air nozzle may be swung without the need of first loosening the nut. In such case, however, it is preferred to insert packing behind'the nut for the purpose of improving the seal at the connection and to minimize or prevent leakage of air.

The airnozzle- 95 is so curved or bent that its discharge and 98 may be that is, when it is lying against one-side orthe.

positioned closely adjacent the discharge. end of nozzle N with the air nozzle lying against either side of the nozzle N, When thus; positioned-e other of the nozzl N-the air nozzle 95 isadapted to discharge a jet or stream of air adjacent one edge of the channel cut by the cutting oxygen discharged by nozzle N, to assist in the removal from the work of slag formed during the operation, and to inhibit the formation of fins.

' The air nozzle head A is rigidly mounted onv the head 0 by a ring 99 integral with the air head, which ring fits snugly around the lower exterior part of the head C, and is securedin place by set screws |9|, |9|. Additional set screws I92, I92 in the upper part of the air nozzle head 9| which partially encircles the head C, assist in securing the air nozzle head 9| to the head 0. If desired, however, the head 9| and the blowpipe head H may be'combined into a single, unitary structure.

The blowpipe of the present invention is adapted to be operated by causing thenozzle N to move along a surface of the metal work in the general direction of the discharging oxidizing gas stream, with the nozzle preferably held in such position that the oxidizing gas stream impinges against the surface at an angle thereto. The blowpipe B is provided with a work-contacting collar I93 adjacent the front end of the nozzle N, and a head-protecting shield I94 attached to the head C. For the purpose of more conveniently and precisely maintaining the nozzle at the proper angle to the surface of the work, the head-contacting shield I94 may be so constructed and arranged, relative to the workcontacting collar I93, that the shield also contacts thework when the nozzle is at the proper angle thereto, The collar I93 and the shield I94 which are made preferably of abrasion-resistant alloy are described in copending applications Serial Nos. 250,890 and 321,817, respectively. Inasmuch as the blowpipe head is frequently used for the purpose of dislodging particles from the surface of the work, the use of the abrasion-resistant shield |94 makes it possible to make the head 0 of thin walls to reduce the weight of the blowpipe and yet enable the blowpipe to withstand severe treatment.

For right-handed operation of the blowpipe having the top lever arrangement shown in Figure 1, the operator would normally stand in back of the blowpipe and grasp the handle H in his right hand with palm down (substantially as a golf club would be right-handedly grasped).

The blowpipe is preferably so inclined from the vertical thatthe handle H is closer to the operator than the nozzle N, With the pre-heating flames lighted and the collar I93 resting on the surface of the work, adjacent a place where the operation is to be started, the control lever L may be swung through about half its stroke to feed a short length of starting rod W into the preheating flames. During about this first half of the stroke only the rod feed -mechanism is actuated, and the cutting oxygen valve remains closed. The lever L is preferably held in this position until the rod W is heated at least to its ignition temperature, whereupon the lever L may be swung further to open the cutting oxygen valve. During this latter part of the stroke of the lever L no additional feeding of the rod is caused by th rod feeding mechanism. Practically simultaneously with the opening of the cutting oxygen valve the blowpipe is moved or Iwung in the direction of the discharging cutting oxygen gas stream, with the collar Ill preferably maintained in sliding contact with the surface or the metal body, and the blowpipe so positioned that the cutting oxygen stream may impinge thereon at the proper angle. For good results with most types of work such angle is preferably not less than about 15. Obviously the path described by the nomle across the surduring the metal removing operation. As inFigureLtheairnomelIisinthe erred position for righthand operation. Thus auxiliary air stream impinges against that of the out whichis the more remote from operator, and amists in blowing away the As pointed out above, the opening the valve takes place during the latter part of strokeoith'eleverL. Theairietcanalso be used for slag blowing during the back stroke" (when the blowpipe is being returned to the mega;

starting pomtion for a new cut), by pressing the air valve lever 4|. Adherent particles of slag or metal may first be dislodged by means 01 the,

struction of valve body Va and the bottom. lever arrangement of lever La, however, the relation 0! tubes H3 and ill to the head Ca, nozzle Na and ieeding mechanism Fa is diilerent from suitable arrangement of gas that shown in Figure 1.

Blowpipe head Ca is provided with gas passexes and chambers for connecting the tube Ill to the central cutting mgen discharge passage of the nozzle Na, and ior connecting tube III to l the preheating as discharge passages. Because of the particular construction of valve body Va and the bottom lever arrangement oi. the common control lever La, the relation of tubes 3 and lit to blowpipe head Ca and name Na is diilerent from that shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8. Similarly, the arrangement of chambers and passages in the head Co are different from those shown in Figures 7 and 8. A e in a head for a blowpipe with a bottom lever arrangement as in Figure 4 is described in application Serial No. 321,817.

The construction of the starting rod feeding mechanism Fa of Figure 4 is identical with that shown in Figures 5 and 6. Because of the botthat the handle 11 is closer to the operator than the nozzle. Thereupon, the blowpipe may be swung from left to right in the direction of the discharging cutting oxygen stream, with the ma-' nipulation oi the lever L and the blowpipe otherwise taking place substantially as described for righthand operation.

Figure 4 shows a modified torm oi blowpipe shown in Figure 4 the blowpip Ba which is pro- -embodying the principles of the invention. As Q vided with a bottom lever arrangement of the common control lever La, comprises a handle Ea, a blow pipe head Ca, a nozzle'lfi, a rod i'eeding mechanism Fa, and anauxiliary air attachment Aa.

' Toward the rear of the blowpipe Ba is a valve body Va corresponding, in function, to valve body V oi blowpipe B of Figures 1 and 2., The valve body Va din'ers from valve body V, however, in that the former is constructed substantially as a mirror image of the latter, in the same way that a left hand is regarded as a mirror image or a right hand. Similarly, auxiliary valve body Vb, which is mounted on valve body Va, is likewise constructed as a mirror image of auxiliary valve body V' of Figures 1 and 2.

Valve body Va is connected to head Ca by gas conveying tubes Ill and Iii which are identical in construction with tubes II and it of Figures 1 and 2, and connected to the gas chambers of valve body Va. Similarly, members In of Figure 4 correspond to members 28 of Figure 1. A member (not shown) corresponding to member 20 of Figure 5 is also provided in the blowpipe of Figure 4. Because oi' the particular contom lever arrangement of the common control lever La, however, in the arrangement provided in Figure 4 the feeding mechanism Fa is mounted on the tubes III and I", precisely the reverse of the arrangement shown with respect to tubes II and liinFl8'ure5inorder that therod may be properly fed into the heating llamas oi the nozzle Na. Because of the symmetry of the construction or the feeding mechanism Fa, the tiller rod H6 is attached to the lever 59 at its one end and to the bent lever arm ill'at pivot ill of the lever La as shown and described for the corresponding parts in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6.

Furthermore, air discharge head in is mounted on head Ca and connected to the auxiliary valve body Vb of Figure 4 in a manner similar to that described for the corresponding parts in connection with the blowpipe B of Figure 1 provided with the top lever arrangement.

The righthand or lefthand operation or the blowpipe provided with a top lever arrangement rod ieedingimiechanism and adjustable air discharge norzle,--there may be readily and conveniently provided according to the present in vention, blowpipes having either top or bottom arrangements of a common control lever and adapted for either right or left hand operation.

The form of invention here described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings indicates how the invention may be applied. Other forms which may differ more or less in detail without differing in principle from that here shown and described will, of course, suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

We claim: I v

1. A blowpipe for cutting or deseaming metal and having, in combination, a cutting oxygen supply valve; a starting rod feed mechanism; means, including an air supply valve, for discharging an auxiliary jet of air for blowing slag formed during a cutting operation; and a common control lever for operating in succession the feed mechanism, the cutting oxygen supply valve and the air supply valve.

2. A blowpipe for cutting or deseaming metal and having, in combination, a cutting oxygen supply valve; 9. starting rod feed mechanism; means, including an air supply valve, for dis- 4 charging an auxiliary jet'of air for blowing slag formed during a cutting operation; a common control lever for the cutting oxygen supply valve, the feed mechanism and the air supp y valve, said control lever being movable to a released position; and an auxiliary lever for opening the air supply valve without opening the oxygen supply valve and without operating said feeding mechanism to feed starting rod, said auxiliary lever being operable independently of said common control lever when said common control lever is in said released position.

3. A blowpipe for cutting or deseaming metal and comprising, in combination, a head at the forward end thereof; a body spaced rearwardly from said head; a pair of substantially parallel gas conveying tubes spaced from each other and connecting said head and said body; an auxiliary air discharging attachment, including an air conveying tube, mounted on said blowpipe, said air conveying tube being of smaller diameter than said gas conveying tubes and extending, for a major part of its length, lengthwise of and substantially within the space defined by said pair of gas conveying tubes.

4; A blowpipe for cutting or deseaming metal and comprising, in combination, a head at the forward end thereof; a. body spaced rearwardly from said head; a pair of substantially parallel 'gas conveying tubes spaced from each other and connecting said head and said body; an auxiliary air discharging attachment, including an air conveying tube, mounted on said blowpipe, said air conveying tube being of smaller diameter than said gas conveying tubes and extending, for a major part of its length, lengthwise of and substantially within the space defined by said pair of gas conveying tubes, a starting rod feed mechanism mounted on said blowpipe adjacent the forward end thereof, and a control means for said feed mechanism mounted on said blowpipe near the rear thereof; said feed mechanism and said control means being connected by means extending, for a major part of its length, lengthwise of and substantially within the space defined by said gas conveying tubes, at least the major parts of the lengths of said air conveying tube and said connecting means being on different'sides of the plane in which lie the longitudinal axes of said pair of gas conveying tubes.

5. In combination with a blowpipe for cutting or deseaming metal, a starting rod feed mechanism for feeding wire or rod adjacent the end of the nozzle of said blowpipe, said mechanism comprising a rod gripper adapted to move to and fro; and a lever for operating said gripper; said lever being adapted to rock about a first fulcrum spaced from said gripper when the latter is caused to move by said lever, and to continue to rock about a second fulcrum spaced from said first fulcrum when said gripper has reached its limit of motion.

6. A metal cutting or deseaming blowpipe as claimed in claim 5, in which said mechanism is mounted on two spaced and substantially parallel gas conveying tubes, and said lever is operable by means extending for a substantial part of its length lengthwise of and substantially within the space defined by said gas conveying tubes.

7. A metal cutting or deseaming blowpipe comprising, in combination, a tip provided with an oxidizing gas outlet orifice for delivering a stream of oxidizing gas; and an air delivering atta'chment adapted to discharge a stream of air adjacent said tip for blowing slag formed during a metal removal operation, said attachment including an air discharge nozzle and being so constructed and arranged that said nozzle normally discharges said stream of air forwardly relative to said blowpipe and at one side of said oxidizing gas outlet orifice in such direction that said stream of air does not intersect and merge with said stream of oxidizing gas delivered from said orifice,-and said attachment including means for moving said air nozzle about an axis for selectively positioning the air nozzle adjacent one or the other of opposite sides of said tip for either right hand or left hand operation of said blowpipe.

8. A blowpipe as defined in claim 7, in which the air discharge nozzle is removably attached to a head mounted on said blowpipe head, said 'air nozzle head being substantially symmetrically positioned with respect to the central longitudinal plane of said blowpipe including said tip, and said axis being eccentric with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tip.

9. A sub-assembly for a metal cutting or deseaming blowpipe comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel gas-conveying tubes; a rod feeding mechanism mounted thereon and including a tiller rod located between said tubes, said tubes being adapted to have attached to one end thereof a blowpipe head; and to the other end thereof a valve body provided with a common control handle connected to said tiller rod for operating said mechanism and a-valve in said body; said feeding mechanism being selectively mountable on either one of opposite sides of said tubes. r

10. A rodor wire-feed attachment for a blowpipe comprising, in combination, a movable gripper for moving a rod or wire; a lever for operating said gripper, at least in one direction, for only a limited degree of movement of said gripper; means providing a lever-contacting surface adapted to serve as a fulcrum for said lever, said lever and said lever-contacting surface engaging each other during movement of said lever to operate said gripper; means for resiliently holding said lever and said lever-contacting surface in contact with each other during such lever movement; and means spaced from said lever-contacting surface and serving as another fulcrum for swinging of said lever thereabout on continued movement of said lever after said gripper has attained its limit of motion caused by said lever.

11. A rodor wire-feed attachment for a blow pipe comprising, in combination, a case provided with alined openings near one end for passage of wire or rod through said case; a gripper mounted in said case in position for gripping rod or wire and causing it to move through said openings; a lever, also mounted in said case, for operating said gripper, at least in one direction, for only a limited degree of movement of said gripper; said case being provided on aninterior wall thereof with a lever-contacting surface adapted to serve as a fulcrum for said lever, said lever and said lever-contacting surface engaging each other in rolling contact over a limited distance during movement of said lever to operate said gripper; means for resiliently holding said lever and said lever-contacting surface in contact with each other during such rolling contact; and

means spaced from said lever-contacting surface and serving as another fulcrum for swinging of said lever thereabout on continued movement of said lever after said gripper has attained its limit of motion caused by said lever.

12. An attachment as defined in claim 11, provided with an adjustable means mounted in said case for controlling the length of wire or rod moved by said gripper during a movement thereor by said lever.

13. An attachment as defined in claim 11, provided with a cover which is removably attached to said case, said case and said cover being provided with recesses to receive gas-conveying tubes connecting the head and the valve body of the blowpipe whereby the attachment may be mounted on the blowpipe by clamping said gas-conveying tubes between said cover and said case.

14. A blowpipe for cutting or deseaming metal and comprising, in combination, a head at the forward end thereof; a body spaced rearwardly from said head; substantially parallel gas conveying tubes spaced from each other and connecting said head and said body; rod feeding mechanism mounted on said blowpipe adjacent the forward end thereof; control means mounted on said blowpipe near the rear thereof for operating said mechanism; and connecting means movable to and fro, connecting said mechanism and said control means, for-transferring motion between said control means and said mechanism; said connecting means extending substantially parallel to said tubes and substantially within the space defined by said tubes, for a substantial portion of its length for the support and protection of said connecting means.

15. A cutting or deseaming blowpipe comprising, in combination, a common control member having at least three stages of movement; a starting rod feed mechanism operatively connected to said member and adapted to feed rod only when said member is advanced in its first stage; a cutting or deseaming oxygen supply eluding an air supply valve adapted to be opened valve so connected to said member that said valve is held open only while said member is in either its second or third stage; and means, in-

by said member only while said member is in its third stage, for discharging a jet of air for blowing slag formed during a cutting or deseaming operation.

16. A metal cutting or deseaming blowpipe comprising, in combination, a common control member having at least two stages of movement; a cutting or deseaming oxygen supply valve so connected to said member that said valve is held open only while said member is in either one of said two stages and an attachment including an air supply valve adapted to be opened by said member only while said member is in its last stage, for discharging a jet of air for \ilowing slag formed during a metal removal ope ation, said air supply valve being adapted to be operated independently of the other valves.

17. A metal cutting or deseaming blowpipe comprising, in combination, a common control member having at least two stages of movement; a cutting or deseaming oxy en supply valve so connected to said member that said valve is held open only while said member is in either one of said two stages; an attachment including an air supply valve adapted to be opened by said member only while said member is in its last stage of movement, for discharging a jet of air for blowing slag formed during a metal removal operation, said air supply valve being adapted to be operated independently of the other valves; and an auxiliary control member disposed between said air supply valve and said common control member for opening said air supply valve when said auxiliary control member is operated by said common control member and when said

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