US3299939A

US3299939A - Metal cutting torch

Info

Publication number: US3299939A
Application number: US499300A
Authority: US
Inventors: Daniel A Marra
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-10-21
Filing date: 1965-10-21
Publication date: 1967-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1967 D. A. MARRA, 5R` 3299,@39

METAL CUTTING TORCH Filed Oct. 21, 1965 52, T 2,7 55 A A 44 zb j@ f 45 i: 6 47 48 45 INVENTOR. F gfl. nANxEl. AMARRA 5R.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O 3,299,939 METAL CUTIE-TNG TORCH Daniel A. Marra, Sr., 641 E. Elm St., Palmyra, Pa. 17078 Filed Oct. 21, 1965. Ser. No. 499,300 4 Claims. (Cl. 15S-427.4)

The present invention relates generally to metal cutting torches and more specically to an improved form of torch which upon attachment to suitable sources of oxygen and fuel gas automatically controls feed of such oxygen and fuel gas upon actuation of a control handle through ignition, preheat and cutting operations of the torch.

Oxygen burning cutting torches are known in the art, these prior devices required considerable skill in the manual control of the flow of oxygen and fuel gas to the torchftip and require frequent repairs and replacements of such control valves.

My prior Patent No. 2,371,970 dated March 20, 1945,

discloses a cutting torch of the general type `herein de- `scribed and the present invention comprises an improvement thereover providing greater efficiency through the improved valve controls whereby the torch as shipped from the factory is ready for maximum efficient use without any required valve adjustments by the user.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved form of oxygen feed valve and an improved form of valve control and gas feed valve body portion for accurately controlling feed of oxygen and fuel gas through a simple hand accuated control lever formed on the handle portion of the torch.

Other objects will be made apparent from the following description and the drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows in side elevation the torch of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows in plan view the valve chest of the torch body;

FIG. 3 shows in cross section one of the valves normally providing oxygen and fuel gas for ignition and preheating llames;

FIG. 4 shows in cross section the valve providing cutting oxygen; and

FIG. 5 shows control valve for admission of oxygen and fuel gas to the valve chest.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, the torch comprises a valve chest 1, a handle portion 2,

pipes

3, 4 and 5, and head portion 6 for attachment of a suitable removable and replaceable tip 7. Pivotally mounted upon valve chest 1 and overlying handle 2 is a valve actuating lever 8. Adjacent one end of valve chest 1 and at opposite sides thereof are screw valves 9 and 10 for admission of oxygen and fuel gases respectively, to the valve chest 1. Extending rearwardly of valve chest 1 are suitable coupling members 11 and 12 respectively, for attachment of suitable flexible hoses extending to suitableA tanks for pressure storage of oxygen and a fuel gas, such as acetylene.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawing showing an enlarged detail plan view of the valve chest 1 and valve cavities and channel therein for conveying oxygen and 'fuel gas, at the extreme right hand end of the valve chest are openings 13 and 14 for reception of the coupling members 11 and 12 for admission of oxygen and fuel gases to the respective valves as hereinafter discussed.

Adjacent said

openings

13 and 14, at the opposite sides of the valve chest 1, are the

valve body openings

15 and 16 having at the outer faces thereof counter-bores 17,

and, terminating on the inner face thereof, inwardly extending bores`13 for reception of valve bodies, controlice ling admission of oxygen and fuel gases to the valve chest. Extending in a direction longitudinally of the valve chest and transversely of bores 18 are two

channels

21 and 22, channel 21 being of a suitable size to carry a suitable volume of oxygen for the torch cutting operation and ,channel 22 being of a suitable size to carry a suitable volume of fuel gas for the torch preheating operation. Channel 21 is connected by a suitable channel 23 with opening 13 receiving the coupling member 11 connected with the oxygen storage tank and channel 22 is con nected by a suitable channel 24 with opening 14 receiving the coupling member 12 connected with the fuel gas storage tank. Intermediate the ends of valve chest 1 are

suitable openings

25, 26 and 27 for reception of valves controlling the ignition, preheating and cutting operations of the torch.

Openings

25 and 26 receive identical valves 28 as shown in FIG. 3 and opening 27 receives a different form of valve 28a as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, valve chest opening 25 has a top counter bore 29 and a bottom recessed opening 30, adjacent the bottom of which is the channel 31 opening thereinto for admission of fuel gas or oxygen as shown in FIG. 3. Within the threaded 'bottom portion of opening 25 is a vvalve body portion 32 having a passageway 33 therethrough. The bottom of passageway 33 is transversely enlarged to receive O- `ring 34 against which seals a metal ball 35 normally retained in place by compression spring 36. Extending vertically through valve body 32 and outwardly of said O-ring 34 is a passageway 37 connecting

openings

25 and 30. Mounted in the upper portion of opening 25 and in spaced relation to valve body 32 is the valve head portion 38 through which extends the valve stem 39. As shown in FIG. 3, stem 39, in normal position extends from ball 35 upwardly through valve head portion 38. Mounted upon stern 39, in spaced relation to valve body 32, is a sealing gasket 40. The diameter of gasket 40 is such that when stem 39 is depressed to engage the gasket 40 with the top face `of valve body 32, the gasket does not overlap the passageway 37. Below valve head portion 38 and opening into valve chest opening 25 is

channel

41, 42 providing Ifor flow of fuel gas to pipe 3 or oxygen to pipe 4, respectively.

Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawing illustrating the valve 28a for control of admission of cutting oxygen to pipe 5 of the torch, the threaded valve chest cavity 27 has a bottom recessed opening 43 adjacent the bottom of which is the channel 21 opening thereinto for admission of cutting oxygen. Within the threaded bottom portion of opening 27 is a valve body portion 44 lhaving a passageway 45 therethrough, the bottom of which at 46 is enlarged to receive O-ring 47. A metal ball 48 seals against the O-ring and is normally held in sealing contact therewith by means of the compression spring 49. Mounted in the upper end of opening 27 in spaced relation to body portion 44 is the valve head portion 50 having an opening 51 therethrough. Disposed in

openings

45 and 51 is the valve stern 52 having one end 5211 in contact with ball 4S andthe opposite end 52a extending above member 50. At one side of opening 27 is the outlet conduit 53 carrying oxygen to the pipe 5 of the torch.

Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawing illustrating the control valves for admitting oxygen and fuel gas to the valve chest 1, both valves indicated generally on FIG. l as 9 and 10, are substantially identical except as hereinafter set forth. Each valve chest openings 15 and 16 have a bottom recessed portion 18 within which is seated the hollow valve body .portion 54 having a wall 55 and an open bottom portion within which is received an insert 56 having a bearing upon the lower wall of recess 18. Insert 56 has a recess 57 therein receiving a compression :maintain an ignition fiame. :actuation of Valves 28, the advancing lever 8 abuts valve spring 58. The top wall 55 has an opening 59 therethrough and an O-ring 60 underlying said opening. Seated upon the compression spring 58 is a metal ball 61 which seals against the O-ring 60. The bottom wall 62 has an aperture 63 therein communicating with the valve chest `opening 64 in communication with

channels

23 and 24, respectively. The chest openings 15 and 16, adjacent the upper end thereof, are closed by valve head portions 66 which receive the screw threaded valve stems 67 which terminate in head portions 67a. The valve stems are sealed by O-rings 68 and retaining washer 69.

The inserts 56 of valves 9 and 10 serve an important function in the operation of the cutting torch. The insert 56 in the valve providing fuel gas to lthe torch has its aperture 63 therein of a size to admit a maximum volume, per unit of time, of the fuel gas to maintain an efficient and economical torch preheating flame when the valve 10 is opened by turning valve stem 67 to downwardly displace valve ball 61 out of sealing engagement with O- ring 60, which fuel gas fiows from the valve opening through channel 31a of the valve chest. In such cases where valve 28, feeding fuel gas to torch pipe 3, is closed, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, lthe fuel gas entering opening 31 of the valve 28 is metered through aperture 37 of valve body 32 and through valve chest channel 41 into pipe 3 in sufficient amounts to maintain an ignition flame on the torch tip.

This construction and arrangement constitutes an improvement .over the cutting torch o-f my Patent 2,371,970 wherein the valve 30 (FIG. VII) must be constantly iadjusted to admit fuel gas in proper volumes land, due to wear from constant opening, closing and adjustment, re- -quires constant attention from the operator and a varying setting to maintain sufficient volume of gas for preheating purposes. Such adjustments are further complicated by the necessity for adjustment of stem 17 (FIG. Il) to maintain sufficient biasing pressure on handle 15 to initially maintain valve stem 20 (FIG. VI) sufficiently depressed to admit fuel gas to valve 12 to maintain a proper ignition flame, by means of gas flowing through valve 21 perforation 22 of the patent.

Referring now to valve 9 which admits oxygen to the valve chest 1, through aperture 63a (FIG. V) in insert 56, the size of aperture 63a is predetermined in the factory to admit the maximum volume of oxygen through valve chest channel 21 to valve 29 during the cutting operation. At the same time valve chest channel 31 meters the required amount of oxygen to valve 28 during t-he preheating operation.

Referring now to the operation of the torch of the pres ent invention, after the torch inlet openings 11 and 12 are connected by their hoses to the oxygen and fuel gas storage tanks (not shown) the valves 9 and 1() are opened to admit the respective gases to the torch chest 1 through which they flow to closed valves 28 and therefrom to the

pipes

3 and 4 and into the torch tip 7. The workman can then ignite the torch by any usual or suitable means.

Thereafter the workman holding the torch handle in the palm of the hand, with the fingers overlapping the lever 8, may advance the latter towards the handle to initially actuate valves 28 by depressing stems 39 thereof to depress the balls out of engagement with O-rings 34 admitting oxygen and fuel gas from valve chest channels .31, 31a into valve openings 25 and therefrom through

valve chest channels

41, 42 to

pipes

3 and 4 and torch tip 7 to effect a preheating iiame. After the metal is suitably preheated by said flame, the workman again advances the lever 8 towards handle 2 until the gaskets 4t) on valve :stems 39 of valves 28 abut the valve body portions 32 cutting off iiow of oxygen and fuel gas therethrough in .amounts to maintain the preheating flame, Vyet supplying Ioxygen and fuel gas through apertures 37 of valves 28 to Concurrent with this latter stem 52 moving same to depress ball 48 sufficiently to admit a cutting volume of oxygen from valve chest channel 21 through valve 29 and valve chest channel 53 to pipe 5 and into tip 7 to provide a suitable cutting flame. After the cutting operation is complete, the operator releases the lever 8 and the compression springs 36 and 49 in closing valves 28 `and 29 will return the handle to initial position. Since the ignition flame is maintained without actuation of the handle, the operator can then repeat the cycle of preheat and cutting flames to effect another cutting or, as sometimes referred to, scarfing operation. When the torch is not in use, the operator by closing valves 9 and 10 can extinguish the ignition flame by cutting off all supply of oxygen or fuel gas to the torch.

I claim:

1. In a cutting torch'of the -character described including a valve chest, a body portion attached to said chest, fuel and oxygen tubes connecting said chest ywith a torch head and a replaceable torch tip received in said torch head, the combination of (l) a plurality of recessed openings in a longitudinal face of said valve chest for reception of valves for transmission of oxygen in preheating and cutting volumes and fuel gas in torch ignition volumes, respectively, inlet openings in lan end wall of said valve chest for admission of oxygen and fuel gases,

(2) a recessed openin-g in each chest side Wall adjacent said end wall inlet openings,

(3) a control valve received in each said chest side wall openings and each provided with an inlet opening sized to admit to the valve a pre-selected constant volume of fuel or oxygen gas under all degrees of opening movements of the valve,

(4) a first channel extending longitudinally within the valve chest and opening into the said recessed opening receiving the valve for passage of oxygen in metal cuting volumes,

(5) a second channel extending longitudinally within thevalve chest and opening at onecnd into the recessed opening receiving the valve for passage of fuel gas for ignition of the torch,

(6) a channel within the valve chest connecting the valve chest end wall opening lfor admitting oxygen to with said chest first channel opening,

(7) a channel in the valve chest connecting the valve chest endwall opening for admitting fuel gas to said body with said chest second channel,

(8) valve means in each of said valve chest side wall openings including a moveable valve stem and Ia spring Iloaded steel 'ball controlling passage of the respective gases through said valve means, l

(9) channels in said valve chest connectingy said chest side wall valve means with the adjacent recessed openings in the valve chest end wall,

( 10) channels in said valve chest connecting said chest side wall openings with two of the adjacent said recessed openings in the longitudinal face of said chest,

(l1) a connection between the third of said recessed openings in the longitudinal face of the chest and the said first channel extending longitudinally of the chest,

(l2) valve means in each said recessed openings in the longitudinal face of said chest for respectively con` tinuously supplying f-uel gas and oxygen from said chest side wall valves to said torch tip for ignition purposes and intermittently supplying oxygen to said torch tip 'for metal preheating and cutting purposes, and

(13) moveable valve actuating means on said torch overlying said latter valve means for selectively actuating the valve means from normally closed to open position for performance of their functions.

2. The torch as defined in claim 1, wherein said valve means supplying preheating fuel and oxygen gases to the torch tip have valve body portions provided with anaper- D ture therethrough which continuously supply suitable volumes of fuel and oxygen gases to the torch tip to maintain an ignition flame when the control valves admitting such gas-es to the valve chest are in opened position and independently of the open or clos-ed position of the said valve means.

3. The torch as `defined `in claim 1, wherein the Valve means supplying oxygen in suitable volumes to maintain the cutting ame of the torch is normally close-d and is moveable to open position only after the valve means pro viding a preheating arne for this torch have been sequentially opened and advanced to cut off supply of oxygen to the torch tip.

6 4. The torch as defined in claim 3, wherein the valve means supplying oxygen in suitable volumes to maintain the cutting flame, receives its 1oxygen through the irst said chest channel and independently of the first said valve means providing the preheating flame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3/1945 Walker l58-27.4 6/1966 Hach et al. 15S-27.4

Claims

1. IN A CUTTING TORCH OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED INCLUDING A VALVE CHEST, A BODY PORTION ATTACHED TO SAID CHEST, FUEL AND OXYGEN TUBES CONNECTING SAID CHEST WITH A TORCH HEAD AND REPLACEABLE TORCH TIP RECEIVED IN SAID TORCH HEAD, THE COMBINATION OF (1) A PLURALITY OF RECESSED OPENINGS IN A LONGITUDINAL FACE OF SAID VALVE CHEST FOR RECEPTION OF VALVES FOR TRANSMISSION OF OXYGEN IN PREHEATING AND CUTTING VOLUMES AND FUEL GAS IN TORCH IGNITION VOLUMES, RESPECTIVELY, INLET OPENINGS IN AN END WALL OF SAID VALVE CHEST FOR ADMISSION OF OXYGEN AND FUEL GASES, (2) A RECESSED OPENING IN EACH CHEST SIDE WALL ADJACENT SAID END WALL INLET OPENINGS, (3) A CONTROL VALVE RECEIVED IN EACH SAID CHEST SIDE WALL OPENINGS AND EACH PROVIDED WITH AN INLET OPENING SIZED TO ADMIT TO THE VALVE A PRE-SELECTED CONSTANT VOLUME OF FUEL OR OXYGEN GAS UNDER ALL DEGREES OF OPENING MOVEMENTS OF THE VALVE, (4) A FIRST CHANNEL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN THE VALVE CHEST AND OPENING INTO THE SAID RECESSED OPENING RECEIVING THE VALVE FOR PASSAGE OF OXYGEN IN METAL CUTTING VOLUMES, (5) A SECOND CHANNEL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN THE VALVE CHEST AND OPENING AT ONE END INTO THE RECESSED OPENING RECEIVING THE VALVE FOR PASSAGE OF FUEL GAS FOR IGNITION OF THE TORCH, (6) A CHANNEL WITHIN THE VALVE CHEST CONNECTING THE VALVE CHEST END WALL OPENING FOR ADMITTING OXYGEN TO WITH SAID CHEST FIRST CHANNEL OPENING, (7) A CHANNEL IN THE VALVE CHEST CONNECTING THE VALVE CHEST END WALL OPENING FOR ADMITTING FUEL GAS TO SAID BODY WITH SAID CHEST SECOND CHANNEL, (8) VALVE MEANS IN EACH OF SAID VALVE CHEST SIDE WALL OPENINGS INCLUDING A MOVEABLE VALVE STEM AND A SPRING LOADED STEEL BALL CONTROLLING PASSAGE OF THE RESPECTIVE GASES THROUGH SAID VALVE MEANS, (9) CHANNELS IN SAID VALVE CHEST CONNECTING SAID CHEST SIDE WALL VALVE MEANS WITH THE ADJACENT RECESSED OPENINGS IN THE VALVE CHEST END WALL, (10) CHANNELS IN SAID VALVE CHEST CONNECTING SAID CHEST SIDE WALL OPENINGS WITH TWO OF THE ADJACENT SAID RECESSED OPENINGS IN THE LONGITUDINAL FACE OF SAID CHEST, (11) A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE THIRD OF SAID RECESSED OPENINGS IN THE LONGITUDINAL FACE OF THE CHEST AND THE SAID FIRST CHANNEL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF THE CHEST, (12) VALVE MEANS IN EACH SAID RECESSED OPENINGS IN THE LONGITUDINAL FACE OF SAID CHEST FOR RESPECTIVELY CONTINUOUSLY SUPPLYING FUEL GAS AND OXYGEN FROM SAID CHEST SIDE WALL VALVES TO SAID TORCH TIP FOR IGNITION PURPOSES AND INTERMITTENTLY SUPPLYING OXYGEN TO SAID TORCH TIP FOR METAL PREHEATING AND CUTTING PURPOSES, AND (13) MOVEABLE VALVE ACTUATING MEANS ON SAID TORCH OVERLYING SAID LATTER VALVE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ACTUATING THE VALVE MEANS FROM NORMALLY CLOSED TO OPEN POSITION FOR PERFORMANCE OF THEIR FUNCTIONS.