# US 11,441,776 B2 · Trigger devices for exothermic welds > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,776 B2 - Document ID: US11441776B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/175,147 - Filed: 2021-02-12 - Published: 2021-06-03 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-03 - Assignees: Hubbell Incorporated - Applicants: Hubbell Incorporated - Inventors: Timothy Charles Hoagland; Richard Wallace Ceass; Mamoon Tawfiq Abedraboh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441776B2 ## CPC - F23Q 1/02: using friction or shock effects - B23K 23/00: Alumino-thermic welding - B23K 1/0006: {Exothermic brazing} - F23Q: IGNITION (devices or installations peculiar to internal-combustion engines F02P; of cigarettes or tobacco A24F; compositions therefor, chemical igniters C06C); EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract Trigger devices for igniting an exothermic reaction is provided. The trigger devices may be flint type trigger devices and electronic type trigger devices. The flint type trigger device has a housing with a spark opening on a rear wall of the housing. A mold mounting assembly is secured to an exterior of the rear wall of the housing. A motor assembly is secured to the inside of the rear wall of the housing. The motor assembly has a flint wheel attached to a shaft of a motor, where the flint wheel is located adjacent the spark opening. A flint assembly is positioned within the housing such that a flint of the flint assembly is in contact with the flint wheel. A controller positioned within the housing is configured to selectively activate the motor to cause the flint wheel to rotate against the flint to create one or more sparks that are ejected from the spark opening. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An exothermic welding trigger device, comprising: a housing having a controller; a mold mounting assembly secured to an exterior of the housing; an ignition box external to the housing and electrically coupled to the controller via a cable; and an ignitor having a first end and a second end, the first end is adapted to be inserted into the ignition box such that the first end is in electrical communication with the controller via the cable, and the second end is a free end and in electrical communication with the first end such that when the controller activates the first end of the ignitor the second end is adapted to initiate an exothermic reaction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The trigger device according to claim 1, wherein the ignition box includes a housing having a port configured to receive the first end of the ignitor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The trigger device according to claim 2, wherein the ignition box housing includes at least one electrode aligned with the port such that when the first end of the ignitor is received within the port the at least one electrode is in electrical contact with the first end of the ignitor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The trigger device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a timer switch operatively connected to the controller and configured to countdown a selected time delay before the controller activates the first end of the ignitor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The trigger device according to claim 1, wherein the mold mounting assembly includes a magnet fixture configured to be releasably attached to the exothermic mold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The trigger device according to claim 5, wherein the magnet fixture includes a magnet compartment to house the magnet fixture, a fixture positioning member extending from the magnet fixture and configured to rest on a cover of the exothermic mold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The trigger device according to claim 5, wherein the magnet fixture releasably attaches the trigger device to the exothermic mold. ### Claim 8 An exothermic welding kit comprising: an exothermic mold; and an exothermic welding trigger device comprising: a housing having a controller; a mold mounting assembly secured to an exterior of the housing; an ignition box external to the housing and electrically coupled to the controller via a cable; and an ignitor having a first end and a second end, the first end is adapted to be inserted into the ignition box such that the first end is in electrical communication with the controller via the cable, and the second end is a free end and in electrical communication with the first end such that when the controller activates the first end of the ignitor the second end is adapted to initiate an exothermic reaction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 8, further comprising a handle clamp for gripping the exothermic mold. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 8, wherein the housing includes a timer switch operatively connected to the controller and configured to countdown a selected time delay before the controller activates the first end of the ignitor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 8, wherein the ignition box includes a housing having a port configured to receive the first end of the ignitor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 11, wherein the ignition box housing includes at least one electrode aligned with the port such that when the first end of the ignitor is received within the port the at least one electrode is in electrical contact with the first end of the ignitor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 8, wherein the mold mounting assembly includes a magnet fixture configured to be releasably attached to the exothermic mold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 13, wherein the magnet fixture includes a magnet compartment to house the magnet fixture, a fixture positioning member extending from the magnet fixture and configured to rest on a cover of the exothermic mold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 13, wherein the magnet fixture releasably attaches the trigger device to the exothermic mold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 8, wherein the controller comprises a PCB assembly. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 8, wherein the exothermic mold is a horizontal mold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The exothermic welding kit according to claim 8, wherein the exothermic mold is a vertical mold. ### Claim 19 A method for initiating an exothermic reaction within an exothermic mold, the method comprising: inserting an exothermic reaction powder and welding material into a crucible within the exothermic mold; mounting an exothermic welding trigger device to the mold, wherein the trigger device comprises: a housing having a controller; a mold mounting assembly secured to an exterior of the housing and configured to mount the exothermic welding trigger device to the mold; an ignition box external to the housing and electrically coupled to the controller via a cable; and an ignitor having a first end and a second end, the first end is adapted to be inserted into the ignition box such that the first end is in electrical communication with the controller via the cable, and the second end is a free end and in electrical communication with the first end such that when the controller activates the first end of the ignitor the second end is adapted to initiate an exothermic reaction; inserting the second end of the ignitor into the crucible and the exothermic reaction powder within the crucible; and using the controller, activating the first end of the ignitor causing the second end of the ignitor to initiate the exothermic reaction within the exothermic mold melting the welding material.