Planocentric gear for amperage indicator on welding machine
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorMark E. Peters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shunt controlled welding machine has a regulator handle and a scale that indicates output amperage on the same panel of the welding machine case. The handle attaches to a shaft that rotates about an axis of rotation to move a shunt into and out of a transformer. The handle is part of a planocentric gear. Teeth on an indicator mesh with teeth on a pinion that is fixed to the case panel. By turning the handle, the indicator orbits and slowly revolves about the shaft axis of rotation. The indicator has a pointer that indicates the welding machine output amperage on the scale.
Claims13
A planocentric gear for a welding machine having a case and a transformer comprising:
- a. a shaft rotatable about an axis of rotation and in operative association with a shunt to move the shunt in relation to the transformer and thereby regulate the machine output amperage in response to rotation of the shaft;
- b. a pinion fixed to the machine case and having a first number of gear teeth that are concentric with the shaft axis of rotation;
- c. a handle attached to the shaft, the handle having an annular surface that is eccentric to the shaft axis of rotation;
- and
- d. an indicator captured between the machine case and the handle, the indicator having an outer diameter that engages the handle annular surface and a second number of teeth greater than the first number and in mesh with the pinion teeth, the indicator revolving about the shaft axis of rotation in response to and in proportion to turning of the handle to provide an indication of the welding machine output amperage.
A shunt controlled welding machine comprising:
- a. a case having a panel;
- b. a transformer and a shunt inside the case;
- c. a shaft extending through the panel and defining an axis of rotation, the shunt moving relative to the transformer in response to rotating the shaft to thereby regulate the output amperage of the welding machine;
- d. a generally circular scale imprinted on the panel concentric with the shaft axis of rotation and calibrated with the welding machine output amperage;
- and
- e. means for indicating on the scale the welding machine output amperage.
In a welding machine having a case with a transformer and a shunt that cooperate to produce output amperages over a range from minimum to maximum:
- a. regulator means for moving the shunt relative to the transformer and thereby regulating the welding machine output amperage, the regulator means comprising:
- i. a shaft defining an axis of rotation and extending through the case selected panel, the shaft coacting with the shunt to regulate the welding machine output amperage in response to rotation of the shaft;
- and
- ii. a handle attached to the shaft for rotating the shaft and thereby regulating the welding machine output amperage;
- and
- b. indicia on a selected panel of the case representative of the welding machine output amperage, the indicia being arranged on the selected panel in a generally circular shape and concentric with the shaft axis of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.