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US 5,071,106 AGranted
Apparatus for the opto-electronic control of a flame cutting machine
AssigneeESAB - HANCOCK GmbH
InventorRolf Helkenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for the opto-electronic control of a flame cutting machine having photoelectric sensors of different spectral sensitivity. The sensors may be positioned within a cutting torch and directed during operation on a flame and a workpiece to be cut. The sensors are connected at their outputs with computing means to generate control signals for the advancing movement of the cutting torch relative to the workpiece. In order to reduce the impact of disturbing variables on the control signals, an electronic means for generating the quotient of the sensor output signals is connected with the outputs of at least two of said sensors. The quotient of the output magnitude of the sensors is used to control the flame cutting machine.
Claims20
A flame cutting machine for cutting a workpiece comprising:
- a flame generator for generating a flame to cut the workpiece;
- a flame mover in communication with said flame generator for moving said flame about the workpiece;
- a flame controller in communication with said flame generator and said flame mover for controlling said flame, said flame controller including:
- a first sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of said flame and the workpiece and generating a first signal having a first value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said first signal having a maximum first value when a wavelength of light having a second value is sensed by said first sensor:
- a second sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of said flame and the workpiece and generating a second signal having a third value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said second signal having a maximum third value when a wavelength of light having a fourth value is sensed by said second sensor, said second value being different from said fourth value;
- and
- a signal processor in communication with said first sensor and said second sensor for receiving and processing said first value of said first signal and said third value of said second signal and generating a third signal having a fifth value corresponding to the quotient of said first value of said first signal and said third value of said second signal, said third signal for controlling said flame.
4 more elements
A controller for a flame cutting machine for cutting a workpiece, said controller comprising:
- a first sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of the flame and the workpiece and generating a first signal having a first value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said first signal having a maximum first value when a wavelength of light having a second value is sensed by said first sensor;
- a second sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of the flame and the workpiece and generating a second signal having a third value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said second signal having a maximum third value when a wavelength of light having a fourth value is sensed by said second sensor, said second value being different from said fourth value;
- and
- a signal processor in communication with said first sensor and said second sensor for receiving and processing said first value of said first signal and said third value of said second signal and generating a third signal having a fifth value corresponding to the quotient of said first value of said first signal and said third value of said second signal, said third signal for controlling the flame.
1 more element
A controller for controlling the flame of at least first and second flame cutting torches for cutting an object, said controller comprising:
- a first sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of the flame of the first torch and the object, said first sensor generating a first signal having a first value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said first signal having a maximum first value when a wavelength of light having a second value is sensed by said first sensor:
- a second sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of the flame of the first torch and the object, said second sensor generating a second signal having a third value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said second signal having a maximum third value when a wavelength of light having a fourth value is sensed by said second sensor, said second value being different from said fourth value;
- a third sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of the flame of the second torch and the object, said third sensor generating a third signal having a fifth value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said third signal having a maximum fifth value when a wavelength of light having a sixth value is sensed by said third sensor;
- a fourth sensor for sensing the wavelength of light emitted from at least one of the flame of the second torch and the object, said fourth sensor generating a fourth signal having a seventh value corresponding to said wavelength of sensed light, said fourth signal having a maximum seventh value when a wavelength of light having an eighth value is sensed by said fourth sensor, said sixth value being different from said eighth value:
- a first multiplexer connected to said first, second, third and fourth sensors, said multiplexer for selectively receiving one of:
- a) both said first and second signals, and b) both said third and fourth signals;
- a processor connected to said first multiplexer, said processor for generating first and second processed signals corresponding to one of:
- a) both said first and second signals, and b) both said third and fourth signals:
- a first comparator connected to said processor, said first comparator:
- further processing said first and second processed signals into third and fourth processed signals;
- comparing said third processed signal to a first reference signal;
- generating a first output signal if said third processed signal is greater than said first reference signal;
- comparing said fourth processed signal to a second reference signal;
- generating a second output signal if said fourth processed
- signal is less than said second reference signal;
- and
- generating a first comparator signal if both said first output signal and said second output signal have been generated.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.