Nozzle assembly for plasma arc cutting torch
AssigneeCentricut, Inc.
InventorsE. Smith Reed, Jr., Richard G. Ellis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plasma arc torch for cutting metal with the heat of a constricted arc and removing the molten material with a jet of hot ionized gases comprises a nozzle assembly in the torch includes a nozzle base and an insulator with a constricting orifice. The base and insulator are spaced from each other to form a flow path for a coolant such as water. An interference fit between the base and the insulator exerts a radially outward force on the insulator to enable the base and insulator to be assembled and disassembled with a pressing or pulling force in the approximate range of 0.3 to 16.0 pounds.
Claims8
A plasma arc cutting torch comprising:
- an electrically conductive nozzle base having a passage, extending along an axis, for the flow of plasma gas, said passage having an inlet end and an opposite outlet end, and the nozzle base having an end surface transverse to the axis of the passage and surrounding said outlet end;
- an electrode located in proximity to the inlet end of the passage in the nozzle base;
- and
- an electrical insulator having an interior space receiving a portion of said nozzle base, the interior space being defined by a substantially cylindrical interior wall of the insulator surrounding the nozzle base and coaxial with the axis of the passage of the nozzle base, and by an interior end wall extending transverse to said axis and facing said end surface of the nozzle base, the insulator having an orifice in said end wall for the flow of plasma gas, the orifice also being coaxial with said axis and aligned with the outlet end of the passage of the nozzle base;
- and
- means, constituted by a first unitary part of said nozzle base, engaging said interior end wall of the insulator, and maintaining a narrow space between said interior end wall of the insulator and said transverse end surface of the nozzle base, for the flow of coolant through said narrow space toward said orifice.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.