US 6,627,004 B1Granted

Carriage for cutting, beveling and welding torches

AssigneeMathey Dearman, Inc.

InventorDonald S. Lockhart

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A carriage for guiding a cutting, beveling or welding torch on the surface of a metal work piece has a chassis which is transported along a main path on the work piece by a magnetic wheel assembly driven by a reversible motor mounted on the chassis. A rack and pinion assembly mounted on the chassis is driven by another reversible motor mounted on the chassis to transport a torch holder along a path perpendicular to the main path. A remote controller electrically connected to the drive motors is manually operable to simultaneously permit forward or backward transport of the chassis, right or left transport of the holder and variation of the angular velocity of the chassis motor and the rack and pinion motor so as to accurately trace any cutting path on the work piece with the torch. The elevation of the torch above the work piece and the angle of incidence between the torch and the work piece are manually adjustable.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A carriage for guiding a torch on a metal work piece comprising:

a chassis;
a wheel assembly mounted on said chassis having wheels oriented to transport said chassis along a first path on the work piece, said wheels magnetically maintaining engagement with the work piece;
first drive means mounted on said chassis for rotating said wheels in opposite directions to transport said chassis forward and backward along said first path;
a holder for the torch;
a rack and pinion assembly mounted on said chassis to transport said holder along a second path perpendicular to said first path;
second drive means mounted on said chassis for rotating a pinion of said rack and pinion assembly in opposite directions to transport said holder to the left and to the right along said second path;
and
a portable remote controller electrically connected to said first and second drive means and manually operable in response to simultaneous visual observation of the torch and the workpiece to cause one of forward and backward transport of said chassis and one of right and left transport of said holder, respectively, so as to guide the torch along and maintain alignment of the torch with a predetermined path on the workpiece.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/050,975Filed 18 Jan 2002 · continuation
Priority: 22 May 2000
Granted: 30 Sep 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B23K 37/0288
Carriages for supporting the welding or cutting element: carriages forming part of a cutting unit
B23K 7/10
Cutting, scarfing, or desurfacing by applying flames: auxiliary devices, e.g. for guiding or supporting the torch
B23K 7/102
Auxiliary devices, e.g. for guiding or supporting the torch: for controlling the spatial relationship between the workpieces and the gas torch
B23K 37/0252
Carriages for supporting the welding or cutting element: steering means