Positive locking handle and self centering mechanism for track engagement
AssigneeLincoln Global, Inc.
InventorsRichard Dean Traver, Jamil Snead
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention described herein generally pertains to locking mechanisms for levers operable to mount a tractor unit to a guide track and to engage a drive gear of the tractor unit to a track gear of the guide track. The levers for mounting the tractor unit and/or to engage the drive gear are lockable in a closed position. The closed position relates to a state of the levers when the tractor unit is mounted on the guide track or when the drive gear is engaged with the track gear. The levers can be easily operable to mount/dismount or engage/disengage, respectively.
Claims20
A tractor unit for a welding system, comprising:
- a drive gear configured to engage a track gear on a guide track;
- a clutch mechanism for selectively engaging the drive gear to the guide track, the clutch mechanism includes a clutch lever operable between a first position and second position respectively corresponding to a first state in which the drive gear is engaged to the track gear and a second state in which the drive gear is disengaged from the track gear;
- one or more rolling devices configured to freely move on one or more rails of the guide track;
- a mounting mechanism for selectively clamping the one or more rolling devices to the one or more rails, the mounting mechanism includes a clamp lever operable between a first position and a second position respectively corresponding to a first state in which the one or more rolling devices are clamped and a second state in which the one or more rolling devices are undamped;
- and
- a locking mechanism configured to secure the clutch lever in the first position to prevent operation to the second position,
- wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking tab extending transversely to an elongated portion of the clutch lever in the first position, the locking tab having a hole configured to receive a pin and to guide the pin over the elongated portion of the clutch lever.
A tractor unit for a welding system, comprising:
- a drive gear configured to engage a track gear on a guide track;
- a clutch mechanism for selectively engaging the drive gear to the guide track;
- a mounting mechanism for selectively clamping the tractor unit to one or more rails of the guide track;
- and
- a cam handle coupled to the clutch mechanism and operable between a first position and a second position, the first position being a closed position which engages the drive gear to the track gear, the second position being an open position which disengages the drive gear,
- the cam handle comprising:
- a cam portion configured to rotate about an axis;
- a lever extending radially from the cam portion;
- and
- a leg portion extending transverse to the lever and configured to stop a rotation of the cam handle during transition to the first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.