Abstract:
Mechanical pressure exerted by a spring on the diaphragm of a pressure regulator is adjusted by an inclined cam surface on a linearly movable slide member. 
     Flow of gases to a gas-fired torch is controlled by a valve which is operatively connected to an inclined cam surface on a linearly movable slide member. 
     A gas-fired torch assembly has a housing, a tip base extending laterally of the housing and connected thereto for swivelling movement by a connector with male and female portions. A spring retainer clip on the exterior of the female portion extends through slots in the female portion and into a circumferential groove in the male portion. Upon separation of the connector elements, a safety cutoff valve closes the gas outlet of the housing. 
     A burner tip base has a passage provided with a dust plug which prevents contaminants from entering the burner tip when it is detached from a torch assembly. In use, gas pressure moves the dust plug to a passage-opening position.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     This invention relates to various improvements to gas-fired torch assemblies for welding and brazing, and also applies to gas flow control means of general utility. 
     With regard to gas flow control means in general, a wide variety of pressure regulators are commercially available. Many of these have a sensing chamber located in the flow path of the fluid being regulated, one wall of the chamber being formed by a peripherally supported diaphragm. A pressure spring applies mechanical force to the opposite face of the diaphragm to oppose the fluid pressure in the sensing chamber. The midportion of the diaphragm carries an actuator tube which opens and closes a control valve positioned between the source of pressurized fluid and the sensing chamber whereby the extent of valve opening is governed by the force differential across the diaphragm. 
     Regulators of the type discussed in the preceding paragraph have been made adjustable by providing rotatable means for adjusting the compression of the pressure spring, but such an arrangement is not practical in some instances; for example, when the regulator is on a gas-fired hand torch for brazing or welding where it is often important that the operator have one hand free to hold and manipulate the work-pieces. According to this invention, such regulators may be adjusted by one-handed operation. 
     Slide members with inclined valve actuating cam surfaces are known according to Phlipot, U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,266; however such prior devices have not been applied to the preferred type of pressure regulator disclosed herein, nor to gas fired torch assemblies. 
     According to one feature of this invention, one-handed operation of a gas-fired torch assembly is made possible by providing a valve operating means which includes a manually slidable member which is linearly movable in a direction transverse to the direction of valve movement, the manually slidable member having a cam surface inclined with respect to its axis to engage a follower operatively connected to the flow control valve. The operative connection between the cam surface and the valve may be directly against a valve stem or, in a pressure regulator device, may be against the diaphragm-biasing pressure spring where its action is opposed in part by fluid pressure on one side of a diaphragm. 
     In prior gas fired torches for welding, brazing and the like, there have been regulator or valve bodies which receive a laterally projecting tip base to which a welding or brazing tip is attached. Such tip bases have been mounted for swivelling movement about an axis transverse to the body, enabling a worker to keep the propane bottle or other source of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) in a somewhat upright position to prevent the discharge of liquid into the torch tip to produce flare up. Such prior devices have been constructed to permit removal of the swivelling tip base from the valve/regulator body, but they have not provided means for ensuring that no gas may be discharged after the tip base is removed. According to one feature of the present invention, there is provided in the flow path to the swivel tip base a safety cutoff valve which has a projecting actuator pin and is spring biased to a closed position. The safety cutoff valve will remain closed whenever the swivel tip base is separated from the apparatus. However, when the swivel tip base is connected to the valve/regulator housing, it will contact the actuator pin of the cutoff valve, opening the cutoff valve to permit gas to flow to the tip base. There is also provided a spring clip retainer for holding the swivel tip base on the valve/regulator housing, the spring clip retainer connecting being known per se but being novel with respect to the field of gas-fired torches. 
     Another feature of the apparatus disclosed herein pertains to tip bases for gas-fired torches, specifically those tip bases which are detachably connected to a torch handle or to a valve/regulator housing. Such tip bases are provided with minute gas-releasing openings which may become clogged by small particles of contaminants such as dust, particularly if the tip base is removed from the other components of the system and is carried loosely in a toolbox. To avert this condition, the present invention involves a tip base provided with an orifice at one end, an interior passage leading through the tip base to the orifice, and a dust plug located within the passage to seal the passage from the entry of contaminating particles when the tip base is loose in a toolbox. The dust plug is movable axially of the passage between a passage-sealing position and a passage-opening position, the latter position being the closer position to the orifice. The dust plug is biased to its passage-closing position but, upon being subjected to the pressure of gas, the dust plug is movable toward the orifice to its passage-opening position which it assumes during normal use of the tip base with a burner tip attached thereto. 
     The inventive features discussed hereinabove may be used in a wide variety of structures, only exemplary ones being shown in the drawings and described in the following specification. 
    
    
     THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded sectional view of a hand torch assembly provided with a pressure regulator constructed for one-handed operation, a detachable tip base which may be swivelled about an axis transverse to the assembly, and a safety cutoff valve which assumes a closed position when the swivel tip base is removed from the assembly. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1 with the components in their assembled condition, showing the spring clip retaining means which holds the components together and permits the swivel movement. 
     FIG. 3 is a view seen along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1, showing the tip-receiving face of the tip base. 
     FIG. 4 is a view seen along the line 4--4 in FIG. 1, showing the face of the flame swirler at the outer end of the burner tip. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded sectional view of the venturi part of a burner tip and a burner tip base provided with a dust plug. 
     FIG. 6 is a view, partly in section, of the elements of FIG. 5 in a completed torch handle and tip assembly. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention including a conventional one pound bottle or tank 2 of combustible fluid such as liquefied propane gas, a pressure-controlling regulator 4, a swivel tip base 6 which receives gas from the regulator 4, and a burner tip assembly 8 which is detachably connected to the tip base. Gas from the tank 2 passes through the regulator 4 and swivel tip base 6 to the burner tip assembly 8 where it is burned. 
     The tank 2 is of conventional construction, being provided with a standard valve assembly 10 of the type used for inflatable vehicle tires. Such valves are biased to their closed positions so that in the present instance, no combustible gases are released from tank 2 until the valve actuator pin 12 is depressed to move the valve 10 from its closed position to its intermediate or open positions. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the valve assembly 2 includes elements which serve as the control valve for gas passing through the system. 
     The neck 14 of tank 2 has an exteriorly threaded section 16 at its upper end for receiving mating threads 17 on the regulator 4. Within the neck 14, there is an O-ring seal 18 held in place by a plastic sleeve 20, the O-ring sealingly engaging the exterior wall of regulator inlet tube 22. 
     The regulator 4 is formed of an upper body section 23 and a lower body section 25, formed of Lexan polycarbonate resin and solvent bonded into a unitary body. A solid tank valve actuator rod 24 extends concentrically through the longitudinal bore in the inlet tube 22, providing an annular space between rod 24 and tube 22 for the passage of gas into the regulator body. The flow path of gas through the regulator includes a pressure chamber 26, a vertical passage 28 and a regulator outlet passage 30 which is obstructed by another tire valve assembly 32. 
     The tank valve actuator rod 24 is connected at its upper end to a flexible diaphragm 34 which forms one wall of the pressure chamber 26 and is therefore subjected to forces created by pressure within chamber 26. A rigid pressure distributing disc 36 is attached to the lower surface of the diaphragm 34 at the connection between the rod 24 and the diaphragm 34. 
     Downward forces are exerted on the diaphragm 34 by a diaphragm pressure disc 38 which is mounted on the lower end of a pressure spring 40. The downward force delivered to the diaphragm 34 by the pressure spring 40 is quite low when in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 so that the tank valve actuator rod 24 will not exert sufficient force on pin 12 to open the valving elements of tank valve 10. However, upon further compression of the spring 40, the downward force against the diaphragm 34 will be increased sufficiently to cause the diaphragm 34 and rod 24 to move the actuator pin 12 to open the valving elements in valve assembly 10. This, of course, permits the entry of gases into the pressure chamber 26 of the regulator. 
     The preferred means for compressing the spring 40 is a sliding cam mechanism mounted in a transverse bore in the upper part of the body of the regulator 4. This sliding cam mechanism includes a plunger or slide rod 42 movable along an axis in the path of arrow 44. A slot 46 in the rod 42 accomodates a tilt piece 48, the lower surface of which provides a cam surface inclined with respect to the axis of the sliding cam mechanism. The angular disposition of the tilt piece 48 is adjusted by a set screw 50 which is accessible for adjustment through a bore 52 in the regulator housing. 
     The cam surface on tilt piece 48 engages the upper end of a cam follower rod 54, the lower end of which is provided with a cap 56 and boss 58 for engaging the upper end of the pressure spring 40. Thus, it will be recognized that movement of the sliding cam mechanism in the direction indicated by the arrow 44 will cause the cam surface on tilt piece 48 to move the cam follower rod 54 downwardly, compressing the spring 40 to apply downward force on the diaphragm. When the system has been inoperative, this force will move the actuator rod 24 downwardly to open the tank valve 10. During continuous torch operations, the position of the slide rod 42 will govern the outlet pressure of the regulator due to the well-known force balancing principles as the pressure disc 38 acts downwardly on the diaphragm 34 and the gas pressure in chamber 26 acts upwardly on the diaphragm. The resultant position of the actuator rod 24 will adjust the position of the control valve elements in valve 10 to provide a substantially constant output pressure for any given position of the slide rod 42. 
     As a safety precaution to prevent inadvertent movement of the slide rod 42 from the illustrated inoperative position, the slide rod 42 is provided with a bore which receives a spring-loaded safety lock pin 60. This lock pin is biased upwardly by the spring 62 into a recess in the upper body 25 of the regulator housing, preventing sliding movement of the member 42. When it is desired to operate the regulator, the lock pin 60 is moved downwardly to a retracted position within the confines of the slide rod 42 which may then be moved. Such retraction of the lock pin 60 is accomplished by pressing on the exposed outer end of a release pin 64, the inner end of which presses on the upper end of the lock pin 60 to displace it to its retracted position. The release pin is retained in the housing by a bushing 66 solvent bonded to the housing. 
     It will be noted that the regulator does not have a return spring for the sliding cam mechanism, but instead is to be returned to its initial locked position by pressing on the exposed opposed end which is at the right end of the slide rod 42 as illustrated. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 1, gas is released from the regulator 4 through a transverse extension which is coupled to the swivel tip base 6, the latter being laterally offset from the regulator 4. The coupling between the regulator body and the swivel tip base is accomplished by a female fitting 67 on the regulator body and a male fitting 68 on the swivel tip base 6. 
     The tire valve assembly 32 located at the bottom of the recess in fitting 67 is substantially identical to the tire valve 10, being biased to a closed position but being movable to an open position by depression of the actuator pin 70. This tire valve assembly 32 provides a safety cutoff valve as described below. 
     The external wall of the female fitting is provided with a pair of opposed retaining slots 74 which are best illustrated in FIG. 2, these slots extending entirely through a portion of the wall of the female fitting to provide the opening which appears in FIG. 1. 
     The male fitting 68 on the polycarbonate swivel tip base 6 has a valve-opening end surface 76, a circumferential slot accommodating the O-ring seal 78 and another circumferential slot 80 used to retain the male and female coupling means together. Such retention is provided by the spring clip illustrated in FIG. 2, this spring clip being positioned on the exterior of the female coupling member. The spring clip has a base 82 with depending legs 84 which extend from its opposite ends. At the lower extremity of each of the legs 84, there is an inturned foot 86 positioned to engage the exterior surface of the female coupling member to prevent inadvertent removal of the spring clip. In this position, it will be observed in FIG. 2 that a portion of the spring clip in slot 74 will lie in the slot 80 of the male member, thus preventing axial separation of the coupling formed by the male and female members. 
     When the swivel tip base 6 is coupled to the regulator 4, the surface 76 on the swivel tip base will depress the actuator pin 70 of valve assembly 32, enabling gas to pass into the passages 87 and 88 of the swivel tip base. At the upper end of the passage 88, there is a very small orifice 89, the size of which has been exaggerated for illustrative purposes. This jet or orifice 89 creates a reduced pressure in the flow of gas and induces the flow of combustion-supporting air into the burner tip assembly 8. 
     The burner tip assembly 8 is connected to and supported by the swivel tip base 6. The base 6 is provided with four sectoral recesses 90 seen in FIG. 3. Correspondingly shaped prongs 92 are located on the burner tip assembly 8 and are frictionally received in the recesses 90 to hold the burner tip in place. The spaced between the prongs 92 provide openings for the entry of air into the tube on the burner tip assembly. 
     Within the tube of the burner tip assembly 8, there is a venturi formed integrally with the prongs 92 as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 5. The stainless steel tube 94 is bonded to the exterior surface of the venturi and it is provided toward its outlet end with a flame swirler 96 which produces a circular flow of burning gases at the outlet end of the burner tip assembly 8. Of course, there are many types of burner tip assemblies well known in the art, and the particular construction shown herein does not constitute any portion of the invention. 
     The embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, unlike the previously-discussed embodiment, does not utilize a pressure-sensing regulator, an adjustable cam surface nor a swivel tip base. Rather, it relates to a torch handle 100 which receives combustible gases from a source via a flexible hose 102 and delivers those gases to the burner tip 104 via a longitudinally aligned tip base 124. As in the previous embodiment, a transversely movable sliding cam mechanism 108 is used to regulate the flow of gas passing to the burner tip. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, it will be seen that gas from a pressurized container is carried by the hose 102 to a longitudinal bore 110 located centrally in the torch handle 100. At the left end of the bore 100, there is a tire valve assembly 112 which is like those discussed above. It is normally closed and is provided with a central actuating pin 114 which may be depressed to open the valving elements in valve assembly 112 and permit gas to flow thereby. In this manner, the valve assembly 112 provides the control valve means for gas passing through this system. 
     The sliding cam mechanism 108 includes a slide rod 116 which is recessed to receive O-ring seals 118. The central portion of the rod 116 has a truncated conical cam surface 120 which bears against a cam follower in the form of the head 122 of valve actuator pin 114. Of course, the position of the slide rod 116 will determine the extent of opening of valve assembly 112, the valving elements of which serve as the control valve. The pin 114 operatively connects the control valve to the follower 122. 
     After passing the valve 112, the gas moves around the exterior of the conical cam surface 120 and into the tip base 124. The tip base has a male portion of a quick disconnect coupling, receivable in the female end portion of the torch handle 100. A seal between the tip base and the torch handle is provided by the O-ring 126, and the tip base 124 is longitudinally retained in position by means of the spring-loaded projection 128 which engages in a correspondingly-shaped circumferential recess 130 in the tip base. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the tip base 124 has a longitudinal passage 132 for the movement of gas from the control valve to the burner tip. Within this passage, there is a compression spring 134 which at its left end bears on a filter 136 and at its right end bears on a dust plug 138, the purpose of which is to prevent contaminants from entering the passage 132 when the tip base is in a toolbox or otherwise separated from the apparatus while not in use. The dust plug is shown in its passage-sealing position where its conical sealing surface 140 conforms to and sealingly engages the conical seat 142 located on the end plug 144 which is solvent bonded to the tip base 124. The application of gas pressure against the right end of the dust plug 138 will cause it to move to a passage-opening position leftward of its illustrated position and closer to the orifice 146 located at the outlet end of the tip base 124. The dust plug conforms generally to the shape of the interior wall of the passage 132, but its external wall is relieved to provide a longitudinal port 148 which permits gases to flow through the dust plug when the dust plug is in its passage-opening position. The gas may then proceed through the filter 136 to the orifice 146 where it is released into the throat 150 of the venturi 152. The venturi 152 extends into and is bonded to a piece of stainless steel tubing 153 which forms the exterior of the burner tip as shown at 104 in FIG. 6. A swirler of the type illustrated in FIG. 4 may be positioned in the tubing if desired. 
     When in its assembled position as shown in FIG. 6, the burner tip 104 has its prongs 154 frictionally retained in sectoral recesses 156 in the exposed end of the tip base, the recesses 156 being identical in configuration to those shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the elements 106, 138, 144, 152 and 156 are preferably formed of Lexan polycarbonate resin. 
     Persons familiar with the art will appreciate the advantages to be realized by adoption of the structures shown herein which are but a presently preferred embodiment. As numerous modification of and variations to these principles may be envisioned, it is emphasized that the invention is not limited only to the disclosed embodiments but is encompassing of other structures within the spirit of the claims which follow.