Hand held MIG welding spark shield

A welding shield includes a frusto-conical metal shield member, open at top and bottom, and including a wall opening for welding gun access. A lens is removably mounted in the top of the shield member, and a horizontal metal screen is removably mounted within the shield member between wall opening and lens. A circumferential base around the bottom is of a flexible and nonflammable material for effective closure around a weld work area. The work area is viewable, magnified, by the lens. The welding shield is lightweight for easy movement and placement by one available hand of the user.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

This invention is a welding shield, and more specifically a hand held spark shield for use with the MIG welding process.

MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is performed with a spool of solid steel wire, fed to the weld site through the contact tip of a MIG gun. When the gun trigger is pulled, the electrically heated contact tip melts the wire to form the weld puddle. The welding process occurs in the weld puddle.

A typical welding shield is an integral part of a welder's helmet; it is the lens or window of the helmet.

The spark shield of this invention is separate and apart from a welder's helmet The shield is a cone-shaped device for placement by hand to cover the weld puddle work area. The shield is lightweight and easily movable as desired for best visibility of the welding operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary, this invention is a welding shield including a frusto-conical metal shield member, open at top and bottom, and including a wall opening for welding gun access. A lens is removably mounted in the top of the shield member, and a horizontal metal screen is removably mounted within the shield member between wall opening and lens. A circumferential base around the bottom is of a flexible and nonflammable material for effective closure around a weld work area. The work area is viewable, magnified, by the lens. The welding shield is lightweight for easy movement and placement by one available hand of the user.

DESCRIPTION

With reference to the drawings, my welding shield10includes a hollow frusto-conical metal shield member12, open at top and bottom, with a flexible circumferential base portion14for conforming contact with a table, work surface, or the like. The flexible base portion14is of a nonflammable material.

The frusto-conical shield member12includes a wall opening16for a hand-held MIG gun, a lens or window18in the top of the frusto-cone, and a metal screen20(FIG. 2) mounted horizontally within the cone between the opening16and lens18.

In use (FIG. 3) the welder-operator handles the shield member10with one hand, and manipulates a MIG gun22with the other hand. The work area is viewed through the lens18. The welder-operator's view of the work area is magnified by the lens18. The lens18and the viewer are protected from sparks by the internal screen20.

The flexible base portion14is conformable to the table or other surface on which it sits to substantially prevent sparks from escaping under the shield. The flexible base14also provides spark protection when welding in tight, or angled, or irregular, work areas.

The screen20is subject to deterioration from impact by sparks. Accordingly, the screen is removable and replaceable as needed. Similarly, the lens is removable and replaceable in the less-likely event that it too is deteriorated by sparks.

The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment is illustrative of the invention. The concept and scope of the invention are, however, limited not by the details of that description but only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.