Abstract:
The mechanism which is the subject of this patent application is centered on a control device adapted to facilitate the control and regulation of the electrical current or the gaseous intake and mixture for a welding machine, thereby regulating the output of the welding machine, such mechanism including a foot-operated pedal member, which, in turn, is mechanically linked to electromechanical means activated by radio transmission means to regulate such electrical current input or the gaseous output.

Description:
DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The subject invention is a control mechanism for regulating the input flow of gases used in welding processes in a welding machine. In this respect, this intake volume and ultimate burning of such gases causes the burning temperature at the welding torch to increase or decrease as needed in the welding process. In electric arc welding, gases may be used solely for shielding or other supplementary purposes. Irrespective of the role of the gases used in the welding process, the subject invention is conceived as a control mechanism that ultimately makes the welding process more efficient for the operator.  
           [0002]    Such gas flow control devices are known in the art, however, the known devices, as presently used in the art, generally require manual manipulation of control devices that make it difficult and inefficient for use by the welder under such circumstances. More specifically, in welding operations, the welder requires relative freedom of the use of his hands for numerous tasks in the welding process, including handling the welding torch, and elimination of one of those manual tasks will improve efficiency of the process.  
           [0003]    Thus, while there are devices known in the art that are used to help efficiently control the output of welding machines, these devices are not practical in view of the fact that use of hand controls to regulate the gaseous input are cumbersome and interfere with the necessary careful manual handling of the welding torch. If the welder is better able to handle the welding torch without the necessity of additional manipulations for the process of regulating gas flow, with greater efficiency as a result.  
           [0004]    It is also to be noted that the subject invention may be used to regulate amperage and current flow in welding operations.  
           [0005]    In this respect, there are no known devices in the existing art that are structured as an efficient and effective alternative means to control the current output and gas output necessary or otherwise used in welding operations. The few such devices that exist in the art are cumbersome in structural application and use, and thus not effective for the purposes intended. As a result, the subject invention is conceived as a structural means using electronic and wireless transmission means to improve on such art based upon the following objectives.  
         OBJECTS  
         [0006]    It is an object of the subject invention to provide an improved control mechanism for a welding machine;  
           [0007]    Another object of the subject invention is to provide an improved device for regulating the amperage and current flow used in welding operations;  
           [0008]    Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide an improved welding apparatus;  
           [0009]    Still another object of the subject invention is to provide an improved device for rendering welding operations more-efficient;  
           [0010]    An additional object of the subject invention is to provide an apparatus to help free the hands or feet of a welder to concentrate on his or her manual efforts in the handling of the welding torch;  
           [0011]    A further object of the subject invention is to improve the efficiency of operating a welding machine;  
           [0012]    Another object of the subject invention is to provide an improved device to control the output flow of gases or the current flow in the welding process;  
           [0013]    An additional object of the subject invention is to provide an improved method of regulating the output of any type of gas used in a welding process;  
           [0014]    Other and further objects of the subject invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the claims and drawings.  
       
    
    
     IN THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective expanded view of the apparatus embodying the subject invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the subject invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of components of the subject invention illustrating their operational relationship;  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF GENERAL EMBODIMENT AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0018]    The mechanism which is the subject of this invention is centered on a control device adapted to facilitate the control and regulation of the electrical current or the gaseous intake and mixture for a welding machine, thereby regulating the output of the welding machine, such mechanism including a foot-operated pedal member, which, in turn, is mechanically linked to electromechanical means activated by radio transmission means to regulate such electrical current input or the gaseous output.  
         [0019]    In summary, the subject invention is a control mechanism for regulating the intake and flow of gases used in the operation of a welding machine irrespective of the type of gases used in the process and irrespective of what function the gases are used for in the welding process. Such mechanism is focused on a foot-controlled pedal-like member that upon activation by foot pressure, controls the actions of an electromechanical apparatus that, in turn, controls the amperage and current flow in the welding process, or alternately, controls gaseous output of gases used in the welding process.  
         [0020]    The electrical mechanical mechanism is controlled by electric or electronic means through a radio transmitting device or other means to manipulate the gas valve mechanism of a gas container, thereby regulating the gaseous output for the welding machine for welding operations, or alternately, regulateing electric current flow.  
         [0021]    In further summary, the invention centers on a control mechanism for regulating the intake and flow of gases used for any purpose for the operation of a welding machine, such mechanism being focused on a foot-controlled pedal-like member that upon activation by foot pressure controls the actions of an electromechanical apparatus that in turn controls the current used or gaseous flow input to the welding torch in the welding process. The electrical or electronic means operate through a radio transmitting device or other electrical means to impart signals to an electromechanical control mechanism adopted to regulate the volume flow of individual gases used in the welding processs to the welding torch. The amount of current or gaseous flow of the individual gases to the welding gases controls the temperature and other welding aspects at the welding torch.  
       DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]    In describing the subject invention, description is provided as to one preferred embodiment. Such a description as limited to one embodiment shall not be considered as limiting the scope of the subject invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto. Additionally, it is to be noted that the invention concepts herein can apply equally to the control of current flow used in the welding process as well as to the control of gases used in the welding process.  
         [0023]    As a background to describing the preferred embodiment of the subject invention, it is to be noted that welding is a process whereby two or more pieces of metal are merged or joined together into one piece. In this welding process the metallic surfaces of pieces to be joined are required to be placed in close contact with each other in order for the atoms of one metal surface to intermingle with the atoms of the other metallic surface. Moreover, during the welding process, a compound referred to as flux is used to dissolve any scale or oxides that have collected on the metal surface during the welding process.  
         [0024]    Most welding processes used today are fusion welding processes. as opposed to pressure welding. Fusion welding includes an electric arc welding, oxyacetylene welding and thermite welding. Electric arc welding is a high temperature welding process at temperatures in the order of 7500 degrees Fahrenheit or above. This process uses an electric current in the process. Another fusion welding process is the termite welding process which involves reaction between aluminum and iron. Oxyacetylene welding is another form of fusion welding primarily using oxygen gas and acetyle gas, each gas emanating from separate containers to be intermixed at the welding torch to provide a relatively high temperature. Another form of fusion, welding is the oxy-hydrogen welding process which uses proportional amounts of oxygen and hydrogen gases drawn from separate containers which use atomic oxygen in conjunction with atomic hydrogen for welding and oxygen separately for cutting. This process is capable of yielding very high welding temperatures. In the latter process, it is important that the proportions of oxygen and hydrogen be closely regulated because excesses of each gas can disrupt the welding process.  
         [0025]    It is again stressed that while the subject invention is generally applicable to electric arc welding processes, as set forth herein, it is also applicable to the other variant welding processes described above.  
         [0026]    Referring now to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the subject invention is shown, and specifically referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a control unit  10  which incorporates features of the subject invention. This control unit  10  is preferably structured as a self-contained assembly functioning solely as an integrated unit to provide control means to regulate the flow of gases in the particular welding processes used. As seen, the self-contained unit  10  is shown basically having a box-like housing with rectangularly configured externally disposed side walls  20 A,  20 B;  20 C and  20 D and a rectangularly shaped upper surface  30  and lower surface  40 . It is to be noted in this regard that the external housing may have any number of configurations other than the described box-like shape just described.  
         [0027]    As can be seen from the drawings, the housing member  10  is adapted to be rested with its bottom surface on the floor near the welding apparatus to be used as described below. The control box is comprised generally of a foot-activated pedal member  60  which is disposed on the upper, outer portion of the control unit  10 , a potentiometer  100 , which is lever actuated by movement of the foot pedal, a transmitter  200  board controlled by the foot pedal, and a power source in the form of a battery  300  or other appropriate power source. Each of these elements are discussed hereafter.  
         [0028]    Attention is again addressed to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. As seen in FIG. 1, the foot pedal member is positioned on the upper surface of the housing member. More particularly, foot pedal  60  has a first end  65  and a second end  70 . The first end  65  of the foot pedal is pivotably mounted to a portion of the upper surface  30  of the housing member, as seen. The second end  70  of the foot pedal is raised upwardly above the upper surface  30  of the housing member to be depressed by a downward movement of the operator&#39;s foot. Integrally disposed on the undersurface of the foot pedal  60  is a downwardly depending pedal rod member  80 .  
         [0029]    As can be observed in FIG. 1, the upper surface  30  of the housing member has an opening  85  extending from the upper surface to the lower surface thereof. The downwardly depending pedal rod member  80  extends downwardly through such opening  85 . Rod member  80  is interconnected on its lower end to the first end  90  of lever member  92 . The second end  94  of lever member  92  is integrally attached to a perpendicularly extending potentiometer control bar  96 , as shown. As seen in FIG. 1, the potentiometer control bar  96  is interconnected to the potentionmeter  100  to control the output of the potentiometer.  
         [0030]    More specifically, the movable control element  105  on the potentiometer  100 , sometimes referred to as a slider, is structured to rotate back and forth on a guide mechanism  110  and makes electrical contact on a portion thereof with a resistor  115  and the point of contact will vary along the length of the resistor as the control element  105  rotates back and forth along the resistor  115 . As the control element  105  moves along the resistor  115 , the voltage output from such potentiometer will be varied between zero and the desired amount of the voltage input, such output thus being an inverse function of the amount of resistance in this positioning of the control bar  96  for the potentiometer  100  as determined by the exact point of positioning on the control element along the resistor, thereby governing the voltage output of the potentiometer.  
         [0031]    The voltage output generated through the potentiometer circuit is the determining factor of the amount of welding gases to be drawn from individual gas containers, controlled by a gas valve, such as gas valve  400  shown schematically in FIG. 3. This voltage output is to be transmitted through electronic radio means or by direct electric lead lines to a radio receiver  420 , as shown in FIG. 3 to control the electrical current output that controls the operation and output of the gas container valve  400 . This controls the amount of shielding gas or other gas to be transferred to the welding region of the welding torch. For this purpose, the following described method is preferred to minimize the inconvenience of electrical wires.  
         [0032]    The voltage output at potentiometer circuit  260  is fed to transmitter  200 , as discussed above, and this transmitter, in turn, is adapted to receive the input of Vo from the potentiometer  100  and transmit electronic signals of variable strength through transmitter antenna  270  depending on the amount of the voltage output Vo. This signal is thus relayed to radio receiver  420  juxtaposed in the vicinity of gas valve  400  which, in turn, transmits radio signals so received to servo member  490 . The servo member  490  mechanically transfers signals, enhanced by electrical current through the servo circuit  500  to open and close gas valve  400  to the degree needed by the welder.  
         [0033]    The servo electrical circuit comprises a battery or power supply connected in the circuit for each received along with the servo member  490  that is controlled by the electrical current flowing through the circuit, which current flow will be activated by the receiver signal. The servo output action will be proportional to the radio signal received, as stated, and it will cause the gas valve  400  interconnected to such servo  490  to close and open the valve member gradually as signalled.  
         [0034]    Shown in FIG. 2 is an alternate embodiment of the concept herein for electric transmission of the signal to activate valve member on the gas tank. Specifically, the pedal member  60  in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is integrally connected to a downwardly extending ratchet arm  600  having gear teeth  670  on the distal end thereof away from the pedal pivot point, which ratchet arm member is adapted to engage the gear teeth  675  on gear  680 . Gear  680  directly turns the potentiometer arm  96  to activate the potentiometer  100 . Additionally, shown in FIG. 2 is a direct electrical lead  700 , which leads to electrical circuit plug  710  for an alternate electrically wired connector through female connector  720  to activate the electrical signal transmission process activation of the gas valve members. This alternate approach can serve as a standby or alternate means to transmit the signal for activation of the gas valves.