Patent DE-102008059764-A1 (DE)
Title: Cleaning single- or multi-wire welding torch, with mixture of liquid carbon dioxide and dry ice directed by mobile unit onto contact and gas jets of torch to detach slag spatter
Inventor: OHE JUERGEN VON DER
IPC: B23K7/10
Filed: 2008-11-25
Abstract: In a method for cleaning single- or multi-wire welding torches (14) using a mixture of liquid carbon dioxide (CO 2) and dry ice, a jet support (9) is directed by a mobile unit to treat the contact jets (13) and gas jets (16) of the torch with the CO 2mixture to create thermal stress between the torch and slag spatter (27, 28) and detach the spatter. The brief CO 2flow during the inflow phase is supported by a supplementary blast of compressed air. In a method for cleaning single- or multi-wire welding torches (14) using a mixture of liquid carbon dioxide (CO 2) and dry ice, a jet support (9) is directed by a mobile unit to treat the contact jets (13) and gas jets (16) of the torch with the CO 2mixture to create thermal stress between the torch and slag spatter (27, 28) and detach the spatter. The axes of the contact jets (69) coincide with those of the cleaning sockets. The jet support is adaptable, specifically via the ratio of the contact and gas jets, so that the CO 2mixture strikes the torch. The ratio of the indentation (48) to the hole base (47) corresponds to the ratio of the gas jet to the contact jet of the torch. Contact is carried out simultaneously or in successive stages with same or different parameters. The brief CO 2flow during the inflow phase is supported by a supplementary blast of compressed air, which breaks up the compressed dry ice and gives a stable flow during the blast period. Independent claims are included for: (1) apparatus for cleaning single-wire welding torches using dry ice, in which: an integrated cleaning component (49) is mounted on a carriage (19) linearly guided along a fixed rail (20); a jet support (9) (having inner and outer circuits (11, 12) and a jet tube (26)) is firmly mounted on a separating tube (8) in a lock (7) to form two separate flow channels (i.e. inner and outer chambers (12, 15) for the inner and outer circuits), through which liquid CO 2or compressed air flows through the CO 2valve contact jet (3) or the CO 2valve gas jet (4) and the contact jet valve (17) or the gas jet valve (18) according to a predetermined program; and the carriage is transported via a cylinder (21) on the rail into various positions (defined by adjustable buffers) to the torch to be cleaned; (2) apparatus for cleaning single- or multi-wire welding torches, in which a perforated holder and a lock (7) are mounted, together with a separating tube with a jet ring, on an angled piece (6); and a cleaning piston (displaced by a pressure cylinder and consisting of a guide, a jet part and a cleaning tube) is moved through a common bore in the holder, separating tube and jet ring from a starting position (with the jet part closed or moved downwards) into an operating position, and leaves the operating path (72); and (3) apparatus for cleaning a single-wire welding torch with a conical gas space, in which the jet tube is replaced by an offset jet tube which can be tilted around an angled piece to the center line before being retracted.