Patent Abstract:
A positioning attachment for definition of torch angle and torch to workpiece distance during welding and/or training is provided. The positioning attachment includes one or more legs of equal or varied lengths capped with a tip, which contacts the workpiece, and a body, which may be permanently attached or removably secured to the welding torch nozzle. Certain embodiments may be made of heat resistant metals or ceramic to withstand high temperatures during welding. The positioning attachment may be mounted on the welding torch nozzle or provided as an extension of the contact tip.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Non-provisional Patent Application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/036,588, entitled “Training Nozzle/Tip for Welding Applications”, filed Mar. 14, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates generally to welding guns, and more particularly to positioning attachments for controlling torch angle and/or torch to workpiece height during welding. 
     Welding is a process that has increasingly become ubiquitous in all industries. While such processes may be automated in certain contexts, a large number of applications continue to exist for manual welding operations, the success of which relies heavily on the proper use of a welding gun or torch. For instance, an improper torch angle can lead to a spatter, improper penetration, and overall poor weldments. However, inexperienced welders often have difficulty establishing the proper torch angle and torch to workpiece distance during welding, and such skills may be somewhat difficult to teach. Furthermore, even experienced welders may have difficulty maintaining these important parameters throughout welding processes. 
     Certain gas nozzles have been proposed that are used to establish the proper torch to workpiece distance during spot welding. However, these nozzles are less than satisfactory in addressing the overall problem, in particular because they do not establish the proper torch angle, are limited in scope to spot welding applications, and do not teach proper technique. Therefore, there exists a need for a device that will aid welders or welding trainees in establishing the proper torch angle and torch to workpiece distance. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention provides a device designed to respond to such needs. The invention may be used in conjunction with a variety of welding guns as well as for multiple types of welding. It may be used solely for training purposes or during routine welding operations as well. In particular, the invention provides a positioning attachment for guidance of torch angle and/or torch to workpiece distance. The positioning attachment may contain one or more legs of equal or different lengths, that may be capped with a tip, and that contact the workpiece. The leg or legs extend from a body, which may be permanently attached or removably secured to the welding torch nozzle, or any other component of the welding torch. Certain embodiments may be made of heat resistant metals or ceramic to withstand high temperatures during welding. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a welding torch with a positioning attachment; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of a weld and a welding nozzle with a positioning attachment; 
         FIG. 3  is a top perspective view of a welding nozzle with a positioning attachment; 
         FIG. 4  is a further view of the add-on attachment and the welding nozzle; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of a three-legged positioning attachment; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the positioning attachment in a welding position; 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of a positioning attachment with two equal length legs; 
         FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of a positioning attachment with two slightly unequal length legs; 
         FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of a positioning attachment with two unequal length legs; 
         FIG. 10  is a front elevation view of a leg of the positioning attachment and a tip; 
         FIG. 11  is a side elevation view of a welding nozzle with a contact tip extension; 
         FIG. 12  is a side elevation view of a welding nozzle with an angled contact tip extension; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a further embodiment including 4 legs or prongs of unequal length; and 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of another embodiment having 4 legs. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a welding torch  10  that incorporates a positioning attachment  12 , which establishes the proper torch angle and/or torch to workpiece height during welding or welding training. The torch  10  has a handle  14  with a trigger  16 , which a welder may use to start and stop welding. An extension  18  from the handle  14  is connected to a nozzle  20 . A contact tip  22  extends outward from the inner cavity of the nozzle  20 . One embodiment of the present invention, which includes two positioning legs  24 ,  26  permanently attached to the outside of the nozzle on either side of the aperture  28 , is shown in  FIG. 1 . During welding, wire is fed out of the contact tip  22  while gas is fed out of the aperture  28  into the welding area. In certain embodiments, the positioning attachment  12  may be made of a metal, such as brass or steel, which is resistant to the heat generated during welding. In other embodiments, the positioning attachment  12  may be made of ceramic. It should be noted that, although the embodiments illustrated in the figures relate generally to metal inert gas (MIG) welding arrangements, the invention may be adaptable to other systems and technologies, such as tungsten inert gas (TIG) torches. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates one embodiment of the present invention in which the positioning attachment  12  is permanently secured to the welding gun nozzle  20 . In this embodiment, one positioning leg  24  may be longer than the second positioning leg  26  so that the gun can be precisely positioned during the weld  30 . In the illustration of  FIG. 2 , for example, the weld  30  is progressing in a right to left direction  32 . The positioning attachment  12  ensures that a proper torch to weld height  34  and torch angle  36  are maintained as welding proceeds in the indicated direction  32 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a top perspective view of this weld process. The first positioning leg  24  is located in front of the weld as the nozzle  20  moves in the indicated direction  32 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates one possible embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an add-on attachment  38  is the means for removably securing the positioning attachment  12  to the nozzle  20 . The body  40  of the add-on attachment  38  is positioned around the nozzle  20  while the inner surface  42  of the add-on attachment  38  fits onto the tip of the nozzle  20 . In this embodiment, the positioning attachment  12  is removably secured to the nozzle  20 , enabling easy replacement and mobility between torches. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a three leg positioning attachment  44 . In this embodiment of the present invention, two opposed positioning legs  46 ,  48  are of equal length and are perpendicular to the body  40  of the positioning attachment  12 . The third rear leg  50  is a different length and connects to the body  40  at an angle. The three positioning legs  46 ,  48 ,  50  establish a fixed torch angle and torch to work piece height. In certain embodiments, the three leg positioning attachment  44  is made of a heat resistant metal while in other embodiments it may be made of ceramic.  FIG. 6  illustrates a side elevation view of the three leg positioning attachment  44  connected to the welding nozzle  20  during welding. The opposed leg  46  and the rear leg  50  define the proper torch angle  52  as the welding torch is moved along the workpiece. It should also be noted that, where desired, the legs may all be of different lengths, and the one leg may follow along the center of the intended weld, or may be displaced to the side of the intended weld location. Additionally, in further embodiments, the positioning attachment  44  may have more than three legs, which establish the proper torch angle and/or torch to workpiece height during welding or welding training. 
       FIG. 7  is an illustration of a side elevation view of a level positioning attachment  54  in which the positioning legs are the same length. In this embodiment, the torch angle  56  is set to zero (i.e., generally perpendicular to the workpiece), and the torch to workpiece height is fixed  58 . In another embodiment, the positioning legs are of unequal lengths, and an angled attachment  60  is formed as shown in  FIG. 8 . The unequal leg lengths create a torch angle  62 , which is greater than that of the level positioning attachment  54 , and a fixed torch to workpiece height  64 . In a similar embodiment, an angled attachment  66  has positioning legs that are of more unequal lengths, leading to an even greater torch angle  68  and a fixed torch to workpiece length  70 . In other embodiments, the lengths of the positioning legs may be any combination of intermediates between the shown illustrations. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates the positioning leg end  72  and a tip  74 , which securely fit together in the assembled positioning attachment  12 . In certain embodiments, the positioning tip  74  may be made of a heat resistant metal or ceramic such that it may interface with (e.g., contact) the workpiece in an area of intense heat from the weld. The removability of the tip  74  allows for easy replacement should it wear or degrade over time. 
       FIG. 11  is an illustration of one embodiment of the present invention in which the positioning attachment  12  takes the form of a special contact tip extension  76 . This extension  76  extends inside the nozzle  20 . This embodiment could either be used solely for training purposes, that is, for illustration of the correct torch angle and torch to workpiece length, or for welding as well as training if the extension  76  is made of a material sufficiently resistant to the temperatures present during welding.  FIG. 12  shows another adaptation of this embodiment where the contact tip extension  78  is angled. The extension  78  still extends into the nozzle  20  and defines the proper torch angle and/or torch to workpiece distance. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a further embodiment in which the torch attachment includes 4 legs. As in the previous embodiments, the attachment includes a body  80  that may be configured for snapping onto or otherwise fitting to an end (e.g., a nozzle) of a welding torch. This embodiment, however, includes a front leg  82 , two side legs  84  and  86 , and a rear leg  88 . The lengths of the legs are selected to properly orient a torch to which the device would be attached. In this embodiment, for example, the front leg  82  is longer than the rear leg  88 , causing the torch to be leaned downwardly during welding, with the front leg riding along a line where a weld is to be formed, and the rear leg riding over a progressing weld. The two side legs are shorter than both the front and the rear legs, and may contact workpieces on either side of a progressing weld. This embodiment may be particularly well suited to welds formed between workpieces joined at an angle. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates another embodiment of the attachment with 4 legs. In this embodiment, a body  90  has a front leg  92  extending from it, with two intermediate legs  94  and  96  somewhat shorter than the front leg, and a read leg  98  somewhat shorter still. The attachment will cause the torch to be leaned downwardly with the front leg again riding along a line where a weld is to be formed, and the rear leg riding over a progressing weld. The side legs will then ride along sides of the weld. This embodiment may be well suited for welds formed between abutted workpieces (e.g., plates). 
     In both embodiments with 4 legs, the lengths of the legs may be selected to provide the proper height of the torch about the weld location, and the proper angle of the torch with respect to the workpiece or workpieces. The side legs, for example, may be the same or different lengths to provide for a particular orientation of the torch. Similarly, other arrangements may be envisioned in which the legs are intended to straddle the weld rather than to ride along an intended weld line or a recently formed weld. 
     While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1