Patent Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention provide components and a system for providing a safer environment for using a cutting torch. The system includes a cutting torch and a control box. There is communication from the user to the control box to allow fluids to flow to the torch. The control box includes closed biased valve(s) such that if there is a condition where there is no instruction from the torch to the control box and/or power is lost, the valves will shut, preventing fluid from flowing into the torch.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates to a fluid control system comprising of safety features. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When gas cutting in confined spaces, situations occur where combustible gas and/or mixtures may escape into the area and create a combustible situation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  shows a safety system in accordance with one example embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of a cutting torch; 
         FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of a control box; 
         FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of a cutting torch; 
         FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of a cutting system; 
         FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of a cutting system with integrated wiring; 
         FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of a cutting system having a remote safety actuator connected directly to the control box; 
         FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of a cutting system having a remote safety actuator connected to the torch; 
         FIG. 9  shows an embodiment if a cutting system where the cutting torch and the control box are in wireless communication; 
         FIG. 10A  shows an embodiment of a cutting torch; 
         FIG. 10B  is a detail of  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 11A  shows another embodiment of a cutting torch; and 
         FIG. 11B  is a detail of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be practiced. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings. 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a safety system is shown. In one embodiment, the control box  1  comprises an oxygen valve  11  and a fuel valve  12  that can be connected to an oxygen source and a fuel source respectively. Both the oxygen valve  11  and the fuel valve  12  are biased to the closed position. In some embodiments, both the oxygen valve  11  and the fuel valve  12  are solenoid valves that are naturally closed until actuated by the supply of electricity, or in other embodiments, valves actuated by pneumatic pressure. 
     In some embodiments, the control box  1  further comprises a power switch  13 . The power switch  13  is able to cut electricity to the solenoids of the oxygen valve  11  and/or the fuel valve  12 . In some embodiments, the power switch  13  is a contactor. The power switch  13  can be in communication with a safety actuator  25  associated with the cutting torch  2 . In some embodiments, when the safety actuator  25  is not engaged by a user, the power switch  13  will cut electricity to the oxygen valve  11  and/or the fuel valve  12 . The closed biased nature of the oxygen valve  11  and the fuel valve  12  will shut the valves. This will serve to cut flow of oxygen and/or fuel flow out of the control box  1  and to the cutting torch  2  when connected. 
     In some embodiments, the control box  1  further comprises a transformer  14 . The transformer  14  will drop the voltage that is being sent to the safety actuator  25 . This will decrease the chances of an arc and/or harm to people if exposed to uncovered wiring. 
     In some embodiments, the control box  1  further comprises an oxygen gauge  15  and a fuel gauge  16 . The oxygen gauge  15  and the fuel gauge  16  can measure the pressure in one or more lines  33  supplying the cutting torch  2 . 
     In some embodiments, the control box  1  further comprises a kill switch  17 . The kill switch  17 , when actuated to the kill position, will prevent flow regardless of the state of the safety actuator  25 . The kill switch  17  can be a push button. In some embodiments, once the kill switch  17  has been actuated to the kill position, all that is required is to push the kill switch  17  a second time to return the control box  1  to normal operation. 
     In some embodiments, the control box  1  will have a source of power. Some embodiments will comprise a rechargeable battery, a battery compartment in the housing that can accept batteries, and/or the power cable  18 . The power cable  18  may have a plug compatible with standard outlets. 
     The control box  1  will also further comprise one or more inlets  191  (e.g. fuel inlet, oxygen inlet) and one or more outlets  192  (e.g. fuel outlet, oxygen outlet) to accept and expel the liquid or gas. The inlets  191  and the outlets  192  will enable hoses to be coupled thereto. 
     As can further been seen, a cutting torch  2  is present. The cutting torch  2  will have one or more lines  33  bringing gas or liquid to the torch inlet(s)  24  (e.g. oxygen inlet, fuel inlet) to the ignition point at the torch outlet. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , there are two lines  33 , one line  33  for oxygen and another for fuel, in some embodiments the fuel is acetylene. In some embodiments the fuel is propane. It is understood that any combustible gas or combustible mixture of gases can be used in on ore more lines  33 . Each line may have a valve at the cutting torch  2 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , there is a torch oxygen valve  21  and a torch fuel valve  22 . In some embodiments, there will be a secondary oxygen valve  23  that is in-line with and is easier to actuate open and close than the torch oxygen valve  21 . The secondary oxygen valve  23  will increase the flow of oxygen when actuated. In some embodiments, the secondary oxygen valve  23  will control or regulate the flow of the oxygen. 
     The cutting torch  2  will have one or more torch inlets  24  (e.g. fuel inlet, oxygen fuel inlet) to accept a connection to a hose. The cutting torch  2  also comprises a torch outlet where the fuel or fuel and oxygen combination is expelled out of the cutting torch  2 . 
     As mentioned above, the cutting torch  2  will have a safety actuator  25  that can be in electrical contact with control box  1 . In some embodiments, the safety actuator  25  will be opened biased. It will close when actively actuated by the user. The safety actuator  25  will help prevent unwanted flow of combustible material from the source of the fuel and/or oxygen. 
     The connection between the safety actuator  25  and the control box  1  is established by the conduit  3 . In some embodiments, the conduit  3  comprises electrical wire. When the user actuates the safety actuator  25 , it results in the opening of the oxygen valve  11  and/or the fuel valve  12 . In some embodiments, connectors  31  will be located near the control box  1  and the cutting torch  2 . This will enable different lengths of conduits  3  to be used. In some embodiments, the conduit  3  will be embedded in or attached to the one or more lines  33 . In other embodiments, the conduit  3  and the one or more lines  33  will be separate. In other embodiments, the conduit  3  is a wireless connection (as shown in  FIG. 9 ). A pneumatic connection can also be established in some embodiments. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of a cutting torch  2  is shown. In order to use the cutting torch  2 , the user would need to open the torch oxygen valve  21  and the torch fuel valve  22 . However, until the safety actuator  25  is actuated, fuel and/or oxygen will not flow to the cutting torch  2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , an embodiment of a control box  1  is shown. As can be seen, a kill switch  17  can be a large button easily seen by a user and hit in an emergency situation. The oxygen gauge  15  and the fuel gauge  16  can display the pressure within one or more lines  33 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , one embodiment of a cutting torch  2  is shown. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the safety actuator  25  can comprise a trigger  258  that is open biased by a spring  259  (as seen in  FIGS. 10A-11B ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , one embodiment of the cutting system is shown. The conduit  3  is external of the lines  33  and attached to the cutting torch  2  via the connectors  31 . It is understood that the conduit  3  can be, in some embodiments, integral (e.g. no connectors  31 ) with the control box  1  and the cutting torch  2 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , one embodiment of the cutting system is shown having the connection between the safety actuator  25  and the oxygen valve  11  and/or fuel valve  12  established by conduit(s)  3  running in, attached to, and/or along the line(s)  33 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , there are two conduits  3 , one in each line. The conduits  3  can be wiring or pneumatic tubing. By separating them in different lines  33 , it is believed to lessen the likelihood of creating an arc, which is dangerous in the gas cutting environment, when using electric current. As can be seen, there is a connector  31  present at the control box  1  that will supply the connection to the conduit  3 . This can be electrical or a pneumatic connection. Some embodiments will have a conduit  3  that is only present in one line  33 , thus there only be one connector  31 . Given that different jobs may have different length requirements, different hoses are sometimes used. When the conduit(s)  3  are integrated with the lines  33 , there is no need to worry about another component to make sure the lengths of the lines  33  and the conduit(s)  3  are conducive to each other. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a remote safety actuator  251  is present. In some embodiments, the remote safety actuator  251  is a foot pedal with a trigger  258 . The remote safety actuator  251  acts in the same manner as the safety actuator  25 . The remote safety actuator  251  can be attached directly to the control box  1 , as seen in  FIG. 7 . In these embodiments, there is no need for a safety actuator  25 , located at the cutting torch  2 , nor a conduit  3 . As seen in  FIG. 8 , the remote safety actuator  251  can attach to the cutting torch  2 , via a cable. In these embodiments, the length of the conduit  3  attaching the remote safety actuator  251  to the cutting torch  2  can be predetermined. In the embodiments with a foot pedal, different lengths can be designed for users of different heights. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , an embodiment using wireless communication between the safety actuator  25  and the control box  1 . In some embodiments, the wireless communication can be accomplished by electromagnetic radiation, BLUETOOTH, and/or Wi-Fi. The connection can be a direct connection or relayed through a hub. Power can be supplied to a wireless transmitter in the cutting torch  2  from the control box  1  or a battery, rechargeable or not. The battery can be located in a compartment that is integral with the cutting torch  2 . The remote safety actuator  251  can be attached to a cutting torch  2  that comprises a wireless transmitter. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , show embodiments of the cutting torch  2 . A secondary oxygen valve  23  is present in both, while the secondary oxygen valve lever  231  may extend in opposite directions. An embodiment of the safety actuator  25  is shown in detail. A trigger  258  rotates about an axel  252 . When the trigger  258  rotates about the axel  252 , the trigger arm  254  will compress the spring  259  and actuate the roller lever arm  255 , which in turn will actuate the button  256 . This will actuate the switch  257 . In some embodiments, the switch  257  can be an electrical switch. In some embodiments, the switch  257  will be the OMRON switch, model number SS-5GL2T. Only when the button  256  is pressed, will the oxygen valve  11  and/or the fuel valve  12  open. In embodiments using electricity, a current will flow to the closed biased oxygen valve  11  and/or the fuel valve  12  to actuate them to open. In embodiments employing pneumatic pressure, a pneumatic switch will be employed and air pressure will cause the opening of the closed biased oxygen valve  11  and/or the fuel valve  12 . While not shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , any connection between the cutting torch  2  and the control box  1  discussed above can be used. 
     What has been described above includes examples of the disclosed architecture. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components and/or methodologies, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, the novel architecture is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations. And while the invention has been described above with respect to several embodiments, any element and/or step described in reference to any particular embodiment is hereby disclosed to be associated with any other embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1