Supports: cabinet structure – Spaced insulated wall – Fire-resistant cabinet
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-05
2001-11-27
Hansen, James O. (Department: 3636)
Supports: cabinet structure
Spaced insulated wall
Fire-resistant cabinet
C312S292000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322179
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCES
There are no applications related to this application filed in this or any foreign country.
BACKGROUND
Workpieces that need to be preheated before welding, such as cast iron, are heated to very high temperatures in an appropriate oven. After preheating, the workpiece might be welded through the oven door. This method maintains the heat of the workpiece, but results in an overly hot work environment and inconvenient access to the workpiece, which will necessitate cumbersome heat resistant gear to be worn by the workers.
Alternatively, the workpiece might be removed from the oven and placed on a steel or brick surface. In this circumstance the workpiece is more accessible, but work must be done quickly, before the workpiece cools below the temperature at which quality work may be done.
A still further alternative is to use insulating blankets to maintain the workpiece at the desired temperature. However, such blankets tend to wear at a rapid rate, resulting in excessive cost.
And as a still further alternative, other methods such as a firebrick enclosure may be used. However, such alternatives also fail both to provide a cool workplace and to provide the time required to work prior to cooling of the workpiece.
In some circumstances, additional heat may be applied to the workpiece, apart from the heat of the welding torch. While such supplemental heat may allow a greater period during which the workpiece may be available, the heat tends to result in an overly hot workplace which also tends to limit the duration of actual work.
Unfortunately, none of the above alternatives is completely satisfactory. Where the workpiece is cool enough to be easily approachable, the welding torch might not be able to maintain enough heat and welding quality is compromised. Where the welding torch is able to keep a portion of the workpiece warm, but other portions cool, warping and cracking may result. Similarly, if the part is allowed to cool too quickly, warping and cracking may also result.
Additional problems result when the welder needs to reposition a workpiece, such as a large engine block, during the course of work. Repositioning the workpiece can require several people in some circumstances, due to the heat radiated by the workpiece and due to its mass. Time spent in repositioning the work piece results in a reduction in the time during which welding may be performed.
As a result of the above problems, what is needed is a holder for a workpiece that is fully insulated and which therefore is able to prolong the time during which a welder may work. The structure of the holder should also be adapted to allow rotation about an axis in each of two perpendicularly oriented directions. The structure of the holder should also result in an opening through which work may be done that is adjustable in both size and location. The structure of the holder should also include a restraint assembly to prevent undesired movement of the workpiece within the holder.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to an apparatus that satisfies the above needs. A novel workpiece support for welding provides an insulated enclosure within which a workpiece may be carried. The enclosure provides some or all of the following structures.
(A) A preferred enclosure provides half-round end pieces at opposed ends of a semi-cylindrical rounded body. Ceramic insulation prevents rapid heat transfer, and is sandwiched between metal inside and outside metal surfaces.
(B) A cover is carried by the enclosure by hinges oriented along the length of the enclosure between the half-round ends. The cover provides a frame carrying independently movable first and second sliding doors. With both doors fully slid within the frame, the cover fully covers the workpiece carried within the enclosure. With one or both doors partially slid from the frame an opening is formed allowing access to the workpiece to be welded.
(C) A frame, having left and right forks extending from a base, supports the enclosure at the middle points of opposite sides of the rounded body. A support insert, extending from the base, is attachable to a receiver which may be located on an oven, a cooling area or a rolling cart.
(D) A locking pivot allows the enclosure to be pivoted with respect to the frame in a manner that allows one half round end to be raised and the other lowered, as desired, and then locked into place.
(E) A locking pivot, carried between the support insert and the frame base, allows the enclosure to be pivoted in a manner that lowers one of the frame forks while raising the other, thereby allowing adjustment of the angle at which the workpiece may be accessed and to control the pooling of metal in a manner that does not promote unintended run-off.
(F) A restraint assembly provides at least one restraint, carried by the enclosure, for use in holding the workpiece in place within the enclosure. A preferred restraint assembly includes opposed first and second tracks, defined on an inside surface of the enclosure. A sliding base support and a sliding latch support slide in the first and second tracks, respectively. An arm carried by the sliding base support is releasably attachable to the sliding latch support, allowing the arm to be latched against the workpiece to prevent its movement.
It is therefore a primary advantage of the present invention to provide a novel insulated workpiece support which prevents rapid heat transfer from the workpiece, thereby extending the period of time during which work may be performed and also reducing the heat exposure to the worker.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel insulated workpiece support which provides a structure allowing the worker to adjust the size and location of the opening through which work is performed.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a novel insulated workpiece support which allows rotation about at least one axis of the enclosure supporting the workpiece to increase the ability of the welder to control the pooling of melted metal and to access certain parts of the workpiece.
REFERENCES:
patent: 412187 (1889-10-01), Jeffrey
patent: 976067 (1910-11-01), Gilmore
patent: 1443082 (1923-01-01), Mauck
patent: 1805181 (1931-05-01), Miller
patent: 2002877 (1935-05-01), Barrington
patent: 2123612 (1938-07-01), Obert
patent: 2561125 (1951-07-01), Leibowitz
patent: 3491226 (1970-01-01), Beadle
patent: 4079604 (1978-03-01), Anderegg
patent: 5312182 (1994-05-01), Mlakar et al.
patent: 5413410 (1995-05-01), Mlakar
patent: 6058523 (2000-05-01), Sleboda
Hansen James O.
Thompson David S.
LandOfFree
Orientation adjustable insulated workpiece for welding does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Orientation adjustable insulated workpiece for welding, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Orientation adjustable insulated workpiece for welding will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2582574