Apparatus and method for brazing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10744582-B2
Application number	US-201815893753-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2018
Priority date	Sep 25, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A brazing system has a first gas source, a second gas source, an enclosure, a brazing torch, and a control system configured to control a ratio of the first gas source and the second gas source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A brazing system, comprising:
a first pressure regulator valve to regulate a first pressure of a first gas;
a second pressure regulator valve to regulate a second pressure of a second gas;
a first micrometer valve positioned downstream of the first pressure regulator valve, the first micrometer valve configured to control a first flow rate of the first gas;
a second micrometer valve positioned downstream of the second pressure regulator valve, the second micrometer valve configured to control a first flow rate of the second gas;
a single enclosure including:
a first compartment that includes the first pressure regulator valve, the first compartment further including a first inlet to receive the first gas and a first outlet through which the first gas exits, the first pressure regulator valve disposed between and connected to the first inlet and the first outlet, and
a second compartment that includes the second pressure regulator valve, the second compartment further including a second inlet to receive the second gas and a second outlet through which the second gas exits, the second pressure regulator valve disposed between and connected to the second inlet and the second outlet,
wherein the first and second compartments are separated by a divider to seal the first compartment from the second compartment such that no gas can transfer between the first and second compartments;

a brazing torch, having an operating trigger or on/off switch, coupled to each of the first and second outlets, wherein the brazing torch does not include any flow control metering valves positioned on the brazing torch for adjustment of the first gas and the second gas; and
a control circuit configured to establish a ratio of flow rates of the first gas to the second gas at the brazing torch using the first pressure regulator valve and the first micrometer valve to regulate a flow of the first gas, and using the second pressure regulator valve and the second micrometer valve to regulate a flow of the second gas.

2. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment contains a first pressure gauge attached to the first pressure regulator valve.

3. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment contains a second pressure gauge attached to the second pressure regulator valve.

4. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment has at least one opening to allow any of the first gas in the first compartment to escape the enclosure.

5. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment has at least one opening to allow any of the second gas in the second compartment to escape the enclosure.

6. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure further includes a door and a locking mechanism which locks the door to prevent a user from accessing the first and second pressure regulator valves.

7. The brazing system of claim 1 , further comprising a door which closes a front opening on the enclosure, wherein all edges of the divider are environmentally sealed within the enclosure when the door is in a closed position.

8. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the single enclosure is made of stainless steel.

9. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the single enclosure is made of plastic.

10. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the single enclosure meets standard NEMA 4 specifications.

11. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the single enclosure meets NEMA 4X specifications.

12. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment includes at least one vent configured to vent, to an external atmosphere, any of the first gas that leaks within the first compartment.

13. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment includes at least one vent configured to vent, to an external atmosphere, any of the second gas that leaks within the second compartment.

14. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment includes a pressure relief valve configured to exhaust, to an external atmosphere, any of the first gas that leaks within the first compartment.

15. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment includes a pressure relief valve configured to exhaust, to an external atmosphere, any of the second gas that leaks within the second compartment.

16. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the second gas can be any one of acetylene, propane, natural gas, methane, propylene, hydrogen, butane, or blends thereof.

17. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the first gas is oxygen or air.

18. The brazing system of claim 1 , wherein the brazing torch includes a handle, a neck, and a brazing tip.

19. The brazing system of claim 18 , wherein the brazing torch includes an internal portion where the first gas and the second gas mix before exiting the brazing torch at the brazing tip.

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Smith Loren C
• Perry Douglas S
• Hopper William

Classifications

• B23K3/022 Primary

  using a gaseous fuel · CPC title

• B23K3/08 Primary

  Auxiliary devices therefor · CPC title

• G05D11/132

  by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K37/006

  Safety devices for welding or cutting · CPC title

• Y10T137/2703

  Flow rate responsive · CPC title