Arc ignition system for exothermic welding apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12479043-B2
Application number	US-202218274686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2022
Priority date	Feb 2, 2021
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

The ignition system holds a quantity of a reaction mixture in a hopper. The hopper is closed at the bottom by a movable gate. When the gate is opened, powder falls from the hopper, though a passage, and through an ignition chamber. High voltage electrodes are provided in the ignition chamber. As the powder falls through the ignition chamber, the electrodes are energized, generating an electrical arc. The arc ignites the falling powder. The ignited powder falls from the bottom of the chamber and into the reaction chamber of an exothermic mold, where the ignited powder initiates a thermite reaction that generates molten metal to form an exothermic weld.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An igniter apparatus comprising:
a powder container, the container adapted to hold an ignition powder; an ignition chamber positioned below the powder container and comprising an interior wall; a gate connecting the powder container and the ignition chamber, the gate adapted to open to allow powder to fall from the powder container into the ignition chamber; and a pair of electrodes mounted to the interior wall of the ignition chamber, wherein, when a voltage is applied to the electrodes an electrical arc is generated within the ignition chamber and wherein the arc ignites the powder.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller, a solenoid connected with the gate controlled by the controller to open and close the gate, and a voltage generator connected with the electrodes and controlled by the controller, wherein the controller actuates the solenoid to open the gate in timed relation to application of the voltage to the electrodes from the generator, and wherein the arc is generated as powder falls into the chamber.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ignition chamber comprises a bottom opening and wherein powder ignited by the arc within the chamber falls through the chamber and out the bottom opening.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sloped passage between the gate and the ignition chamber, wherein powder falling from the container flows along the sloped passage and into the ignition chamber.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ignition chamber comprises one or more of a ceramic, a glass, a stone, and a metal.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the ceramic comprises calcium sulphate and magnesium oxide.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each electrode comprises a conductor and a graphite tip in electrical connection with the conductor and wherein the graphite tip faces the ignition chamber.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning rod, wherein the cleaning rod is movable between an inserted configuration extending through the ignition chamber and a retracted configuration withdrawn from the ignition chamber, and wherein, when the cleaning rod is in the inserted configuration, the rod engages the gate to hold the gate closed to the passage of powder.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tilt sensor.

10 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the high voltage generator comprises an induction coil, wherein the coil comprises a primary winding and a plurality of secondary winding segments.

11 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a radio frequency receiver connected with the controller, wherein the controller operates the gate and generator in response to a signal received by the receiver.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Ramasamy Jayaraj
• Sundharavadivel K

Classifications

• F23Q3/006

  Details (sparking-plugs H01T13/00) · CPC title

• B23K23/00 Primary

  Alumino-thermic welding · CPC title