Arc torch device

Claim 1

AN ELECTRIC ARC GAS HEATER COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A STICK ELECTRODE, A COLLET SUPPORTING SAID ELECTRODE, MEANS FOR PROVIDING A COOLANT TO SAID COLLET, REPLACEABLE PROTECTIVE SLEEVE SURROUNDING THE ARC END OF SAID ELECTRODE IN SPACED CONCENTRIC RELATIION AND ELECTRICALLY ISOLATED FROM SAID ELECTRODE, MEANS FOR PROVIDING COOLANT TO SAID PROTECTIVE SLEEVE, MEANS FOR DELIVERING A SHIELDING GAS TO THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID SLEEVE AND ELECTRODE WHICH IS DISCHARGED FROM SAID SLEEVE ABOUT SUCH END OF SAID ELECTRODE, A NOZZLE ELECTRODE HAVING AN INTERNAL CONICAL GAS PASSAGE AT LEAST PARTIALLY SURROUNDING THE END OF SAID SLEEVE IN SPACED CONCENTRIC RELATION, SAID NOZZLE HAVING AN O.D.-TO-I.D. RATIO BETWEEN ABOUT 1.7 AND 8 MEASURED AT ITS POINT OF SMALLEST I.D., INSULATOR MEANS HAVING A CONICAL INTERNAL GAS PASSAGE COOPERATING WITH SAID INTERNAL CONICAL GAS PASSAGE OF SAID NOZZLE ELECTRODE TO FORM ONE CONTINUOUS ANNULAR GAS PASSAGE HAVING A LENGTH-TO-WIDTH RATIO OF AT LEAST ABOUT 3 AROUND THE END OF SAID SLEEVE, MEANS FOR DELIVERING GAS UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID CONTINUOUS GAS PASSAGE FOR FLOW ABOUT SUCH END OF SUCH SLEEVE, SAID NOZZLE ELECTRODE HAVING A GAS OUTLET COMPRISING A THROAT LEADING TO AN EXPANSION PASSAGE OF DIVERGENT CROSS-SECTION FOR EXPANSION OF SUCH GAS AS IT IS DISCHARGED THEREFROM, SAID DIVERGENT CROSS-SECTION HAVING AN INCLUDED ANGLE OF FROM ABOUT 4 TO 15* AND A LENGTH OF BETWEEN ABOUT 1 1/2 AND 6 INCHES AND SAID THROAT HAVING A LENGTH OF FROM BETWEEN 1/4 AND ABOUT 2 TIMES THE THROAT DIAMETER, SAID THROAT DIAMETER BEING BETWEEN ABOUT 14 AND 5/8 INCH, MEANS FOR STRIKING AN ARC BETWEEN SAID NOZZLE ELECTRODE AND THE ARC END OF SAID STICK ELECTRODE FOR HEATING THE GAS DISCHARGED FROM SAID NOZZLE, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A COOLANT TO SAID NOZZLE ANODE.