Flame cutting machine

Claim 2

An improved flame-cutting machine comprising in combination: a frame; a first assembly including a conduit for gas rotatable about an axis extending through said conduit at at least one point along its length, an inlet gas fitting interconnecting with and communicating the conduit at said point and being rotatable relative to said conduit on said axis and a gas torch mounted for rotation with said conduit and formed with a flow path communicating with said conduit; a second assembly comprising means for selectively translating Said first assembly in the direction of said axis; a third assembly including means for selectively rotating said first assembly in any translational position of said first assembly; said second assembly comprising a pair of track and roller structures interposed between said frame and said member, the track of each pair being carried by one of said frame or member and the roller of each pair being carried by the other of said track or member; said second assembly further comprising a drivescrew and traveling nut assembly, one of said drivescrew and nut being connected to said frame and the other of said drivescrew or nut being connected to said member; and selectively operable power means for rotating the traveling nut relative to said screw.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1, in which said member of said second assembly comprises a housing in which said conduit is mounted; and in which said track and roller assemblies comprise a pair of elongate V-shaped tracks mounted upon one of said frame or housing with the bottom of the V extending toward the other, and in which said rollers comprise a pair associated with each of said tracks, each roller of a pair being mounted in engagement with a respectively associated arm of one V-shaped track and mounted to roll along its respectively associated arm when the track is moved relative to the roller in the direction of said axis about which said conduit for gas is rotatable.

Claim 4

An improved flame-cutting machine comprising in combination: a frame; a first assembly including a conduit for gas rotatable about an axis extending through said conduit at at least one point along its length, an inlet gas fitting interconnecting with and communicating with the conduit at said point and being rotatable relative to said conduit on said axis, and a gas torch mounted for rotation with said conduit and formed with a flow path communicating with said conduit; a second assembly comprising means for selectively translating said first assembly in the direction of said axis and including an elongate housing mounted for translational movement along said axis extending through said conduit and relative to said frame; and a third assembly including means for selectively rotating said first assembly in any translational position of said first assembly; said conduit comprising a tubular member extending along said axis through said housing, and said first assembly further comprising a second conduit mounted concentrically within said first conduit and on its axis, a second inlet gas fitting interconnecting with said second conduit and rotatable relative thereto on said axis, and said torch being formed with a second flow path communicating with said second conduit.

Claim 5

An improved flame-cutting machine comprising in combination: a frame; a first assembly including a conduit for gas rotatable about an axis extending through said conduit at at least one point along its length, an inlet gas fitting interconnecting with and communicating with the conduit at said point and being rotatable relative to said conduit on said axis, and a gas torch mounted for rotation with said conduit and formed with a flow path communicating with said conduit; a second assembly comprising means for selectively translating said first assembly in the direction of said axis and including an elongate housing mounted for translational movement along said axis extending through said conduit and relative to said frame; and a third assembly including means for selectively rotating said first assembly in any translational position of said first assembly; said conduit comprising a tubular member extending along said axis through said housing, and said first assembly further comprising a second conduit mounted concentrically within said first conduit and on its axis, a second inlet gas fitting interconnecting with said second conduit and rotatable relative thereto on said axis, and said torch being formed with a second flow path communicating with said second conduit.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 3, in which said third assembly comprises motor means carried by said housing for providing output motion capable of rotating said conduit and said second conduit, and means including a clutch for operatively connecting the output of said motor means with said conduit and said second conduit.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 4, in which said second inlet gas fitting interconnects with the second conduit at said axis and is rotatable relative to said conduits, said conduit first-mentioned extending through said second inlet fitting to connection with said inlet fitting first-mentioned and the inlet fitting first-mentioned and said second fitting being interconnected to preclude relative motion between them as an incident to rotational movement of said conduits.

Claim 8

For a flame cutting machine, a cutting torch and gas feed assembly comprising: first and second gas flow conduits concentrically mounted, one within the other, for rotation about their common axis, a torch formed with a pair of gas flow paths adapted to receive gas from said conduits, a pair of flexible conduits, each connecting one of the flow paths of said torch with one of said conduits at a corresponding end of said conduits, (and) a pair of inlet gas fittings, one having a swivel connection with said one conduit and the other having swivel connection with said other conduit at the other corresponding ends of said conduits, a frame, a means interposed between said frame and said assembly comprising a pair of track and roller structures permitting movement of said assembly on said frame and motive power means including a drivescrew and traveling nut thereon to so move said assembly.

Claim 9

For a flame cutting machine, a cutting torch and gas feed assembly comprising: first and second gas flow conduits concentrically mounted, one within the other, for rotation about their common axis, a torch formed with a pair of gas flow paths adapted to receive gas from said conduits, a pair of flexible conduits, each connecting one of the flow paths of said torch with one of said conduits at a corresponding end of said conduits, (and) a pair of inlet gas fittings, one having a swivel connection with said one conduit and the other having swivel connection with said other conduit at the other corresponding ends of said conduits, a frame, a means interposed between said frame and said assembly comprising a pair of track and roller structures permitting movement of said assembly on said frame and motive power means including a drivescrew and traveling nut thereon to so move said assembly.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 6 which further comprises an elongate housing containing said conduits and within which said conduits are rotatable, and motive power means selectively operable for rotating said conduits.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 7, in which said motive power means comprises an electrically energized motor, a pair of pulleys one driven by the motor and the other connected to said conduits, a belt interconnecting said pulleys, and clutch means for engaging and disengaging the connection between said drive motor and said belt.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 7 which further comprises a frame and means for translating said housing relative to said frame in the direction of said common axis of the conduits.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 9, in which said means for translating said housing relative to said frame further comprises a lead screw and traveling nut assembly, one of the lead screw and nut being connected to said housing and the other of said lead screw and nut assembly being connected to said frame.