Argon purity tester

Claim 1

An inert gas purity tester comprising a housing, said housing including a transparent member open at one end thereof and a base plate removably sealing said open end of said transparent member; means located within said housing for passing a current therethrough, said current passing means including a pair of conductive elements and a thin wire filament electrically connected therebetween and wherein one of said conductive elements is grounded; means operably connected to said housing for passing said inert gas through said housing at a preselected flow rate; and means operably connected to the other of said conductive elements for providing sufficient current to pass through said thin wire element in order to cause said thin wire filament to glow white, said current providing means including an electrical power source having means for controlling the power output therefrom, means for removably connecting said power source to said other conductive element, and means connected to said power source for turning said power source to its fully on position whereby the presence of an impurity within said inert gas passing through said housing causes smoke to appear adjacent said thin wire filament thereby indicating the existance of said impurity within said inert gas.

Claim 8

A method of testing an inert gas for an impurity within said gas prior to commencing with a welding procedure within said inert gas comprising the following steps: (a) connecting an inert gas source to a transparent housing of a purity tester containing a thin wire filament capable of having current pass therethrough; (b) connecting a power source used for said welding procedure to said thin wire filament; (c) adjusting said purity tester prior to passing said inert gas therethrough by turning said power source to its fully on position while simultaneously increasing the power output therefrom in order to adjust the amount of current passing through said thin wire filament until said thin wire filament glows white when said power is in its fully on position; and (d) passing said inert gas through said housing of said purity tester in order to detect a trace of smoke adjaent said filament thereby establishing the presence of said impurity within said inert gas.

Claim 9

A method of testing an inert gas for an impurity within said gas prior to commencing with a welding procedure within said inert gas comprising the following steps: (a) connecting an inert gas source to a transparent housing of a purity tester containing a thin wire filament capable of having current pass therethrough; (b) connecting a power source used for said welding procedure to said thin wire filament; (c) adjusting said purity tester prior to passing said inert gas therethrough by turning said power source to its fully on position while simultaneously increasing the power output therefrom in order to adjust the amount of current passing through said thin wire filament until said thin wire filament glows white when said power is in its fully on position; and (d) passing said inert gas through said housing of said purity tester in order to detect a trace of smoke adjaent said filament thereby establishing the presence of said impurity within said inert gas.