Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKG~OUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tubing clamping ap-
paratus such as is employed to connect a welding torch
or the like with pressure regulator, the hose carrying
oxygen or fuel gas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has seen a wide variety of dif-
ferent types of clamping apparatus for clamping the hoses
onto regulators for oxygen and fuel, such as acetylene;
torches; and the like. In what is generally conceded to
be the best method of the prior art, metal bands are crimped
into place about the hose to hold them on serrated hose barbs.
This involves careful placement of each metal band and pain-
staking care in crimping the metal band and to exert exactlythe force to hold the hose in place against the serrated barb.
Thus, a wide variety of different clamps, and metal bands had to be
stocked and used carefully; otherwise the seal was not ef-
fective completely around the hose. ~oreover, it is fre-
quently desirable in the minature type torches to employSiamese-type hoses for unitary traversal intermediate the
torch and the source of fuel and oxygen, such as the reg-
ulators on the high pressure bottles. Interconnecting these
hoses with the torch and with their respective regula-tors
proved a problem with the prior art type crimping, or the other
approaches used in the ?rior art. ~lso, frequently the
fabric covering raveled when the metal bands were employed.
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SU~RY OF THE II~ENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention
to provide a tubing clamping apparatus that obviates the
disadvantages of requiring the clamping and crimping of
metal bands in place by clamping apparatus; yet effect a
; complete sealing engagement of the tubing, or hose, with
the hose barb.
It is another object of this invention to ac-
complish the foregoing ob~ject and facilitate assembly
even by unskilled workmen, alleviating problems with
raveling of the fabric around hoses and the like.
These and other objects will become apparent
from the following descriptive matterj particularly when
taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.
In accordance with this invention there is pro-
vided an improvement in a tubing clamping apparatus in
which a hose carrying a fluid is to be connected in fluid
tight relationship with an appliance such as a welding torch,
pressure regulator, or the like. The improvement comprises:
a. a hose barb sealingly connected at one
end with the appliance and having an outwardly
extending free end that has an enlarged inverted
frusto-conical section at the end for inserting
the hose thereover and retaining it in place;
b. the hose having an end that is inserted
over the hose barb;
c. thermoplastic clamping means or clamping
the hose and disposed about the hose and encompas-
sing the hose between the clamping means and the
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hose barb to hold the hose sealingly and frict-
` ionally in place;
d. retainer means for retaining the clamp-
ing means in clamping relationship with the hose
and the hose barb; the retaining means being
forced toward the appliance so as to apply a
radially inwardly biasing force on the clamping
means.
In the preferred emboidiment this invention
embodies two such tubing clamping apparatus, one fo~ each
end of the hose. Specifically, at the end of the hose next to
the regulator, there is provided a hose barb connected with
a sealing end for being held sealing onto the regulator.
At the other end, a pair of Siamese-type hoses may be
connected to the body of the torch by a thermoplastic
clamp that is compressed radially inwardly by a handle
that screws onto the body of the torch.
~` 1143278
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~IE DR~WINGS
Fig. 1 is a partial isometric view of one
embodiment of this invention employed on both ends of
a pair of Siamese-type hoses connected with a small
welding torch, such as employed by jewelers, dentists,
electronic technicians and hobbyists.
Fig. 2 îs a partial isometric exploded view
of the embodiment of the invention interconnecting the
hoses with the body of the-torch.
Fig. 3 is a partial isometric exploded view
of an embodiment of the invention connecting the other
end of the hose to a sealing end for,being attached
to a pressure regulator or the like.
Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a sealing
end and hose barb in accordance with the embodiment of
Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in
' section of the hose barb for being connected with the
body of a torch in accordance with the embodiment of
Fig. 2.
Fig. 6a is an end view of a clamp in accordance
with the embodiment of the invention of Fig. 2.
Fig. 6b is a cross sectional view taken along
the line 6b-6b of Fig. 6a.
Fig. 7a is an end view of a clamp button in
accordance with the embodiment of Fig. 3.
Fig. 7b is a cross sectional view taken alon~
the line 7b-7b of Fig. 7a.
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Fig. 8a is an end view of the clamp sleeve
of the embodiment of Fig. 3.
Fig. 8b is a cross sectional view taken along
the line 8b-8b of Fig. 8a.
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED ~MBODIMENTS
.
P~eferring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a
torch assembly 11 com~rising the torch 13 and the hose
assembly 15. The torch 13 includes the major elements
and assemblies of the torch tip 17, elbGw assembly 19,
head, or body 21; and barrel, or handle, 23.
The hose assembly 15 includes the tubing
clamping apparatus 25 and 27 ~or affixing to a pres-
sure regulator or the like.
Referring to Fig. 2, the body 21 has a threaded
end 29 for matingly and threadedly receiving the handle
23. In addition, the body 21 has respective control knobs
31 and 33 for controlling the fuel and oxygen; as well as
the threaded and interconnected end and elbow nut 35 for
holding the elbow assembly 19 and the tip 17 at the de-
sired angle.
Referring to Fig. 2, the body 21 has sealingly
- connected thereto the hose barbs 37, 39. The hose barbs
may be affi~ed to the body by any of the conventional
methods: such as being screwed in place, bonded, c~emically or
thermally; shrink fit; welding; or silver soldering. As can be seen
more clearly in Fig. 5, the hose barbs, such as hose barb
39 has a smooth base 41 that is bonded into a mating pas-
sageway in the body 21. If both the body and hose barb are
of brass or the like, the bonding may be by a soldering
technique. On the other hand, in the small torches where
the heat requirements are not great, the bonding may be
with a thermosetting resin such as is a catalyzed noly-
114~;~78
epoxide resin.
The hose barb 39 has an enlarged portion 43, Fig.5,that serves to limit its travel into the passageway in
the base 21 as well as limit the travel of the hose onto
the hose barb from the other side. The hose barb 3g has
an enlarged inverted frusto-conical section 45 to facil-
itate insertion of a hose thereover and to serve to
grip the hose to retain it in place when the hose is
compressed thereagainst. By inverted frusto-conical
section is meant that the smaller portion of the frustum
is directed outwardly so as to be the first to receive
the hose and facilitate the insertion of the hose there-
over.
The respective hose barbs are formed of any
material that will withstand the heat, that can be af-
fixed by the method employed and that has adequate
structural strength to resist breaking from the forces
exerted by the hose and the welder during use.
As illustrated, there are two hose barbs for
the respective fuel and oxygen passageways so as to hold
in place the respective hoses when they are clamped by
clamping means.
The clamping means 47, Figs. 2 and 6a-6b, com-
prises a thermoplastic clamp that has two apertures 49,
51 penetrating longitudinally therethrough for receiving
the hoses. The clamp 47 has a split skirt 53 in which
the split 55 is designed to close substantially completely
when the clamp is compressed about the hoses on the hose
barbs 37, 39. Each of the apertures has an interiorly
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protruding shoulder comprising ring segments 57, 59, Figs. 6a,
6b, that are moved radially inwardly to compress the hose onto
the hose barb.
The clamp 47 may be formed of any thermoplastic
material having the requisite modulus in compression to
compressingly and sealingly hold the hoses in place on
the hose barbs. As illustrated, polypropylene that has
been molded is employed. If desired other suitable mat-
erial such as Delrin, Nylon, Orlon, rigidified polyethyl-
ene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS)or other such thermoplastic materials can be employed.
In any event, the clamp 47 must be able to clamp in place
on the hose barbs the respective hoses making up the
hose assembly 15.
The hose assembly 15 comprises respective hoses
63, 65, which may be color coded; for example, green for
oxygen and red for fuel gas. The hoses are the conven-
tional hoses employed and include a rubber tubing 67 on
the interior and a fabric covering 69 on the exterior. The
term "rubber tubing" is employed to mean any of the types
of tubing such as tubing formed of ~leoprene, polyethylene,
or the like, regardless of whether it is truly rubber. The
fabric covering may be any of the usual high strength fibers
that are woven into suitable covering for the tubing.
One of the difficulties of the prior art has been raveling
o~ this fabric covering. As illustrated, the tubing
63 and 65 are formed together in a Siamese-type hose
and held thusly by a band 71, Fig. 1.
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The hoses are inserted through the apertures 4g, 51 of
the clamp 47 and over the frusto conical sections 45 of
the respective hose barbs 37, 39. Thereafter, the clamp
47 is slid into place to hold the tubing when it is
clamped by the handle 23.
The handle 23 has an interiorly threaded section
73 that matingly engages the threaded end 29 to pull
forwardly and compress the split skirt radially inwardly
to clamp the hoses in place. ~he handle 23 may be
formed of any of the conventional materials having
adequate strength, such as metals like aluminum, steel
or plastic materials such as the ABS plastic, polypropyl-
ene, or the like.
At the other end of the tubing assembly 15, the
respective hoses 63, 65 are connected onto respective seal-
ing ends 75, Figs. 3 and 4. The sealing ends 75 are connect-
able with the conventional sealing seat by way of threaded
nuts 77, 79 of the tubing clamping apparatus 25, 27, Figs.
1 and 3. As can be seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the sealing end
75 has a resilient seal such as o-ring 81 for sealing
against the seat in the regulator. The sealing end 75, in-
cluding the o-ring 81 as well as the seating seat in the
regulator, are conventional and need not be described in
great detall herein. As noted hereinbefore, the hose barb
83 is sealingly connected with the sealing end 75. The hose
barb may be formed integrally with the sealing end or may
be screwed into a passageway penetrating through the sealing
end similarly as described hereinbefore with respect to the
passageway in the body 21, Fig. 2. As illustrated in Fig.
3~ 4, the hose barb and sealing end are integrally formed ~o-
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1143'~ 8
gether. As described hereinbefore, the hose barb has an
enlarged portion 85, similar to the enlarged portion 43
of the hose barb of Fig. 5, to limit the travel of the
hose onto the hose barb. The hose barb 83, similarly,
has an enlarged, inverted frusto conical section 87 to
facilitate the insertion of the hose thereover and to
augment with the enlarged inner end the frictional force
with which the hose is clamped in place. By the term en-
larged in both the frusto conical sections, is meant that
it has a larger diameter than the e]ongate portion of the
hose barb so as to afford a physical shoulder against
which to clamp the hose when the respective clamping means
are moved radially inward to clamp in position the hose.
The clamping means for this end of the hose is
illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7a-7b ~y the clamp button 89.
The clamp button 89 has a split skirt gl. The split skirt
91 is split in three equal segments by the splits 93. This
is in contradistinction to the split skirt 53 which had two
splits on each side of each of the apertures 49, 51. The
clamp button 89 has a single aperture 95 penetrating longi-
tudinally therethrough for receiving a single hose. The
respective splits 93 are designed to be closed when the
skirt segments 91 are compressed radially interiorly to
clamp the hose about the hose barb 83. ~ach of the segments
of the split skirt has a radially interiorly protruding
shoulder formed hy the ring segments 45 that serve to clamp
the hose longitudinally interiorly and onto the frusto
conical section 87.
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~143Z'~8
The clamp button S9 is formed of thermoplastic
material such as polypropylene or other suitable thermo-
plastics. Other suitable thermoplastics include Nylon,
Delrin, Orlon, rigidified polyethylene or the ABS copolymer.
It is imperative, however, that the clamp button have suf-
ficient modulus of compressibility to apply the requisite
holding force on the hose when compressed into position by
the ring 97 serving as the retainer means for retaining
the compression means in clamping relationshin with the
hose.
The retainer ring 97, ~igs. 1, 3 and 8a and 8b,
is formed of a material having a sufficiently high modulus
in tension and compression that it can be ~ushed longitudinally
of the clamp button sufficiently to compress the ring segments
95 radially interiorly to clamp the hose onto the hose
barb. As illustrated, the ring 97 is formed of a metal such
as aluminum, stainless steel, brass, or the like. If a suf-
ficiently high modulus of strength in tension is obtainable
from thermoplastic materials, the thermoplastic materials
can be employed, but there is a danger of cold flow of
the plastic materials when employed in this retainer means.
In operation, the respective hose barbs 37, 39
and 83 are affixed, respectively to the body 21 and to res-
pective sealing end 75. Thereafter, the hoses are inserted
through the respective clamping means; the clamp 47
at the torch and the clamp buttons 89 adjacent the reg~llator
connection. The hoses are thereafter inserted over the in-
verted frusto conical sections ~5 and 87 of the hose barbs
and the respective clamping means pushed longitudinally of
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1~L3~8
the hoses into position such that the respective rings 57,
59 and 95 will clamp the hoses onto the respective hose
barbs when the retainer means are emplaced. ~hereafter,
the handle 23 is screwed onto the threaded section 29 to
move it longitudinally of and compress radially interiorly
the split skirt of the clamp 47. This causes the shoulders
57, 59 to clampingly engage the exterior of the hose 63, 65
and force the hose against the hose barbs 37, 39 longitudi-
nally interiorly of the inverted frusto conical enlarged
section 45. Thus the hose is held in place with a force
that is sufficiently great to prevent its being pulled from
the hose barbs. In like manner, the respective hose ends
adjacent the regulator are inserted over the hose barbs
through the clamp buttons 89 and the rings 97 are moved
longitudinally into position. The rings 97 can be moved
by any means, but movement is made easy with special pliers
or the like. This forces the ring segments 95 radially
interiorly to clamp the respective hoses 63, 65 over
the respective hose barbs longitudinally interiorly of the
inverted frusto conical enlarged section 87. Sufficient force
is again maintained to prevent the hoses from being pulled
longitudinally off the hose barbs.
Of course, the respective threaded nuts 77, 79
will have been emplaced over the shoulder of the sealing
end 75 to pull it into position on the regulator or the
like. Thus the hose may be readily attached by a relatively
unskilled workman without caus;ng frazzling, or raveling,
of the exterior covering and prevents the fraying of
1~3;2'78
either the covering or the interior t~lbing while holding
it in place.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the respective
elements of the brief description of the invention are
shown by the respective embodiments at each ends of the
hoses. Preferably, both of the tubing clamping ap~aratuses
are employed at both ends of the hoses to facilitate assem-
bly of a complete torch and hose assembly.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that this
invention effect the objects delineated hereinbeEore.
Although the invention has been described with
a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that
the present disclosure is made only by way of example and
that numerous changes in the details of construction and
the combination and arrangement of ~arts may be resorted
to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the
invention; reference being had to the appended claims for
the latter purpose.
