U.S. patent application number 15/406877 was filed with the patent office on 2018-07-19 for tig welding finger shield.
The applicant listed for this patent is Griffin Heat Shield Co.. Invention is credited to Jeff Clark, Jan Cummins.
Application Number | 20180199642 15/406877 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62838231 |
Filed Date | 2018-07-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180199642 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Clark; Jeff ; et
al. |
July 19, 2018 |
TIG WELDING FINGER SHIELD
Abstract
Provided for herein is a TIG welding finger shield for a TIG
welding glove, comprising (1) a sheet of flexible woven fiberglass
material having a first end formed into a pocket to enclose a
finger of a TIG welding glove, the sheet having a second end
constructed to extend along a side of the TIG welding glove with
flame resistant tabs attached to each edge of the second end; and
(2) an elastic strap attached to and extending between the flame
resistant tabs, the elastic strap and flame resistant tabs
configured to wrap around the TIG welding glove to secure the TIG
welding finger shield over the finger of the TIG welding glove.
Inventors: |
Clark; Jeff; (Honey Grove,
TX) ; Cummins; Jan; (Honey Grove, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Griffin Heat Shield Co. |
Honey Grove |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
62838231 |
Appl. No.: |
15/406877 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 2600/202 20130101;
A41D 19/01529 20130101; A41D 13/087 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41D 13/08 20060101
A41D013/08; A41D 19/015 20060101 A41D019/015 |
Claims
1. A TIG welding finger shield for a TIG welding glove, comprising:
a sheet of flexible woven fiberglass material having a first end
formed into a pocket to enclose a finger of said TIG welding glove,
said sheet having a second end constructed to extend along a side
of said TIG welding glove with flame resistant tabs attached to
each edge of said second end; and an elastic strap attached to and
extending between said flame resistant tabs, said elastic strap and
flame resistant tabs configured to wrap around said TIG welding
glove to secure said TIG welding finger shield over said finger of
said TIG welding glove.
2. The TIG welding finger shield as recited in claim 1 further
including said woven fiberglass material having an aluminized Mylar
coating bonded thereto.
3. The TIG welding finger shield as recited in claim 2 wherein said
aluminized Mylar coating has a thickness of about one thousandth of
an inch.
4. The TIG welding finger shield as recited in claim 1 wherein said
flame resistant tabs are leather.
5. The TIG welding finger shield as recited in claim 1 wherein said
elastic strap is riveted to said flame resistant tabs.
6. The TIG welding finger shield as recited in claim 1 wherein said
flame resistant tabs are sewed to each edge of said second end.
7. The TIG welding finger shield as recited in claim 1 further
including a second layer of flexible woven fiberglass material
fastened to said sheet of flexible woven fiberglass material.
8. A method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield for a TIG
welding glove, comprising: forming a first end of a sheet of woven
fiberglass material into a pocket to enclose a finger of said TIG
welding glove, said sheet having a second end constructed to extend
along a side of said TIG welding glove with flame resistant tabs
attached to each edge of said second end; and attaching an elastic
strap to and extending between said flame resistant tabs, said
elastic strap and flame resistant tabs configured to wrap around
said TIG welding glove to secure said TIG welding finger shield
over said finger of said TIG welding glove.
9. The method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield as
recited in claim 8 further including bonding an aluminized Mylar
coating to said woven fiberglass material.
10. The method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield as
recited in claim 9 wherein said aluminized Mylar coating has a
thickness of about one thousandth of an inch.
11. The method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield as
recited in claim 8 wherein said flame resistant tabs are
leather.
12. The method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield as
recited in claim 8 further including riveting said elastic strap to
said flame resistant tabs.
13. The method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield as
recited in claim 8 further including sewing said flame resistant
tabs to each edge of said second end.
14. The method of manufacturing a TIG welding finger shield as
recited in claim 8 further including attaching a second layer of
flexible woven fiberglass material to said sheet of flexible woven
fiberglass material.
15. A method of using a TIG welding finger shield for a TIG welding
glove, comprising: locating a TIG welding finger shield over a
finger of said TIG welding glove, said TIG welding finger shield
consisting of; a sheet of flexible woven fiberglass material having
a first end formed into a pocket to enclose said finger of said TIG
welding glove, said sheet having a second end constructed to extend
along a side of said TIG welding glove with flame resistant tabs
attached to each edge of said second end; and attaching an elastic
strap to and extending between said flame resistant tabs, said
elastic strap and flame resistant taps configured to wrap around
said TIG welding glove to secure said TIG welding finger shield
over said finger of said TIG welding glove.
16. The method of using a TIG welding finger shield as recited in
claim 15 further including said woven fiberglass material having an
aluminized Mylar coating bonded thereto.
17. The method of using a TIG welding finger shield as recited in
claim 16 wherein said aluminized Mylar coating has a thickness of
about one thousandth of an inch.
18. The method of using a TIG welding finger shield as recited in
claim 15 wherein said flame resistant tabs are leather.
19. The method of using a TIG welding finger shield as recited in
claim 15 wherein said elastic strap is riveted to said flame
resistant tabs.
20. The method of using a TIG welding finger shield as recited in
claim 15 wherein a second layer of flexible woven fiberglass
material is attached to said sheet of flexible woven fiberglass
material.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This application is directed, in general, to a TIG welding
finger shield and, more specifically, to a shield to cover and
protect a welder's glove finger from heat while TIG welding.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The American Welding Society's term for arc welding wherein
a non-consumable tungsten electrode is utilized to produce a weld
in an area protected from atmospheric contamination by an inert
shielding gas is gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). The process is
more generally known in the trade as tungsten inert gas, or TIG,
welding. Hereinafter, the term "TIG" shall be used.
[0003] TIG welding is primarily a manual, hand-held welding method
that is comparatively more complex and difficult than competing
processes. In most cases TIG welding requires two hands since the
welder will be manipulating a filler metal rod with one hand while
the other hand is manipulating a welding torch. Manual coordination
is required to manually feed filler metal from the filler rod into
the weld area with one hand while the other is manipulating the
welding torch to maintain proper angle and arc length. For this
reason, TIG welding is significantly slower than most other welding
techniques. Properly done, TIG welding results in strong high
quality welds, particularly when welding stainless steel and
non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and copper
alloys.
[0004] Protective clothing is important to a TIG welder because, in
addition to the heat generated, the TIG welding process subjects
the welder to intense light and strong ultraviolet light. As with
other welding techniques, the TIG welder wears heavy flame
resistant gloves as protection against the heat and UV light.
However, the manual dexterity required of a TIG welder calls for
gloves that are more flexible than that required for other welding
processes. This is because the welder must maintain a sense of
touch or feel for his tools and his work piece. For this reason,
TIG welding gloves are usually leather and are frequently made of
the most flexible skin available, such as kidskin or deerskin, and
are, as a rule, more expensive than welding gloves used in other
processes.
[0005] In order to maintain the proper welding torch position, the
TIG welder will generally support one or both hands by resting on
or propping against some object while welding. Generally either the
index or little finger is used as a prop against the object, which,
in many cases, is the work piece itself. This, of course, increases
the potential for heat transfer from the work piece to the welding
glove. Because the TIG welding glove is generally thinner than
welding gloves used in other welding processes, the heat generated
will feel more intense, even if the process itself is conducted at
a lower temperature than other processes.
[0006] Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a protective
shield that can be placed over the index or little finger of the
TIG welding glove in order to provide better heat protection and
increase the useful life of the TIG welding gloves.
SUMMARY
[0007] One aspect provides a TIG welding finger shield for a TIG
welding glove, comprising (1) a sheet of flexible woven fiberglass
material having a first end formed into a pocket to enclose a
finger of a TIG welding glove, the sheet having a second end
constructed to extend along a side of the TIG welding glove with
flame resistant tabs attached to each edge of the second end; and
(2) an elastic strap attached to and extending between the flame
resistant tabs, the elastic strap and flame resistant tabs
configured to wrap around the TIG welding glove and secure the TIG
welding finger shield over the finger of the TIG welding glove.
Another aspect provides for a method of manufacturing a TIG welding
finger shield for a TIG welding glove. Still another aspect
provides for a method of using a TIG welding finger shield for a
TIG welding glove.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0008] Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a planar view of a TIG welding finger shield for a
welding glove constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a planar view of a welding glove with a TIG
welding finger shield covering the welding glove index finger;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a planar view of a welding glove with a TIG
welding finger shield covering the welding glove little finger;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a planar isometric view of a welder's gloved hand
propped on a work piece while holding a filler metal rod; and
[0013] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method of manufacturing a TIG
welding finger shield.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Turning initially to FIG. 1, illustrated is a planar view of
a TIG welding finger shield 100 that is constructed in accordance
with the present invention. For purposes of clarity of description,
FIG. 1 will be described in conjunction with FIG. 2, which
illustrates a planar view of a welding glove 200 with a TIG welding
finger shield 100 covering the welding glove 200 index finger
210.
[0015] Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a sheet 110 of flexible woven
fiberglass material with a first end 120 formed into a pocket 125
to enclose a finger of a TIG welding glove 200, as shown in the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2. A second end 130 of the sheet 110
is constructed to extend along a side 220 of the TIG welding glove
200. Flame resistant tabs 140 are attached to each edge 135 of the
second end 130. Attached to and extending between the flame
resistant tabs 140 is an elastic strap 150. The elastic strap 150
is generally made from synthetic materials that melt from excessive
heat. The flame resistant tabs 140 protect the elastic strap 150
from melting by reducing heat transfer. The elastic strap 150 and
flame resistant tabs 140 are configured to wrap around the TIG
welding glove 200 to secure the TIG welding finger shield 100 over
a finger 210 of the TIG welding glove 200, in this case the index
finger 210.
[0016] In the illustrated embodiment, the sheet 110 of flexible
woven fiberglass material has an aluminized Mylar coating 160
bonded thereto. Generally, the aluminized Mylar coating 160 will
have a thickness of about one thousandth of an inch. In the
illustrated embodiment the flame resistant tabs 140 are leather,
although other materials may be used in other embodiments.
[0017] In the embodiment illustrated, the flame resistant tabs 140
are attached by sewing the tabs 140 to each edge 135 of the second
end 130. This embodiment also shows the elastic strap 150 fastened
to the flame resistant tabs 140 by rivets 170. Those skilled in the
pertinent art will understand that other fastening means may be
used and still be within the scope of the intended invention.
[0018] In one embodiment of the invention, a second layer 180 of
flexible woven fiberglass material is fastened to the sheet 110 of
flexible woven fiberglass material. This is designed to increase
the protective features of the TIG welding finger shield 100 as
well as extend its useful life.
[0019] Turning to FIG. 3, illustrated is a planar view of a welding
glove 200 with a TIG welding finger shield 100 covering the little
finger 310 of the welding glove 200. Turning now to FIG. 4,
illustrated is planar isometric view of a welder's gloved hand 400
holding a filler metal rod 410 where the welder is using a work
piece 420 to prop or support the hand 400 against while working on
a weld 430. The other hand holding the welding torch is not shown
but may also be propped against an object, which may also be the
work piece 420. As illustrated, the TIG welding finger shield 100
is on the little finger 210 of the welding glove 200. This permits
the welder to prop against the work piece 420 while sliding the
gloved hand 400 along the weld 430 on the work piece 420, while
feeding filler metal from the filler metal rod 410 into the weld
430.
[0020] Turning now to FIG. 5, illustrated is a flow chart showing
one embodiment of a method of manufacturing 500 a TIG welding
finger shield 100 for a TIG welding glove 200. The method 500
commences with a start step 510. In a form pocket step 520, a first
end of a sheet of woven fiberglass material is formed into a pocket
to enclose a finger of a TIG welding glove. In one embodiment the
sheet of woven fiberglass material has a layer of aluminized Mylar
coating bonded to it. The aluminized Mylar coating has a thickness
of about one thousandth of an inch. In an attach tabs step 530,
flame resistant tabs are attached to each edge of the sheet on the
sheets second end that extends along a side of the TIG welding
glove. In one embodiment the flame resistant tabs are leather. In
another, the flame resistant tabs are sewn onto the edges of the
sheet.
[0021] In an attach elastic strap step 540, each end of an elastic
strap is attached to the flame resistant tab, so that the flame
resistant tabs and elastic strap wrap around the TIG welding glove
and secure the TIG finger heat shield into position over a finger
of the TIG welding glove. In one embodiment, the elastic strap is
riveted to the flame resistant tabs. The method concludes with an
end step 550.
[0022] Those skilled in the art to which this application relates
will appreciate that other and further additions, deletions,
substitutions and modifications may be made to the described
embodiments.
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