[TheForge] OT A good idea that took a long time to arrive

[Kathy]

Frosty,
I never tried until Google started offering the service free. On the one hand,
you get a lot of background information for an idea you're toying with very
quickly with them, but they also tend to put a crimp in the imagination, just
like any well worn path. I looked up carbon-arc torches and was really amazed at
the lack of truly independent thought in the patents. After a week studying them
on Google, I got better input from one casual remark made by Dan Brewer on the
way home from a casting party than anything the patents showed. For instance:
 
(1) Not one design ever gave serious consideration to ergonomics.

(2) No design ever took into account the fact that very small carbon rods have
been available as far back as 1950; back then you could get 3/32" diameters,
although 1/8" is the smallest scarfing rod sold today.

(3) Not a single design ever contemplated combining the processes of joining and
scarfing in the same torch.

(4) And so naturally no inventor ever considered designing in the ability to
push inert gas for welding through the same openings as are used for compressed
air scarfing.

I have heard a lot of people say that welding with a twin carbon-arc is pretty
much of an exercise in futility, but then so would driving interstate in a
Stanly Steamer be. Kind of makes you wonder doesn't it?
Mikey

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
On Behalf Of Jerry Frost
Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 12:19 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] OT A good idea that took a long time to arrive

Pretty cool. It's easy to see why it didn't take 
though, way too slow.

It's fun surfing the patent servers isn't it?

Frosty
-------------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

http://www.artmetalradio.com/

From: "Kathy" <keporter at comcast.net>


>
> Frosty,
> You at least should get a kick out of this. Normally 
> I don't indulge in trips
> down memory lane, but this is pretty interesting. How 
> far back would you expect
> to find the first auto-darkening welding hood? How 
> about World War Two?
> Mikey
>
> http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT2423320&id=rK1TAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP1#PPP1,M1
>

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