US 12,318,856 B2
Telescoping torch
Auston Maynard, East Thetford, VT (US); Michael Nadler, Wilmot, NH (US); and Douglas Smith, Florence, SC (US)
Assigned to THE ESAB GROUP INC., North Bethesda, MD (US)
Filed by The ESAB Group Inc., Annapolis Junction, MD (US)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/665,697.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/147,874, filed on Feb. 10, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0250184 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 10/00 (2006.01); H05H 1/34 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 10/00 (2013.01) [H05H 1/34 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plasma arc torch, comprising:
a first torch housing portion;
a second torch housing portion slidably coupled to the first torch housing portion, wherein the second torch housing portion is configured to slide along a longitudinal direction of the plasma arc torch to adjust a length of the plasma arc torch, the second torch housing portion being slidable between a first position in which the second torch housing portion and the first torch housing portion span a first length and a second position in which the second torch housing portion longitudinally extends from the first torch housing portion so that the second torch housing portion and the first torch housing portion span a second length greater than the first length;
an electrical connection for plasma cutting power comprising a first tube fixed to the second torch housing portion and a second tube disposed within the first torch housing portion, the first tube and the second tube being nested within one another and being configured to slide along one another such that the first tube extends further beyond the second tube when the second torch housing portion is in the second position than when the second torch housing portion is in the first position, so that the electrical connection is configured to slidably extend or slidably collapse as the second torch housing portion moves between the first position and the second position to deliver the plasma cutting power regardless of the length of the plasma arc torch; and
a pilot electrical connection configured to provide a pilot connection regardless of the length of the plasma arc torch, the pilot electrical connection being provided separately from the first tube and the second tube.