Screw air compressor for a welder

Abstract

A portable and fully integrated welder and compressor combination includes a housing having an engine, electrical current generating alternator, and a belt-driven screw air compressor. The engine is configured to drive the generator directly, and a pulley arrangement is provided on the engine to drive the belt-driven screw air compressor.

1 . A welder and compressor combination comprising: 
 an engine;    a generator operably connected to the engine and constructed to generate a welding-type power; and    a rotary air compressor driven by the engine.    
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1  further comprising a housing positionable about at least a portion of at least one of the generator, the rotary air compressor, and the engine.  
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 2  wherein the housing further comprises a first section attached about the combination and a second section movable relative to the first section and constructed to allow access to a component of the combination positioned at least partially therebehind.  
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein the component is at least one of the rotary air compressor, an oil separator tank connected to the rotary air compressor, a filter fluidly connected to at least one of the engine and the rotary air compressor, and an oil filter fluidly connected to at least one of the engine and the rotary air compressor.  
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 1  further comprising a control constructed to allow selective operation of the rotary air compressor.  
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 5  wherein the control is further defined as at least one of a clutch disposed between the rotary air compressor and the engine, an on/off switch controllable by a user, and a valve constructed to control the flow of air in the rotary air compressor.  
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein the rotary air compressor is connected to a mounting bracket and mounted such that a rotatable shaft of the rotary air compressor extends in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of a crankshaft of the engine.  
   
   
       8 . An engine driven air compressor and generator combination comprising: 
 an engine;    an electrical generator connected to the engine and constructed to generate a power signal; and    a non-reciprocating air compressor driven by the engine.    
   
   
       9 . The engine driven air compressor and generator combination of  claim 8  wherein the non-reciprocating air compressor is further defined as at least one of a screw air compressor and a rotary air compressor.  
   
   
       10 . The engine driven air compressor and generator combination of  claim 8  further comprising an air filter, an oil filter, and an air/oil separator, each fluidly connected to the non-reciprocating air compressor.  
   
   
       11 . The engine driven air compressor and generator combination of  claim 10  wherein the air filter and the oil filter are connected to a generally non-pressurized side of the non-reciprocating air compressor and the air/oil separator is connected to a pressurized side of the non-reciprocating air compressor.  
   
   
       12 . The engine driven air compressor and generator combination of  claim 10  further comprising a coalescing filter having a first fluid path with the non-reciprocating air compressor on a downstream side of the air/oil separator and a second fluid path with the non-reciprocating air compressor having a particle filter therebetween, the second fluid path constructed to allow oil to flow from the coalescing filter to the non-reciprocating air compressor.  
   
   
       13 . The engine driven air compressor and generator combination of  claim 10  wherein the oil filter is fluidly connected to an oil collection side of the air/oil separator.  
   
   
       14 . The engine driven air compressor and generator combination of  claim 10  further comprising an oil cooler fluidly connected between the air/oil separator and the oil filter.  
   
   
       15 . A welding and air compression system comprising: 
 an engine;    a generator constructed to be driven by the engine and generate weld-capable power;    a housing positioned about at least one of a portion of the engine and a portion of the generator;    an air compressor constructed to be selectively driven by the engine;    a first and a second filter fluidly connected to the air compressor; and    a door connected to the housing and constructed to at least gain access to the air compressor and the first and second filters when opened.    
   
   
       16 . The welding and air compression system of  claim 15  further comprising a compressing screw rotatably mounted within the air compressor.  
   
   
       17 . The welding and air compression system of  claim 15  further comprising a fluid separator constructed to separate air and oil in the flow of compressed material from the air compressor.  
   
   
       18 . The welding and air compression system of  claim 15  further comprising an oil cooler fluidly connected to the air compressor.  
   
   
       19 . The welding and air compression system of  claim 15  wherein the first filter is further defined as an air intake filter and the second filter is further defined as an oil intake filter.  
   
   
       20 . The welding and air compression system of  claim 18  further comprising another oil intake filter constructed to filter oil recollected from a compressed air stream.  
   
   
       21 . The welding and air compression system of  claim 18  further comprising a control constructed to allow selective operation of the air compressor, the control being further defined as at least one of an operator switch, a clutch disposed between the air compressor and the engine, a temperature switch constructed to monitor an air compressor oil temperature, and a pressure switch constructed to monitor pressure generated by the air compressor during operation thereof.