Welding finger cot and hand guard

Abstract

The welding finger cot is formed from a single sleeve of a fire retardant material. The sleeve is of a predetermined length and diameter. By folding and inverting the ends of the sleeve in a specific manner, a finger receiving portion and an adjustable tail portion are formed. The user inserts a gloved finger into the finger receiving portion, and then pulls on the adjustable tail portion so as to adjust the same to a desired length. The finger cot with extended adjustable tail portion allows the user to rest or stabilize their hand on a hot surface during a welding operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A welding finger cot comprising:
 a finger receiving portion and an tail portion extending from said finger receiving portion;   wherein a user inserts a gloved finger into the finger receiving portion and pulls the tail portion to a desired length, said finger cot being positioned between the user's gloved finger and a high heat area or surface.   
     
     
         2 . The welding finger cot according to  claim 1 , wherein said finger receiving portion and said tail portion are formed from a single sleeve structure folded into itself to form said portions. 
     
     
         3 . The welding finger cot according to  claim 1 , wherein said tail portion is positioned between the user's hand and a hot surface such that the user can place their gloved hand with the tail portion on the hot surface during a welding operation. 
     
     
         4 . The welding finger cot according to  claim 2 , wherein the single sleeve structure has an overall length, prior to assembly, in a range of 10 cm-94 cm and an inner circumference in a range of 6 cm-25 cm. 
     
     
         5 . The welding finger cot according to  claim 1 , wherein the high heat area can be generated by an arc weld in an arc welding operation, and the finger portion of said finger cot operates to protect the users hand from the high heat generated by such arc welding operation. 
     
     
         6 . The welding finger cot according to  claim 1 , wherein the finger receiving portion and the tail portion are formed a sleeve having a first end, a second end and a central portion;
 wherein
 the second end is folded into itself one or more times to create a first rounded end; 
 the first end is folded over onto itself one or more times to create a second rounded end; and 
 the folded over first end is again folded over onto itself into the central region to form said finger receiving portion with a remaining portion of said sleeve and said second end forming said tail portion 
   
     
     
         7 . A welding finger cot comprising:
 a sleeve having a first end, a second end and a central portion;   wherein
 the second end is folded into itself one or more times to create a first rounded end; 
 the first end is folded over onto itself one or more times to create a second rounded end; and 
 the folded over first end is again folded over onto itself into the central region to form a finger receiving portion with a remaining portion of said sleeve and said second end forming an adjustable tail portion. 
   
     
     
         8 . The welding finger cot according to  claim 7 , wherein once the finger receiving portion is placed on a user's gloved finger, said adjustable tail portion is pulled to a desired length. 
     
     
         9 . A method for creating a welding finger cot comprising:
 providing a sleeve having a first end, a second end and a central portion;
 folding the second end into itself one or more times to create a first rounded end; 
 folding the first end over onto itself one or more times to create a second rounded end; and 
 folding the folded over first end onto itself into the central region to form a finger receiving portion with a remaining portion of said sleeve and said second end forming an adjustable tail portion. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising
 inserting a gloved finger of a user into the finger receiving portion; and   pulling on the adjustable tail portion to adjust a length of the same to a desired length.