Seth Stewart is bringing something new to the table with his recent patent of the Torch Chariot, which is a system for safely transporting the bottled gas needed for torch cutting. The customizable carts are made in Owensboro, something Stewart is proud of.
“We made a few to help us out in our contracting business,” Stewart said. “We got slow in the shop and we wanted to come up with something to do. Customers saw us using them and would want them, and the next thing we know we had the idea for Torch Chariot.”
According to their website, “The Torch Chariot is the intelligent solution to bottle transportation and storage logistics for welders, manufacturers, and others who require safe and reliable bottled gas transport.”
Benefits of the transportation system include no more loading, transporting and unloading gas canisters for welding and other functions at a worksite. The three different models have creative names including The Ben-Hur, The Battle Taxi and the War Wagon.
“You’re not laying it down in the bed of a truck which is illegal,” Stewart said. “Our product stands up so it doesn’t settle. The bottles are always supposed to be stood up, and this is a great way to do that. A burn wall separates the two tanks and the wall keeps the other side from exploding.”
Stewart had to get a patent on it so no one else could make them.
“That took a couple months,” he said. “It was much more than a dotted line to sign off on, Because it’s going down the highway, they flew someone out here from Minnesota to inspect it. We had to make it to OSHA standards; there were a lot of steps to getting everyone on the same page for it.”
While the official launch will take place within the next few months, Stewart said everything is almost ready to go, down to the owner’s manual.
“We were shooting for mid-year,” he said. “We still have serial numbers to put on to track who we sell them to. We ended up getting busy in the shop which slowed us down a bit.”
More information can be found at torchchariot.com. Custom orders such as paint colors, additional bottle storage, or optional add-ons are available.
“It’s my creation. To have a U.S. patent is something I am excited about. We do everything right here in our shop,” Stewart said. “I am hoping there’s other people who like them as much as I do.”
