Patents by Inventor Steven J. Hayes

Steven J. Hayes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11904419
    Abstract: A gas metal arc welding system for a robotic arm includes a j-arm, a power block, and a bolt. The j-arm has a first end and a second end each having a through hole. The power block has a first opening defining a first passageway along a longitudinal axis and a second opening defining a second passageway substantially along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The bolt has a threaded portion configured to extend through the first opening of the j-arm and into the second passageway of the power block, wherein the bolt retains the j-arm to the power block. The threaded portion of the bolt comprises an internal passageway that extends through a longitudinal axis of the bolt, wherein the internal passageway of the bolt and the first and second passageways of the power block are in fluid communication with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: ELCo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20230256533
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a chamber between the diffuser sleeve and the insert which allows for cooling the insert and for controlling the flow of gas through the end assembly. Some of the components of the end assembly such as the contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by a diffuser sleeve constructed of a dissimilar material. The end assembly provides better conductivity of the current through the end assembly for use of less energy during welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 11642738
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a chamber between the diffuser sleeve and the insert which allows for cooling the insert and for controlling the flow of gas through the end assembly. Some of the components of the end assembly such as the contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by a diffuser sleeve constructed of a dissimilar material. The end assembly provides better conductivity of the current through the end assembly for use of less energy during welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ELCo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L Cooper, Steven J Hayes
  • Publication number: 20220402063
    Abstract: An orientation and guide mechanism for a welding system includes a pair of opposed guide members. A weld wire having a non-round cross-section is fed through a guide passageway formed between the guide members, each of which have recessed channels that combine to define the guide passageway. The guide passageway has a non-round shape corresponding to the non-round shape of the wire. The orientation mechanism and the guide members thereof is adjustable relative to a welding device of the weld system, such that the orientation of the wire can be controlled and maintained by adjusting the orientation mechanism. The wide side of the wire may be adjusted to be presented to a radiant energy source, and/or the non-round wire may be adjusted relative to the desired weld seam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 11322866
    Abstract: A system for transmitting power and current includes a power cable having stranded wires and an exposed end. The stranded wires are ultrasonically welded together. Ultrasonically welding the wires creates a bundle of wires at the exposed end that may be free from air pockets, reducing oxidation and improving the current path through the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: ELCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Alexander Khakhalev, Steven J. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20220111463
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a chamber between the diffuser sleeve and the insert which allows for cooling the insert and for controlling the flow of gas through the end assembly. Some of the components of the end assembly such as the contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by a diffuser sleeve constructed of a dissimilar material. The end assembly provides better conductivity of the current through the end assembly for use of less energy during welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Edward L Cooper, Steven J Hayes
  • Patent number: 11203079
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a chamber between the diffuser sleeve and the insert which allows for cooling the insert and for controlling the flow of gas through the end assembly. Some of the components of the end assembly such as the contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by a diffuser sleeve constructed of a dissimilar material. The end assembly provides better conductivity of the current through the end assembly for use of less energy during welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: ELCo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L Cooper, Steven J Hayes
  • Publication number: 20210276116
    Abstract: A gas metal arc welding system for a robotic arm includes a j-arm, a power block, and a bolt. The j-arm has a first end and a second end each having a through hole. The power block has a first opening defining a first passageway along a longitudinal axis and a second opening defining a second passageway substantially along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The bolt has a threaded portion configured to extend through the first opening of the j-arm and into the second passageway of the power block, wherein the bolt retains the j-arm to the power block. The threaded portion of the bolt comprises an internal passageway that extends through a longitudinal axis of the bolt, wherein the internal passageway of the bolt and the first and second passageways of the power block are in fluid communication with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Edward L. COOPER, Steven J. HAYES
  • Publication number: 20200395692
    Abstract: A system for transmitting power and current includes a power cable having stranded wires and an exposed end. The stranded wires are ultrasonically welded together. Ultrasonically welding the wires creates a bundle of wires at the exposed end that may be free from air pockets, reducing oxidation and improving the current path through the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: ELCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: EDWARD L. COOPER, ALEXANDER KHAKHALEV, STEVEN J. HAYES
  • Patent number: 10500670
    Abstract: A flexible wire guide conduit includes a plurality of modules that can be chained together and can pivot and rotate relative to each other. Each module is formed of two halves that are generally mirrors of each other across a mating plane between the halves. Each module includes an upper flange and a lower flange defining a receiving cavity. Each module includes a tongue member sized to correspond to the cavity that is received in the receiving cavity. The flanges include protrusions extending into the cavity to define a pivotable axis. The tongue includes a bore that receives the protrusions of the adjacent module in the chain. The flanges each include a peg extending into the cavity. The pegs are received in slots formed in the tongue and will slide within the slots during pivoting. The pegs and slots define the degree of pivoting permitted between adjacent modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: ELCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 10155280
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a contact tip, a diffusor, an insert, and an gooseneck, and the contact tip has a convex end that contacts a concave end of the insert, and the insert has an opposite end in contact with the gooseneck. The contact tip is threaded into the diffusor at one end of the diffusor, and the gooseneck is threaded into the diffusor at the opposite end of the diffusor, and the insert is disposed within the diffusor and between the contact tip and the gooseneck, such that a conductive path exists between the gooseneck, the insert, and the contact tip. The contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by the diffuser constructed of a dissimilar material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: ELCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 9987702
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a weld gun nozzle includes a guide module and a reaming module. The guide module includes a holder assembly that includes a plurality of elongate skid bars. The reaming module includes a rotatable reamer. The skid bars are generally non-rotatable and define an opening into which the weld gun nozzle can be inserted to align the nozzle with the rotatable reamer. The nozzle is guided by the skid bars and inserted over the reamer, which rotates within the nozzle to clean debris from the nozzle. The skid bars are non-rotatable, and can be installed within the holder assembly to be resiliently move radially inward and outward to accommodate the nozzle during insertion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: ELCO ENTERPRISES, INC.
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 9950386
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a chamber between the diffuser sleeve and the insert which allows for cooling the insert and for controlling the flow of gas through the end assembly. Some of the components of the end assembly such as the contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by a diffuser sleeve constructed of a non-conductive material. The end assembly provides better conductivity of the current through the end assembly for use of less energy during welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: ELCo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L Cooper, Steven J Hayes
  • Publication number: 20170144243
    Abstract: A flexible wire guide conduit includes a plurality of modules that can be chained together and can pivot and rotate relative to each other. Each module is formed of two halves that are generally mirrors of each other across a mating plane between the halves. Each module includes an upper flange and a lower flange defining a receiving cavity. Each module includes a tongue member sized to correspond to the cavity that is received in the receiving cavity. The flanges include protrusions extending into the cavity to define a pivotable axis. The tongue includes a bore that receives the protrusions of the adjacent module in the chain. The flanges each include a peg extending into the cavity. The pegs are received in slots formed in the tongue and will slide within the slots during pivoting. The pegs and slots define the degree of pivoting permitted between adjacent modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20170129038
    Abstract: A system for cleaning a weld gun nozzle includes a guide module and a reaming module. The guide module includes a holder assembly that includes a plurality of elongate skid bars. The reaming module includes a rotatable reamer. The skid bars are generally non-rotatable and define an opening into which the weld gun nozzle can be inserted to align the nozzle with the rotatable reamer. The nozzle is guided by the skid bars and inserted over the reamer, which rotates within the nozzle to clean debris from the nozzle. The skid bars are non-rotatable, and can be installed within the holder assembly to be resiliently move radially inward and outward to accommodate the nozzle during insertion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20160311050
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a contact tip, a diffusor, an insert, and an gooseneck, and the contact tip has a convex end that contacts a concave end of the insert, and the insert has an opposite end in contact with the gooseneck. The contact tip is threaded into the diffusor at one end of the diffusor, and the gooseneck is threaded into the diffusor at the opposite end of the diffusor, and the insert is disposed within the diffusor and between the contact tip and the gooseneck, such that a conductive path exists between the gooseneck, the insert, and the contact tip. The contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by the diffuser constructed of a dissimilar material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20150273616
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a chamber between the diffuser sleeve and the insert which allows for cooling the insert and for controlling the flow of gas through the end assembly. Some of the components of the end assembly such as the contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by a diffuser sleeve constructed of a dissimilar material. The end assembly provides better conductivity of the current through the end assembly for use of less energy during welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: ELCo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Publication number: 20150273615
    Abstract: An end assembly for use with a welding device having a chamber between the diffuser sleeve and the insert which allows for cooling the insert and for controlling the flow of gas through the end assembly. Some of the components of the end assembly such as the contact tip, insert and gooseneck are constructed of a conductive material which are securely held together in contact by a diffuser sleeve constructed of a non-conductive material. The end assembly provides better conductivity of the current through the end assembly for use of less energy during welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: ELCo Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Steven J. Hayes
  • Patent number: 8342585
    Abstract: A drum lifter for lifting and moving empty and full chimed and unchimed drums. The lifter includes a cross member with grippers at each end. The grippers include a cam block with a cam rotatably mounted in the cam block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventors: Edward L. Cooper, Kevin L. Copeland, Steven J. Hayes