Abstract: A wire feeding apparatus for providing filler wire to a welding gun or torch that includes a motor, a driver roll, an idler roll and a bias controller. The bias controller is configured to bias the wire contacting portion of the idler roll towards the wire contacting portion of the driver roller. The bias controller is preferably moveable between at least a first preset condition and a second preset condition. In the first preset condition, the bias controller produces a first engagement force on the portion of the filler wire that is located between the wire contacting portions of the idler roll and the driver roll. In the second preset condition, the bias controller produces a second engagement force on the portion of the filler wire that is located between the wire contacting portions of the idler roll and the driver roll. Preferably, the first engagement force is greater than the second engagement force.

Abstract: A brake and wire regulator for spools (22 or 40), which supply filler wire to an arc welding gun (10), includes a mounting plate (30 or 62) which is secured to a housing (12a, 12b) for the gun or to a remotely located wire supply housing (38) and a brake arm (32 or 58) having a proximal end pivotally mounted on the mounting plate with the distal end (32f or 58a) of the brake arm extending between the rim plates of the spool. A spring (38 or 64) extending between the mounting plate and the brake arm biases the distal end of the arm against the outer layer of wire on the spool to provide a braking action for the spool to prevent the wire from unspooling when the welding process ceases and impede migration of the outer most layer of wire across the spool.

Abstract: A system (and method) of controlling and simultaneously displaying arc welding torch parameters includes a power supply for supplying weld voltage and current to the torch in accordance with demand signals from a computer. The computer also supplies a demand motor speed to a motor for controlling the travel speed of the torch electrode relative to a workpiece or the fed rate of a filler wire to the weld area. The actual values of the weld voltage/current and the motor speed are fed back to the computer and displayed on a video color display in separate colors and in real time to enable on operator to readily correlate the actual with the demand parameter values. The position of the electrode relative to the workpiece is also fed back to the computer for presentation on the video display. In addition, deviations of the individual actual parameter values from acceptable tolerance limits are highlighted on the display.