Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing wire from a coil of welding wire. The package having an outer layer with a bottom and an outer side wall having an upper edge defining a box opening for removing the wire from the package. The package further including an inner core positioned within the inner cylindrical opening of the wire coil wherein the inner core has a base supported by the package bottom and an oppositely facing core top. The core base being generally maintained relatively to the package bottom to prevent the core from “walking-up” the wire coil and the core top being allowed to tilt as the wire exits the package.

Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing wire from a coil of welding wire. The package having an outer layer with a bottom and an outer side wall having an upper edge defining a box opening for removing the wire from the package. The package further including an inner core positioned within the inner cylindrical opening of the wire coil wherein the inner core has a base supported by the package bottom and an oppositely facing core top. The core base being generally maintained relatively to the package bottom to prevent the core from “walking-up” the wire coil and the core top being allowed to tilt as the wire exits the package.

Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing wire from a coil of welding wire. The package having an outer layer with a bottom and an outer side wall having an upper edge defining a box opening for removing the wire from the package. The package further including an inner core positioned within the inner cylindrical opening of the wire coil wherein the inner core has a base supported by the package bottom and an oppositely facing core top. The core base being generally maintained relatively to the package bottom to prevent the core from “walking-up” the wire coil and the core top being allowed to tilt as the wire exits the package.

Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing wire from a coil of welding wire. The package having an outer layer with a bottom and an outer side wall having an upper edge defining a box opening for removing the wire from the package. The package further including an inner core positioned within the inner cylindrical opening of the wire coil wherein the inner core has a base supported by the package bottom and an oppositely facing core top. The core base being generally maintained relatively to the package bottom to prevent the core from “walking-up” the wire coil and the core top being allowed to tilt as the wire exits the package.

Abstract: A retainer ring for use in a welding wire package wherein the package houses a coil of welding wire positioned in a coil receiving cavity in the package. The coil extends about a vertically extending coil axis and includes a coil bottom, an oppositely facing coil top, a radially extending outer cylindrical surface and a radially inner cylindrical surface. The ring haves an annular ring body extending about a ring axis with an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge. The ring body further includes a top surface extending between the outer and inner peripheral edges and an oppositely facing bottom surface extending between the outer and inner peripheral edges. The bottom surface of the body can be configured to rest on the coil top and the outer peripheral edge is sized to allow the ring to descend within the wire receiving cavity as the wire is unwound from the wire coil.

Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing wire from a coil of welding wire. The package having an outer layer with a bottom and an outer side wall having an upper edge defining a box opening for removing the wire from the package. The package further including an inner core positioned within the inner cylindrical opening of the wire coil wherein the inner core has a base supported by the package bottom and an oppositely facing core top. The core base being generally maintained relatively to the package bottom to prevent the core from “walking-up” the wire coil and the core top being allowed to tilt as the wire exits the package.

Abstract: An electrode position detection system for a welder having a laser that is projected in a lateral plane to laterally cross a welding wire at a location below a contact tip of a welding gun and a receiver that receive the laser bean after crossing the welding wire, and a measuring device that determines one or more parameter of the welding wire based on the received laser beam. Arc voltage measurements can also be used to determine one or more parameter of the welding wire.

Abstract: A package for containing a coil of wire having an outer cylindrical surface extending about a coil axis, a top and an oppositely facing bottom has a base for supporting the bottom of a wire coil when the wire coil is in the package. At least one side wall extends upwardly from the base about an outer cylindrical surface of the wire coil and has an upper edge defining a top opening in the package for removing the wire. The packaging further includes a hold-down bar between the bottom of the wire coil and the base which is transverse to the axis of the wire coil, and a lifting strap having a first end, a second end and a base portion between the first and second ends and between the bottom of the wire and the base. The base portion has an opening and the hold-down bar extends through the opening.

Abstract: A device is provided for feeding an endless welding wire stored in a first container in a first coil generally concentric with a first vertical axis and a second container in a second coil generally concentric with a second vertical axis spaced longitudinally from the first axis in a given direction. The novel device including a track element extending in a path generally including the coil axes and extending above the coils in the given direction. A grommet, with a vertical wire receiving guide opening, is mounted on a support mechanism carried by the track element for movement of the grommet above the coils and along the path of the track element.

Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing a coil of welding wire having a coil axis parallel to a package axis, a coil top transverse to the coil axis and radially inner and outer surfaces parallel to the coil axis. The welding wire package includes a container having a bottom and an outer wall structure extending upwardly from the bottom to a top edge, and the outer wall structure has inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. The package further includes a plurality of ribs extending parallel to the package axis and positioned between the coil outer surface and the inwardly facing surface of the outer wall structure thereby forming gaps between the coil outer surface and the inwardly facing container surface. The welding wire package further including a retainer ring for controlling the dispensing of the welding wire.

Abstract: A welding wire package comprising a cylindrical drum with a central axis, multiple layers of looped welding wire defining a wire stack to be paid out, said body having an upper ring shaped surface with an outer cylindrical surface generally covering or overhanging the wire stack and an inner cylindrical surface defining a central bore concentric with the drum axis and a flexible permanent magnet retainer ring on top of the upper ring shaped surface wherein the retainer ring allows welding wire to be paid from under the ring upwardly from the central bore.

Abstract: A floating liner for a container of welding wire which floating liner includes a tube having two ends and a passageway extending between the two ends. The floating liner is unsupported between the top of the container and the retaining ring. The floating liner is designed to provide structural support to the wire and added stiffness or rigidity to the wire to inhibit buckling of the wire, knot formation in the wire that can form between the retaining ring and the top of the container. The floating liner has a weight profile that causes one end of the tube to at least partially float above the top surface of a layer of welding wire or retaining ring in the container as the welding wire is paid out of the container.

Abstract: A payout for controlling the unwinding of a coil of wire from a wire drum which has an outer drum body and an inner core substantially coaxial with the drum body includes a first planar ring juxtaposed the top of the wire coil and having a first inner edge closely adjacent to the core and a first outer edge spaced from the first inner edge and a second planar ring juxtaposed the top of the wire coil and having a second outer surface closely adjacent the drum body and a second inner surface spaced from the first outer surface of the first ring to define a continuous circular gap above the wire coil such that the wire passes upwardly through the gap as it is withdrawn from the wire coil. A third ring overlies the first and second rings and is laterally displacable relative thereto and eccentrically relative to the drum axis to further control payout of the wire. The second and third rings along can be used to control payout of the wire.

Abstract: An electrode position detection system for a welder having a laser that is projected in a lateral plane to laterally cross a welding wire at a location below a contact tip of a welding gun and a receiver that receive the laser bean after crossing the welding wire, and a measuring device that determines one or more parameter of the welding wire based on the received laser beam. Arc voltage measurements can also be used to determine one or more parameter of the welding wire.

Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing a coil of welding wire having a coil axis parallel to a package axis, a coil top transverse to the coil axis and radially inner and outer surfaces parallel to the coil axis. The welding wire package includes a container having a bottom and an outer wall structure extending upwardly from the bottom to a top edge, and the outer wall structure has inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. The package further includes a plurality of ribs extending parallel to the package axis and positioned between the coil outer surface and the inwardly facing surface of the outer wall structure thereby forming gaps between the coil outer surface and the inwardly facing container surface. The welding wire package further including a retainer ring for controlling the dispensing of the welding wire.

Abstract: A welding wire payout drum comprising an outer cylindrical sleeve with an internal diameter and having a top opening with a central wire supporting stem in said drum. The stem has a cylindrical body generally concentric with the cylindrical sleeve of the drum and an upper guide ring near the top opening of the drum. The guide ring has an outer circular perimeter with a diameter less than the internal diameter of the sleeve wherein the upper guide ring has a downwardly decreasing contoured underside shape between the perimeter and the cylindrical body of the stem.

Abstract: A package for containing and dispensing a coil of welding wire having a coil axis parallel to a package axis, a coil top transverse to the coil axis and radially inner and outer surfaces parallel to the coil axis. The welding wire package includes a container having a bottom and an outer wall structure extending upwardly from the bottom to a top edge, and the outer wall structure has inwardly and outwardly facing surfaces. The package further includes a plurality of ribs extending parallel to the package axis and positioned between the coil outer surface and the inwardly facing surface of the outer wall structure thereby forming gaps between the coil outer surface and the inwardly facing container surface. The welding wire package further including a retainer ring for controlling the dispensing of the welding wire.

Abstract: A payout for controlling the unwinding of a coil of wire from a wire drum which has an outer drum body and an inner core substantially coaxial with the drum body includes a first planar ring juxtaposed the top of the wire coil and having a first inner edge closely adjacent to the core and a first outer edge spaced from the first inner edge and a second planar ring juxtaposed the top of the wire coil and having a second outer surface closely adjacent the drum body and a second inner surface spaced from the first outer surface of the first ring to define a continuous circular gap above the wire coil such that the wire passes upwardly through the gap as it is withdrawn from the wire coil. A third ring overlies the first and second rings and is laterally displacable relative thereto and eccentrically relative to the drum axis to further control payout of the wire. The second and third rings along can be used to control payout of the wire.

Abstract: A payout for controlling the unwinding of a coil of wire from a wire drum which has an outer drum body and an inner core substantially coaxial with the drum body includes a first planar ring juxtaposed to the top of the wire coil and having a first inner edge closely adjacent to the core and a first outer edge spaced from the first inner edge and a second planar ring juxtaposed the top of the wire coil and having a second outer surface closely adjacent the drum body and a second inner surface spaced from the first outer surface of the first ring to define a continuous circular gap above the wire coil such that the wire passes upwardly through the gap as it is withdrawn from the wire coil. A third ring overlies the first and second rings and is laterally displacable relative thereto and eccentrically relative to the drum axis to further control payout of the wire. The second and third rings alone can be used to control payout of the wire.

Abstract: The present invention provides a welding system and methodology to facilitate an improved fillet weld. The system includes an arc welding subsystem providing a fillet weld that joins one or more members. The arc welding subsystem controls one or more welding parameters and utilizes one or more controlled process variables, to facilitate geometric control of a toe angle, a toe radius, a throat dimension and a penetration depth associated with the joining of the fillet weld and the one or more members. The present invention also includes optimized welding parameters, welding wire alloys, and welding gas mixtures to promote an improved fillet weld.