Abstract: A dual-electrode arc welding apparatus includes a body assembly adapted to be coupled to a source of electric power and directing two wire electrodes through a nozzle assembly to an associated workpiece at a working end of the apparatus. The body assembly is provided at a distal end with an adapter which channels the electrodes respectively through passages of a tip assembly in electrical contact with the adapter and the body assembly for conducting electric power to the electrodes. The tip assembly is removable from the adapter without removing the nozzle assembly and, upon removal of the nozzle assembly, the adapter is removable from the body assembly. The tip assembly may include a single tip body with dual passages therethrough or two discrete tips separately mounted on the adapter by either threaded engagement therewith or by being slidably received in externally threaded nipples and secured by collet nuts. Similarly, the adapter may be collet-mounted or threadedly engaged with the body assembly.

Abstract: In a convertible TIG, MIG or plasma arc welding system, a cylindrical docking body mountable in a socket at a welding station, has utilities passages therethrough for receiving an elongated metal electrode, shielding and plasma gases, welding potential and cooling water. The electrode passage is threaded at one end to interchangeably mount any of a plurality of electrode feed assemblies for consumable wire or tungsten electrodes. An output fixture is mounted at the other end of the body to receive the electrode and the plasma or shielding gas and pass them from the body. A nozzle assembly is removably mountable on the other end of the docking body in surrounding relationship with the output fixture and the associated tip assembly and communicates with the shielding gas passage for passing shielding gas to the working end of the nozzle. The docking body has internal channels among the passages so as to circulate cooling water through both the output fixture and the nozzle assembly.

Abstract: A rotatable mount includes a support arm with a bearing block at one end having a cylindrical aperture therethrough in which is rotatably received a cylindrical housing. A fixed flange and a threadedly removable flange on the housing cooperate axially to retain the housing in the aperture. Annular surfaces on the housing and bearing block cooperate to form an annular chamber which provides continuous communication between a first passage in the housing and a second passage extending through the bearing block and the support arm. The housing has an axial bore in which is received a docking body to which associated welding apparatus can be quickly manually mounted and demounted. The housing is electrically insulated from the docking body. The passages may be used for removing smoke from a welding apparatus.

Abstract: In a MIG arc welding system, a docking body having utilities passages therethrough is mountable at the welding station. Means are provided at one end of the body for accepting incoming utilities such as consumable wire electrode, shielding gas, welding potential and cooling water. Different types of welding gun or torch assemblies are interchangeably manually mountable and demountable at the other end of the welding body without disturbing the docking body or the utilities coupled thereto. Plug-type water fittings on the welding gun or torch assembly are receivable in receptacles in the docking body which communicate with the water passages, actuator tips on the fittings actuating normally-closed, spring-biased check valves in the passages to prevent leakage of water from the docking body when the welding gun or torch assembly is demounted. The gun or torch assembly is held in place by a coupling nut which is threadedly engaged with the docking body.

Abstract: In a MIG arc welding system, a cylindrical docking body having four utilities passages therethrough is mountable in a socket at the welding station. A positioning ring on the body limits the depth of insertion in the socket. Input connectors at one end of the body accept incoming utilities such as consumable wire electrode, shielding gas, welding potential and cooling water. At the other end of the body, the passages for shielding gas and electrode wire communicate with an output fixture, which is internally threaded to receive a contact tip assembly. Plug-type water fittings on a nozzle assembly are receivable in receptacles in the docking body which communicate with the water passages, actuator tips on the fittings actuating normally-closed, spring-biased check valves in the passages to prevent leakage of water from the docking body when the nozzle assembly is demounted. The nozzle assembly is held in place by a coupling nut threadedly engaged with the docking body.

Abstract: The utility hoses of a welding gun are connected to the inner body of an insulative-sleeve enclosed utility station through which a consumable electrode feeds to the gun. The inner body establishes communication of the gun hoses with sources for said utilities and utilizes couplers which quickly connect and disconnect both the gun hoses from the station and the station from the supply sources for the utilities required by the gun.

Abstract: A welding gun has a separable nozzle embodying longitudinally curved inner and outer concentric sleeves, and fore and aft-mounted bodies to which the opposed ends of the concentric sleeves are brazed to define an annular gas manifold between the sleeves into which gas feeds through the aft-mounted body. The aft-mounted body detachably seats within a tubular handle and it contains a bore through which the consumable wire electrode feeds to the central bore of the inner sleeve. The fore-mounted body provides for connection of an adapter by which a current pickup tube is fixed to the curved nozzle in line with its inner sleeve to receive the wire electrode. Said fore-mounted body is ported at spaced intervals for discharge of gas from the manifold through the adapter and about the current pickup tube when assembled thereto.