Abstract: An apparatus for setting an arc gap between a weld electrode and a workpiece includes a control arrangement and a direct current stepping motor operated in a forward mode by the control arrangement to move the weld electrode toward and away from the workpiece to respectively advance and retract the electrode into and from physical contact with the workpiece. The apparatus also includes an electrical circuit connected to the weld electrode and the workpiece for defining an electrical path to supply electrical energy sufficient to generate a welding arc between the electrode and workpiece, and an electrical continuity sensor connected to the electrical path and being operable for sensing the opening and closing of electrical continuity of the electrical path and for generating a trigger signal to the control arrangement in response to sensing the closing of continuity of the electrical path by the electrode making physical contact with the workpiece.

Abstract: A hand-actuated insertion tool includes a handle assembly, an elongated hollow tubular outer support tube, an elongated inner pull rod, and a coupling arrangement. The handle assembly has a first handle member and a second handle member pivotally mounted to the first handle member for movement between unactuated and actuated positions. The outer support tube is attached in a fixed relation to the first handle member. The inner pull rod is mounted within the outer support tube for sliding movement relative thereto between home and retracted positions. The coupling arrangement pivotally connects the inner pull rod to the second handle member such that the inner pull rod will undergo sliding movement from the home position to the retracted positions relative to the outer support tube as the second handle member is moved from the unactuated position to the actuated position relative to the first handle member.

Abstract: A welding electrode tip cracking apparatus includes a main housing having spaced front and rear walls defining a cavity therebetween. The front wall has an entry passage for receiving an electrode therethrough having a tip end in which a cruciform-shaped crack is to be formed. A gauge member is adjustably mounted to the rear wall and has a stop element spaced from and disposed in alignment with the front wall entry passage. The stop element is engageable by the electrode tip end to block further movement of the electrode tip toward the rear wall. A die assembly has a support frame fitted within the cavity between the main housing front and rear walls and defining a guide channel. A pair of upper and lower crimping dies are disposed within the support frame guide channel.

Abstract: An improved tube cutter is provided for cutting off a tube section formed by two concentric tubes mechanically bulged together wherein the cut to be made is adjacent the bulged area. The tube cutter includes an elongated housing formed by two matable portions having longitudinal matching recesses which define an axial bore through the housing and transverse matching recesses which define a circumferential groove that accommodates the bulged area when the housing portions are clamped together about the tube section. Each of the housing portions carry a cutter bit which is located adjacent the groove and is extendable into the axial bore as the tube cutter manually rotated about the tube section so as to make a cut through the tube section adjacent the bulged area.