Abstract: A welding or cutting device includes an internal combustion engine coupled to a generator for generating electrical power. A welding or cutting power supply is powered by the generator. The welding or cutting power supply supplies a welding or cutting output signal. An auxiliary outlet circuit is configured to receive power from the generator. The auxiliary outlet circuit includes at least one auxiliary load outlet. A controller controls an engine speed of the internal combustion engine. The controller is configured to determine an anticipated load on the generator to be supplied through the auxiliary load outlet, based on a no load condition of the auxiliary load outlet, and adjust an idle speed of the engine based on the anticipated load. The controller is further configured to subsequently increase the engine speed, from the idle speed to an auxiliary load speed, when the generator supplies power through the auxiliary load outlet.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for feeding consumable welding electrode wire from a supply reel to a welding gun and comprises pairs of drive roll and drive gear assemblies associated with a wire guide plate assembly for feeding the wire along a linear path through the apparatus. The drive rolls are removably mounted on corresponding support shaft structures by a split snap ring component. The guide plate assembly comprises a guide plate having a guide slot milled therein and a cover plate overlying the slot to provide a wire guide passageway through the apparatus which is constantly linear and aligned with the wire drive rolls.

Abstract: A retainer ring for a container of low twist welding wire which container includes a cylindrical outer wall, a lower partition and an upper opening through which the welding wire is drawn from a hollow, cylindrical spool of welding wire formed from a multitude of convolutions of wire in layers provided in the container wherein the retainer ring comprises a generally flat outer portion with an outer periphery fitting into the outer wall of the container, minimally contacting the wire surface, and comprising a number of projecting lobe portions whereby the outer periphery of the ring contains alternate areas first being closer to and then being farther from the outer walls of the container when the retainer ring is resting upon the hollow spool of welding wire in the container and an inner bell mouthed portion extending upwardly and defining an innermost wire extraction opening with a diameter substantially smaller than the spool of wire in the container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of welding along a pass line on a steel workpiece, which method and apparatus comprises simultaneously feeding two welding wires in generally parallel relationship toward a workpiece with extended welding wires generally intersecting the workpiece at individual points spaced from each other a distance in the range about 3/16 inch to about 3/8 inch; then creating a separate arc between each of the wires and the workpiece; passing a single protective envelope of shielding gas axially along two welding wires simultaneously and around said two separate arcs extending between welding wires and the workpiece; and, causing relative movement between the two gas shielded welding wires and the workpiece in the direction corresponding to the desired pass line on the workpiece.

Abstract: A rotative mounting arrangement for a wire supply reel off which the coiled wire thereon is fed by feed rolls comprises a reel mounting spindle axially and rotatively locked within the hub of the reel and provided at its exposed opposite ends with mounting journals for rotatively supporting the spindle in upwardly opening V-shaped trunnion type journal bearings. The spindle journals and trunnion type journal bearings are formed with axially facing cooperating bearing surfaces axially tapered at corresponding relatively steep angles to the spindle axis to have a wedge type bearing interengagement providing a self-adjusting friction drag braking action on the rotative movement of the reel that serves to prevent overrunning of the reel on stoppage of the feeding of the wire supply off the reel.