Abstract: An improved electronic welding station is disclosed. The welding station provides for an improved arc striking capability by providing a higher arc striking voltage and a large arc striking current and, once the arc is struck, automatically switches over to preselected parameters for conducting the welding operation. Also disclosed are a method for preventing transistor failure due to loads which tend to cause a very large instantaneous current flow and an apparatus for protecting the driver circuit and the remaining output transistors in the event that one of the output transistors should suffer a collector-to-base short. The welding station also describes a method of operating the cooling fan at a speed commensurate with the cooling requirements and periodically reversing the voltage to the cooling fan so as to extend the operating lifetime of the fan brushes.

Abstract: An air arc gouger. A central power supply (10) and a welding station (11) are used for welding operations, such as welding two metal plates (30A, 30B) together. If a weld (30C) is required to be removed, an adapter circuit (12), in conjunction with the central power supply )10) and the welding station (11), are used. The adapter circuit (12) need only supply the difference between the current required to maintain the gouging arc (31) and the maximum continuous output current of the welding station (11). The adapter circuit (12) is smaller, less expensive, lighter, more portable, and generates less heat than a conventional resistor grid.

Abstract: An automatic braking and speed control for a device driven by an electric motor. A controller provides a pulsed output voltage having a pulse width dependent upon the load seen by the motor (16). When the drive pulses are present two diodes (52,54) and a transistor (66) serve to maintain a power transistor (56) in the off condition. When the controller is not providing drive pulses and the motor (16) is being turned by the momentum of the mechanical device or by some outside force, such as gravity, the motor (16) functions as a generator and turns on two transistors (56,67) so that two resistors (51a,51b) apply a load to the generator (16). This provides a braking action between the output pulses so that the net speed of the motor (16) and its associated mechanical device is more dependent upon the output pulses provided by the controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for protecting an integrated circuit from reverse voltages caused by an inductive load. An integrated circuit (397) drives a relay (411). A first diode (407) is used in a conventional manner to limit the reverse voltage generated by the relay (411). A second diode (410) further suppresses the reverse voltage and protects the integrated circuit (397).

Abstract: An improved electronic welding station is disclosed. The welding station provides for an improved arc striking capability by providing a higher arc striking voltage and a large arc striking current and, once the arc is struck, automatically switches over to preselected parameters for conducting the welding operation. Also disclosed are a method for preventing transistor failure due to loads which tend to cause a very large instantaneous current flow and an apparatus for protecting the driver circuit and the remaining output transistors in the event that one of the output transistors should suffer a collector-to-base short. The welding station also describes a method of operating the cooling fan at a speed commensurate with the cooling requirements and periodically reversing the voltage to the cooling fan so as to extend the operating lifetime of the fan brushes.

Abstract: A high gain, linear open loop amplifier is shown. The output of a transconductance amplifier (264) is connected to a load resistor (315). A resistive voltage divider network (292,293,294,295) is connected to an input signal conductor (431). The resistor (293) connected across the inputs of the differential amplifier (264) has a very small value compared to the other resistors (292,294,295), thereby providing a very small differential voltage across the inputs to the amplifier (264). The small input voltage, the small output current of the amplifier (264), and the resistance of the load (315) force the amplifier (264) to operate as a linear, open loop amplifier.

Abstract: A pulse type arc welder with improved arc starting characteristics. An output voltage level sensor (2017) monitors the output voltage to determine whether the arc has been struck. If the arc has not been struck, a first oscillator (2000) gates a second, higher frequency oscillator (2002) so that the input to the driver (2010) is a chopped, pulsed, high duty cycle waveform. Also, the bandwidth of the output current level sensor (2012) is reduced so that the high value, short lived arc starting transient current does not cause the output current level sensor (2012) to improperly shut down the driver (2010). Additional current limiting protection is provided during this period since the high chopping frequency causes the reactor (2010a) to have a high impedance. After the arc has been struck, the output voltage will drop to the arc sustaining voltage and the output voltage level sensor (2017) will de-energize relay (2003).

Abstract: An improved welding system is shown. A single high capacity power supply (10) provides operating power for several weld selector stations (16). Each weld selector station (16) operates independently, is adjustable, and allows a welder to obtain the voltage and current characteristics desired for his particular welding operation. Each weld selector station (16) operates over a wide range of input voltages so that long runs of low-voltage interconnecting cable (14,15) can be used without adversely affecting the quality of the weld. Furthermore, the weld selector station (16) is small, lightweight and easily transportable. The result is a more efficient, less expensive, versatile welding system.

Abstract: An apparatus for allowing the use of unmatched transistors in a power supply is shown. A potentiometer (482) and a switch (481) divert base drive current away from the transistor having the higher Beta so that the collector currents of the two transistors (477, 484) can be matched. Heat sensitive resistors (480, 483) are thermally connected to the opposing transistor (484, 477) so if the temperature and collector current of one transistor should increase the base drive to the other transistor is automatically increased, thereby causing the collector currents to remain matched. The total collector current provided by the transistors (477, 484) is limited to a safe value by a regulating pulsewidth modulator (457). The use of additional protective diodes (468, 469, 478, 479) prevent transient voltages from affecting the transistors (477, 484) and allow the use of lower power, less expensive transistors.

Abstract: An improved welding system is shown. A single high capacity power supply (10) provides operating power for several weld selector stations (16). Each weld selector station (16) operates independently, is adjustable, and allows a welder to obtain the voltage and current characteristics desired for his particular welding operation. Each weld selector station (16) operates over a wide range of input voltages so that long runs of low-voltage interconnecting cable (14,15) can be used without adversely affecting the quality of the weld. Furthermore, the weld selector station (16) is small, lightweight and easily transportable. The result is a more efficient, less expensive, versatile welding system.

Abstract: A three-phase thyristor (42, 43) controlled welding output supply requiring only a single firing pulse of short duration per phase per half cycle is shown. Once a firing pulse has been provided (122), a holding impedance (40) connected between the output electrodes (32, 34) is provided to the neutral terminal (18) of a wye wound secondary (17) to provide a path for holding current independently of the load presented by the arc. An improved firing control circuit includes in addition to the normal firing capacitor (82), a negative phase angle impedance (86, 87, 88) attached to one end of a conventional breakdown device (117) used to fire a master thyristor gate (119). Stepped up voltage (60) is provided to the control circuit for greater noise immunity. Also shown is a remote control (151) for controlling a reversible motor (150) to drive through a slip clutch (140), the main voltage controlling variable impedance (80).

Abstract: A three-phase thyristor (42, 42) controlled welding output supply requiring only a single firing pulse of short duration per phase per half cycle is shown. Once a firing pulse has been provided (122), a holding impedance (40) connected between the output electrodes (32, 34) is provided to the neutral terminal (18) of a wye wound secondary (17) to provide a path for holding current independently of the load presented by the arc. An improved firing control circuit includes in addition to the normal firing capacitor (82), a negative phase angle impedance (86, 87, 88) attached to one end of a conventional breakdown device (117) used to fire a master thyristor gate (119). Stepped up voltage (60) is provided to the control circuit for greater noise immunity. Also shown is a remote control (151) for controlling a reversible motor (150) to drive through a slip clutch (140), the main voltage controlling variable impedance (80).

Abstract: A two conductor, nonpolarized, low voltage control cable is used in conjunction with the single conductor welding cable to achieve excellent stability of wire feed motor speed without the use of silicon controlled rectifiers or other three terminal semiconductor devices. One conductor of the control cable is used as a ground return path for the wire feed motor. The voltage across the wire feed motor is the difference between the welding power supply voltage and a second control voltage which tracks variations in the power supply voltage due to fluctuations of the AC input to the system. When greater wire feed speeds are desired, the control voltage may be driven below ground and wire feed motor speed stability is obtained by operating the motor in a region where angular velocity is relatively insensitive to incremental changes in terminal voltage. When the control cable running from the power supply control circuitry to the remote unit is severed, it may be spliced without regard to polarity by the user.