Patents by Inventor Mark R. Christopher
Mark R. Christopher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10384294Abstract: A method and device for controlling current flow through a welding clamp are provided. One welding clamp includes a first contact piece configured to contact a workpiece and to provide a first current path that limits current flow. The welding clamp also includes a second contact piece configured to contact the workpiece and to provide a second current path. When the welding clamp is being clamped to the workpiece, the first contact piece is configured to contact the workpiece prior to the second contact piece. In addition, the welding clamp is configured so that current flows through the first current path prior to flowing through the second current path when the welding clamp is being clamped to the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2011Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Thomas Don Lahti, Jeffery Ray Ihde, Gary A. Thyssen, Michael Todd Klegin, Timothy Jay Reitmeyer
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Patent number: 9403234Abstract: Provided herein are systems including a wire spool having a core with a core diameter and wire wound around the core and having a wire diameter. An outer diameter of the wire spool is defined by a sum of the core diameter and the wire diameter. The systems may also include a sensing system having a sensor component disposed on the wire spool and/or a wire spool hub. The sensing system is adapted to acquire data corresponding to a parameter indicative of the outer diameter of the wire spool.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2012Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Brian Lee Ott, Michael P. Vandenberg
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Patent number: 9102000Abstract: Embodiments of a welding wire feeder including a pushbutton wire guide holder are provided. The wire guide holder may allow for the insertion and removal of a welding wire guide by depression of a spring-biased pushbutton and hold the wire guide with force applied by a spring. The pushbutton is disposed in a body, and a stop placed in contact with the pushbutton may prevent the pushbutton from being forced out of the body by the spring force. Some embodiments are directed toward holding inlet wire guides or intermediate wire guides, and therefore include different configurations of the body, pushbutton, spring, and stop.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2011Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.Inventors: Nicholas Alexander Matiash, Mark R. Christopher
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Publication number: 20130168374Abstract: A method and device for controlling current flow through a welding clamp are provided. One welding clamp includes a first contact piece configured to contact a workpiece and to provide a first current path that limits current flow. The welding clamp also includes a second contact piece configured to contact the workpiece and to provide a second current path. When the welding clamp is being clamped to the workpiece, the first contact piece is configured to contact the workpiece prior to the second contact piece. In addition, the welding clamp is configured so that current flows through the first current path prior to flowing through the second current path when the welding clamp is being clamped to the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Thomas Don Lahti, Jeffery Ray Ihde, Gary A. Thyssen, Michael Todd Klegin, Timothy Jay Reitmeyer
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Patent number: 8269143Abstract: A wire feed assembly and torch and welding systems are disclosed. The wire feed assembly includes a motor drivingly connected to at least one roll of a pair of rolls. A controller is connected to the motor and is constructed to control the operation thereof. A knob is rotatably connected to the controller and facilitates an operator's adjustment of the controller. A collar is disposed between knob and the controller and is fixedly connected to the controller and engaged by the knob to resist movement of the knob and thereby adjustment of the controller.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Jim Maynard, Jerry Piechowski
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Publication number: 20120152925Abstract: A wire guide for use in a welding wire feeder is provided. The wire guide may consist of a pair of vertical pins mounted to a wire drive assembly to form a slit through which welding wire is guided toward a set of drive rolls. Another embodiment may consist of a generally conical piece with oblong entrance and exit ends mounted to the wire drive assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Nicholas A. Matiash
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Publication number: 20120152926Abstract: Embodiments of a welding wire feeder including a pushbutton wire guide holder are provided. The wire guide holder may allow for the insertion and removal of a welding wire guide by depression of a spring-biased pushbutton and hold the wire guide with force applied by a spring. The pushbutton is disposed in a body, and a stop placed in contact with the pushbutton may prevent the pushbutton from being forced out of the body by the spring force. Some embodiments are directed toward holding inlet wire guides or intermediate wire guides, and therefore include different configurations of the body, pushbutton, spring, and stop.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Alexander Matiash, Mark R. Christopher
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Patent number: 7767934Abstract: A torch and a welder having a torch constructed to pull a consumable weld wire thereto are disclosed. The torch includes a wire feeder assembly having a first feed roll and a second feed roll. Operation of the feed rolls pulls a consumable weld wire to the torch. A lever selectively separates the first and the second feed rolls and is securable to allow a hands-free separation of the feed rolls.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2005Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Illinois Took Works Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Jim Maynard, Jerry Piechowski
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Patent number: 7723644Abstract: A torch and a welding system having a pair of gas paths are disclosed. The torch includes a wire feed assembly and is connectable to a welding-type power source and a source of shielding gas. A power signal suitable for welding applications and a shielding gas are communicated through the torch. The shielding gas is communicated through the torch by a pair of gas passages.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2005Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Jim Maynard, Jerry Piechowski
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Publication number: 20090032514Abstract: A wire feed assembly and torch and welding systems are disclosed. The wire feed assembly includes a motor drivingly connected to at least one roll of a pair of rolls. A controller is connected to the motor and is constructed to control the operation thereof. A knob is rotatably connected to the controller and facilitates an operator's adjustment of the controller. A collar is disposed between knob and the controller and is fixedly connected to the controller and engaged by the knob to resist movement of the knob and thereby adjustment of the controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2008Publication date: February 5, 2009Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Jim Maynard, Jerry Piechowski
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Patent number: 7465902Abstract: A wire feed assembly and torch and welding systems are disclosed. The wire feed assembly includes a motor drivingly connected to at least one roll of a pair of rolls. A controller is connected to the motor and is constructed to control the operation thereof. A knob is rotatably connected to the controller and facilitates an operator's adjustment of the controller. A collar is disposed between knob and the controller and is fixedly connected to the controller and engaged by the knob to resist movement of the knob and thereby adjustment of the controller.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2005Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Mark R. Christopher, Jim Maynard, Jerry Piechowski
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Patent number: 6933467Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed. The method includes sensing the status of a trigger between an on position and an off position. A system latch is set or released based on the trigger status and the latch status. The system latches on when the trigger is held for a predetermined time (and the latch was previously off). The latch is released when the trigger is pulled and released when the latch was previously on. When the latch is off, pulling the trigger turns the system on, and releasing the trigger before the predetermined time turns the system off. The latch may also be released when welding current drops below a threshold. The time might not start until after welding current is flowing. A welding wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is also disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed. A run-in wire feed speed control is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2004Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: L. Thomas Hayes, Kenneth C. Altekruse, Mark R. Christopher
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Publication number: 20040245229Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed. The method includes sensing the status of a trigger between an on position and an off position. A system latch is set or released based on the trigger status and the latch status. The system latches on when the trigger is held for a predetermined time (and the latch was previously off). The latch is released when the trigger is pulled and released when the latch was previously on. When the latch is off, pulling the trigger turns the system on, and releasing the trigger before the predetermined time turns the system off. The latch may also be released when welding current drops below a threshold. The time might not start until after welding current is flowing. A welding wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is also disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed. A run-in wire feed speed control is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: L. Thomas Hayes, Kenneth C. Altekruse, Mark R. Christopher
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Patent number: 6809286Abstract: A shielding gas filter that can be readily incorporated into a gas shielding system for an arc welding apparatus. The gas shielding filter is readily installed to the system upstream of a gas solenoid valve and removes any potentially harmful particles from the supply of the shielding gas to prevent those particles from entering the gas solenoid valve. The shielding gas filter includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a specially formed passageway that communicates between the inlet and the outlet. A filter screen is retained within the housing to filter out the particles larger than a predetermined size. Preferably, the filter screen is constructed of stainless steel and filters out particles larger than about 100 microns.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2002Date of Patent: October 26, 2004Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: Gerald P. Piechowski, Mark R. Christopher
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Patent number: 6781095Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed. The method includes sensing the status of a trigger between an on position and an off position. A system latch is set or released based on the trigger status and the latch status. The system latches on when the trigger is held for a predetermined time (and the latch was previously off). The latch is released when the trigger is pulled and released when the latch was previously on. When the latch is off, pulling the trigger turns the system on, and releasing the trigger before the predetermined time turns the system off. The latch may also be released when welding current drops below a threshold. The time might not start until after welding current is flowing. A welding wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is also disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed. A run-in wire feed speed control is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2002Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: L. Thomas Hayes, Kenneth C. Altekruse, Mark R. Christopher
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Publication number: 20040031841Abstract: A shielding gas filter that can be readily incorporated into a gas shielding system for an arc welding apparatus. The gas shielding filter is readily installed to the system upstream of a gas solenoid valve and removes any potentially harmful particles from the supply of the shielding gas to prevent those particles from entering the gas solenoid valve. The shielding gas filter includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a specially formed passageway that communicates between the inlet and the outlet. A filter screen is retained within the housing to filter out the particles larger than a predetermined size. Preferably, the filter screen is constructed of stainless steel and filters out particles larger than about 100 microns.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2002Publication date: February 19, 2004Inventors: Gerald P. Piechowski, Mark R. Christopher
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Publication number: 20030089693Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed. The method includes sensing the status of a trigger between an on position and an off position. A system latch is set or released based on the trigger status and the latch status. The system latches on when the trigger is held for a predetermined time (and the latch was previously off). The latch is released when the trigger is pulled and released when the latch was previously on. When the latch is off, pulling the trigger turns the system on, and releasing the trigger before the predetermined time turns the system off. The latch may also be released when welding current drops below a threshold. The time might not start until after welding current is flowing. A welding wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is also disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed. A run-in wire feed speed control is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2002Publication date: May 15, 2003Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: L. Thomas Hayes, Kenneth C. Altekruse, Mark R. Christopher
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Patent number: 6476355Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed with a remote wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed. A run-in wire feed speed control is also disclosed. The range of the run-in wire feed speed is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel or torch welding wire feed speed.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2000Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: L. Thomas Hayes, Kenneth C. Altekruse, Mark R. Christopher
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Patent number: 6114657Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed. The method includes sensing the status of a trigger between an on position and an off position. A system latch is set or released based on the trigger status and the latch status. The system latches on when the trigger is held for a predetermined time (and the latch was previously off). The latch is released when the trigger is pulled and released when the latch was previously on. When the latch is off, pulling the trigger turns the system on, and releasing the trigger before the predetermined time turns the system off. The latch may also be released when welding current drops below a threshold. The time might not start until after welding current is flowing. A welding wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is also disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed. A run-in wire feed speed control is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 1999Date of Patent: September 5, 2000Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.Inventors: L. Thomas Hayes, Kenneth C. Altekruse, Mark R. Christopher