Abstract: A contact tip for a welding gun includes an elongate body having a first end, a second end, and a first opening extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end. The elongate body has an outer surface and an inner surface. The elongate body has a second opening extending radially through a side portion of the elongate body between the outer surface and the inner surface. At least a portion of the second opening is configured to support a contact element. A contact element is configured to be supported within at least a portion of the second opening of the elongate body and extend at least partially into the first opening of the elongate body. A retention member is configured to couple the contact element with the elongate body.

Abstract: Several aspects of an in-line welding gun are disclosed. In one aspect, the welding gun has a variable profile insulating boot disposed over the torch barrel of the gun. The variable profile insulating boot may include a molded material having varying thickness to provide the desired insulating properties. In another aspect of the welding gun, a speed control mechanism for the motor driving the wire feed assembly is positioned in a recess in the housing such that it reduces the risk of being unintentionally adjusted during operation of the welding gun. In another aspect of the welding gun, the wire feed mechanism features a feeder roller and an idler roller that may be separated without opening the housing of the welding gun. To separate the rollers, the user may depress a portion on the exterior of the housing to press on a pivotable lever on which the idler roller is disposed.

Abstract: A welding gun includes a motor, a wire feed mechanism, a power block, a welding tip, a and a cup. A substantially rigid shell surrounds the motor to form a handle. A gas passage for receiving inert gas from an inert gas source and delivering the inert gas to the gas path in the torch barrel extends at least partially within the handle.

Abstract: A welding gun includes a motor, a wire feed mechanism, a power block, a welding tip, a and a cup. A substantially rigid shell surrounds the motor to form a handle. The gun includes a spindle, a spool and a quick disconnect mechanism for coupling the spool to the spindle.

Abstract: A welding wire dispensing assembly and apparatus for providing adjustment of rotational resistance in a spool includes a spool support, an axle assembly, and a resistance adjustment assembly. The spool support is rotatably mounted to the welding wire dispensing assembly. The spool support has a first end and a second end and defines between the first end and the second end a surface around which a wire spool can be mounted. The axle assembly includes an axle and a first friction member with a friction surface. The resistance adjustment assembly includes a second friction member, a force actuator, and a cam mechanism. Either the first friction member or the second friction member is substantially fixed with respect to either the spool support or the axle. The force actuator is adjustable between two positions.

Abstract: An in-line welding gun includes a mounting block, a wire feed mechanism and a torch barrel. A motor is positioned behind the mounting block along a longitudinal axis of the gun. The torch barrel curves away from the longitudinal axis. The motor and the torch barrel are surrounded by a substantially rigid shell comprising a tubular portion and a torch portion.

Abstract: A welding wire dispensing assembly and apparatus for providing adjustment of rotational resistance in a spool comprises a spool support, an axle assembly, and a resistance adjustment assembly. The spool support is rotatably mounted to the welding wire dispensing assembly. The spool support has a first end and a second end and defines between the first end and the second end a surface around which a wire spool can be mounted. The axle assembly includes an axle and a first friction member with a friction surface. The resistance adjustment assembly comprises a second friction member, a force actuator, and a cam mechanism. Either the first friction member or the second friction member is substantially fixed with respect to either the spool support or the axle. The force actuator is adjustable between two positions.

Abstract: A wire feeding apparatus for providing filler wire to a welding gun or torch that includes a motor, a driver roll, an idler roll and a bias controller. The bias controller is configured to bias the wire contacting portion of the idler roll towards the wire contacting portion of the driver roller. The bias controller is preferably moveable between at least a first preset condition and a second preset condition. In the first preset condition, the bias controller produces a first engagement force on the portion of the filler wire that is located between the wire contacting portions of the idler roll and the driver roll. In the second preset condition, the bias controller produces a second engagement force on the portion of the filler wire that is located between the wire contacting portions of the idler roll and the driver roll. Preferably, the first engagement force is greater than the second engagement force.

Abstract: A brake and wire regulator for spools (22 or 40), which supply filler wire to an arc welding gun (10), includes a mounting plate (30 or 62) which is secured to a housing (12a, 12b) for the gun or to a remotely located wire supply housing (38) and a brake arm (32 or 58) having a proximal end pivotally mounted on the mounting plate with the distal end (32f or 58a) of the brake arm extending between the rim plates of the spool. A spring (38 or 64) extending between the mounting plate and the brake arm biases the distal end of the arm against the outer layer of wire on the spool to provide a braking action for the spool to prevent the wire from unspooling when the welding process ceases and impede migration of the outer most layer of wire across the spool.

Abstract: An arc welding torch includes a current conducting mounting block which provided with an open-ended socket for receiving the mounting end of a current conducting removable and rotatable barrel having a welding tip at the free end thereof. Welding wire, inert gas and coolant are supplied to the welding tip via passageways in the block and barrel. A current carrying split collar is slidable along the barrel and adapted to be wedged between the barrel and the inner surface of the socket adjacent the open end thereof via a nut which engages threads on the block to maintain the barrel in a seated and fixed position in the socket.

Abstract: A tool is used to hold a food product upright while a user manually cuts the food product by slicing the food product from edge to edge with a blade of a knife. The tool includes a base having a top surface adapted to support the food product, a pair of knife blade guide members attached to the base opposite each other and spaced apart to provide a cutting zone, and a cutting pad in the cutting zone comprising a polyester based thermoplastic polyurethane having a Shore A hardness between 75 and 100 that resists being cut by the blade of the knife as the blade cuts through the food product.

Abstract: Disclosed are tools (10, 60, 100, 200) and (300) used to hold a bagel (22) upright while being sliced from edge to edge with a blade (28) of a knife (30). Each tool (10, 60,100, 200, and 300) includes a base (12) having a top surface (12a) adapted to support the bagel (22) by an edge of the bagel (22). An upright support plate (14) is removably mounted to the base (12) and has opposed lateral sides and opposed faces (14a and 14b). A pair of knife blade guides (16 and 18) are attached to the base (12) opposite each other, each guide being positioned near one of the opposed sides of the upright support plate (14) and spaced apart to provide therebetween a cutting zone (24). Tool (300)is adapted to slice both bagels and a loaf of bread, and it has two cutting zones (24 and 302). Positioning elements (102)regulates the thickness of the sliced segments of the bagel (22) and bread.

Abstract: A tool 10, 60, or 100 used to hold a bagel 22 upright while being sliced from edge to edge with a blade 28 of a knife 30. Each tool 10, 60, and 100 includes a base 12 having a top surface 12a adapted to support the bagel 22 by an edge of the bagel 22. An upright support plate 14 is removably mounted to the base 12 and has opposed lateral sides and opposed faces 14a ad 14b. A pair of knife blade guides 16 and 18 are attached to the base 12 opposite each other, each guide being positioned near one of the opposed sides of the upright support plate 14 and spaced apart to provide therebetween a cutting zone 24. A positioning structure regulates the thickness of the sliced segments of the bagel 22, and includes the upright support plate 14.

Abstract: Disclosed is a welding gun which includes a mounting block, a motor mounted to the welding block and a barrel through which welding wire is fed by drive rollers turned by the motor. There is a passageway through the welding block which has a valve therein for controlling the flow of a shielding gas through the passageway and through the barrel. A speed control mechanism device is mounted within a removable casing that encloses the block, motor, and speed control mechanism. The speed control includes a knob which is turned by the welder and includes a tactile response element that better enables the welder to determine the correct setting for the desired speed of the wire even though wearing a glove.

Abstract: A rotatable barrel mounting assembly comprising a main base barrel adapter structure of electrical conducting material that is detachably connectable with a connection block for cooling fluid, electrical, inert gas and welding wire sources of a MIG torch main housing that can be manually or robot manipulated. The barrel adapter structure is formed with a socket for rotatably receiving a curved barrel mounting end structure and establishing connections with the cooling fluid, inert gas and welding wire sources for use by a welding tip at the outer end of the barrel. Electrical connection with the barrel mounting end structure is accomplished by a collet nut of insulating material carried by the main base adapter structure, and which is rotatably operable to move flexible collet finger contacts on the main base adapter structure into engagement with a surface of the barrel mounting end structure and also hold the barrel in an adjusted rotated position.

Abstract: An arc welding torch includes a current conducting mounting block which provided with an open-ended socket for receiving the mounting end of a current conducting removable and rotatable barrel having a welding tip at the free end thereof. Welding wire, inert gas and coolant are supplied to the welding tip via passageways in the block and barrel. A current carrying split collar is slidable along the barrel and adapted to be wedged between the barrel and the inner surface of the socket adjacent the open end thereof via a nut which engages threads on the block to maintain the barrel in a seated and fixed position in the socket.