Having Integral Electrode Guide Patents (Class 219/137.44)
  • Patent number: 11213909
    Abstract: Motor assemblies and methods for a push-pull torch are disclosed. An example method includes: rotating a mechanical component about a first axis in a welding torch using a drive motor aligned with the first axis; and feeding a welding wire through the welding torch via a first feed roll and a second feed roll, wherein the first feed roll is operatively coupled with the mechanical component, the first and second feed rolls define a plane through which the welding wire passes, and the plane is generally parallel to and offset from the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Paul William Garvey
  • Patent number: 10994362
    Abstract: An arc electric welding head comprising a first contact device housing a first duct for feeding a first electrode and providing electrical contact between a first power source and said first electrode, a second contact device housing a second duct for feeding a second electrode and providing electrical contact between a second power source and said second electrode, said first and second contact devices being electrically insulated from each other, said first and second ducts being parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ESAB AB
    Inventor: Hannes Raudsepp
  • Patent number: 10792752
    Abstract: A system and method of welding or additive manufacturing is provided where at least two welding electrodes are provided to and passed through a two separate orifices on a single contact tip and a welding waveform is provided to the electrodes through the contact tip to weld simultaneously with both electrodes, where a bridge droplet is formed between the electrodes and then transferred to the puddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Weeks, Steven R. Peters, Bruce John Chantry
  • Patent number: 10773335
    Abstract: A system and method of welding or additive manufacturing is provided where at least two welding electrodes are provided to and passed through a two separate orifices on a single contact tip and a welding waveform is provided to the electrodes through the contact tip to weld simultaneously with both electrodes, where a bridge droplet is formed between the electrodes and then transferred to the puddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew A. Weeks, Steven R. Peters, Bruce John Chantry
  • Patent number: 10201872
    Abstract: A contact tip (1) for gas metal-arc welding comprising: A body (3) of a metal material with a tubular base portion (4) and two or more fingers (5a, 5b) extending in the axial direction from a front end of the base portion; At least one wire-feed conduit (7) extending axially through the body, in which a welding wire is to be received and fed; slots (10a, 10b) arranged between the fingers in order to space these apart, and A spring means (11) surrounding the fingers and exerting a radially acting spring force on the fingers of such strength that the fingers, when cool, are kept spaced apart, such that no pressure will be exerted on the casing surface of a welding wire introduced in the wire-feed conduit, and when heated to a temperature above the softening temperature of the metal material, are compressed by the spring force radially inward in order to exert pressure on the casing surface of a welding wire received in the wire-feed conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: ESAB AB
    Inventor: Hannes Raudsepp
  • Patent number: 10166625
    Abstract: A torch for tungsten inert gas welding is provided, in particular a narrow gap head for tungsten inert gas narrow-gap welding. In a housing made of metal, an electrode unit is retained by an electrode retainer and a cooling device for cooling the electrode unit is present. Liquid cooling medium can be conducted into the electrode retainer and back out of the electrode retainer through the cooling device. The cooling device includes at least one electrically conductive partition within a jacket of the electrode retainer for forming cooling channels, at least the at least one partition being electrically connected to the electrode unit. Furthermore, an outer surface of the electrode retainer is provided with an insulating layer at least in the area of the housing, which housing surrounds the electrode retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Henning Hanebuth, Christian Werner
  • Patent number: 9889516
    Abstract: A device for dispensing and distributing flux-free solder on a substrate comprises an elongated tool, a tool mount, an ultrasonic generator, a wire guide tube, and optionally a heat sink and a housing. The tool can be fixed to the tool mount and has a longitudinal borehole which opens into an opening on the tip of the tool. The wire guide tube extends along a central longitudinal axis through the ultrasonic generator and the tool mount, protrudes into the longitudinal borehole of the tool and reaches up to a position above the tip of the tool. The wire guide tube does not touch the tool. The ultrasonic generator is fixed to the tool mount. Advantageously, a cooling chamber which can actively be cooled is formed between an inner wall of the housing and the ultrasonic generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Besi Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Christoffer Stroemberg, Heinrich Berchtold, Charles Galea
  • Patent number: 9764409
    Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to welding, and more specifically, to submerged arc welding (SAW). In an embodiment, a welding system includes a gas supply system configured to provide a fluorine-containing gas flow. The system also includes a wire supply system configured to provide welding wire, and a flux supply system configured to provide flux near a welding arc during submerged arc welding (SAW). The system further includes a welding torch assembly configured to receive the fluorine-containing gas flow and the welding wire and to deliver the fluorine-containing gas flow and the welding wire near the welding arc during the SAW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth Allen Fisher, Mario Amata, Steven Barhorst, Joseph Bundy
  • Patent number: 9586298
    Abstract: A system includes a machine tool having a clamp. The system also includes a processing head configured to be temporarily held by the clamp of the machine tool. The processing head is also configured to deposit one or more media onto a workpiece. The processing head includes a guide configured to direct energy from an energy source onto the workpiece and/or the one or more media. The processing head also includes one or more supplies including one or more reservoirs within the processing head. The one or more reservoirs are configured to receive the one or more media, store the one or more media as the processing head is moved from one location to another location, and provide the one or more media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Jason B. Jones, Peter Coates
  • Patent number: 9457418
    Abstract: A gas-cooled welding gun for an arc welding device, comprising an electrically conductive current contact tube disposed concentrically within an electrically conductive outer tube and separated therefrom by an intermediate space. The current contact tube includes a wire guiding channel for a welding wire. A plurality of spacers is disposed at intervals in the intermediate space between the current contact tube and outer tube, electrically insulating these components from each other. A shielding gas is provided in the intermediate space to cool the system and openings in the spacers allow the gas to flow therethrough. Structures are provided on the current contact tube which increase the overall surface area thereof. Regions of the surface of the current contact tube not covered by spacers are exposed toward the intermediate space and therefore to the shielding gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignees: DINSE G.M.B.H.
    Inventor: Peter Zander
  • Patent number: 9321609
    Abstract: A filament drive mechanism for use with an additive manufacturing system, the filament drive mechanism comprising first and second drive shafts engaged with each other and configured to rotate in opposing rotational directions around substantially parallel and fixed axes, where the first and second drive shafts include engagement surfaces substantially aligned with each other for engaging a filament therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Stratasys, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawn M. Koop, Peter D. Schuller, Paul J. Leavitt
  • Patent number: 9061366
    Abstract: A welding system, in certain embodiments, includes a torch having a neck with an arcuate portion, and a resilient jump liner disposed in the neck and extending through the arcuate portion. The resilient jump liner includes a pathway having a curvature configured to bend a welding wire passing through the pathway. The system also includes an annular support disposed about the resilient jump liner inside the neck, wherein the annular support is configured to at least substantially fix the curvature to force the welding wire to achieve a wire curvature. The system also includes a contact tip coupled to the neck, wherein the wire curvature is configured to bias the welding wire into substantially consistent contact with an interior pathway through the contact tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Paul David Pinsonneault, Tiejun Ma, Thomas Jaeger
  • Publication number: 20150136747
    Abstract: An arc welding apparatus comprises a conductor tube defining an internal passageway is disclosed. The conductor tube further defines an external surface profile and a distal end portion. The conductor tube is configured to engage a sleeve having inner and outer surface profiles. The inner surface profile is configured to abut the external surface profile of the conductor tube, and the outer surface profile comprises an engaging portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Khalid Hassan, Glenn K. Redding
  • Patent number: 9024235
    Abstract: A system for mounting a wire core for a welding wire in a coupling of a hose assembly, wherein the wire core is fixed with a wire inlet nozzle in the coupling and the wire inlet nozzle is connected to the coupling by way of a mounting element which is formed in a cylindrical manner and has at least one slot to form at least two movable jaws and a wire inlet nozzle for such a mounting system are disclosed. At the end opposite from a wire inlet element, the mounting element is provided with an oval flange, which oval flange is formed in a raised manner with respect to the cylindrical region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Fuerlinger, Walter Mitterhumer
  • Patent number: 8992226
    Abstract: A mock welding unicoupon for a virtual welding system includes a first exterior surface and a second exterior surface perpendicular to the first exterior surface. The first exterior surface and the second exterior surface together provide a plurality of grooves configured for simulation of a plurality of different types groove welds on the mock welding unicoupon. A curved exterior surface is configured for simulation of a pipe fillet weld on the mock welding unicoupon. A magnet source is configured to generate a magnetic field around the mock welding unicoupon for tracking movements of a mock welding tool with respect to the mock welding unicoupon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Leach, Antonius Aditjandra, Deanna Postlethwaite
  • Publication number: 20150069040
    Abstract: A handheld welding torch for electric-arc welding with a melting welding wire has a wire feed unit for conveying the welding wire along a conveying axis arranged within a torch housing with a handle region, the wire feed unit including a drive unit with a rotation axis arranged vertically with respect to the conveying axis of the welding wire, a drive roller with a rotation axis and a counter roller with a rotation axis, and having a torch push-button. The wire feed unit has a gear stage and the rotation axis of the drive unit is arranged aligning with the conveying axis of the welding wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Daniel MAYR, Christian STRUMPFL, Rudolf BRANDSTÖTTER, Walter MITTERHUMER
  • Publication number: 20140339201
    Abstract: A granular flux formulated to reduce copper cracking in a weld bead. The granular flux forms a slag during a welding process that inhibits or prevents migration of molten copper migration through the slag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew J. James, Teresa Ann Melfi
  • Publication number: 20140263252
    Abstract: A welding gun includes a handle portion comprising a motor configured to move electrode wire through the welding gun. A diffuser comprises an interior chamber and a plurality of openings defining exit passages from the interior chamber to an exterior of the diffuser. A barrel is located between the diffuser and the handle portion and supplies to the diffuser from the handle portion. A contact tip extends from the diffuser and comprises a front portion, a rear portion, and a contact tip bore extending therethrough configured to receive the electrode wire. A diffuser insert is disposed within the interior chamber of the diffuser, including an insert bore extending therethrough configured to receive electrode wire, and an outer surface configured to direct debris from within the interior chamber of the diffuser towards exit passages to discharge the debris. The handle portion is configured to direct a flow of the shielding gas over the motor to cool the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Grant Sadowski, Jeff Kachline, Wayne Gregg, Brian Meess, Ed Enyedy
  • Publication number: 20140263254
    Abstract: The invention described herein generally pertains to a variably radiused curvilinear gooseneck nozzle for a welding torch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward A. Enyedy, Grant Taylor Sadowski, Brian David Meess, Jeffrey L. Kachline
  • Publication number: 20140131335
    Abstract: A welding gun adapted to secure a contact tip within the welding gun without threading the contact tip and without the use of tools. The contact tip may be adapted to abut a surface of a first member disposed within the welding gun. The surface may be a surface of a gas diffuser. The surface may be adapted to abut the contact tip. The contact tip also may be adapted for abutment with a second member to urge the contact tip toward the first member. The second member may be a portion of a nozzle adapted to abut the contact tip to urge the contact tip toward the surface of the first member. A method of assembling a welding gun also is provided. The method may include disposing a contact tip between a first and a second member and capturing the contact tip between the first and second members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: William R. Giese
  • Patent number: 8704132
    Abstract: In a welding wire storage device for a welding system including a housing with a wire core surrounding the welding wire being arcuately arranged to lie freely in a free space of the housing, one end of the wire core is fixed in an end region of the housing and a measuring means is provided to detect the deflection of the wire core. In order to provide a very simple and compact structure for such a welding wire storage device, the wire core is displaceably mounted in a guide element on the opposite end region, and two coupling mechanisms, for connection with a wire guide hose for the wire core are arranged on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Josef Artelsmair, Christian Stumpfl
  • Publication number: 20140097167
    Abstract: An electrode extension guide for use with welding systems is provided. This electrode extension guide includes a barrel adapted to be connected to a contact tip, wherein the barrel has a predetermined length, a predetermined outer diameter, a predetermined inner diameter, and a plurality of apertures formed therein, wherein each aperture extends from the outer diameter through to the inner diameter of the barrel, and wherein the inner diameter further defines a channel passing lengthwise through the barrel; a plurality of bearings, wherein each bearing is inserted into one of the apertures formed in the barrel such that the bearing extends a predetermined distance into the channel, and wherein each bearing is electrically non-conductive; and a sleeve disposed around the outer diameter of the barrel along the length thereof, wherein the sleeve is operative to retain the bearings within the apertures at the outer diameter of the barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Inventor: Randall L. DAVIS
  • Patent number: 8674263
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a wire guiding liner, in particular a welding wire liner, having a plurality of guiding bodies which are pivotable with respect to each other around a defined pivot axis. At least one biasing device is provided which acts between adjacent guiding bodies so as to push them apart while still allowing the liner to bend under pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: AWDS Technologies SRL
    Inventors: Carlo Gelmetti, Filippo Corradini
  • Publication number: 20140069907
    Abstract: A drive roll assembly is disclosed for a push-pull MIG welding torch including a handle connected to a power cable assembly and a gooseneck. The drive roll assembly includes a body block disposed in the handle, a motorized driving gear mounted on the body block, and an idler wheel rotatably mounted on a mounting arm via a mount. The mounting arm is pivotally connected to the body block. The idler wheel is cooperable with the driving gear to pull welding wire from the cable assembly through the handle and towards the gooseneck. One of the idler wheel and the driving gear is made of a highly conductive material that allows for transfer of welding current to the welding wire. The electric resistance from the body block to the surfaces of the idler wheel and driving gear at which they contact welding wire is below 15 milli-ohms, preferably below 2.0 milli-ohms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Tiejun Ma, Romeo N. Cossette
  • Publication number: 20140048525
    Abstract: A wire feeder includes a wire feeder housing that may enclose one or more drive rollers rotatably connected with respect to the wire feeder housing for engaging welding wire. The one or more drive rollers may be adjustable and adapted to drive the welding wire to a welding gun connected to the wire feeder. A drive motor is incorporated for delivering power for rotating the one or more drive rollers. Friction reducing devices, such as bearings, may be utilized and positioned between one or more driver rollers and the housing, where the bearings are electrically non-conducting for preventing the discharge of electrical energy across the bearing surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Edward A. Enyedy
  • Patent number: 8633422
    Abstract: A welding gun adapted to secure a contact tip within the welding gun without threading the contact tip and without the use of tools. The contact tip may be adapted to abut a surface of a first member disposed within the welding gun. The surface may be a surface of a gas diffuser. The surface may be adapted to abut the contact tip. The contact tip also may be adapted for abutment with a second member to urge the contact tip toward the first member. The second member may be a portion of a nozzle adapted to abut the contact tip to urge the contact tip toward the surface of the first member. A method of assembling a welding gun also is provided. The method may include disposing a contact tip between a first and a second member and capturing the contact tip between the first and second members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Giese
  • Patent number: 8629372
    Abstract: A contact tip for a welding gun having a central passage for a welding wire moving in a given direction toward a workpiece and receiving a welding signal by contact of the wire with the tip. The passage has an innermost end, an outermost exit end and a length. An opening in the contact tip intersects the passage so a pressure block slidably mounted in the opening is biased toward the wire by a spring around the contact tip urging the block against the wire. This tip is dimensioned and constructed to perform pulse welding by a relatively ductile wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: William T. Matthews, Bryan Nelson
  • Publication number: 20130126505
    Abstract: An arc welding apparatus is disclosed in one form including a conductor tube defining an internal passageway and a distal end portion. The internal passageway has an internal profile proximate the distal end portion. The apparatus further includes an alignment device comprising an exterior profile and an internal passage. The exterior profile is configured for mechanical attachment to the internal profile of the conductor tube. The apparatus also includes a conduit liner disposed in the internal passageway of the conductor tube and the internal passage of the alignment device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: VICTOR EQUIPMENT COMPANY
    Inventor: Victor Equipment Company
  • Publication number: 20130126506
    Abstract: A conductor tube for use in an arc welding apparatus is disclosed that diffuses gas from an aperture in the conductor tube. The conductor tube has an internal passageway and a distal end portion. In one form of the present disclosure, proximate to the distal end portion there is at least one aperture disposed wherein the gas flowing through the internal passageway is at least partially dispersed through the at least one aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: VICTOR EQUIPMENT COMPANY
    Inventor: Victor Equipment Company
  • Patent number: 8383987
    Abstract: A contact tip for a welding torch includes a body having a front discharge end, an opposite rear feed end, and a bore extending through the body. A cap is mounted on the body at the front end. The cap has an aperture generally aligned with the bore. The cap is composed of a material having an electrical conductivity between 1.74×107 and 4.35×107 Siemens per meter at 20° C. The body is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of copper and a copper alloy. The body has an electrical conductivity that is higher than the electrical conductivity of the cap. A portion of the bore at the front end of the body and at least a portion of the aperture in the cap define a contact area for a consumable electrode wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Tiejun Ma
  • Patent number: 8338753
    Abstract: A contact tip includes a first threaded section and a first non-threaded section. The length of the first non-threaded section is at least a fifth of the length of the first threaded section along a longitudinal axis. The contact tip further includes a first contact surface. A diffuser includes a second non-threaded section and a second threaded section configured to mate with the first threaded section of the contact tip. The diffuser further includes a second contact surface. The first non-threaded section is configured to elongate along the longitudinal axis as the first threaded section is screwed into the second threaded section past a point where the first contact surface and the second contact surface have established contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey L Kachline
  • Publication number: 20120318778
    Abstract: A welding gun clip assembly for converting a manual welding gun to a continuous or automated operation comprising: a conventional welding gun, where said gun includes at least a wire feed, a gun handle, a trigger along the gun handle and a welding tip, where the trigger includes a depressed position and an open position; and an attachable clip, where said clip extends around the gun handle and is movable to secure the trigger in a depressed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventor: ROGER JOUBERT
  • Patent number: 8212181
    Abstract: A welding gun driving device is provided with an electric motor, a feed screw mechanism, and a pressure rod axially moved forward and backward via the feed screw mechanism by the electric motor. A rotor of the electric motor is formed into a hollow shape through which the pressure rod is insertable. The feed screw mechanism is provided with a screw shaft fixed to the rotor concentrically with the rotor, and a nut portion screwed to the screw shaft. The pressure rod is provided with the nut portion and a hollow rod portion extending toward the axial front from the nut portion. The rotor is provided, at its inner peripheral face, with a guide portion through which the pressure rod is inserted and supported so as to be relatively rotatable and axially slidable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Matsumoto, Hiroshi Miwa, Teruaki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8207475
    Abstract: A wire feeding unit for feeding a welding wire in a torch cable of a welding robot, the torch cable passing through the inside of an upper arm in its direction, includes a body member, which is mounted on an inner periphery of the upper arm in a state of being freely pivotable around the axis of the upper arm, and to which the torch cable is installed, and a feed roller mounted to the body member in a state of being freely rotatable around an axis orthogonal to the axis of the arm. Here, the welding wire exposed out of the torch cable is in contact with the circumferential surface of the feed roller and is fed by the rotation of the feed roller in a direction of the axis of the upper arm. According to the configuration like this, when an arm is pivoted, the torch cable passing through the arm is able to be prevented from being twisted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuji Minato, Makoto Kondo
  • Publication number: 20120055911
    Abstract: A double wire GMAW welding apparatus having a wire spacing adjustable torch assembly is disclosed. The double wire torch assembly has a wire spacing adjusting mechanism, by means of wire spacing adjustment the torch assembly can be used for a non-synchronized metal transfer weld process. The wires remain parallel before, during, after wire spacing adjustment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Shijun Jia, Douglas Steyer, Xiangui Cao, Mohan Chobe, Tianming He
  • Patent number: 8106327
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a welding torch that includes an electrode (3) that has a longitudinal groove (9) formed therein which guides a welding wire (4) which is fed form a laterally spaced-apart location. The electrode (3) is open and the wire (4) is supported on one side only. In the region of the welding tip, the electrode (3) is elongate and the cross-sectional area is smaller than the area at a position further from the tip. Regions between an outer housing (11) and a main support body (2) define two shielding gas conduits positioned on opposite sides of the body (2), through which gas flows and then combines to form a unitary stream. The body (2) contains cooled regions which are supplied with cooling fluid by a conduit (7) and removed by conduit (8), parts of which are positioned between the shielding gas conduits close to the welding electrode (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Saipem S.p.A.
    Inventors: Cristian Scaini, Christian Cocca, Andrea Provesi
  • Patent number: 8076611
    Abstract: A welding device includes a welding torch, a memory, a power supply, an input section, a selector, and a controller. The welding torch includes a welding tip having a feeder for supplying electric power to a welding wire. The memory stores a plurality of welding conditions in which a feeder-work-piece to be welded distance is associated with at least one a length of the wire supplied per unit time, a weight of the wire supplied per unit time, and a set electric current. The power supply supplies electric power between the wire and the work-piece. The input section receives an input of a set value of a feeder-work-piece distance. The selector selects one of the welding conditions stored in the memory based on the set value. The controller controls the power supply based on the welding condition selected by the selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Kawamoto, Yasushi Mukai, Junji Fujiwara, Masaru Kowa
  • Publication number: 20110297657
    Abstract: The present invention provides a welding torch which can surely fix an electric power supply point for supplying electric power to a welding wire in a wire fed-through hole, and can prevent the accumulation of dusts such as grinding dusts or the like in the wire fed-through hole thus ensuring a stable welding operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: Taiko Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Muneharu Kutsuna, Takaaki Murakami
  • Patent number: 8058583
    Abstract: A method of welding two members together wherein welding material is melted in an electrically heated molten slag, and forms a pool of molten welding material beneath the molten slag. The end surfaces of the two members are in contact with the molten weld material and are melted to bond with the weld material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Inventors: Dan Danks, Bob Turpin
  • Publication number: 20110204035
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for contacting a welding wire (13) in a welding torch (10), at least two contact shells (31) having a contact area (32) for contacting the welding wire (13), and to a contact shell (31) for contacting a welding wire (13). In order to make the contact of the welding wire as constant and permanent as possible during the lifetime of a contacting device, the contact shells (31) have a holding section (48) and are arranged inside a sleeve (37) to define a rotational axis (43), the sleeve (37) being fastened to a nozzle pipe (38) having an integrated pressure mechanism (36), and the pressure mechanism (36) being adapted to exert pressure (33) on the contact shells (31). The sleeve (37) includes a holding device (42) for exerting a counter-force (34) onto the contact shells (31). The welding wire (13) is contacted in the contact area (32) of the contact shells (31) with a contact force (35).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Grossauer, Manfred Hubinger, Andreas Leonhartsberger
  • Publication number: 20090050609
    Abstract: The invention relates to a single- or multi-wire welding torch (6), more specifically to a laser-hybrid single- or multi-wire welding head provided with the welding torch (6) which can be connected to a welding device via a hose pack and consists of several parts such as a torch handle, a tubular welding torch housing, a contact housing, a contact tube for each welding wire (21a, 21b), a gas nozzle (2) etc., wherein an internal insert (28) for receiving the contact tube(s) (20a, 20b) and the gas nozzle (2) is mounted in an end area of the welding torch housing. A fixing element (30) made at least partially of a flexible material is placed on the internal insert (28) or on the housing (2) for producing as required an, in particular, gas-tight connection between said internal insert (28) and the gas nozzle (2) pushed thereon. This connection can be established by the spatial extension of the fixing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Ewald Berger, Gerhard Miessbacher, Harald Nobauer, Manfred Ruhrnossl, Herbert Staufer, Markus Steinmaurer
  • Publication number: 20090045183
    Abstract: The invention relates to a welding torch (10) having a torch body (46) in which at least one device (32) for feeding a welding wire (13) and a contact tube (30) having a bore (33) and a guide bore (34), running concentrically thereto, for guiding the welding wire (13) in the direction of a workpiece (16) are arranged, wherein the welding wire (13) can be supplied with electrical energy via the contact tube (30), wherein one end of the feed device (32) is arranged in the guide bore (34) of the contact tube (30) and is provided with an electrically conductive end piece (36) having a bore (40) for the welding wire (13). To provide such a welding torch (10) in which the durability or the service life of the wearing parts, in particular of the contact tube (30), is prolonged, provision is made for the end piece (36) of the feed device (32) to be movably arranged in the guide bore (34) of the contact tube (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Inventors: Josef Artelsmair, Andreas Leonhartsberger, Jorg Kazmaier
  • Publication number: 20080314876
    Abstract: A welding system, in certain embodiments, includes a torch having a neck with an arcuate portion, and a resilient jump liner disposed in the neck and extending through the arcuate portion. The resilient jump liner includes a pathway having a curvature configured to bend a welding wire passing through the pathway. The system also includes an annular support disposed about the resilient jump liner inside the neck, wherein the annular support is configured to at least substantially fix the curvature to force the welding wire to achieve a wire curvature. The system also includes a contact tip coupled to the neck, wherein the wire curvature is configured to bias the welding wire into substantially consistent contact with an interior pathway through the contact tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Paul David Pinsonneault, Tiejun Ma, Thomas Jaeger
  • Publication number: 20080257875
    Abstract: The invention relates to wire guide (1) for a thin metal wire (14), which wire guide comprises a flexible sheath (2) through which the metal wire (14) can be passed to a welding gun or a gun for applying a metallic coating or the like to an object. Spaced-apart guide rollers for the metal wire are provided within the sheath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2006
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Marcel Francesco De Keizer
  • Patent number: 7230203
    Abstract: The invention relates to a protective cap for at least one contact pipe of a welding torch, the pipe or pipes having a respective bore for guiding and contacting a respective welding rod that is fed through the pipe or pipes. The cap comprises a housing consisting of or coated with a poor electrically conductive material, for receiving the contact pipe and a bore, which allows the welding rod to emerge. The aim of the invention is to increase the service life of a contact pipe or a welding torch comprising at least one contact pipe of this type. To achieve this, at least two openings are provided in the housing for receiving at least two contact pipes and each opening is connected to one respective bore in the housing for receiving at least two contact pipes and each opening is connected to one respective bore in the housing. Each bore is positioned in such a way that it corresponds with the course of the welding rod in the contact pipe, once the protective cap has been mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Walter Wimroither, Harald Langeder, Markus Steinmaurer
  • Patent number: 6525297
    Abstract: A MIG welding gun has a diffuser with an external thread and a frusto-conical back ramp. A nozzle assembly includes an insert with a back ramp and a thread that mates with the diffuser thread. The threads of the diffuser and insert have respective ramps that mate. A single turn of the nozzle assembly on the diffuser causes simultaneous engagement of the insert and diffuser back ramps and of the insert and diffuser thread ramps. Such engagement centers the nozzle to be concentric with the diffuser and also produces a wedging action that retains the nozzle assembly on the diffuser until a relatively substantial reverse torque is applied to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle front end has a narrow annulus, which reduces the amount of radiant heat from the welding arc that reaches the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: James E. Doherty