Abstract: A drive roll for advancing a wire is provided. In certain embodiments, the drive roll includes a body having a wire feed portion, a mounting portion, and a central aperture through the body. In one embodiment, the feed portion includes an outer circumferential surface of the drive roll and a plurality of grooves for receiving and advancing various wires, while the mounting portion includes mounting features that are each uniquely associated with only one of the grooves. Various wire feed systems and welding systems are also provided.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system is provided with a welding wire feeder that a first wheel having a first rotational direction, and a second wheel having a rotational direction opposite from the first rotational direction. The first and wheels are disposed compressively about a wire feed region, and the first and wheels are drivingly coupled together to output substantially equal tangential in the wire feed region. In addition, the first wheel, or the second wheel, or first and second wheels comprise a drive wheel directly coupled to a gear separately coupling both the drive wheel and the gear to a shaft.

Abstract: A welding torch is provided that includes a motorized arrangement for advancing continuous electrode wires during welding. The torch has a pair of rollers that contact the electrode wire to force it through the torch during welding. A force adjustment selector is provided in the torch handle that allows the operator to alter the force or pressure applied to the electrode wire. Markings on the handle, or stops provided between the selector and the handle allow for easy adjustment and verification of the proper pressure or force applied for specific types of electrode wires.

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: A gripping device for a set of pinch rollers used in a wire feeder that supplies a welding operation with a consumable welding wire. The welding wire passes between the pinch rollers whereby the pinch rollers engage the wire with a gripping force and incrementally rotate to control the outflow of the wire to the welding operation. The gripping device has a first member which is displaceable relative to a second member and a spring mechanism extending between the first and second members which has at least a first and a second spring modulus. The spring mechanism produces the gripping force as the first and the second members are displaced toward one another. The gripper urges one roller of the set of pinch rollers toward the other roller of the set to engage the wire and to apply the gripping force.

Abstract: A push-pull welding wire feeder includes plural wire feeding units provided in a wire feeding passage extending from a welding wire magazine, in which a roll of welding wire is accommodated, via a wire guide tube to a welding torch. At least one of the wire feeding units includes a torque limiter provided in a driving transmission system thereof for transmitting a driving force from a driving source to the welding wire. Accordingly, the welding wire feeder can steadily convey the welding wire even at acceleration or deceleration while allowing the welding wire to be bent, thus contributing to favorable result of its welding operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding wire in a welding system include one or more motors disposed adjacent the wire to drive it. A wire feed motor is also disposed along the wire path, and is closer to the source of wire than the torch, and closer to the source than the one or more motors. The motors may be a pair motors disposed on opposite sides of the wire and move the wire to and away from an arc end of a torch. They preferably reversing the direction of the wire within one process cycle. The or more motors may be a stepper motor, a servo motor, a zero backlash motor, a gearless motor, a planetary drive motor, or a linear actuator (such as a piston), in various embodiments.

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: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling the composition of a weld. More particularly it relates to welding using an electric circuit, thereby creating a weld puddle, and adding at least one filler that is electrically independent from the electric circuit to the weld puddle at a controllable rate to obtain a target weld composition. The filler can be added to the extent limited by practical weld puddle geometry and, thus, the method and apparatus also facilitate increased weld deposition rates.

Abstract: A modular portable welding wire feeder housed in an instrument case and a method of modifying an instrument case to house a welding wire feeder are disclosed. The modular portable wire feeder includes a chassis assembly conveniently mounted inside of the instrument case housing. The instrument case includes welding input interfaces disposed to receive welding inputs and welding output interfaces disposed to provide welding outputs.

Abstract: Apparatus for directing and feeding wire (W) such as for a welder includes first and second, generally planar, guide plates (108) which are slid in a direction parallel to the movement path of the wire (W) into a slit (74) of a mount (68) and a slot (64) of an adapter element (44). A driven roll (20) penetrates an opening (112) in the first guide plate (108). A pressure roll (82) is pivotably mounted to mount (68) between a drive position where it penetrates an opening (112) in the second guide plate (108) and sandwiches wire (W) against the driven roll (20) and a disengaged position. The pressure roll (82) is removably held in the drive position by abutment of a washer (104) with the bracket (84) to which pressure roll (82) is rotatably mounted. The washer (104) is slideable upon a shaft (98) and biased toward the bracket (84) by a spring (106), with the shaft (98) being pivotably mounted to a connecting block (24) between a latched and unlatched position.

Abstract: In order to provide a welding system capable of freely controlling dispersion and concentration of arc heat input at a groove face of base material, and ensure melting of the base material while restraining excessive weld heat input, in arc welding using a wire consumable electrode system, at a groove between members to be welded a position of a weld torch or feed speed of a wire is periodically varied, and welding is carried out by controlling a difference between the phase of the variation and a phase of an arc current waveform in accordance with a change in the arc current waveform.

Abstract: In order to provide a welding system capable of freely controlling dispersion and concentration of arc heat input at a groove face of base material and enable to ensure melting of the base material while restraining excessive weld heat input by carrying out a control of a heat input distribution of arc, in arc welding by a wire consumable electrode system, at a groove between welded members, a position of a weld torch or feed speed of a wire is periodically varied and welding is carried out by controlling a phase difference between the variation and an arc current characteristic when it is changed.

Abstract: A mig welding gun handle is in two sections that are offset from each other by an angle of approximately 20 degrees. The offset handle makes the gun exceptionally comfortable for an operator to maneuver when welding various workpieces. A non-right angle gear set in which the pinion axial centerline intersects the gear axis of rotation at an angle of approximately 70 degrees makes the offset handle possible. The gun further comprises a gas seal that blocks atmospheric air in the weld wire liner from reaching the welding arc. The gas seal comprises a passage that bleeds inert gas to the interior of the liner. The relatively high pressure of the inert gas in the liner interior blocks atmospheric air from flowing through the hole in the contact tip to the arc.