Multi-gas sigma welding

Claim 1

PROCESS OF SIGN WELDING STEEL WITH A CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE WHICH INCLUDES ESTABLISHING A WELDING ARE BETWEEN SUCH ELECTRODE AND A STEEL WORKPIECE TO BE WELDED, SHIELDING THE WELDING ARC WITH AN INNER ANNULAR STREAM OF SUITABLE GAS AND AN OUTER ANNULAR STREAM OF CARBON DIOXIDE GAS BY DISCHARGING SAID INNER STREAM FROM AN INNER CUP HAVING AN INNER ANNULAR STREAMLINED GAS DISCHARGE PASSAGE SURROUNDING SUCH CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE AND SIMULATANE OUSLY DISCHARGING SAID OUTER STREAM FROM AN OUTER CUP HAVING AN ANNULAR STREAMLINED OUTER GAS DISCHARGE PASSAGE SURROUNDING SUCH INNER CUP AND TERMINATING AT THE SAME LEVEL SO THAT SUCH INNER AND OUTER GAS STREAMS MERGE IN STEAMLINED RELATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEIR DISCHARGE INTO THE OPEN AIR AND EVENTLY DISTRIBUTING SUCH OUTER GAS IN AN ANNULAR CHAMBER IN SUCH OUTER CUP BEFORE SUCH OUTER GAS IS FED TO SUCH ANNULAR STREAMLINED GAS DISCHARGE PASSAGE, WHEREBY THE FLOW OF THE OUTER GAS STREAM IS REDUCED TO A VALUE THAT IS NO MORE THAN ABOUT 1.5 TIMES THAT OF SUCH INNER GAS STREAM FOR GOOD WELDING RESULTS, SAID INNER STREAM BEING COMPOSED OF GAS THAT IS CONDUCTIVE TO STABLE WELDING CONDITIONS AND IS RELATIVELY LIGHTER THAN THAT OF SAID OUTER STREAM, SUCH INNER GAS STREAM BEING SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ARGON ALONE, A MIXTURE OF AGON AND OXYGEN, A MIXTURE OF ARGON AND HELIUM, A MIXTURE OF ARGON, HELIUM AND OXYGEN, A MIXTURE OF ARGON AND CARBON DIOXIDE, AND A MIXTURE OF HELIUM, ARGON AND CARBON DIOXIDE.