Electrode feeding mechanism for welding apparatus

Claim 1

AN ELECTRODE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR WELDING APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CONSTANT SPEED POWER DRIVE MEANS HAVING A ROTARY OUTPUT SHAFT, A VARIABLE SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION HAVING A ROTARY INPUT SHAFT AND A ROTARY OUTPUT SHAFT, MEANS CONNECTING SAID OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID CONSTANT SPEED POWER DRIVE MEANS IN DRIVING RELATION TO SAID INPUT SHAFT OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION TO DRIVE SAID INPUT SHAFT AT CONSTANT SPEED, ONE-WAY FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS MOUNTED FOR ROCKING MOVEMENT ON SAID OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION WHEREBY ROCKING MOVEMENT OF SAID FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS IN ONE DIRECTION IS EFFECTIVE TO IMPART MOTION TO SAID OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION, WHILE ROCKING MOVEMENT OF SAID FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION IS INEFFECTIVE TO IMPART ROTARY MOTION TO SAID OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION, MEANS CONNECTING SAID INPUT SHAFT OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION TO SAID FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID INPUT SHAFT IMPARTS ROCKING MOVEMENT TO SAID FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE DEGREE OF ROCKING MOVEMENT OF SAID FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS FOR A GIVEN ROTATION OF SAID INPUT SHAFT TO THEREBY VARY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID POWER TRANSMISSION FOR A GIVEN ROTATION OF SAID INPUT SHAFT, AND ELECTRODE FEED ROLLS DRIVEN BY SAID OUTPUT SHAFT AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE WELDING ELECTRODE TO IMPART MOVEMENT THERETO.