Automatic pipe welding wire-feed apparatus

Claim 1

WIRE-FEEDING PIPE WELDING APPARATUS COMPRISING: A STATIONARY HOUSING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON AND FIXEDLY SUPPORTED BY SAID PIPE, A DRIVEN SHAFT ASSEMBLY ROTATABLY JOURNALED IN AND PROJECTED OUTWARDLY OF SAID HOUSING, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATABLY DRIVING SAID SHAFT, A WIRE REEL, A REEL FRAME FIXEDLY CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING, A WELDING ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY CARRIED BY AND ROTATABLE WITH SAID SHAFT ASSEMBLY, A WIRE SCOOP ALSO CARRIED BY AND ROTATABLE WITH THE SHAFT ASSEMBLY, SAID ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING AN ELECTRODE DISPOSED ADJACENT TO SAID REEL FRAME AND ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED OVER THE PIPE SECTION TO BE WELDED WHEN THE HOUSING IS MOUNTED ON THE PIPE, SAID SCOOP HAVING A WIRE INLET END DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID WIRE REEL AND AN OUTLET END DISPOSED ADJACENT TO SAID ELECTRODE, SAID WIRE REEL BEING LOOSELY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME FOR ROTATION RELATIVE THERETO, AND MEANS FOR BINDING TOGETHER THE REEL AND THE FRAME WHEREUPON ROTATION OF THE SCOOP RELATIVE TO SAID BOUND REEL FEEDS WIRE THROUGH THE SCOOP OUTLET TO THE PIPE SECTION TO BE WELDED, SAID BINDING MEANS BEING RELEASABLE WHEREUPON SAID WIRE REEL ROTATES WITH THE SCOOP TO AVOID WIRE FEED.