Welding system

Claim 1

A WELDING SYSTEM INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF WELDING TORCHES, AN ENERGIZING CIRCUIT INCLUDING OUTPUT TERMINALS AND ARC STARTING MEANS PROVIDING PULSES AT SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS, SAID ARC STARTING MEANS INCLUDING A SHUNT CIRCUIT PORTION SELECTIVELY RENDERED CONDUCTING FOR DIVERTING CURRENT FROM SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS, A PLURALITY OF SWITCH MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY CONNECTING SAID TORCHES TO SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS, AND TIMING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT AND FOR ACTUATING SAID SWITCH MEANS, SAID TIMING MEANS INCLUDING FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PORTIONS, SAID FIRST PORTION BEING COUPLED TO SAID SHUNT CIRCUIT PORTION AND ACTING TO RENDER THE SAME CONDUCTIVE TO PROVIDE PRE-FIRING CURRENT, SAID SECOND PORTION BEING COUPLED TO SAID SWITCH MEANS AND ACTUATING ONE OF SAID SWITCH MEANS TO CONNECT ONE OF SAID TORCHES TO SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS, SAID THIRD PORTION BEING COUPLED TO SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT FOR ACTUATING THE SAME TO PRODUCE SAID ARC FIRING PULSE TO INITIATE AN ARC AT SAID ONE TORCH, SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID TIMING MEANS OPERATING AFTER THE ARC IS INITIATED TO ACTUATE THE SECOND SWITCH MEANS FOR CONNECTING A SECOND TORCH TO THE ENERGIZING CIRCUIT, SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID TIMING MEANS OPERATING AT A PREDETERMINED TIME AFTER OPERATION OF SAID THIRD PORTION THEREOF TO RENDER SAID SHUNT CIRCUIT PORTION CONDUCTING TO DIVERT CURRENT FROM SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS AND TERMINATE THE ARC AT SAID ONE TORCH, SAID SECOND PORTION OF SAID TIMING MEANS OPERATING TO RELEASE SAID ONE SWITCH MEANS AND DISCONNECT SAID ONE TORCH AFTER SAID ARC IS TERMINATED, AND SAID THIRD PORTION OF SAID TIMING MEANS OPERATING AFTER RELEASE OF SAID ONE SWITCH MEANS TO PROVIDE A VOLTAGE PULSE TO INITIATE AN ARC AT SAID SECOND TORCH.