US3648947A — Welding wire feeding mechanism

Claim 1

Independent Claim 261 words

Welding wire feeding mechanism feeding flexible welding wire from an associated wire supply means to associated apparatus which utilizes the delivery thereto of said welding wire, comprising: support means adapted to be relatively fixedly supported by said associated wire supply means; a first wire-guiding means rotataBly supported by said support means and rotationally movable with respect thereto, and having a first wire-guiding localized feed-guide carried for movement relatively adjacent said associated wire supply means but at a distance from the axis of rotation of said wire-guiding means; and a second wire-guiding means operatively supported by said support means, and having a second wire-guiding localized feedguide at a location relatively toward said associated wireutilizing apparatus, in contrast to the location of said first feed-guide in reference to the said associated supply means, but generally co-axial with the axis of rotation of said first wire-guiding means and of its said first feed guide; the said first and second wire-guiding feed-guides co-operating, when the associated welding wire is operatively threaded through both said feed-guides, to minimize undue lashing and whipping of welding wire coming from said associated supply means; in a combination in which the support of said second wireguiding means includes a support member located non-coaxially with respect to the said second wire-guiding feed-guide of said second wire-guiding means, and the support of said second wireguiding feed-guide includes a guide-support generally concentrically coaxial therewith; characterized by there being provided supportingly interconnecting means which include a radial bearing means, which operatively supportingly interconnect said guide-support and said second feed-guide but permit relative rotation thereof.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 261 words

Welding wire feeding mechanism feeding flexible welding wire from an associated wire supply means to associated apparatus which utilizes the delivery thereto of said welding wire, comprising: support means adapted to be relatively fixedly supported by said associated wire supply means; a first wire-guiding means rotataBly supported by said support means and rotationally movable with respect thereto, and having a first wire-guiding localized feed-guide carried for movement relatively adjacent said associated wire supply means but at a distance from the axis of rotation of said wire-guiding means; and a second wire-guiding means operatively supported by said support means, and having a second wire-guiding localized feedguide at a location relatively toward said associated wireutilizing apparatus, in contrast to the location of said first feed-guide in reference to the said associated supply means, but generally co-axial with the axis of rotation of said first wire-guiding means and of its said first feed guide; the said first and second wire-guiding feed-guides co-operating, when the associated welding wire is operatively threaded through both said feed-guides, to minimize undue lashing and whipping of welding wire coming from said associated supply means; in a combination in which the support of said second wireguiding means includes a support member located non-coaxially with respect to the said second wire-guiding feed-guide of said second wire-guiding means, and the support of said second wireguiding feed-guide includes a guide-support generally concentrically coaxial therewith; characterized by there being provided supportingly interconnecting means which include a radial bearing means, which operatively supportingly interconnect said guide-support and said second feed-guide but permit relative rotation thereof.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 66 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said support means is adapted to be supported at a location with respect to said associated wire supply means such that the axis of rotation of the said first wire-guiding means and of its said first feed guide is generally co-axial with the feed of wire from said associated wire supply means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said second wire-guiding means is carried by the said first wire-guiding means, being operatively connected thereto and supported thereby.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 192 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the means which operatively support said second wire-guiding means is located remote from the said first wire-guiding feed-guide of the said first wire-guiding means, having reference to both the said first feed-guide and to the region of the wire-path between the said first feed-guide and the said second feed-guide, thereby providing: that the rotation of the said first wire-guiding means, which corresponds to the rotation of its said first feed-guide as the welding wire is being fed from successive circumferential sectors of its associated supply means, automatically and correspondingly achieves a rotation, of the said means which operatively support said second wire-guiding means, which last-mentioned rotation continually and automatically moves and keeps said operatively supporting means clear of undesired interference with the welding wire moving from said first feed-guide to said second feed-guide, even though said welding wire in its said moving sweeps fully around the axis of rotation of the said first wire-guiding means in a manner which is generally the generation of an imaginary circumferentially continuous shape through whose imaginary surface the said operatively supporting means extends.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 78 words

The invention as set forth in claim 4 in a combination in which the location of at least the portion, of the said operatively supporting means which is operatively adjacent the said second feed-guide of said second wire-guiding means, is generally diametrically opposite the said first wire-guiding feed-guide of said first wire-guiding means, having reference to the axis of rotation of said first wire-guiding means as viewed from a location in which said axis appears in point view.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 35 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said support means includes a thrust beaRing means in its support of said first wire-guiding feed-guide of said first wire-guiding means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 57 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the feed-guide of at least one of said first wire-guiding feed-guide and said second wire-guiding feed-guide is of a restricted-area nature operative to operatively straighten out relatively minor kinks of said wire, and to block travel therepast of relatively major kinks of said wire.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

The invention as set forth in claim 1 in a combination in which the said second wire-guiding feed-guide is operative to deliver wire toward said associated wire-utilizing apparatus in an orderly manner in which successive portions of said wire come from said mechanism in co-linear manner.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-03-14	1975-09-13	1976-03-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-03-14	1979-09-13	1980-03-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-03-14	1983-09-13	1984-03-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Welding wire feeding mechanism

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag