Consumable electrode arc welding machine

Claim 2

In a wire feeding device provided with a wire drawing mechanism including a clamp structure and cylinder means adapted to feed a wire therethrough from a supply reel to the objective through a length of holloW guide tubing, said wire drawing mechanism comprising at least one lubricant feeder including a cavity formed in said cylinder means, an enclosure integrally formed with said cylinder means above said cavity and positioned between said clamp structure and the adjacent end of said hollow guide tubing, a cover member adjustably engaged in an opening of said enclosure, a solid lubricant inserted in said enclosure with its leading end contacted with the wire movable in the cylinder means by said wire drawing mechanism in the lengthwise direction, a contact pressure controlling means housed in said enclosure for adjusting the value of the contact pressure exerted between said leading end of the solid lubricant and the moving wire, whereby said solid lubricant has a tendency to be finely pulverized under friction in contact with said moving wire and then to stick over the peripheral surface of said wire to permit the latter to smoothly move in the hollow guide tubing with substantial reduction of the frictional resistance between the inner peripheral surface of said tubing and the peripheral surface of said wire, and means for disengaging the solid lubricant from its contact to the wire in the cylinder means, said disengaging means including a hollow projection integrally formed with the cylinder means at a position opposite to the lubricant feeder, a cap-like member adjustably covering an opening of said projection, said hollow projection being formed on its inner surface with at least one guide groove at a portion adjacent to said opening of said projection, a bushing having a projected presser integrally extended therefrom, and a pin member having at least one end extending from said bushing and slidably engaged in said guide groove, the bushing with the integral presser being movable upon rotation of said cap-like member between an advanced position in which said lubricant is disengaged from the contact with the wire by said presser and a retracted position in which said lubricant contacts the wire.

Claim 3

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 1, wherein two guide grooves are provided on the inner surface of said hollow projection and each end of the pin member extends from said bushing and slidably engages in a respective one of said guide grooves.

Claim 4

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 1, wherein said contact pressure controlling means is an elastic member housed in said enclosure between the cover member and the other end of the solid lubricant to urge the latter in the direction of the moving wire.

Claim 5

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said lubricant feeders includes means for compensating the reduction of the contact pressure incident to the excessive wear of the solid lubricant.

Claim 6

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 4, wherein said compensating means includes a hollow elongated member having one end integrally formed with said cover member, said elongated member being disposed within said enclosure and surrounding said elastic member.

Claim 7

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 4, wherein said compensating means includes an elongated member having one end integrally formed with said cover member, said elongated member being disposed within said enclosure and being surrounded by said elastic member.

Claim 8

In a wire feeding device provided with a wire drawing mechanism including a clamp structure and cylinder means adapted to feed a wire therethrough from a supply reel to the objective through a length of hollow guide tubing, said wire drawing mechanism comprising at least one lubricant feeder including a cavity formed in said cylinder means, an enclosure integrally formed with said cylinder means above said cavity and positioned between said clamp structure and the adjacent end of said hollow guide tubing, a cover member adjustably engaged in an opening of said enclosure, a solid lubricant inserted in said enclosure with its leading end contacted with the wire movable in the cylinder means by said wire drawing mechanIsm in the lengthwise direction, a contact pressure controlling means housed in said enclosure for adjusting the value of the contact pressure exerted between said leading end of the solid lubricant and the moving wire, whereby said solid lubricant has a tendency to be finely pulverized under friction in contact with said moving wire and then to stick over the peripheral surface of said wire to permit the latter to smoothly move in the hollow guide tubing with substantial reduction of the frictional resistance between the inner peripheral surface of said tubing and the peripheral surface of said wire, and means for disengaging the solid lubricant from its contact to the wire in the cylinder means, said disengaging means including a hollow projection integrally formed with the cylinder means at a position opposite to the lubricant feeder, a piston-like presser slidably accommodated in said hollow projection and formed at its intermediate portion with a reduced diameter portion, a casing connected with a lateral side of said hollow projection and a stopper rod slidably accommodated within said casing, one end of said stopper rod being integrally connected with an engaging head and the other end being formed into a knob, said stopper rod being constantly urged toward the piston-like presser by means of a spring, whereby when the piston-like presser is pressed toward the solid lubricant the stopper rod will engage in an annular cavity defined by the reduced diameter portion thereby to maintain said presser in the operated position in which the solid lubricant is disengaged from its contact to the moving wire.

Claim 9

In a wire feeding device provided with a wire drawing mechanism including a clamp structure and cylinder means adapted to feed a wire therethrough from a supply reel to the objective through a length of hollow guide tubing, said wire drawing mechanism comprising at least one lubricant feeder including a cavity formed in said cylinder means, an enclosure integrally formed with said cylinder means above said cavity and positioned between said clamp structure and the adjacent end of said hollow guide tubing, a cover member adjustably engaged in an opening of said enclosure, a solid lubricant inserted in said enclosure with its leading end contacted with the wire movable in the cylinder means by said wire drawing mechanIsm in the lengthwise direction, a contact pressure controlling means housed in said enclosure for adjusting the value of the contact pressure exerted between said leading end of the solid lubricant and the moving wire, whereby said solid lubricant has a tendency to be finely pulverized under friction in contact with said moving wire and then to stick over the peripheral surface of said wire to permit the latter to smoothly move in the hollow guide tubing with substantial reduction of the frictional resistance between the inner peripheral surface of said tubing and the peripheral surface of said wire, and means for disengaging the solid lubricant from its contact to the wire in the cylinder means, said disengaging means including a hollow projection integrally formed with the cylinder means at a position opposite to the lubricant feeder, a piston-like presser slidably accommodated in said hollow projection and formed at its intermediate portion with a reduced diameter portion, a casing connected with a lateral side of said hollow projection and a stopper rod slidably accommodated within said casing, one end of said stopper rod being integrally connected with an engaging head and the other end being formed into a knob, said stopper rod being constantly urged toward the piston-like presser by means of a spring, whereby when the piston-like presser is pressed toward the solid lubricant the stopper rod will engage in an annular cavity defined by the reduced diameter portion thereby to maintain said presser in the operated position in which the solid lubricant is disengaged from its contact to the moving wire.

Claim 10

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 7, wherein said lubricant feeder includes means for compensating the reduction of the contact pressure incident to the excessive wear of the solid lubricant.

Claim 11

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 8, wherein said compensating means comprises an elongated member integrally formed with said cover member, said elongated member being disposed within said enclosure.

Claim 12

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 7, wherein said cylinder means comprises a first cylinder integrally formed with said clamp structure and a second cylinder having said lubricant feeder integrally formed therewith, said second cylinder adapted to be connected between said first cylinder and the adjacent end of the hollow guide tubing.

Claim 13

A wire feeding device as defined in claim 7, wherein said contact pressure controlling means is an elastic member housed in said enclosure between the cover member and the other end of the solid lubricant to urge the latter in the direction of the moving wire.