Air cooled welding gun

Claim 2

In a welding gun for gas shielded consumable electrode welding including a nozzle structure defining means for supplying welding wire and shielding gas to the arc including an elongate electrically conductive body formed to define a guide passage extending longitudinally thereof for guiding the welding wire through the nozzle structure, with said passage having a welding wire intake end and a welding wire discharge end, a contact tip having a welding wire intake end and a welding wire discharge end removably secured adjacent its intake end in electrical conducting relation to said body at said discharge end of said guide passage and formed with a bore along its central axis between said ends thereof through which the welding wire passes to the arc, and a gas cup received about the contact tip and carried by the nozzle structure for directing shielding gas supplied through the nozzle structure to and between the cup and the contact tip to the arc, the improvement including: a gas diffuser member received over said contact tip radially between said tip and said gas cup and defining orifice means about said tip for passing shielding gas therethrough, and a weld spatter shield carried by said tip in protecting relation to said diffuser member orifice means, said spatter shield comprising: an annular member having the end thereof facing downstream of the shielding gas flow through the cup formed to define a frustoconical spatter deflecting surface at an angle in the range of from about 45* to about 60* with respect to said axis of said tip, said annular member at the upstream end of said surface thereof having a dimension radially of said tip that exceeds the corresponding dimension of said orifice means.

Claim 3

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein: said bore of said contact tip at said discharge end thereof is swedge formed to the external size of the welding wire.

Claim 4

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein: said spatter shield is formed from silicone rubber.

Claim 5

A contact tip for gas shielded consumable electrode welding guns, said tip comprising: an elongate rectilinear tubular member having a welding wire receiving end and a welding wire discharge end, and a weld spatter deflector, carried by said tubular member intermediate said ends thereof, said weld spatter deflector comprising an annular member affixed to said tubular member in substantial concentric relation thereto and having the end thereof facing said tubular member discharge end formed to define a frustoconical spatter deflecting surface that converges in the direction of said tubular member discharge end.

Claim 6

A contact tip for gas shielded consumable electrode welding guns, said tip comprising: an elongate rectilinear tubular member having a welding wire receiving end and a welding wire discharge end, and a weld spatter deflector, carried by said tubular member intermediate said ends thereof, said weld spatter deflector comprising an annular member affixed to said tubular member in substantial concentric relation thereto and having the end thereof facing said tubular member discharge end formed to define a frustoconical spatter deflecting surface that converges in the direction of said tubular member discharge end.

Claim 7

The contact tip set forth in claim 4 wherein: said deflector deflecting surface has a taper in the range of from about 45 to about 60* with respect to said tubular member, said deflector being formed from silicone rubber.

Claim 8

In a welding gun for gas shielded consumable electrode welding including a nozzle structure defining means for supplying welding wire and shielding gas to the arc including an elongate electrically conductive body formed to define a guide passage extending longitudinally thereof for guiding the welding wire through the nozzle structure, with said passage having a welding wire intake end and a welding wire discharge end, a contact tip removably secured in electrical conducting relation to said body at said discharge end of said guide passage through which the welding wire passes to the arc, and a gas cup received about the contact tip and carried by the nozzle structure for directing shielding gas supplied through the nozzle structure to and between the cup and the contact tip to the arc, the improvement wherein: said body at said discharge end of said passage has an end portion that is annularly contractible about said passage discharge end, said contact tip being received in said body end portion, said gas cup having one end portion received over said body one end portion, said gas cup one end portion being annularly contractible, means for releasably clamping said gas cup one end portion against said body one end portion to secure both said contact tip and gas cup to said body, said clamping means comprising a strip encircling said cup one end and means for releasably tightening said strap against said cup one end, an electrically insulating member received About said nozzle structure adjacent said end portion of same and defining a lip under which the terminal portion of said cup one end is inserted, said lip being proportioned longitudinally of said nozzle structure to center said strap over said cup and body end portions when disposed in abutting relation therewith.

Claim 9

In a welding gun for gas shielded consumable electrode welding including a nozzle structure defining means for supplying welding wire and shielding gas to the arc including an elongate electrically conductive body formed to define a guide passage extending longitudinally thereof for guiding the welding wire through the nozzle structure, with said passage having a welding wire intake end and a welding wire discharge end, a contact tip removably secured in electrical conducting relation to said body at said discharge end of said guide passage through which the welding wire passes to the arc, and a gas cup received about the contact tip and carried by the nozzle structure for directing shielding gas supplied through the nozzle structure to and between the cup and the contact tip to the arc, the improvement wherein: said body at said discharge end of said passage has an end portion that is annularly contractible about said passage discharge end, said contact tip being received in said body end portion, said gas cup having one end portion received over said body one end portion, said gas cup one end portion being annularly contractible, means for releasably clamping said gas cup one end portion against said body one end portion to secure both said contact tip and gas cup to said body, said clamping means comprising a strip encircling said cup one end and means for releasably tightening said strap against said cup one end, an electrically insulating member received About said nozzle structure adjacent said end portion of same and defining a lip under which the terminal portion of said cup one end is inserted, said lip being proportioned longitudinally of said nozzle structure to center said strap over said cup and body end portions when disposed in abutting relation therewith.

Claim 10

The improvement set forth in claim 6 wherein: annularly contractible heat transfer means is interposed between said gas cup and said body end portion in concentric relation therewith, said heat transfer means comprising an annularly contractible sleeve formed from a heat conductive material having an electrically insulating covering, and means for restraining said sleeve against movement longitudinally thereof relative to said body.

Claim 11

The improvement set forth in claim 6 wherein: said body guide passage has received in same a flat wound helix extending longitudinally thereof through which the welding wire passes.

Claim 12

A welding gun for consumable electrode welding, said gun comprising: a nozzle structure, a handle structure for said nozzle structure and comprising an adapter tube having a bore extending longitudinally thereof and having one end of same connected to said nozzle structure, means for connecting the other end of said adapter tube to a source of welding wire, and means for connecting said adapter tube to sources of electrical energy and shielding gas, the last mentioned means comprising: a welding current power cable having one end of same electrically connected to said adapter tube and the other end of same electrically connected to a source of welding current, means for supplying shielding gas to said power cable adjacent said other end thereof, and means for connecting said power cable one end to said adapter tube bore for conveying shielding gas passing through said power cable to said tube bore.

Claim 13

A welding gun for consumable electrode welding, said gun comprising: a nozzle structure, a handle structure for said nozzle structure and comprising an adapter tube having a bore extending longitudinally thereof and having one end of same connected to said nozzle structure, means for connecting the other end of said adapter tube to a source of welding wire, and means for connecting said adapter tube to sources of electrical energy and shielding gas, the last mentioned means comprising: a welding current power cable having one end of same electrically connected to said adapter tube and the other end of same electrically connected to a source of welding current, means for supplying shielding gas to said power cable adjacent said other end thereof, and means for connecting said power cable one end to said adapter tube bore for conveying shielding gas passing through said power cable to said tube bore.

Claim 14

The gun set forth in claim 9 wherein: said means for connecting said power cable one end to said adapter tube bore comprises: a connector element made fast to said power cable one end, said adapter tube including a fitting component on one side thereof, means for making said power cable connector element fast to said adapter tube fitting component, a tubular element having one end of same inserted into the stranding of said cable at said cable one end and extending into said connector element, said connector element, said fitting component and said adapter tube being formed to convey gas passing into said tubular element to said adapter tube bore.

Claim 15

The gun set forth in claim 9 wherein: said means for supplying shielding gas to said power cable other end comprises: a connector element made fast to said power cable other end and in electrical conducting relation to the stranding thereof, a tubular element extending through said connector element and having one end of same inserted into the stranding of said cable and the other end of same connected to a source of shielding gas, said connector element being connected to the source of welding current.

Claim 16

In a welding gun for gas shielded consumable electrode welding including a nozzle structure defining means for supplying welding wire and shielding gas to the arc including an elongate electrically conductive body formed to define a guide passage extending longitudinally thereof for guiding the welding wire through the nozzle structure, with said passage having a welding wire intake end and a welding wire discharge end, a contact tip removably secured in electrical conducting relation to said body at said discharge end of said guide passage through which the welding wire passes to the arc, and a gas cup received about the contact tip and carried by the nozzle structure for directing shielding gas supplied through the nozzle structure to and between the cup and the contact tip to the arc, the improvement comprising: an adapter tube having a bore extending loNgitudinally thereof and having one end of same connected to said nozzle structure at the welding wire intake end of said nozzle structure passages, means for connecting the other end of said adapter tube to a source of welding wire, and means for connecting said adapter tube to sources of electrical energy and shielding gas, the last mentioned means comprising: a welding current power cable having one end of same electrically connected to said adapter tube and the other end of same electrically connected to a source of welding current, said power cable comprising a stranded wire core encased in an insulating jacket, means for supplying shielding gas to said power cable adjacent said other end thereof, and means for connecting said power cable one end to said adapter tube bore for conveying shielding gas passing through said power cable to said tube bore.

Claim 17

In a welding gun for gas shielded consumable electrode welding including a nozzle structure defining means for supplying welding wire and shielding gas to the arc including an elongate electrically conductive body formed to define a guide passage extending longitudinally thereof for guiding the welding wire through the nozzle structure, with said passage having a welding wire intake end and a welding wire discharge end, a contact tip removably secured in electrical conducting relation to said body at said discharge end of said guide passage through which the welding wire passes to the arc, and a gas cup received about the contact tip and carried by the nozzle structure for directing shielding gas supplied through the nozzle structure to and between the cup and the contact tip to the arc, the improvement comprising: an adapter tube having a bore extending loNgitudinally thereof and having one end of same connected to said nozzle structure at the welding wire intake end of said nozzle structure passages, means for connecting the other end of said adapter tube to a source of welding wire, and means for connecting said adapter tube to sources of electrical energy and shielding gas, the last mentioned means comprising: a welding current power cable having one end of same electrically connected to said adapter tube and the other end of same electrically connected to a source of welding current, said power cable comprising a stranded wire core encased in an insulating jacket, means for supplying shielding gas to said power cable adjacent said other end thereof, and means for connecting said power cable one end to said adapter tube bore for conveying shielding gas passing through said power cable to said tube bore.

Claim 18

The gun set forth in claim 12 wherein: said means for connecting said power cable one end to said adapter tube bore comprises: a connector element made fast to said power cable one end, said adapter tube including a fitting component on one side thereof, means for making said power cable connector element fast to said adapter tube fitting component, a tubular element having one end of same inserted into the stranding of said cable at said cable one end and extending into said connector element, said connector element, said fitting component and said adapter tube being formed to convey gas passing into said tubular element to said adapter tube bore.

Claim 19

The gun set forth in claim 12 wherein: said means for supplying shielding gas to said power cable other end comprises: a connector element made fast to said power cable other end and in electrical conducting relation to the stranding thereof, a tubular element extending through said connector element and having one end of same inserted into the stranding of said cable and the other end of same connected to a source of shielding gas, said connector element being connected to the source of welding current.

Claim 20

The improvement set forth in claim 12 wherein: said means for connecting said adapter tube other end to the source of welding wire comprises: a helical wire conduit having an insulating jacket, with one end of said wire conduit being connected to the welding wire source, a tubular connector element made fast to the other end of said conduit and received in said adapter tube other end, and means for clamping said adapter tube other end against said connector element to make same fast to said adapter tube.