Gun type soldering device with improved solder wire feeding mechanism

Claim 2

For use with a soldering device of the electrical gun type including a housing body providing a depending handle portion shaped to be gripped by a hand of an operator in pistol grip fashion, a working tip extending forwardly from said body and a trigger member disposed in a position to be engaged by the index finger of the operator''s hand gripping the handle portion for actuating the working tip, an attachment for carrying a spool of solder wire and for feeding said solder wire into cooperating relation with the working tip of said device, said attachment comprising a mounting structure, means for detachably fixedly securing said mounting structure on the upper portion of said housing body, means on the rear portion of said mounting structure for supporting a spool of solder wire for rotational movement to pay out the solder wire in a direction forwardly thereof, means extending forwardly from said mounting structure for guiding the leading portion of the solder wire extending from the spool along a path such that the leading end of the solder wire extends into cooperating relation with the working tip of the device, movement responsive means carried by said mounting structure between said spool supporting means and said solder wire guiding means operable through successive operative cycles each including a working stroke and a return stroke for effecting successive incremental forward movements of the solder wire by engagement therewith intermediate the portion thereof on said spool and the leading portion thereof within said guide means, a movement effecting member including a portion having upwardly facing surface means to be engaged beneath the thumb of the hand of an operator gripping said handle portion as aforesaid, and means for mounting said movement effecting member on said mounting structure for (1) selective disposition in either one of two normally biased inoperative positions in one of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper left side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement beneath the right thumb of a righthanded operator and in the other of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper right side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement beneath the left thumb of a left-handed operator and (2) movement from the selected normally biased inoperative position through successive operative cycles each of which includes a downward working stroke of said thumb engaging portion by downward digital pressure of the thumb of the operator and an upward return stroke of said thumb engaging portion by release of said thumb pressure and said mounting means further connecting said movement effecting member in motion transmitting relation with said movement responsive means for effecting movement of the latter through successive operative cycles in response to the movement of said movement effecting member through successive operative cycles.

Claim 3

An attachment as defined in claim 1 wherein said movement responsive means including a housing portion on said mounting structure, said housing portion including an upwardly facing exterior surface disposed within a generally horizontal plane, a spool of solder supported on said spool supporting means for rotation about a vertical axis, said spool having an upwardly facing exterior end surface disposed within the aforesaid hOrizontal plane.

Claim 4

For use with a soldering device of the electrical gun type including a housing body providing a depending handle portion shaped to be gripped by a hand of an operator, a working tip extending forwardly from said body and a trigger member disposed in a position to be engaged by the index finger of the operator''s hand gripping the handle portion for actuating the working tip, an attachment for carrying a reel of solder wire and for feeding said solder wire into cooperating relation with the working top of said device, said attachment comprising a mounting structure, means for detachably fixedly securing said mounting structure on the upper portion of said housing body, means on the rear portion of said mounting structure for supporting a spool of solder wire for rotational movement to pay out the solder wire in a direction forwardly thereof, means extending forwardly from said mounting structure for guiding the leading portion of the solder wire extending from the spool along a path such that the leading end of the solder wire extending into cooperating relation with the working tip of the device, movement responsive means carried by said mounting structure between said spool supporting means and said solder wire guiding means operable through successive operative cycles each including a working stroke and a return stroke for effecting successive incremental forward movements of the solder wire by engagement therewith intermediate the portion thereof on said spool and the leading portion thereof within said guide means, a movement effecting member including a portion shaped to be engaged by a thumb of an operator, and means mounting said movement effecting member in cooperating relation with said mounting structure and connecting the same in motion transmitting relation with said movement responsive means for (1) selective disposition in either one of two normally biased inoperative positions in one of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper left side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement by the right thumb of a right-handed operator and in the other of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper right side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement by the left thumb of a left-handed operator and (2) movement from the selected normally biased inoperative position through successive operative cycles each of which includes a downward working stroke of said thumb engaging portion by downward digital pressure of the thumb of the operator and an upward return stroke of said thumb engaging portion by release of said thumb pressure, said movement effecting member mounting means including a flexible cable connected at one end to said movement effecting member and at its opposite end to said movement responsive means and a tightly wound coil spring guide surrounding said cable intermediate the ends of the latter, said guide having a free end portion disposed within an opening in said movement effecting member and the remaining portion thereof operative fixed at spaced positions with respect to said mounting structure.

Claim 5

For use with a soldering device of the electrical gun type including a housing body providing a depending handle portion shaped to be gripped by a hand of an operator, a working tip extending forwardly from said body and a trigger member disposed in a position to be engaged by the index finger of the operator''s hand gripping the handle portion for actuating the working tip, an attachment for carrying a reel of solder wire and for feeding said solder wire into cooperating relation with the working top of said device, said attachment comprising a mounting structure, means for detachably fixedly securing said mounting structure on the upper portion of said housing body, means on the rear portion of said mounting structure for supporting a spool of solder wire for rotational movement to pay out the solder wire in a direction forwardly thereof, means extending forwardly from said mounting structure for guiding the leading portion of the solder wire extending from the spool along a path such that the leading end of the solder wire extending into cooperating relation with the working tip of the device, movement responsive means carried by said mounting structure between said spool supporting means and said solder wire guiding means operable through successive operative cycles each including a working stroke and a return stroke for effecting successive incremental forward movements of the solder wire by engagement therewith intermediate the portion thereof on said spool and the leading portion thereof within said guide means, a movement effecting member including a portion shaped to be engaged by a thumb of an operator, and means mounting said movement effecting member in cooperating relation with said mounting structure and connecting the same in motion transmitting relation with said movement responsive means for (1) selective disposition in either one of two normally biased inoperative positions in one of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper left side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement by the right thumb of a right-handed operator and in the other of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper right side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement by the left thumb of a left-handed operator and (2) movement from the selected normally biased inoperative position through successive operative cycles each of which includes a downward working stroke of said thumb engaging portion by downward digital pressure of the thumb of the operator and an upward return stroke of said thumb engaging portion by release of said thumb pressure, said movement effecting member mounting means including a flexible cable connected at one end to said movement effecting member and at its opposite end to said movement responsive means and a tightly wound coil spring guide surrounding said cable intermediate the ends of the latter, said guide having a free end portion disposed within an opening in said movement effecting member and the remaining portion thereof operative fixed at spaced positions with respect to said mounting structure.

Claim 6

An attachment as defined in claim 3 including a collar member fixedly engaged over said guide adjacent said free end portion, said mounting structure including a portion extending over one side of the housing body of the device having a slot extending laterally therein of a size to receive said guide laterally therethrough, said collar member being engaged with said slotted portion, said movement effecting member abutting said slotted portion when in said selected normally biased inoperative position.

Claim 7

An attachment as defined in claim 4 wherein said mounting structure includes a housing portion enclosing said movement responsive means, the end of said guide being fixedly engaged within said housing portion.

Claim 8

An attachment as defined in claim 5 wherein said mounting structure incLudes a mounting plate separate from said housing portion having said slotted portion extending from one side thereof and means detachably securing said mounting plate for side-to-side reversal with respect to said housing portion to effect the selective disposition of said movement effecting member into either of said two normally biased inoperative positions.

Claim 9

An attachment as defined in claim 5 wherein said movement responsive means comprises a pair of cooperating rollers rotatably mounted within said housing portion with their peripheries in cooperating relation to drivingly engage therebetween the intermediate portion of the solder wire extending from the spool, a driving member mounted in said housing portion for movement between first and second positions, spring means for resiliently biasing said driving member into said first position, the opposite end of said flexible cable being connected with said driving member, and ratchet means between said driving member and one of said rollers operable in response to the movement of said driving member from said first position toward said second position by said flexible cable in response to the downward working stroke of said thumb engaging portion for incrementally rotating said one roller in a direction to feed the solder wire engaged thereby forwardly.

Claim 10

An attachment as defined in claim 7 wherein said one roller includes a knurled periphery and the other roller includes a peripheral portion formed of resilient material.

Claim 11

For use with a soldering device of the electrical gun type including a housing body providing a depending handle portion shaped to be gripped by the hand of an operator and a working tip extending forwardly from said body, an attachment for carrying a spool of solder wire and for feeding said solder wire into cooperating relation with the working tip of said device, said attachment comprising a mounting structure, means for detachably fixedly securing said mounting structure on the upper portion of said housing body, means on the rear portion of said mounting structure for supporting a spool of solder wire for rotational movement to pay out the solder wire in a direction forwardly thereof, said mounting structure including a housing portion spaced forwardly of said spool mounting means, a pair of cooperating rollers rotatably mounted within said housing portion with their peripheries in cooperating relation to drivingly engage therebetween an intermediate portion of the solder wire extending from the spool, said pair of rollers each including a peripheral portion, one of said peripheral portions being knurled, means extending forwardly from said housing portion for guiding the leading portion of the solder wire extending from the spool along a path such that the leading end of the solder wire extends into cooperating relation with the working tip of the device, a vertically extending shaft journaled in said housing portion, a circular driving member mounted in said housing portion on said shaft for oscillatory rotational movement between first and second positions, first spring means for resiliently biasing said driving member into said first position, means carried by said mounting structure in a position to be engaged by the hand of the operator gripping the handle portion of the device for effecting movement of said driving member toward said second position against the action of said spring means, ratchet means between said driving member and one of said rollers operable in response to a cycle of movement of said driving member from said first position toward said second position and then back into said first position for incrementally rotating said one roller, only in a direction to feed the solder wire engaged thereby forwardly, only during movement of said driving member in one direction, said ratchet means including a first series of downwardly facing ratchet teeth arranged annularly on said driving member, a circular raTchet member fixed with respect to said one roller and having a second series of upwardly facing cooperating ratchet teeth arranged annularly thereabout, said one roller being rotatably mounted on said shaft, said driving member being axially movable on said shaft between an operative position wherein said first and second series of ratchet teeth are interengaged and an inoperative position wherein said first and second series of ratchet teeth are disengaged, and second spring means resisiently biasing said driving member into said operative position.

Claim 12

For use with a soldering device of the electrical gun type including a housing body providing a depending handle portion shaped to be gripped by the hand of an operator and a working tip extending forwardly from said body, an attachment for carrying a spool of solder wire and for feeding said solder wire into cooperating relation with the working tip of said device, said attachment comprising a mounting structure, means for detachably fixedly securing said mounting structure on the upper portion of said housing body, means on the rear portion of said mounting structure for supporting a spool of solder wire for rotational movement to pay out the solder wire in a direction forwardly thereof, said mounting structure including a housing portion spaced forwardly of said spool mounting means, a pair of cooperating rollers rotatably mounted within said housing portion with their peripheries in cooperating relation to drivingly engage therebetween an intermediate portion of the solder wire extending from the spool, said pair of rollers each including a peripheral portion, one of said peripheral portions being knurled, means extending forwardly from said housing portion for guiding the leading portion of the solder wire extending from the spool along a path such that the leading end of the solder wire extends into cooperating relation with the working tip of the device, a vertically extending shaft journaled in said housing portion, a circular driving member mounted in said housing portion on said shaft for oscillatory rotational movement between first and second positions, first spring means for resiliently biasing said driving member into said first position, means carried by said mounting structure in a position to be engaged by the hand of the operator gripping the handle portion of the device for effecting movement of said driving member toward said second position against the action of said spring means, ratchet means between said driving member and one of said rollers operable in response to a cycle of movement of said driving member from said first position toward said second position and then back into said first position for incrementally rotating said one roller, only in a direction to feed the solder wire engaged thereby forwardly, only during movement of said driving member in one direction, said ratchet means including a first series of downwardly facing ratchet teeth arranged annularly on said driving member, a circular raTchet member fixed with respect to said one roller and having a second series of upwardly facing cooperating ratchet teeth arranged annularly thereabout, said one roller being rotatably mounted on said shaft, said driving member being axially movable on said shaft between an operative position wherein said first and second series of ratchet teeth are interengaged and an inoperative position wherein said first and second series of ratchet teeth are disengaged, and second spring means resisiently biasing said driving member into said operative position.

Claim 13

An attachment as defined in claim 9 wherein said shaft includes a lower end portion extending outwardly of said housing portion in a position to be manually engaged when said attachment is detached from the soldering device to effect an axial movement of said shaft, said shaft having abutment means thereon operable to move said driving member into the inoperative position thereof in response to the aforesaid axial movement thereof.

Claim 14

An attachment as defined in claim 9 wherein said driving member movement effecting means comprises a flexible cable having one end fixedly connected to the periphery of said driving member, a movement effecting member disposed in upwardly abutting relation to said mounting structure fixedly connected to the opposite end of said flexible cable, and a tightly wound coil spring guide surrounding said cable between said housing portion and said movement effecting member, said movement effecting member extending downwardly along one side of the housing body of the soldering device and having a thumb engaging portion extending outwardly from the lower end thereof.

Claim 15

In a soldering device of the electrical gun type including a housing body providing a depending handle portion shaped to be gripped by a hand of an operator in pistol grip fashion, a working tip extending forwardly from said body and a trigger member disposed in a position to be engaged by the index finger of the operator''s hand gripping the handle portion for actuating the working tip, the improvement in combination therewith which comprises a solder wire feeding mechanism comprising means carried by the housing body for supporting a spool of solder wire for rotational movement to pay out the solder wire in a direction forwardly thereof, means carried by said housing body extending forwardly of said spool supporting means for guiding the leading portion of the solder wire extending from the spool along a path such that the leading end of the solder wire extends into cooperating relation with the working tip of the device, movement responsive means carried by said housing body between said spool supporting means and said solder wire guiding means operable through successive operative cycles each including a working stroke and a return stroke for effecting successive incremental forward movements of the solder wire by engagement therewith intermediate the portion thereof on said spool and the leading portion thereof within said guiding means, a movement effecting member including a portion having upwardly facing surface means to be engaged beneath the thumb of the hand of an operator gripping said handle portion as aforesaid, and means for mounting said movement effecting member on said housing body for (1) selective disposition in either one of two normally biased inoperative positions in one of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper left side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement beneath the right thumb of a right-handed operator and in the other of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper right side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement beneath the left thumb of a left-handed operator and (2) movement from the selected normally biased inoperative position through successive operative cycles each of which includes a downward working stroke of said thumb engaging portion by downward digital pressure of the thumb of the operator and an upward return stroke of said thumb engaging portion by release of said thumb pressure and said mounting means further connecting said movement effecting member in motion transmitting relation with said movement responsive means for effecting movement of the latter through successive operative cycles in response to the movement of said movement effecting member through successive operative cycles.

Claim 16

In a soldering device of the electrical gun type including a housing body providing a depending handle portion shaped to be gripped by a hand of an operator in pistol grip fashion, a working tip extending forwardly from said body and a trigger member disposed in a position to be engaged by the index finger of the operator''s hand gripping the handle portion for actuating the working tip, the improvement in combination therewith which comprises a solder wire feeding mechanism comprising means carried by the housing body for supporting a spool of solder wire for rotational movement to pay out the solder wire in a direction forwardly thereof, means carried by said housing body extending forwardly of said spool supporting means for guiding the leading portion of the solder wire extending from the spool along a path such that the leading end of the solder wire extends into cooperating relation with the working tip of the device, movement responsive means carried by said housing body between said spool supporting means and said solder wire guiding means operable through successive operative cycles each including a working stroke and a return stroke for effecting successive incremental forward movements of the solder wire by engagement therewith intermediate the portion thereof on said spool and the leading portion thereof within said guiding means, a movement effecting member including a portion having upwardly facing surface means to be engaged beneath the thumb of the hand of an operator gripping said handle portion as aforesaid, and means for mounting said movement effecting member on said housing body for (1) selective disposition in either one of two normally biased inoperative positions in one of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper left side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement beneath the right thumb of a right-handed operator and in the other of which said thumb engaging portion is disposed adjacent the upper right side of the handle portion of the device for convenient engagement beneath the left thumb of a left-handed operator and (2) movement from the selected normally biased inoperative position through successive operative cycles each of which includes a downward working stroke of said thumb engaging portion by downward digital pressure of the thumb of the operator and an upward return stroke of said thumb engaging portion by release of said thumb pressure and said mounting means further connecting said movement effecting member in motion transmitting relation with said movement responsive means for effecting movement of the latter through successive operative cycles in response to the movement of said movement effecting member through successive operative cycles.

Claim 17

The improvement as defined in claim 12 wherein said movement responsive means comprises a pair of cooperating rollers rotatably carried by said housing body with their peripheries in cooperating relation to drivingly engage therebetween the intermediate portion of the solder wire extending from the spool, a driving member carried by said housing body for movement by said movement effecting member from a first into a second position, spring means for resiliently biasing said driving member into said first position, and ratchet means between said driving member and one of said rollers operable in response to the movement of said driving member from said first position toward said second position in response to the downward working stroke of said thumb engaging portion for incrementally rotating said one roller in a direction to feed the solder wire engaged thereby forwardly.