Arc welding gun with handle assembly

Claim 1

A handle assembly in a welding gun comprising a housing having spaced opposite side walls and connected first and second housing portions, a removable access panel to at least one of the housing portions, first connection means at one end of the housing for receiving one end of a supply cable having means therein for the passage of a consumable welding electrode, shielding gas, and electrical power, second connection means at the opposite end of the housing, a nozzle assembly having a first end for connecting to the connection means at said opposite end and a free end defining a welding location, means for feeding and directing the consumable welding electrode, the shielding gas, and electrical power through said supply cable, said housing and the nozzle assembly to the welding locations, switch means in said first housing portion having a trigger member pivotally mounted thereon with a portion protruding therefrom for operation to control the feeding and directing of the consumable welding electrode, the shielding gas and electrical power to the welding location, said second housing portion having a handle portion extending thereon to adjacent the protruding portion of said trigger member to be grasped by the hand of an operator such that at least one of the operator's fingers extends over the projecting portion of said trigger member, and a thumb rest member attached to the housing in position to provide support for the operator's thumb, said thumb rest member and said housing on each opposite side thereof having cooperatively engageable means which enable the thumb rest member to be detached from one side for mounting on the opposite side of the housing depending on whether the operator is right or left handed, said cooperatively engageable means including a hole in the thumb rest member and a hole through each opposite side wall of the housing in position to register with the hole in the thumb rest member when positioned thereagainst, threaded means cooperatively engageable with the hole in a selected one of the side walls of the housing and with the hole in the thumb rest member, and other cooperatively engageable means on the thumb rest member and on each opposite side of the housing in position to become engaged with each other when the threaded means are drawn tight, and vent openings through the spaced housing walls communicating the space in the first housing portion to ambient air to allow air to circulate through the first housing portion.