Retaining head and contact tip for controlling wire contour and contacting point for gmaw torches
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsTiejun Ma, Paul-David Pinsonneault, Thomas Jaeger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retaining head for a MIG welding device includes a contact tip mounting end, an opposite retaining head mounting end, and a throughbore extending from one of the ends to the other end. A deflector is disposed along the throughbore and is adjustable for imparting a bend in welding wire passing through the throughbore. The deflector provides a straight wire contour for the welding wire that is fed out of the welding torch, while maintaining sufficient contact force between the welding wire and the contact tip. The deflector also reduces the effect of wire twist on the contact point between the welding wire and the contact tip.
Claims16
A retaining head for a MIG welding device, said retaining head comprising:
- a contact tip mounting end, an opposite retaining head mounting end, and a throughbore extending from one said end to said other end;
- and
- a deflector disposed along said throughbore for imparting a bend in welding wire passing through said throughbore.
A method of advancing a welding wire through a MIG torch including the steps of:
- mounting a retaining head on a MIG torch, said retaining head having a contact tip mounting end, an opposite retaining head mounting end, and a throughbore extending from one said end to said other end;
- disposing a deflector along said throughbore for imparting a bend in welding wire passing through said throughbore;
- and
- feeding welding wire through said retaining head.
An assembly for a welding torch, the assembly comprising:
- a retaining head mountable on a welding torch, said retaining head having front and rear ends and a throughbore extending axially between said front and rear ends;
- said throughbore including a reduced diameter portion between said front and rear ends;
- a deflector extending into said throughbore of said retaining head for contact with a liner of the welding torch;
- a contact tip mounted in said retaining head throughbore and extending from said retaining head front end;
- said contact tip including a body and a throughbore extending axially through said body, said throughbore having a wide diameter inlet, a large diameter portion adjacent said inlet, and a small diameter portion stepped from said large diameter portion;
- said deflector pushing said liner away from a centerline of said throughbore, and said liner being guided back toward said centerline by said reduced diameter portion of said retaining head throughbore, thereby imparting a bend in welding wire fed through said liner such that said welding wire is bent by said liner at two points and bent by said contact tip at one point in said small diameter portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.