Contact tip welding electrode

A contact tip for use in welding operation which uses a consumable welding wire of a known diameter, said tip for guiding said welding wire, making contact with and simultaneously supplying welding current to said welding wire in use, said contact tip comprising:

• a substantially rod-shaped electrically conductive body having at least one passage on a side thereof, said body having a substantially helical structure formed out of a section which is substantially in the shape of a sector of a circle, said helical structure having a longitudinal axis and a passage along which said welding wire in use passes, making electrical contact with said passage;
• said passage having a helical contact surface at a radial distance from said longitudinal axis of said helical structure;
• said radial distance being designated as A which has a predetermined relationship with said diameter being designated as D of said welding wire defined by
• <
• A.ltoreq.0.6D.

A welding torch for gas shielded arc welding with a consumable wire electrode having a gas nozzle comprising:

• a holder;
• a contact tip secured in said holder;
• said contact tip having a rod-shaped structure having at least one opening on a side thereof for passing therealong and making contact with said wire electrode and for supplying welding current to said wire electrode;
• said structure having a passage with a helical contact surface which has a longitudinal axis;
• said helical contact surface making contact with said wire electrode in use for supplying welding current, wherein a distance A from said helical contact surface to said longitudinal axis is defined by
• 0.2<A.ltoreq.0.6D,
• wherein D is the diameter of said wire electrode;
• and
• said contact tip exhibiting a cylindrical passage having a diameter 2A.