Method and apparatus for cleaning and lubricating a metal inert gas welding gun
OwnerRobert W. Boyerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for cleaning a metal inert gas arc welder gun of a type having a housing and a flexible conduit disposed in the housing. The flexible conduit has a first end for feeding a consumable welding wire therethrough and a second end adapted to engage with a tubular welding tip for selectively feeding the consumable wire through the flexible conduit and through the welding tip for use. The method involves removing the consumable wire from a major portion of the flexible conduit, injecting a liquid cleaner into the flexible conduit until some of the liquid exits the other end thereof, forcing the liquid cleaner out of theflexible conduit and moving the consumable welding wire back into the flexible conduit and tubular welding tip for use.
Claims11
A method of cleaning an electric arc welder gun of a type including:
- a housing;
- a flexible conduit disposed in said housing, said flexible conduit having a first end for feeding a consumable welding wire therein, a second end adapted to engage with a tubular welding tip for selectively feeding said consumable welding wire through said other end of the flexible conduit and through said tubular welding tip;
- said method comprising:
- removing said consumable wire from a major portion of said flexible conduit;
- injecting a liquid cleaner into said flexible conduit into the first or second end thereof at least until at least some of such liquid exits the other end thereof;
- forcing the liquid cleaner from said flexible conduit;
- forcing a liquid lubricant into said flexible conduit;
- and
- moving said consumable wire back into the flexible conduit and tubular welding tip for use in a welding process.
Apparatus comprising:
- an electric arc welder gun of a type including:
- a flexible conduit disposed in said housing, said flexible conduit having a first end for feeding a consumable welding wire therein, a second end adapted to engage with a tubular welding tip for selectively feeding said consumable welding wire through said other end of the flexible conduit and through said tubular welding tip;
- means for selectively removing said consumable wire from a major portion of said flexible conduit;
- means for injecting a liquid cleaner into said flexible conduit into the first or second end thereof at least until at least some of such liquid exits the other end thereof;
- means for forcing the liquid cleaner from said flexible conduit;
- and
- means for selectively moving said consumable wire back into the flexible conduit and tubular welding tip for use in a welding process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.