Precision wire feeder for small diameter wire
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsEldon D. Brandon, Frederick M. Hooper, Marvin L. Reichenbach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for feeding small diameter wire having a diameter less than 0.04 mm (16 mil) to a welding station includes a driving wheel for controllably applying a non-deforming driving force to the wire to move the free end of the wire towards the welding station; and a tension device such as a torque motor for constantly applying a reverse force to the wire in opposition to the driving force to keep the wire taut.
Claims11
A device for feeding small diameter wire having a diameter less than 0.4 mm (16 mil) to a welding station, said device comprising:
- a source of small diameter wire, said wire having a free end;
- driving means for controllably applying a non-deforming driving force to said wire to move the free end of said wire towards the welding station, said driving means comprising:
- a drive wheel in driving contact with said wire over more than a point contact portion of the circumference of said wheel;
- and
- drive motor means connected to controllably rotate said wheel;
- tension means for constantly applying a reverse force to said wire in opposition to said driving force to keep the wire taut;
- and
- unidirectional means for pressing said wire against said wheel, said means permitting movement of said wire towards said work station when said drive motor is rotating said wheel, and preventing movement of said sire towards said source of wire when said drive motor is not rotating said wheel.
A device for feeding small diameter wire having a diameter less than 0.4 mm (16 mil) to a welding station, said device comprising:
- a source of small diameter wire, said wire having a free end;
- driving means for controllably applying a non-deforming driving force to said wire to move the free end of said wire towards the welding station;
- a hollow guide tube having one end adjacent said driving means, said tube guiding said wire towards said welding station;
- and
- a hypodermic needle mounted adjacent said welding station and connected to the other end of said guide tube, said needle having a tip from which said wire passes to said welding station, and an inside diameter no larger than three times the diameter of said wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.