Front consumables for pulse GMAW torches
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorTiejun Ma
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contact tip for a welding torch in accordance with the present invention includes an elongated, generally cylindrical body having a front contact end and an opposite rear retaining end. A central aperture is defined by an inner wall of the body. The aperture extends through the body from an opening at the rear retaining end to an opening at the front contact end. The aperture has a front portion and a wider diameter portion adjacent the front portion. The front portion generally has a length that is shorter than a length of the wider diameter portion. A consumable electrode wire fed through the aperture contacts the inner wall in the front portion but does not contact the inner wall in the wider diameter portion.
Claims14
A combination of a contact tip with a retaining head for a welding torch, wherein:
- said contact tip includes:
- an elongated, generally cylindrical body having a front contact end and an opposite rear retaining end;
- and
- a central aperture defined by an inner wall of said body, said aperture extending through said body from an opening at said rear end to an opening at said front end;
- said aperture having a front portion and a wider diameter elongated portion adjacent said front portion, said front portion generally having a length that is shorter than a length of said wider diameter portion;
- said retaining head has a front end, a rear end, and an opening at said front end;
- said contact tip being retained in said opening at said front end of said retaining head;
- said contact tip and said retaining head together define a passageway for said consumable electrode wire;
- said passageway including said front portion of said contact tip aperture, a rear portion disposed in said retaining head, and a middle portion at least partially defined by said wider diameter portion of said contact tip aperture;
- said front portion of said passageway having a length that is shorter than a length of said middle portion;
- wherein a consumable electrode wire fed through said passageway does not contact said retaining head and contact tip in said middle portion of said passageway and only contacts said retaining head and said contact tip in said front and rear portions of said passageway.
A welding torch assembly comprising:
- a retaining head;
- and
- a contact tip engaged with said retaining head;
- said retaining head and said contact tip together defining a passageway for a consumable electrode wire;
- said passageway including a front portion, a rear portion, and a middle portion between said front and rear portions;
- said front portion being formed by said contact tip, and said rear portion being formed by said retaining head;
- said middle portion having a diameter and a length that is larger than a length and a width of said front and rear portions;
- said middle portion of said passageway being formed by said contact tip and said retaining head together;
- wherein a consumable electrode wire fed through said passageway does not contact said retaining head and contact tip in said middle portion of said passageway and only contacts said retaining head and said contact tip in said front and rear portions of said passageway.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.