Wire feeder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9713853-B1
Application number	US-201615056683-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Feb 29, 2016
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are wire feeders and wire feeder cable connections which include a power block portion, a cable connection portion and a liner guide assembly portion. The liner guide assembly portion and power block portion are structured and assembly so that a liner guide can be removed from a welding cable from inside the wire feeder, without removing the cable connector from the wire feeder.

First claim

I claim:

1. A wire feeder, comprising:
a wire drive mechanism;
a housing which contains said wire drive mechanism, said housing having a moveable cover portion which allows access to at least some of said wire drive mechanism when said cover portion is moved to an open position, and said wire drive mechanism directs a wire to an exit for said wire in said housing;
a power block portion coupled to said housing at said exit, said power block portion having at least one passage which passes through said power block portion to provide access from inside of said housing to outside of said housing, said at least one passage having a shoulder portion within said at least one passage; and
a liner guide assembly comprising a liner guide body portion and a wire nipple portion, said liner guide body portion has a passage through said liner guide body portion, an exterior shoulder portion on an outer surface of said liner guide body portion and an interior shoulder portion on an interior of said passage through said liner guide body portion, and said nipple portion is inserted into an interior end of said passage through said liner guide body portion;
wherein said liner guide assembly is inserted into said at least one passage such that said exterior shoulder portion of said liner guide body portion engages with said shoulder portion in said at least one passage of the power block portion, and
wherein a containment cavity is created between a distal end face of said wire nipple portion and said interior shoulder portion of said passage through said liner guide body portion, and said containment cavity opens to said interior of said wire feeder when said nipple portion is removed.

2. The wire feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a liner assembly having an end cap and a liner, where said end cap is secured in said containment cavity to hold said liner assembly in a secured position, and wherein said liner assembly can be removed by removal of said nipple portion.

3. The wire feeder of claim 1 , further comprising a cable connector portion which couples to said power block portion outside of side wire feeder housing, and said cable connector portion has a passage which communicates with said at least one passage of said power block.

4. The wire feeder of claim 3 , wherein said passage of said cable connector portion has a shoulder portion, where said shoulder portion of said passage of said cable connector portion engages with a distal end surface of said liner guide body portion when said cable connector portion is coupled to said power block.

5. The wire feeder of claim 3 , wherein said liner guide assembly comprises at least one o-ring groove positioned near a distal end of said liner guide body portion, wherein said o-ring groove will be positioned within said passage of said cable connector portion when said cable connector portion is coupled to said power block.

6. A wire feeder, comprising:
a wire drive mechanism;
a housing which contains said wire drive mechanism, said housing having a moveable cover portion which allows access to at least some of said wire drive mechanism when said cover portion is moved to an open position, and said wire drive mechanism directs a wire to an exit for said wire in said housing;
a power block portion coupled to said housing at said exit, said power block portion having at least one passage which passes through said power block portion to provide access from inside of said housing to outside of said housing, said at least one passage having a shoulder portion within said at least one passage; and
a liner guide assembly comprising a liner guide body portion and a wire nipple portion, said liner guide body portion has a passage through said liner guide body portion, an exterior shoulder portion on an outer surface of said liner guide body portion and an interior shoulder portion on an interior of said passage through said liner guide body portion, and said nipple portion is inserted into an interior end of said passage through said liner guide body portion;
a liner assembly having an end cap and a liner; and
a cable connector portion which couples to said power block portion outside of side wire feeder housing, and said cable connector portion has a passage which communicates with said at least one passage of said power block,
wherein said liner guide assembly is inserted into said at least one passage such that said exterior shoulder portion of said liner guide body portion engages with said shoulder portion in said at least one passage of the power block portion,
wherein a containment cavity is created between a distal end face of said wire nipple portion and said interior shoulder portion of said passage through said liner guide body portion, and said containment cavity opens to said interior of said wire feeder when said nipple portion is removed, and
wherein said end cap of said liner assembly is secured in said containment cavity to hold said liner assembly in a secured position, and wherein said liner assembly can be removed by removal of said nipple portion.

7. The wire feeder of claim 6 , wherein said passage of said cable connector portion has a shoulder portion, where said shoulder portion of said passage of said cable connector portion engages with a distal end surface of said liner guide body portion when said cable connector portion is coupled to said power block.

8. The wire feeder of claim 6 , wherein said liner guide assembly comprises at least one o-ring groove positioned near a distal end of said liner guide body portion, wherein said o-ring groove will be positioned within said passage of said cable connector portion when said cable connector portion is coupled to said power block.

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Kachline Jeffrey

Classifications

• B23K9/125 Primary

  Feeding of electrodes (for stabilising arc B23K9/073) · CPC title

• B23K9/133 Primary

  Means for feeding electrodes, e.g. drums, rolls, motors · CPC title

• B23K9/122 Primary

  Devices for guiding electrodes, e.g. guide tubes · CPC title

• B23K9/1336

  Driving means · CPC title

• B65H2701/36

  Wires · CPC title