TREA

Electrode oscillating mechanism for welding electrode holder

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Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 5079405
  • Patent Number
    5,079,405
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, November 29, 1990
    34 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 7, 1992
    33 years ago
Information
Abstract
A small, fractional horsepower, low voltage electric motor with an eccentric weight on its output shaft is attached to the electrode clamp of a hand held welding electrode holder. The oscillating or orbiting motion generated by rotation of the eccentric weight is transmitted through the electrode clamp to the welding rod. Higher quality welds and reduced sticking and burn through result.
Description
Claims
  • 1. In combination with a hand held welding electrode holder of the type having a hand grip and an electrode clamp at one end of the hand grip, a mechanism for imparting orbital oscillating motion to a welding electrode comprising:
  • a fractional horsepower, low voltage electric motor having an output shaft;
  • an eccentric weight connected to and rotating with said output shaft;
  • a sealed housing enclosing said motor and said eccentric weight;
  • means for securing said housing to the electrode clamp to transmit the oscillating motion generated by rotation of said eccentric weight to the clamp and an electrode clamped therein; and
  • power supply and control means for said motor.
  • 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means for securing is adjustable to retain said motor in either a first position in which the axis of said output shaft is parallel to the axis of the electrode or a second position in which the axis of said output shaft is perpendicular to the axis of the electrode.
  • 3. The combination according to claim 2 further including a connector plate affixed to said housing, said means for securing connecting said plate to the electrode clamp.
  • 4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said power supply and control means includes a battery and an on/off switch.
  • 5. The device according to claim 4 wherein said battery is housed within the hand grip of the holder.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to electrode holders of the type used in manual) arc welding. Electrode holders used in manual arc welding consist of a clamping mechanism for engaging one end of the welding electrode, a conductive body portion connecting the electrode to the welding power supply, and an insulated grip portion encircling the conductive body portion. In welding, the user manipulates the holder to bring the tip of the electrode into contact with the work, which is connected to the power supply, to establish an arc between the workpiece and the electrode, the arc serving to heat the workpiece to welding temperature and to melt the metallic tip of the electrode providing a bead of weld metal. The quanity of the resultant weld is dependent, in large part, on the skill of the operator in controlling the position and movement of the electrode. I have discovered that the quality of welds formed by manual arc welding processes are improved by imparting low amplitude orbital motion to the welding rod. Preferably, this is accomplished by use of a small, battery powered electric motor rotating an eccentric weight and attached to the el elctrode clamp of the electrode holder. The attachment of the motor and eccentric weight to the clamp may include provision for adjustment of the orientation of the motor relative to the electrode between a first position in which the motor shaft is parallel to the axis of the electrode and a second position in which the motor shaft is at right angles to the axis of the electrode. For a more complete understanding of the invention and the objects and advantages thereof which will become apparent hereinafter, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and the following detail ed description wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated and described.

US Referenced Citations (7)
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4697580 Terauchi Oct 1987