Welding wire guide ring

Abstract

A wire guiding device includes a base and a guide portion for streamlining the flow of coiled wire from a storage container. Side walls may be included to bridge the distance between the device and the storage container to prevent wire from rising upward around the outside of the wire guiding device. As the amount of wire in the bin decreases, the wire guiding device will float downward maintaining constant downward pressure on the coil of wire. Wire in the storage container will therefore be drawn out in a smooth manner limiting or substantially preventing tangles.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention pertains to a wire guiding device for dispensing wire, and more particularly, to a welding wire guide ring used to dispense wire from a drum or container.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Wire is frequently packaged and stored in drums for delivery to an end user. In particular, wire such as that used for welding or soldering, is wound in coils as it is placed in the drums. Once shipped to the end user, the wire is dispensed from the container for use in numerous processes. In many instances, the wire is left in the container and metered out as needed without removing the entire coil. Suppliers frequently incorporate a twist in the wire as it is fed into the drum, which helps the wire emerge without rotating as it is drawn back out.[0003]However, dispensing wire from coils presents the problem of unwinding the wire uniformly without intertwining or forming knots, which can lead to defects or breaks in the wire resulting in costly downtime. T...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]In still another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the aperture is spaced apart from a plane crossing through the inner peripheral edge by a distance D, wherein the distance D is substantially in the range from 1 to 5 inches an

Problems solved by technology

However, dispensing wire from coils presents the problem of unwinding the wire uniformly without intertwining or forming knots, which can lead to defects or breaks in the wire resulting in costly downtime.

In other instances, loops of wire may unravel and fall behind the coil causing the wire to intertwine.

However, the payout ring does not provide a gradual transition surface over which the wire may smoothly flow.

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