Argon arc welding gun with built-in automatic filler wire feeding function

Abstract

The utility model relates to a non-consumable electrode arc welding gun which is provided with a built-in automatic filler wire feed and is used in a protective gas environment. The non-consumable electrode arc welding gun can be used for installation and high-altitude operation of a welding structure in a closed space. A built-in automatic filler wire feeding argon arc welding gun comprises a shell with a gun handle and a welding head, and a lighting device for feeding filler wires to the position of a roller pulling mechanism and a control panel protected by a shockproof shell are contained in the shell of a box body used for installing a reel. The control panel is provided with a button used for controlling the feeding rate of the filler wire, a digital displayer used for indicating the numerical value of the feeding rate of the filler wire and a button used for turning on illumination at the position where the filler wire is fed to the roller pulling mechanism. A control panel shell made of shockproof plastic is fixed to the back face of a box shell used for installing the reel through screws. The technical result of the proposed solution is to improve the performance characteristics of the argon arc welding gun by automatically feeding the fine filler wire into the weld pool.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a torch for arc welding with a non-consumable electrode that has a built-in automatic filler wire feed and is used in a protective gas environment. The torch can be used for the installation of welded structures in confined spaces and for high-altitude operations. Background Technology

[0002] The technique of joining metal parts by welding has been thoroughly developed and is constantly being improved as new requirements emerge in various industries (Ovchinnikov VV, Welder's Handbook. Moscow, KnoRus, 2013, p. 272).

[0003] Under the international terminology of MIG / MAG welding, welding using consumable electrodes in a gaseous environment has become common. The electrode is a welding wire with a diameter of 0.6-4 mm, unwound from a wire spool via a special wire feed mechanism or compactly integrated into the welding torch. An inert gas (MIG) or active gas (MAG) stream protects the arc and weld pool from atmospheric influence. The latter, in addition to protecting the joint, also participates in weld formation as a chemically active element in the process. This type of welding is also known as semi-automatic welding.

[0004] Manual arc welding using non-consumable electrodes in an argon atmosphere, most commonly tungsten electrodes, is widely used in conjunction with MIG / MAG welding. Internationally, this type of welding is called TIG / WIG welding, but in Russia, the name "argon arc welding" (AAW) is established. The tungsten electrode is almost entirely consumed during the welding process. An arc burns between the electrode and the weld area, and filler metal in the form of a rod is manually or automatically fed into the weld pool by a special, separate, large filler wire unit. The arc, weld pool, and electrode are protected by argon gas supplied from the welding torch nozzle into the welding zone; the argon gas is stored under pressure in separate cylinders.

[0005] The specific type of welding used depends on the precision and quality requirements for welding specific structures made of certain materials. Guidelines (GD) in industries such as aerospace, chemical, oil and gas, oil and gas refining, and some others specify the use of AAW for welding particularly critical structures, process piping, high-pressure vessels, etc., because TIG welding offers the following advantages over MIG / MAG welding: lower heat input in the weld zone, no overheating of adjacent areas of the joined parts, excellent weld metal properties, no warping or deformation, ability to join parts with thin sheet materials, ability to weld all types of non-ferrous alloys, ability to weld the weld root, improved weld appearance, virtually no additional machining required, and no metal spatter in the molten zone.

[0006] To expand their market share, most domestic and international welding machine manufacturers (LORCH, EWM, Migatronic, etc.) have adopted a path of standardizing TIG welding stations, equipping them with large-scale equipment corresponding to the entire working welding current range of 10-600A. This equipment uses filler wire with diameters from 0.6 to 4.0 mm, fed to the weld pool manually or automatically, up to 3 meters away from a large external feed device weighing up to 30 kg, equipped with a 15 kg filler wire reel. However, the specific complexity of assembly welding conditions, the distance from the station to the welding position, the welding current range corresponding to the thickness and brand of the welded parts, uniformity, and sometimes even the impossibility of feeding thin and soft non-ferrous metal filler wire through multiple bends in the feed channel to the welding position have not yet been taken into account. For example, aluminum welding is performed within a welding current range of 50-250A, with soft aluminum filler wire diameters of 0.6-1.2 mm, requiring a complete reformatting of the equipment assembly, especially under difficult working conditions.

[0007] A major drawback of the equipment set provided by the manufacturer is its large weight and size, which does not allow for AAW (Automatic Awake) at the installation site of the process equipment, such as at high altitudes and / or in confined spaces (process piping and shut-off valves and valve assemblies, inside and outside the fuselage of aircraft, ships, various containers, water storage tanks, etc.).

[0008] A welding torch for TIG welding of ferrous and non-ferrous metals with automatic feed of 0.6-1.2mm filler wire is known. It includes a housing with a handle and a welding head. The welding head is fixed together by a chuck and threaded adapter, a nozzle, jaws, a non-consumable electrode, an insulator, and a manifold tip located within a gas supply tube in a steel spiral channel. The inside of the manifold is coated with Teflon for feeding the filler wire and mates with the tip fixed to the welding head by a rotating support. The housing has a switch for turning the welding current and shielding gas supply on and off. The device is designed to accommodate feed filler wire, connection to a power welding cable, external control lines, and inert gas lines, all housed within a single flexible sleeve. The welding torch has a filler wire feed unit built into the torch housing. This unit consists of a housing with a pivot, a push-pull roller mechanism, a clamping roller force adjuster, and a potentiometer button located on the housing handle. The housing is used to mount and secure the filler wire reel. The push-pull roller mechanism comprises a clamping roller and a feed roller, and includes an electric actuator and a potentiometer for adjusting the filler wire feed rate (Utility Model Patent RU 173886, IPC B23K 9 / 167, October 18, 2016, Announcement No. 26, September 18, 2017). The known disadvantages of this device are as follows:

[0009] - The lack of smooth button control for the digital filler wire feed rate makes it impossible to precisely adjust the filler wire feed rate.

[0010] - Lack of a digital display for monitoring the wire feed rate setpoint;

[0011] - The areas where filler wire is installed in the roller drawing mechanism and guide channel are not illuminated. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The purpose of this invention is to solve and eliminate specific shortcomings of the prototype. The technical achievement of the proposed solution is to improve the performance characteristics of the TIG welding torch by automatically feeding fine filler wire into the weld pool.

[0013] The aforementioned problem has been solved. The reason for achieving the specific technical result described above is that the argon arc welding torch with built-in automatic filler wire feed includes a housing with a handle and a welding head. The welding head consists of a nozzle for supplying shielding gas and a non-consumable electrode, which are fixed to each other and connected to an insulated filler wire feed unit. The filler wire feed unit is coupled to a filler wire feed tip, which is fixed to the welding head by a rotating bracket. The housing is designed to allow for the connection of a power cable to an internal gas line. All components are housed in a single flexible sleeve. The filler wire feed unit is also built into the welding torch housing. The filler wire feed unit comprises a housing for mounting a reel and a roller pulling mechanism in the form of a clamping roller and a drive roller. The drive roller includes a motor, a reducer, and a clamping force adjuster. The housing of the housing for mounting the reel houses an illumination for the position of the filler wire fed to the roller pulling mechanism and a control panel protected by a shockproof housing. The control panel has buttons for controlling the filler wire feed rate, a digital display indicating the filler wire feed rate value, and a button for turning on the illumination for the position of the filler wire fed to the roller pulling mechanism. The control panel housing, made of shockproof plastic, is fixed to the back of the housing housing for mounting the reel with screws.

[0014] The compact control panel manages all functions and feed methods for the filler wire. The control panel housing, made of shock-resistant plastic, allows for safe use of the device in harsh weather conditions. A digital display allows for control of the feed rate settings. Pressing and holding the button that illuminates the position of the filler wire feed roller mechanism for an extended period reverses the digital value displayed on the display by 180°, ensuring easy reading of the wire rate in various working conditions—whether the device is held in hand, attached to a belt, or on a welding table.

[0015] In addition, to prevent moisture and dust, the control board is covered with a dielectric moisture-proof protective varnish. A protective folia film is affixed to the digital display and the filler wire feed rate control buttons, providing resistance to various weather conditions and serving as a dust and moisture-proof component for the control board.

[0016] The threaded welding head with a connecting nut is used to install and secure the welding head. This allows the welding head to be securely fixed without rotating around its axis. At the same time, if necessary, the welding head can be quickly disconnected for replacement, maintenance or repair, such as replacing the Teflon guide channel. Attached Figure Description

[0017] This utility model is explained through the following explanatory materials:

[0018] Figure 1 - A side sectional view of the assembled device, which has a built-in coil with filler wire, a motor, and a roller pulling mechanism;

[0019] Figure 2 - This is a top sectional view of the device, showing the feed path of the filler wire from the filler wire reel to the guide channel via the roller pulling mechanism;

[0020] Figure 3 - Rear view of the device assembled with electronic components;

[0021] Use the following names:

[0022] 1- Filler wire;

[0023] 2- Filler wire feed tip;

[0024] 3-Rotating bracket for securing the filler wire feed tip retainer;

[0025] 4- Protective braided fiberglass tubing;

[0026] 5- Tip retainer bracket fixing rod;

[0027] 6-Plastic cap;

[0028] 7- Threaded joints with insulated pipe nuts;

[0029] 8-Motor mounting unit with roller pulling mechanism reducer;

[0030] 9-Threaded mounting bracket for filler wire feed drive roller;

[0031] 10 - Locking lever and clamping force adjuster;

[0032] 11 - Housing mounting rod for mounting filler wire reel;

[0033] 12- Connector for welding mode switch and filler wire feed control cable;

[0034] 13 - Housing shell for mounting welding wire reels;

[0035] 14 - A latch for locking the transparent plastic cover of the housing for mounting the welding wire reel;

[0036] 15 - A rod used to mount the filler wire reel;

[0037] 16 - Metal brackets used to secure the device to the belt;

[0038] 17 - Nuts used to secure and adjust the rotation of the filler wire reel;

[0039] 18-Fill wire reel;

[0040] 19 - Power supply / control unit switch cable;

[0041] 20 - Power cable with built-in gas line, assembled in a single flexible hose sleeve;

[0042] 21 - A transparent plastic cover for mounting the welding wire reel;

[0043] 22-Gun grip;

[0044] 23-24V DC motor;

[0045] 24-Reducer;

[0046] 25 - A trigger button used to turn welding mode and filler wire feed on and off;

[0047] 26 - Pressure bar;

[0048] 27 - Welding torch casing;

[0049] 28-Guideway;

[0050] 29 - Insulation filler wire feed unit;

[0051] 30 - Welding joints coated with rubber;

[0052] 31 - A rotating bracket for securing the tip retainer in the welding head;

[0053] 32 - Ceramic nozzle for supplying protective gas;

[0054] 33-Tungsten non-consumable electrode;

[0055] 34-Copper power busbar;

[0056] 35 - Drive roller for feeding filler wire;

[0057] LED lighting at the wiring installation location in the 36-roller drawing mechanism;

[0058] 37 - Quick-release ball holder for a special quick-release device mounted on a belt;

[0059] 38 - Clamping roller;

[0060] 39 - Control panel and panel housing;

[0061] 40 - Control panel for setting filler wire rate;

[0062] 41-Digital display;

[0063] 42 - Transparent plastic cover of the roller drawing mechanism compartment;

[0064] 43 - Accelerate filler wire feed rate button;

[0065] 44 - Illumination button for the wiring installation position in the roller drawing mechanism;

[0066] 45 - Deceleration button for filler wire feed rate. Detailed Implementation

[0067] Argon arc welding torch with built-in automatic filler wire feed ( Figure 1-3The welding torch includes a torch housing 27 with a handle 22 and a rubber-coated welding head 30. The rubber-coated welding head 30, connected by a threaded connection to an insulated filler wire feed unit 29, includes mutually fixed ceramic nozzles 32 for supplying shielding gas and non-consumable tungsten electrodes 33. The insulated filler wire feed unit 29 mates with a filler wire feed tip 2 via a Teflon guide channel 28, which is secured to the rubber-coated welding head 30 by a rotating bracket 31 that holds a tip holder within the welding head. The torch housing 27 is adapted to connect a power cable to a built-in gas line, which is incorporated into a single flexible hose sleeve 20, and also includes the filler wire feed unit built into the torch housing 27. The filler wire feeding unit consists of a rod for securing a housing for mounting the filler wire reel 11, a housing for mounting the filler wire reel 18, and a roller pulling mechanism in the form of a drive roller 35 for feeding the filler wire, fixed by a clamping roller 38 and a threaded mounting seat 9. The drive roller has a 24V DC motor 23, a reducer 24, a locking lever, and a clamping force adjuster 10. A control panel, protected by a shockproof housing, is additionally mounted on the housing for mounting the filler wire reel 13. The control panel includes an acceleration button 43 for the filler wire feed rate, a deceleration button 45 for the filler wire feed rate, a digital display 41 indicating the filler wire feed rate value, and an illuminated button 44 for the wire mounting position in the roller pulling mechanism. The housing of the control panel and panel 39, made of shockproof plastic, is fixed to the back of the housing housing for mounting the filler wire reel 13 using screws. The rubber-coated welding head 30 is connected to the insulated filler wire feed unit 29 via a threaded connection, and to the motor mounting unit with the roller pull mechanism reducer 8 via a threaded connector 7 with an insulated connecting nut. For example, when the welding torch is mounted on an automatic welding vehicle, the connector 12 for the welding mode opening and filler wire feed control cable is used when the welding wire for opening the welding mode is connected from the welding vehicle to the connector 12 for the welding mode opening and filler wire feed control cable, and the opening of the welding mode is controlled by the control board of the welding vehicle. The metal bracket 16 for securing the device to the belt and the quick-release ball bracket 37 for the quick-release device mounted on the belt are located on the housing for mounting the wire reel 13, providing a convenient position for hanging the device on the welder's belt during breaks between operations.

[0068] The operation of the argon arc welding torch with built-in automatic wire feeding is as follows.

[0069] The welding torch is connected to any welding power source used for TIG welding, to the control and monitoring circuitry for the welding process, and to the external shielding gas circuitry via a power cable with built-in gas lines, all within a flexible hose sleeve 20 that mates with a copper power bus 34.

[0070] Depending on the type of welding work, the brand and thickness of the material being welded, set the operating current range of 10-250A on the external power supply for TIG welding, and set the required argon pressure on the reducer mounted on the cylinder. The feed rate of the filler wire 1 is set according to the selected welding current value and weld position, using the filler wire feed rate acceleration button 43 and deceleration button 45 located on the filler wire feed rate setting control panel 40. Then, adjust the tip holder bracket fixing rod 5 to extend it, and adjust the tilt angle of the filler wire feed tip 2 using the rotating bracket 3 for fixing the filler wire feed tip holder to allow the welder to conveniently observe the positions of the non-consumable tungsten electrode 33, the filler wire 1, and the weld pool simultaneously. The device is connected to the power / control unit (not shown) using the power / control unit switch cable 19. After opening the latch 14 of the transparent plastic cover 21 for locking the housing for mounting the welding wire reel, the transparent plastic cover 21 of the housing for mounting the welding wire reel folds downwards, and the filler wire reel 18 is mounted on the rod 15 for mounting the filler wire reel. The position of the filler wire reel is adjusted by the nut 17 for fixing and adjusting the rotation brake of the filler wire reel. In poor lighting conditions, pressing the lighting button 44 for the wire mounting position in the roller pulling mechanism turns on the LED lighting 36 for the wire mounting position in the roller pulling mechanism. When the lighting button 44 for the wire mounting position in the roller pulling mechanism is pressed and held, the digital value on the digital display 41 is reversed 180°. 0.6-1.2mm filler wire is mounted in the roller pulling mechanism and guide channel 28. The clamping force is fixed and adjusted using the locking lever and clamping force adjuster 10 via the pressure rod 26 with clamping roller 38. The transparent plastic cover 42 of the roller pulling mechanism compartment and the transparent plastic cover 21 of the housing for mounting the welding wire reel are tightly closed and secured with latches. Pressing the trigger button 25, which is used to turn the welding mode and filler wire feed on and off, activates the power and control lines of the motor and the wire feed switch. The filler wire 1 begins to feed and advance along the Teflon guide channel 28, the top of which is covered by a protective braided fiberglass tube 4. One end of the fiberglass tube engages with a plastic cap 6 for sealing and securing the Teflon guide channel 28, and the other end engages with the filler wire feed tip 2.

[0071] Depending on the type of welding work, the brand and thickness of the material being welded, the required feed delay time for filler wire 1 can be set from 0 to 10 seconds using the control buttons in the power supply / control unit (not shown). Additionally, if necessary, the pulse feed mode for filler wire 1 can be activated in the power supply / control unit (not shown), and the required feed and pause times for filler wire 1 can be set in fractions of a second. Then, at the end of welding (wire retraction), the required reverse feed time for filler wire 1 can be set in the power supply / control unit (not shown). If necessary, during welding of long welds, the 2T or 4T mode can be switched in the power supply / control unit (not shown). Depending on the selected welding current and the location of the weld, the feed rate of filler wire 1 can be set in the power supply / control unit (not shown), or the feed rate can be set using the acceleration button 43 and deceleration button 45 located on the rear side of the housing for mounting the wire reel 13. The welding start / stop switch on the cable is directly connected from the power supply / control unit (not shown) to the welding current source for TIG welding (not shown). Therefore, a single trigger button 25 for turning the welding mode and filler wire feed on and off is responsible for turning on the welding and filler wire 1 feed modes.

[0072] The welding process begins with pressing the trigger button 25, used to turn the welding mode and filler wire feed on and off, to the "on" position, which remains unchanged throughout the current welding cycle (2T mode). Non-contact arc activation occurs between the non-consumable tungsten electrode 33 of the welding torch and the metal to be welded, with argon gas supplied simultaneously or initially via an internal conduit through a ceramic nozzle 32 for supplying shielding gas. Then, after the base material has sufficiently melted, when the weld pool is ready for welding, and after a required time delay, the feed of the filler wire 1 begins from the filler wire feed tip 2 at a preset feed rate mode for the filler wire 1, and, if necessary, is set to an appropriate type of feed rate pulse for the filler wire 1. In the "on" position of the trigger button 25 for turning the welding mode and filler wire feed on and off, after the delay time, a 24V DC motor 23 is supplied with power, and its rotational motion is transmitted to the shaft of the drive roller 35 for feeding the filler wire. The drive roller 35 for feeding the filler wire rotates clockwise, while the clamping roller 38 rotates counterclockwise. This together ensures that the pulling motion from the filler wire reel 18 and the pushing motion that pushes the filler wire 1 into the guide channel 28, while simultaneously feeding the filler wire smoothly into the welding area via the filler wire feed tip 2, are both achieved. During operation, as needed, for example, when moving to a thin-walled portion of the weld or the root of the weld, the filler wire feed rate acceleration button 43 and deceleration button 45 adjust the speed of the 24V DC motor 23, thereby adjusting the speed of the drive roller 35 and clamping roller 38 for feeding the filler wire, thus allowing for smooth changes in the feed rate of the filler wire 1. The feed rate value is displayed on the digital display 41. Furthermore, if needed, the power supply / control unit (not shown) can be turned on and off, and various pulse feed modes for the filler wire 1 can be set.

[0073] After the welding cycle is completed, the trigger button 25, used to turn the welding mode and filler wire feed on and off, switches to the "off" position. At this time, reverse is activated (filler wire 1 is pulled closer to the filler wire feed tip 2), and then the driver is turned off, stopping reverse and wire feed. Simultaneously, as the welding current decreases, a weld joint is formed at the end of the weld seam, after which the welding current and the argon gas supplied through the ceramic nozzle 32 for supplying shielding gas are stopped.

Claims

1. An argon arc welding torch with a built-in automatic filler wire feed, comprising a housing with a handle and a welding head, the welding head consisting of mutually fixed nozzles for supplying shielding gas and non-consumable electrodes connected to an insulated filler wire feed unit, the insulated filler wire feed unit being coupled to a filler wire feed tip, the filler wire feed tip being fixed to the welding head by a rotating bracket, wherein the housing is designed to allow connection of a power cable to a built-in gas line, and is assembled in a single flexible sleeve, further comprising a filler wire feed unit built into the welding torch housing, the filler wire feed unit comprising a housing for mounting a reel and a roller pulling mechanism having a clamping roller and a drive roller, the drive roller comprising a motor, a reducer, and a clamping force adjuster, characterized in that, The housing for mounting the reel contains an illumination for the position of the filler wire feed to the roller drawing mechanism and a control panel protected by a shockproof housing. The control panel has buttons for controlling the filler wire feed rate, a digital display indicating the filler wire feed rate value, and a button for turning on the illumination for the position of the filler wire feed to the roller drawing mechanism. The control panel housing, made of shockproof plastic, is fixed to the back of the housing for mounting the reel with screws.

2. The gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control board is covered with a dielectric moisture-proof protective varnish.

3. The gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, Protective leaf-shaped films are affixed to the digital display and the button used to control the feed rate of the filler wire.

4. The gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weld joint is secured using a threaded connector with an insulated manhole nut.

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