Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Herbert Alexius Bankstahl

Joseph Carl Gitter

Christopher Hsu

Dennis Roland Sigl

Joseph Gitter

A consumable filler metal delivery system includes a reciprocating wire feeding gear assembly configured to move a wire forward and backward with a net forward motion and a motor configured to drive the reciprocating wire feeding gear assembly, wherein the motor is configured to rotate only in one direction during operation of the consumable filler metal delivery system.

Reciprocating wire feed welding system and method

Hybrid manual and automated welding systems and methods are described. A hand-held welding tool is manually positioned to engage a workpiece. A weld is started from an initial position based on a first manual operator event. A welding heat source is automatically or autonomously moved along the weld relative to the workpiece from the first position to a second position relative to the workpiece during welding.

Hybrid manual and automated welding

A quick connector assembly for high power electrical applications is disclosed. The quick connector assembly has a first connector and a second connector constructed to form an electrical connection that can be quickly coupled and decoupled. The first connector has a collar portion connectable to a welding cable and a stem portion having a shank section and a threaded section. The second connector has a recess constructed to receive the stem portion of the first connector and electrically engage both the shank portion and the threaded portion of the first connector. The stem portion of the first connector has a channel formed therein, and the second connector includes a pin extending into the recess of the second connector and constructed to engage the channel formed in the stem portion of the first connector.

High-power electrical quick connector

A quick connector assembly for high power electrical applications and method of manufacturing a high-power quick connector assembly are disclosed. The quick connector assembly has a first connector and a second connector constructed to form an electrical connection that can be quickly coupled and decoupled. The first connector has a collar portion connectable to a welding cable and a stem portion having a shank section and a threaded section. The second connector has a recess constructed to receive the stem portion of the first connector and electrically engage both the shank portion and the threaded portion of the first connector.

A fluid manifold usable with a welder and air compressor combination. The manifold is constructed of a single unitary manifold block and which is divided into two separate fluid communication systems that are isolated from each other by the manifold block itself. Each of the separate fluid communications systems provides various channels and external ports to access those fluid channels to enable the welder and air compressor combination to be more easily assembled and constructed by locating the manifold in a convenient location within the welder and air compressor combination and which has the necessary fluid channels and conduits already formed within the manifold so that the manufacturer or assembler can simply affix the proper fluid lines and system components to the manifold in carrying out the construction of the welder and air compressor combination and be assured that the proper fluid communication will be achieved.

Fluid manifold for a welder

An oil separator usable with a welder and air compressor combination unit. The oil separator includes a cylindrical housing having an inlet that receives the stream of compressed air containing oil from the air compressor. Within the oil separator, there is a deflector baffle that redirects the flow of the oil to a swirling, downwardly directed path along the inner surface of the cylindrical housing where the air is separated out therefrom and passes upwardly to exit through a fluid outlet formed in the cover of the separator. The swirling oil flows downwardly through an annular slot formed between a circular plate and the inner surface of the cylindrical housing into a lower chamber where the oil is channeled by radially directed baffles into radial channels to redirect that oil toward an oil outlet at the center of the circular bottom where that oil exits to be re-circulated in the combination unit or for disposal.

Oil separator for a welder

A portable and fully integrated welder and compressor combination includes a housing having an engine, electrical current generating alternator, and a belt-driven screw air compressor. The engine is configured to drive the generator directly, and a pulley arrangement is provided on the engine to drive the belt-driven screw air compressor.

Screw air compressor for a welder

A fan blade configuration for use with a fan in an engine driven generator is disclosed. The invention includes a plurality of fan blade segments fixed to a hub at one end of a rotary shaft. Upon transmission of a driving force to the rotary shaft, the fan blades and hub are rotated to cool the engine driven generator. The fan blades are arranged to extend away from the rotating shaft, and each have a plurality of fins and protrusions molded on opposite sides of the fan blade segments. The fan blade configuration also includes a flexible plate to bias the fan blades against the hub and stabilize the fan blades during rotation.

Fan for an engine driven generator

A lifting eye is selectively slidable to an extended position whereat it is easily accessible above the top cover of a welding machine for purposes of lifting the machine. The lifting eye is further slidable to a retracted position whereat it is almost completely below the top cover, but an opening remains for inserting a finger. The lifting eye has a bar that slides between straight portions of a strap that is secured to the welding machine. A spring straddles the strap and has V-sections that protrude through slots in the strap and lie in the path of the lifting eye bar. The spring V-sections retain the lifting eye in the extended position against unintentional sliding. When it is desired to slide the lifting eye, the lifting eye bar contacts the spring V-sections and deflects the spring legs to enable the lifting eye bar to slide between the V-sections. In an alternate embodiment, resilient plates produce friction on the lifting eye that resists sliding thereof between the extended and retracted positions.

Moveable lifting eye mechanism

Mounting brackets for an engine driven welding machine have respective first and second legs at right angles to each other. The mounting brackets can be attached to the welding machine base in a shipping mode or in a installation mode. When in the shipping mode, the second legs are under the machine base, and fasteners engage first sets of holes in the mounting bracket first legs to common sets of holes in the machine base. The welding machine can then be welded to a selected mounting surface by welding the mounting brackets and not the base. When in the installation mode, the mounting bracket second legs extend outwardly from the base, and fasteners engage second sets of holes in the mounting bracket first legs and the common set of holes in the base. Holes in the second legs of the mounting brackets are then exposed for installing it by fasteners to a mounting surface.

Growing community of inventors

Appleton, WI, United States of America

Herbert Alexius Bankstahl