Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Jeffery J Gadamus

Richard Mark Achtner

Michael Allen Sammons

Justin Lawrence Paquette

Richard Martin Hutchison

Mark Andrew Ulrich

Bryan P Andersen

Alan Edward Stein

David A Werba

LeRoy H Lauer, Jr

A welding apparatus having an easily replaceable fan and a method of replacing the fan is disclosed. An opening is formed through the front panel of a welding-type power source to correspond to the profile of a cooling fan. The opening allows the cooling fan to pass therethrough unobstructed. Once inside the housing of the welding-type power source, the fan is positioned to generally occlude the opening and is then mounted to an inner surface of the front panel by a fastener secured through the front panel and into the fan.

Welder with front mount fan

An adapter for connecting a welding-type power source to various different input voltage signals is disclosed. The adapter comprises a body with a receptacle at one end which is connectable to a power cord of a welding-type power source and a plug at another end which is connectable with a number of different electrical outlet configurations. The body of the adapter is shaped to allow both the plug and a grounding prong of a connected power cord to engage the same outlet.

Power plug adapter

A cooling system connected to provide coolant to a welding-type component automatically circulates coolant through the welding component upon activation of the welding component. A controller is configured to regulate the cooling system such that upon activation of the welding-type component coolant is caused to at least flow through the welding-type component, and circulate after deactivation of the welding torch until a temperature of the coolant falls below a certain value or a specified time period has expired. The cooling system is constructed to be integrally disposed within a power source housing.

Method and apparatus to adaptively cool a welding-type system

A welding gun is disclosed that includes an electrode configured to effectuate a welding-type process and a non-conductive nozzle configured to at least partially surround the electrode. The welding gun also includes a conductive casing at least partially surrounding the nozzle and electrically isolated from the electrode and a conductive path extending from the conductive casing through the welding gun.

System for improved high-frequency arc starting of a welding process

A spark gap point and spark gap assembly for a welding-type device are disclosed for igniting and stabilizing a welding-type arc. A double-headed spark gap point having spark gap surfaces on two ends is incorporated into a spark gap assembly with a pair of single-headed spark gap points that each have only a single spark gap surface. All spark gap points are arranged coaxially on a base so that each spark gap surface faces another spark gap surface. A spark gap is created between each set of opposing spark gap surfaces. When a high voltage is applied across the spark gap points, sparks periodically arc across the spark gaps, creating a high frequency, high voltage signal usable to ignite or stabilize a welding-type arc.

Inline spark gap assembly

A power cord assembly for a welding-type power supply includes a power cord and a plurality of adaptors. The power cord is adapted for attachment to the welding-type power supply and is capable of providing any of a plurality of input voltage signals to the welding-type power supply via the plurality of adaptors.

Power cord for a welding-type power supply

A method and apparatus for supply welding, plasma cutting, and/or induction heating power having a ground fault interrupt (GFI) protection circuit is disclosed. The primary winding of a monitoring transformer in the GFI protection circuit is connected between the high frequency floating output of the power supply and ground. One end of the secondary of the monitoring transformer is connected to a voltage source. The other end of the secondary is connected to an impedance. The other end of the impedance is connected back to the voltage source to form a voltage divider across the voltage source. Changes in the impedance between the floating output of the power supply and ground are sensed by the GFI protection circuit and converted into a voltage. This voltage is filtered, rectified, and calibrated into a dc sense signal. The sense signal is compared to a threshold signal. In the event the sense signal exceeds the threshold signal, an interrupt signal is sent to the power supply and the power supply shuts down.

Growing community of inventors

Hortonville, WI, United States of America

Jeffery J Gadamus