| CPC B23K 9/293 (2013.01) [B23K 9/173 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A MIG welding torch adapter that attaches to a welding torch's contact tip and a MIG welder nozzle and enables the free end of an electrode wire, having a set wire diameter, dw, and which is exiting from said contact tip, along with the torch's shielding gases, to access confined spaces and thereby enable MIG welding in these confined spaces, said MIG welding torch adapter comprising:
a wire guide having wire guide entry end and wire guide exit ends, a wire guide outer surface, a wire guide passageway with a wire guide inner surface, a specified diameter, dg, and a centerline that extends between said ends,
a turning nozzle that is concentric with and encloses said wire guide, and has a turning nozzle entry end, a turning nozzle exit end, a turning nozzle passageway that extends between said ends, a turning nozzle inner surface and a turning nozzle outer surface,
a conductive collar having a free end, an enclosed end, a collar passageway, a collar inner surface that extends between said ends, and wherein said collar inner surface is configured to slip-fit onto said contact tip and said enclosed end is configured to directly connect to said wire guide entry end,
an attachment tube having an attachment tube entry end, an attachment tube exit end, an attachment tube passageway that extends between said ends, an attachment tube inner surface and an attachment tube outer surface, and wherein attachment tube inner surface that is proximate said attachment tube entry end is configured to attach to said MIG welder nozzle,
an entry wire guide adapter having an inner surface that is configured to be conical in shape and provide an entry way that serves to direct said free end of said electrode wire into said adjoining entry end of said wire guide,
a non-conductive, entry spacer having an entry spacer passageway and an entry spacer outer surface, wherein said entry spacer passageway is configured to allow said wire guide to pass through said an entry spacer passageway, and said entry spacer outer surface has a plurality of openings that enable said shielding gases to flow into and between said turning nozzle inner surface and said wire guide outer surface, and
an exit spacer having an exit spacer passageway with an exit spacer outer surface, wherein said exit spacer passageway is configured to allow said wire guide to pass through said an exit spacer passageway, and said exit spacer outer surface has a plurality of openings that enable said shielding gases to flow from said turning nozzle exit end and into the surrounding environment.
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