US 12,434,319 B2
Device for feeding a wire electrode
Edward L Cooper, Clarklake, MI (US)
Assigned to ELCo Enterprises, Inc., Jackson, MI (US)
Appl. No. 17/625,453
Filed by Elco Enterprises, Inc., Jackson, MI (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 9, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/041432
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 7, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/007448, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/871,810, filed on Jul. 9, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0288714 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 9/133 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 9/133 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device for feeding a wire electrode, the device comprising:
a motor;
a housing having an input port and an output port, wherein the input port is configured to receive the wire electrode and the output port is configured to output the wire electrode,
a cavity defined by the housing;
a first group of bearings disposed within the housing and comprising at least two bearings, each of the bearings having a surface adjacent or near an outer perimeter of the bearings of the first group configured to engage the wire electrode, wherein the wire electrode engages the bearings forming the first group in a space defined between the bearings forming the first group;
wherein the first group of bearings each have teeth adjacent to or near an outer perimeter of each of the bearings of the first group, wherein the teeth of each of the bearings are configured to mesh with each other;
a second group of bearings disposed within the housing and comprising at least two bearings, each of the bearings having a surface adjacent to or near a perimeter of the bearing configured to engage the wire electrode;
wherein the wire electrode engages the bearings forming the second group in a space defined between the bearings forming the second group;
wherein the second group of bearings each have teeth adjacent to or near a perimeter of each of the bearings of the second group, wherein the teeth of each of the bearings are configured to mesh with each other; and
a drive sprocket having teeth, wherein the drive sprocket is positioned in the cavity of the housing so as to engage and mesh with the teeth of one of the bearings of the first group and the teeth of one of the bearings of the second group;
wherein at least one of the bearings of the first group or one of the bearings of the second group is mounted to a pivotable mounting plate,
wherein the pivotable mounting plate has an axis of rotation that is parallel to the axis of rotation to the bearings of the first group or the second group,
wherein the pivotable mounting plate further comprises a biasing member and an adjustment device,
wherein the biasing member is configured to bias the pivotable mounting plate towards the adjustment device,
wherein the adjustment device is a thumbscrew type adjustment mechanism to provide an opposing force to portions of the mounting plates;
wherein the drive sprocket is in mechanical communication with the motor disposed outside the cavity, wherein the motor is configured to turn the drive sprocket,
wherein the motor is a pneumatic drive;
wherein the adjustment device further comprises a force sensor, the force sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a force between the biasing member and the adjustment device.