	US 12,134,152 B2
	Welding wire feeder with tongue and groove feature
Mark Richard Christopher, Neenah, WI (US)
Assigned to ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed by ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC., Glenview, IL (US)
Filed on May 2, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/401,689.
Application 16/401,689 is a continuation of application No. 13/315,054, filed on Dec. 8, 2011, granted, now 10,315,269.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/423,849, filed on Dec. 16, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2019/0255643 A1, Aug. 22, 2019
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B23K 9/133 (2006.01); B23K 9/32 (2006.01); B65H 51/10 (2006.01); B65H 57/12 (2006.01)

CPC B23K 9/1336 (2013.01) [B23K 9/32 (2013.01); B65H 51/10 (2013.01); B65H 57/12 (2013.01)]

20 Claims

1. A method, comprising:

rotating a clamp arm of a welding wire feeder from a first position to a second position about a clamp arm joint formed with a housing of the welding wire feeder, a first drive wheel being mounted to the clamp arm, and a second drive wheel being mounted to the housing;

positioning a tensioner in a first tensioner groove of the housing, the first tensioner groove being adjacent an alignment groove of the housing; and

pivoting the tensioner into a second tensioner groove in the clamp arm, the second tensioner groove being aligned with the first tensioner groove when the clamp arm is in the second position,

wherein an alignment tongue of the clamp arm is received within the alignment groove of the housing when the clamp arm is in the second position, and

wherein the reception of the alignment tongue in the alignment groove:

restricts a pivoting force of the tensioner from moving the clamp arm laterally relative to a pivoting point of the tensioner and

maintains an alignment of a welding wire as the tensioner is moved between the first tensioner groove and the second tensioner groove, and

wherein the tensioner pivots in a plane perpendicular to a direction of the welding wire feeding through the housing.