Method And Apparatus For Welding With Mechanical Arc Control

Abstract

A method and apparatus for feeding wire from a source of wire to a weld includes one or more motors disposed adjacent the wire to drive the wire to the weld. A buffer is disposed between the source and an arc end of the torch. Another motor may be disposed near the wire source. A wire tension controller may be provided. The one or more motors advance and retract the wire, and wire is stored, or the path length altered, when the wire is retracted.

1 - 71 . (canceled) 
   
   
       72 . A system for feeding wire from a source of wire to a weld, comprising:
 means providing wire;   means for driving the wire toward and away from an arc end of the torch; and   means for controlling the tension in the wire.   
   
   
       73 . The system of  claim 72 , further comprising means for sensing the tension in the wire. 
   
   
       74 . The wire feeder of  claim 72 , wherein the means for driving includes at least one motor disposed adjacent the wire includes a wire feed motor closer to the source than to the torch, and a stepper motor, a servo motors, a zero backlash motor, a gearless motor, or a linear actuator closer to the torch than the source. 
   
   
       75 . A system of feeding wire to a welding system comprising:
 means for providing wire;   means for driving the wire toward and away from the torch; and   means for changing the length of the wire path from the source to an arc end of the torch when the wire is driven away from the torch.   
   
   
       76 . The system of  claim 75 , further comprising means for sensed tension, in the wire. 
   
   
       77 . The system of  claim 76 , further comprising means for controlling the speed of the wire fed in response to the sensed tension, connected to the means for changing. 
   
   
       78 . The wire feeder of  claim 75 , wherein the means for driving includes at least one motor disposed adjacent the wire includes a wire feed motor closer to the source than to the torch, and a stepper motor, a servo motors, a zero backlash motor, a gearless motor, or a linear actuator closer to the torch than the source. 
   
   
       79 . A system for feeding wire from a source of wire to a weld, comprising:
 at least one motor disposed adjacent the wire and disposed to drive the wire to a torch; and   a sensor disposed to sense the tension in the wire.   
   
   
       80 . A system for feeding wire from a source of wire to a weld, comprising:
 at least one motor disposed adjacent the wire and disposed to drive the wire to a torch; and   means for sensing the tension in the wire.   
   
   
       81 . A method of feeding wire from a source of wire to a weld, comprising:
 driving the wire to a torch; and   sensing the tension in the wire.