Wire Dispensing System

Abstract

A wire dispensing system for continuously dispensing wire from wire coils to a welding site. The system includes a wire feeder mounted above the wire coils on a frame and a wire transfer arm which moves between the wire coils as one wire coil is depleted and the other wire coil is started.

1 . A weld wire dispensing system for continuously feeding wire from wire coils to a welding site, which comprises:
 a) a frame for positioning the wire coils; and   b) a wire feeder mounted on the frame and spaced apart from the wire coils for pulling wire from the wire coils and pushing wire to the welding site.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the frame has a center post configured to be positioned between the wire coils and wherein the wire feeder is mounted on the center post. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the frame has a wire transfer arm configured to be positioned between the wire coils and the wire feeder and wherein the wire transfer arm is configured to pivot from a position adjacent one of the wire coils to a position adjacent another one of the wire coils. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein a wire transfer arm is pivotably mounted on the center post between the wire coils and the wire feeder and wherein when the wire coils are positioned in the frame, the wire transfer arm is configured to pivot from a position adjacent one of the wire coils to a position adjacent another one of the wire coils. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the wire transfer arm extends outward from the center post in a direction towards the wire coils, wherein a guide conduit for guiding the wire extends between the wire coils and the wire feeder, wherein the guide conduit is attached to the wire transfer arm spaced apart from the center post and wherein the positioning of the guide conduit on the wire transfer arm automatically pivots the wire transfer arm from adjacent one of the wire coils to adjacent the other one of the wire coils when one of the wire coils is depleted and the wire is provided from the other one of the wire coils. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 3  wherein a guide conduit having opposed ends and configured to house the wire is connected to the wire transfer arm, wherein one end of the guide conduit is adjacent the wire feeder and the other end of the guide conduit is adjacent one of the wire coils and wherein when the one of the wire coils is depleted, the wire transfer arm pivots to move the other end of the guide conduit adjacent another one of the wire coils. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the frame includes drums for containing the wire coils, wherein the drums have tops and wherein the tops of the drums have slots. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the wire feeder moves the wire to the welding site at a constant rate. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a power source for the wire feeder is a hydraulic motor. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a power source for the wire feeder is an electric motor. 
   
   
       11 . A wire dispensing system for continuously moving wire to a welding site, which comprises:
 a) a first wire coil having a first end and a second end;   b) a second wire coil having a first end and a second end wherein the first end of the second wire coil is configured to be connected to the second end of the first wire coil; and   c) a wire feeder spaced apart from the first and second wire coils and configured to receive wire from the first or second wire coil wherein in operation the wire feeder pulls the wire from the first or second wire coil and pushes the wire to the welding site.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first and second wire coils are held in position by a frame and wherein the wire feeder is mounted on the frame positioned between the first and second wire coils. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein a wire transfer arm is pivotably mounted on the frame and is configured to move between the first and second wire coils. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the wire transfer arm is positioned between the wire coil and the wire feeder. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the wire transfer arm is configured to be connected to the wire and guide the wire to the wire feeder, wherein the wire extends from the first wire coil to the wire transfer arm to and through the wire feeder to the welding site and wherein when the first wire coil is depleted, the wire transfer arm pivots so that the wire extends from the second wire coil to the wire transfer arm to and through the wire feeder to the welding site. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein a guide conduit having opposing ends and configured to receive the wire is connected to the wire transfer arm, wherein one end of the guide conduit is adjacent the wire feeder and the other end of the guide conduit is adjacent the first wire coil and wherein when the first wire coil is depleted, the wire transfer arm pivots to move the other end of the guide conduit adjacent the second wire coil. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first and second wire coils are positioned in first and second drums, wherein the first and second drums have tops with slots. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the tops of the drums are curved so that when the wire is moved from the drums, the wire moves along a curved inner surface of the tops which reduces friction on the wire. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the first end of the second wire coil extends out of the second drum through the slot in the top, wherein the second end of the first wire coil extends out of the first drum through the slot in the top and wherein the first wire coil and the second wire coil are connected together at a point between the first and second drums. 
   
   
       20 . A wire dispensing system for continuously dispensing wire from wire coils to a welding site, which comprises
 a) a pair of drums, each drum configured to hold one wire coil;   b) a frame for positioning the drums in a side-by-side arrangement having a center post positioned between the drums and extending upward beyond a top of the drums;   c) a wire feeder mounted on the center post above the top of the drums;   d) a first guide conduit extending between the top of the drums and the wire feeder; and   e) a second guide conduit extending from the wire feeder toward the welding site, wherein the wire feeder pulls the wire through the first guide conduit and pushes the wire through the second guide conduit to the welding site.   
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the wire feeder has an inlet guide and an outlet guide, wherein the first guide conduit is connected to the inlet guide of the wire feeder and extends toward the drums and wherein the second guide conduit is connected to the outlet guide of the wire feeder and extends toward the welding site. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein a wire transfer arm is pivotably mounted on the frame between the wire feeder and the drums, wherein the first guide conduit has opposed first and second ends with the first end connected to the inlet guide of the wire feeder, wherein the first guide conduit is attached to the wire transfer arm and wherein the wire transfer arm moves the second end of the first guide conduit from adjacent one drum to adjacent the other drum when the wire coil in the one drum is depleted and the wire is provided from the other drum. 
   
   
       23 . A system for feeding wire from a wire coil to a welding site which comprises:
 a) a drum for holding the wire coil having a top with an opening; and   b) a wire feeder mounted on the top of the drum adjacent the opening for pulling wire from the wire coil out of the drum and pushing the wire to the welding site.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the top of the drum has a cone shape having a rounded apex, and wherein the opening is in the apex of the top. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the wire feeder has an inlet and an outlet and wherein the inlet of the wire feeder is positioned over the opening in the top. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein a support disk is provided adjacent the opening for supporting the wire feeder. 
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the opening has an inlet probe and wherein the inlet of the wire feeder is secured on the inlet probe to position the wire feeder on the top of the drum and wherein wire from the wire coil extends through the inlet probe into the inlet of the wire feeder and out the outlet of the wire feeder to the welding site. 
   
   
       28 . A method for continuously providing welding wire to a welding site, which comprises the steps of:
 a) providing at least two wire coils;   b) providing a wire feeder;   c) feeding the wire from one of the wire coils through the wire feeder to the welding site;   d) activating the wire feeder so that the wire feeder pulls wire from one of the wire coils and pushes the wire to the welding site;   e) connecting an end wire from one of the wire coils to a start wire of the other one of the wire coils; and   f) switching from one of the wire coils to the other of the wire coils when one of the wire coils is depleted, wherein as the wire is dispensed from one of the wire coils and the end wire of the wire coil is reached, the wire feeder continues to pull on the wire so that the start wire of the other one of the wire coils is moved through the wire feeder so that the wire is provided from the other one of the wire coils and wire is continuously provided to the welding site.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein a wire transfer arm is positioned between the wire coils and the wire feeder, wherein the wire transfer arm guides the wire from the wire coil to the wire feeder, wherein before step (f), the wire transfer arm is adjacent one of the wire coils, and wherein in step (f), when the wire from one of the wire coils reaches the end wire, the wire transfer arm pivots to adjacent the other one of the wire coils. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein in step (f), when one of the wire coils is depleted, a new wire coil is added and steps (e) and (f) are repeated to connect an end wire from the other one of the wire coils to a start wire of the new wire coil and to move the wire from the new wire coil when the other one of the wire coils is depleted. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein a guide conduit is provided between the wire feeder and the welding site, wherein the guide conduit has curves and wherein in step (d), when the wire feeder pushes the wire to the welding site, the wire is pushed toward an outside of the curves to reduce friction on the wire. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28  wherein in step (d), when the wire stops, the wire feeder stalls and stops pushing the wire. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein in step (d), when the wire begins moving, the wire feeder automatically activates to push the wire to the welding site.