Tig welding system and method

Abstract

The invention provides a welding arrangement designed to respond to the need of an improved welding system that aids in supplying filler material to a weld location. Provided is a welding system including a welding gun and a welding wire feed directly coupled to the welding gun. The welding gun includes a filler material housing, a filler material positioning extension, and a manual advancement device configured to advance a filler material through the welding wire feed. Further provided is a method of operating a welding gun. The method includes passing a current between an electrode and a work piece at a weld location, and advancing a filler material toward the weld location via a channel of a positioning extension in response to engagement of a manual advancement device.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a welding torch, comprising;
 a nozzle comprising an electrode; and 
 a filler material positioning extension comprising an extension channel that terminates at an extension end proximate the electrode, wherein the extension end is capable of being manipulated between at least a first position and a second position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises a local welding wire feeder coupled directly to the welding torch and configured to feed filler material to a weld location via the filler material positioning extension. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filler material positioning extension comprises a material that is positionable between at least the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filler material positioning extension is deformable between at least the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filler material positioning extension comprises a first section and a second section, wherein the first section and the second section are configured to pivot relative to one another. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filler material positioning extension is rotatable about an axis of the electrode. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the filler material positioning extension comprises a thermal insulating component. 
     
     
         8 . A welding gun, comprising:
 a torch body comprising a body axis;   a torch handle comprising a handle axis;   a torch nozzle comprising a nozzle axis;   an electrode comprising an electrode axis;   a wire feeder comprising a feeder axis; and   a wire positioning extension, comprising:
 a guide channel comprising a guide channel axis; and 
 an exit channel comprising an exit channel axis, 
   wherein the exit channel terminates proximate the electrode, and   wherein the body axis, the handle axis, the nozzle axis, the electrode axis, the guide channel axis, and the exit channel axis are located in a first plane.   
     
     
         9 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the feeder axis is transverse to the first plane. 
     
     
         10 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the nozzle axis and the electrode axis are coaxial, and the guide channel axis is parallel and offset from the nozzle axis and the electrode axis. 
     
     
         11 . The welding gun of  claim 10 , wherein the exit channel axis intersects the guide channel axis and the electrode axis. 
     
     
         12 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the wire feeder comprises a motorized wire feeder. 
     
     
         13 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the wire feeder comprises a manual wire feeder having a manual advancement device. 
     
     
         14 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the wire positioning extension is deformable between a plurality of positions. 
     
     
         15 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the wire positioning extension comprises a first section and a second section, wherein the first section and the second section are configured to pivot relative to one another. 
     
     
         16 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the wire positioning extension is rotatable about the electrode axis. 
     
     
         17 . The welding gun of  claim 8 , wherein the wire positioning extension comprises a thermal insulating component. 
     
     
         18 . A system, comprising:
 a welding torch, comprising;
 a nozzle comprising an electrode; and 
 a filler material positioning extension comprising an extension channel that terminates at an extension end at an offset distance from the electrode, wherein the offset distance is adjustable; and 
 a local welding wire feeder coupled directly to the welding torch, wherein the local welding wire feeder is configured to feed filler material to a weld location via the filler material positioning extension. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the filler material positioning extension is deformable to adjust the offset distance. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the filler material positioning extension comprises at least one axis of rotation to adjust the offset distance.