Patent ID: 11969836
Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. A method, comprising:
driving rotation of a gear of a reciprocating welding wire feed system with a motor rotating in only one rotational direction;
feeding a welding wire through the reciprocating welding wire feed system in a first linear direction by driving the gear in the one rotational direction;
retracting the welding wire through the reciprocating welding wire feed system in a second linear direction opposite the first linear direction by driving the gear in the one rotational direction;
applying an electrical signal to a first expandable roll to radially expand the first expandable roll such that the first expandable roll captures the welding wire with a first drive roll to feed the welding wire in the first linear direction;
suspending application of the electrical signal to the first expandable roll to radially contract the first expandable roll such that the first expandable roll disengages from the welding wire and the first drive roll; and
applying the electrical signal to a second expandable roll to radially expand the second expandable roll such that the second expandable roll captures the welding wire with a second drive roll to retract the welding wire in the second linear direction.