Patent ID: 6274845
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
An electric arc welding apparatus for depositing molten metal from an advancing welding wire into a weld puddle in a joint between two juxtapositioned plates, said joint extending in a welding path and being formed by converging walls, said apparatus comprising: a contact holder with a wire outlet, a switching power supply directing welding current to said wire as said wire advances from said outlet toward said joint, said advancing wire defining an electrode stick out between said contact holder and said weld puddle, a circuit for sensing the length of said stick out, a weld head for moving said wire in a given direction transverse to said joint, means for reversing the direction of the weld head and thus said wire when said sensed stick out length is reduced to a given value at the edge of said joint and means for repeating said moving step alternately in opposite directions whereby said wire follows said welding path in a serpentine pattern.