Patent ID: 8212182
Filing Date: 2012-07-03
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
1. A portable wire feeder for providing welding wire and welding current to a welding operation, the wire feeder comprising: an input electrically connectable to a power source; an output selectively electrically connectable to said input to receive welding current delivered to said input from said power source and to provide said welding current and welding wire to the welding operation through a guide hose; a contactor for selectively electrically connecting said input to said output, said contactor including a contactor housing, a first electrical terminal removably connected to said contactor housing and electrically connected to said input, a second electrical terminal removably connected to said contactor housing and electrically connected to said output, and a conductive bridge member movable between a first position in which said bridge member electrically connects said first electrical terminal to said second electrical terminal and a second position wherein said bridge member is separated from at least one of said first and second electrical terminals to electrically isolate said terminals from one another, and said bridge member independently removable from said contactor, said bridge member defining a bridge aperture therethrough, an actuator housing connected to said contactor housing, a sleeve mounting member removably received through said bridge aperture and including an axial throughhole, an actuator at least partially disposed in said actuator housing, said actuator including a shaft member and connected to said bridge member to move said bridge member between said first position and said second position by said shaft member removably received through said axial throughhole, and at least one spring urging the bridge member toward the second position, said sleeve mounting member electrically isolating the bridge member from the spring; and a motorized wire feeding system including a motor and a feed roll driven by said motor to direct said welding wire from a wire supply to said output for provision of said welding wire to the welding operation through said guide hose.