Patent ID: 6259059
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
In an electric arc welder for creating an arc welding process between a consumable electrode advancing through a contact tip and a workpiece, said welder including a power supply to create an arc current and arc voltage and having a first lead connected to said contact tip and a second lead connected to said workpiece, the improvement comprising: said contact tip including an upper tip section and a lower tip section and an insulator that electrically isolates said upper and lower sections, a first switch selectively shiftable between a conductive state and a nonconductive state, said conductive state connecting first lead to said upper tip section, a second switch selectively shiftable between a conductive state and a nonconductive state, said conductive state connecting said first lead to said lower tip section, and a switch operating network creating a first switch signal to shift said first switch to its conductive state and/or a second switch signal to shift said second switch to its conductive state, said switch operating network including a control circuit that compares a set welding parameter to a monitored welding parameter and to create a first or second switch signal based on said comparison.