Abstract:
A holder on an electric welding machine manages the machine cables and guns. The holder comprises a box that fits in a cutout in the machine top cover. The box has open front and top sides. At least one socket is supported in the box. A door is hinged to the box for pivoting between open and closed positions. When the door is in the closed position, it covers the box and conceals the sockets. The box and closed door are generally flush with the machine top cover. When the door is pivoted to the open position, it exposes the sockets, and a wall of the door is horizontal. The cable can then be hung from the open door, and the guns can be stored in the sockets. The door is retained in the open position by the cooperation of fingers on the door and depressions in the box. In a modified embodiment, the sockets are supported in the door, and they are rotatable on the door between retracted and working locations.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention pertains to electric welding, and more particularly to apparatus for managing the cables and guns associated with welding machines, including metal inert gas (MIG) welding machines. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Many wire feed MIG welding machines are capable of being easily switchable between welding steel and aluminum workpieces. Separate welding guns are required for the two different materials, as well as separate cables that connect the guns to the welding machine. To avoid frequent movement of the welding machine at a work site, the two cables are quite long, often reaching 30 feet in length. 
     Although long cable length is beneficial for reaching workpieces at a distance from the welding machine, the attendant disadvantage is that the cables are frequently in the way. That is especially true if the cables are merely left on the workplace floor when not in use. A cable lying on the floor, even if it is neatly coiled, presents a hazard for workers in the area. The fact that two cables are used with many MIG welding machines exacerbates the problem. 
     Electrically powered MIG welding machines are small enough to be transportable using running gears. Moving a welding machine with long cables is very cumbersome. Unless the machine includes a way to hold the cables in place on it, the cables must either be dragged along the work place floor, or manually carried, when the welding machine is transported. In either situation, the welding machine running gear is apt to run over the cables. It is possible to disconnect the cables from the welding machine when transporting it. However, that procedure does not eliminate the need to drag or carry the cables to the new location. In addition, unproductive time is required for the disconnecting and reconnecting process. 
     To solve the problems associated with long welding machine cables, it is known to equip welding machines with a static hanger. For example, the Miller Electric Company of Appleton, Wis., manufactures and markets a gun/cable holder that is attachable to a transportable MIG welding machine. The gun/cable holder includes an arcuate surface over which the cable is draped, as well as a short tube that receives the nozzle of the welding gun. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,076 shows a transportable electric arc welding machine having two U-shaped plates on the outside. One plate is designed to hold a welding gun. The cable between the welding gun and the welding machine is supported by a bracket on a frame of the machine running gear. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,807 discloses an engine-driven welding machine. A welding gun is holdable in a support on the outside of the machine. No provision is made for holding the cable between the gun and the machine. 
     Thus, a need exists for improvements in managing welding machine cables. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, a pivotable cable and gun holder is provided that manages the guns and connecting cables of a MIG welding machine. This is accomplished by apparatus that includes a door that pivots between open and closed positions in a box that fits in the machine top cover. 
     The box has a back wall, opposed side walls, and open front and top sides. When the box is in the welding machine top cover, top and front edges of the box side walls, as well as the top edge of the box back wall, are substantially flush with the cover top and side panels. The door has front and top walls. The door front wall is hinged to the box at the lower end of the box open front side. When the door is closed, its front and top walls are substantially coplanar with the front and top edges, respectively, of the box side walls. Thus, the door top and front walls are substantially flush with the machine cover top and side panels. A catch maintains the door in the closed position until it is intentionally opened. When the door is open, its front wall is generally horizontal and perpendicular to the front panel of the machine top cover. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the box has a arcuate bearing near the bottom of its open front side. Each side wall of the box has an arcuate surface concentric with the bearing. Each box side wall also has a groove between the box open front side and the associated arcuate surface. There is a floor between the side walls and the back wall above the bearing. 
     To pivot the door between the open and closed position, the door has a shaft portion that engages the box bearing. The door is held to the box by a resilient overcenter tab in the box. To engage the door shaft portion with the box bearing at assembly, the door shaft portion must first deflect the tab slightly. As the shaft portion fully engages the bearing, the tab resiliently returns to its normal position, where it cooperates with the bearing to hold the door in place. 
     The door includes a pair of oppositely protruding fingers. At assembly, the fingers slide through the grooves in the box side walls. The fingers emerge from the grooves in the box side walls and are proximate the arcuate surfaces on the box side walls when the door shaft portion is engaged with the box bearing. The door fingers ride on the box arcuate surfaces when the door pivots between the open and closed positions. The door is retained at its open position by contact of the fingers with a depression in each of the box side walls. 
     The present invention further comprises a pair of tubular sockets. According to one aspect of the invention, the sockets are supported in the box on the box floor. Each socket has two short oppositely extending lugs near a bottom end. One lug is captured in a hole in a box side wall, and the other lug is captured under a hook the box back wall. Preferably, there is an opening in each socket at the bottom end. 
     When the door is closed, the holder of the invention is an unobtrusive component of the welding machine, which can be used in the normal manner in every respect. When the door is open, however, its front wall functions as a hanger for neatly holding the welding machine cables. In addition, the open door exposes and provides easy access to the sockets supported in the box. The machine guns can be inserted into the sockets to store them in place until needed. 
     In a modified embodiment, the sockets are supported in the door instead of in the box. To provide increased accessibility to the sockets, they are rotatable in the door between retracted and working locations. When the sockets are in the retracted location, they lie within the envelope of the door front and top walls. When the door is in the closed position, the sockets nest within the box. When the door is in the open position, the sockets can be rotated to their working locations whereat they are outside the door envelope. In that location, they are more convenient for receiving and storing the welding guns. 
     In another embodiment, pivoting of the door on the box is achieved by the cooperation of a shaft portion in the box and a bearing in the cover. Outturned fingers on the door abut small plates in the box to retain the door in the open position. The sockets for the welding machine guns can be supported either in the box or in the door. 
     Other advantages, benefits, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention with the door in the closed position. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the invention with the door in the open position. 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the invention with the door in the open position. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a modified embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the holder of FIG. 5 showing it assembled with the door in the open position and the sockets in the working location. 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the holder of FIG. 7 showing the sockets assembled to the door and in the working location. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto. 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, a pivotable cable and gun holder  1  is illustrated that includes the present invention. The pivotable cable and gun holder  1  is particularly useful with wire feed metal inert gas (MIG) welding machines  3 , but it will be understood that invention is not limited to welding applications. 
     The particular welding machine  3  shown has a top cover  5  with a generally horizontal top panel  7  and a generally vertical panel  9 . The top panel  7  and front panel  9  join at a corner  11  having a relatively large radius. The machine top cover  5  is cut out at reference numeral  13  in the top and front panels. There are a pair of opposed small recesses  15  in the cutout  13  near a bottom edge  17  of the cutout. 
     Box 
     Looking also at FIGS. 3 and 4, the holder  1  comprises a box  19 , having opposed side walls  21 , a back wall  23 , and a floor  25 . The side walls  21  have respective front edges  27  and top edges  29 . The side walls front edges  27  and top edges  29  meet at corner edges  31 . The corner edges  31  have respective radii that match the corners  11  of the machine top cover  5 . The box side and back walls have resilient latches  61 . The box back wall  23  has a top edge  33 . On the outside of the back wall  23  near the top edge  33  is a projection  53 . 
     Each box side wall  21  has a lower section  35 . In each lower section  35  is a groove  37 . The grooves  37  extend from the front edges  27  of the box side walls to respective back surfaces  39  on the lower sections  35 . The lower sections back surfaces  39  are arcuate in shape. The arcuate surfaces  39  have a common central axis  42  and terminate near the floor  25  in respective depressions  40 . 
     There is a narrow bottom wall  41  between the side walls lower sections  35 . The box wall  41  has a front edge  43  that is generally coplanar with the side walls front edges  27 . Upstanding from the box bottom wall  41  are a pair of spaced apart bearings  45 . The bearings  45  have the same central axis  42  as the arcuate surfaces  39  of the side walls lower sections. Between the bearings  45  and the floor  25  are a pair of vertical guides  47 . There is a plate  48  between the bearings  45  and the floor  25  and between the guides  47 . The plate  48  is slotted at reference numerals  50  to make a resilient central cantilevered tab  51 . The tab  51  has a depending lip  55  at its free edge. The lip  55  is overcenter relative to the central axis of the bearings. 
     There is a hole  57  in each side wall  21  near the junctions with the back wall  23  and the floor  25 . A hook  59  with an overcenter arcuate opening  60  is on the back wall midway between the side walls. 
     Door 
     The holder  1  further comprises a door  63 . The door  63  is pivotable in the box  19  between a closed position as shown in FIG.  2  and an open position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     The door  63  is comprised of a top wall  65  and a front wall  67 . The top wall  65  and front wall  67  join at a corner  69 . The corner  69  has the same radius as the welding machine top cover corner  11  and the box corner edges  31 . The door walls and corner  69  are so dimensioned that when the door is in the closed position, it covers the open top and front sides of the box  19 . In addition, the closed door lies substantially flush with the welding machine top cover panels  7  and  9  as well as the corners  11 . 
     To enable the cover  63  to pivot, the free end of the front wall  67  is fabricated with a shaft portion  71 . The shaft portion  71  has a diameter that matches that of the box bearings  45 . Straddling the door shaft portion are a pair of arms  73 . The arms  73  extend beyond the shaft portion, and they angle away from the front wall. On the end of each arm is a finger  75 . The fingers  75  protrude outwardly past the common side edges  77  of the top and front walls. To provide maximum resistance to bending, the door has interior ribs  79  upstanding from both walls. A pair of channels  81  in the walls and arms impart additional bending strength to the door. 
     Socket 
     The final components of the holder  1  are a pair of sockets  83 . Each socket  83  has a tubular wall  85  that defines a longitudinal centerline  86 . Top and bottom ends  87  and  89 , respectively, of the tubular wall  85  are open, and the ends may be parallel to each other. The top end  87  makes an angle A with the longitudinal centerline  86 ; a preferred angle A is between approximately 50 degrees and 90 degrees. 
     One side of the tubular wall  85  flattens at reference numeral  91  near the bottom end  89 . The flat  91  is generally perpendicular to the tubular wall ends  87  and  89 . On the side of the tubular wall opposite the flat  91  is a brace  93 . The bottom edge  95  of the brace  93  is coplanar with the tubular wall bottom end  89 . There is an opening  97  through the tubular wall at the bottom end. The sockets  83  further include a pair of lugs  99  that extend outwardly from the tubular wall close to the bottom end  89 . 
     A preferred material for the sockets  83 , as well as for the box  19  and door  63 , is a heat resilient thermoplastic material such as moldable fiberglass-filled nylon. 
     Assembly And Operation 
     The box  19  fits in the cutout  13  in the welding machine top cover  5 . The box side walls lower sections  35  around the grooves  37  fit into the recesses  15  in the cutout. The resilient latches  61  retain the box in the machine top cover. The box side wall edges  29  and the back wall edge  33  protrude only a slight amount above the machine cover top panel  7 . Similarly, the front edges  27  of the box side walls  21  protrude only very slightly outwardly of the machine top cover side panel  9 . A rivet  100  may be installed between the cover top panel  7  and the box projection  53 . 
     The door  63  is removably assembled to the box  19  by first inserting the door fingers  75  into the box grooves  37 . The door is pushed in the direction of arrow  101 , sliding the fingers in the grooves, until the door shaft portion  71  contacts the lip  55  of the resilient tab  51 . Further pushing the door in the direction of arrow  101  causes the tab to deflect upwardly such that the door shaft portion can pass the lip  55  and engage the box bearings  45 . At that point, the tab resiliently returns to its normal position such that the lip holds the door shaft portion in the box bearings. In that manner, the tab cooperates with the bearings to pivotally hold the door to the box. 
     Simultaneously with the door shaft portion  71  engaging the box bearings  45 , the door fingers  75  emerge from the box grooves  37 . The door fingers are in a position such that they can contact the box arcuate surfaces  39 . 
     The sockets  83  are assembled to the box  19  by placing their bottom ends  89  on the box floor  25  with the flats  91  of the tubular walls  85  against the box back wall  23 . One lug  99  of each socket is placed in a corresponding box hole  57 . The other socket lug is pushed into the overcenter opening  60  in the box hook  59 . 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 show the door  63  in the open position. When the door is in the open position, the box top and front sides are uncovered, and the door front wall  67  is generally horizontal. The door is retained in the open position by contact of the door fingers  75  with the depressions  40  in the box side walls lower sections  35 . 
     From the open position of FIGS. 3 and 4, the door  63  is pivotable by means of the box bearings  45  and door shaft portion  71  in the direction of arrow  103  to a closed position, FIG.  2 . As the door pivots between the open and closed positions, the door fingers  75  ride along the associated arcuate surfaces  39  of the box  19 . At the closed position, a catch  105  keeps the door from reopening unintentionally. When the door is in the closed position, it covers the open sides of the box  19  and conceals the sockets  83 . The door is substantially flush with the welding machine top cover  5 , so that the holder  1  of the invention does not detract from the appearance of the welding machine  3 . In addition, the flush design of the closed holder  1  prevents it from snagging on clothing or other objects. 
     When the door  63  is in the open position, FIGS. 3 and 4, it performs two functions. First, it acts as a hanger for holding the welding machine cables used for both steel and aluminum welding. The holder  1  is strong enough to support  30  foot lengths of both cables at the same time. With the cables looped over the door, the entire welding machine  3  can be transported conveniently as a unit without having to drag the cables along the floor or to manually carry the cables. Further, prior concerns about running over the cables with the welding machine running gear are eliminated. 
     The second function performed by the open holder  1  is to provide a convenient storage place for the welding machine guns. When the door  63  is open, the two sockets  83  are exposed and accessible. The operator can insert the nozzle ends of the steel and aluminum welding guns in the sockets, where they remain stored in place within convenient reach until ready to be used. The openings  97  enable loosened weld spatter and other debris to escape from inside the sockets. 
     The door  63  can be removed from the box  19  by aligning the fingers  71  with the box grooves  37  and pulling the door outwardly in the direction opposite the arrow  101 . 
     Modified Embodiments 
     Turning to FIGS. 5 and 6, a modified holder  106  for welding machine cables and guns is shown. The holder  106  comprises a box  108  that is generally similar to the box  19  described previously in connection with the holder  1  of FIGS. 1-4. The box  108  has side walls  110  that correspond to the side walls  21  of the box  19 , but the walls  110  do not have holes through them. The box  108  has a back wall  112  without a hook analogous to the hook  59  of the box  19 . The box  108  further has bearings  45 ′ and a resilient tab  51 ′ that correspond to the respective components of the box  19 . 
     The holder  106  further comprises a door  114  that is generally similar to the door  63  of the holder  1 . That is, the door  114  includes a top wall  65 ′, a front wall  67 ′, and side edges  77 ′. A pair of post portions  116  are integral with the inside of the top wall  65 ′, with a post portion being close to each side edge  77 ′. Fingers  75 ′ on the door engage the bearings  45 ′ of the box  108  in the same manner as was described previously regarding the holder  1 . 
     To store the welding machine guns, the holder  106  includes a pair of sockets  135 . The sockets  135  have respective tubular sections  137  and wings  139  that project outwardly from the tubular sections. Each wing  139  has a clearance hole  141  through it. The sockets  135  are assembled to the door  114  by fasteners  143  passing through the socket holes  141  and engaging the door post portions  116 . 
     As shown in FIG. 6, the sockets  135  are in a working location whereat they are outside the envelope of the door  114 . In that location, the sockets are readily accessible for storing the welding machine guns. From the working location, the sockets are rotatable in the directions of arrows  145  such that they are in a retracted location inside the door envelope. When the sockets are in the retracted location, the door can be closed. The sockets then nest inside the box  108  between the walls  110  and  112  and the floor  25 ′. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 show a further modified holder  107  according to the present invention. The holder  107  comprises a box  109  that fits in a cutout  111  of a welding machine top cover  113 . The box  109  has side walls  115 , a back wall  117 , and a floor  119 . Near the bottom of the box is a shaft portion  121 . There is an inwardly facing plate  122  in each side wall  115  a short distance from the shaft portion  121 . 
     The door  123  of the holder  107  has a front wall  125  and a top wall  127 . A series of ribs  129  on the front wall  125  connect to an arcuate bearing  131 . A pair of fingers  133  protrude oppositely from the arcuate bearing  131 . A pair of short post portions  134  lie alongside the door top wall  127  near the door edges  136 . 
     The door  123  is assembled to the box  109  by placing the door fingers  133  alongside the box side walls  115  and behind the plates  122 . Doing so brings the door arcuate bearing  131  into engagement with the box shaft portion  121 . The door is then able to pivot between the open position of FIGS. 7 and 8 and a closed position, not shown, but very similar to the situation of the closed door  63  of the holder  1 , FIG.  2 . The door  123  is retained in the open position by the abutment of the door fingers  133  on the box plates  122 . 
     The holder  107  includes sockets  135 ′ and fasteners  143 ′ that correspond to the sockets and fasteners of the holder  106  described above with regard to FIGS. 5 and 6. The sockets  135 ′ are assembled to the door post portions  134  by the fasteners  143 ′ for rotating between a working location whereat they are outside the envelope of the door  123  for storing the welding machine guns, and a retracted location such that they are inside the door envelope. When the sockets are in the retracted location, the door can be closed, and the sockets nest inside the box  109 . 
     Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a pivotable cable and gun holder that fully satisfies the aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.