Patent ID: 8357877

Claim:
A combination of a contact tip with a retaining head for a welding torch, wherein: said contact tip includes: an elongated, generally cylindrical body having a front contact end and an opposite rear retaining end; and a central aperture defined by an inner wall of said body, said aperture extending through said body from an opening at said rear end to an opening at said front end; said aperture having a front portion and a wider diameter elongated portion adjacent said front portion, said front portion generally having a length that is shorter than a length of said wider diameter portion; said retaining head has a front end, a rear end, and an opening at said front end; said contact tip being retained in said opening at said front end of said retaining head; said contact tip and said retaining head together define a passageway for said consumable electrode wire; said passageway including said front portion of said contact tip aperture, a rear portion disposed in said retaining head, and a middle portion at least partially defined by said wider diameter portion of said contact tip aperture; said front portion of said passageway having a length that is shorter than a length of said middle portion; wherein a consumable electrode wire fed through said passageway does not contact said retaining head and contact tip in said middle portion of said passageway and only contacts said retaining head and said contact tip in said front and rear portions of said passageway.