Patent ID: 7707717

Claim:
A method of repairing a used electrode device comprising: providing a used electrode assembly having an inner conductor with an integral electrode tip; the inner conductor being encapsulated in an insulator body having an outer conductor and an outer electrode tip; and pressing the inner conductor with integral electrode tip while holding or restraining the insulator body to apply a force sufficient to disengage the inner conductor from the insulator body; cutting a pair of legs of a burnt outer electrode at a distance D extending outwardly from the insulator body to leave two protruding leg portions; placing the insulator body with the two protruding leg portions in a half of a split fixture, wherein the split fixture has two halves each with an interior surface molded or otherwise shaped to replicate an exterior surface of the insulator body; placing an outer electrode with two legs into the split fixture wherein the two legs of the outer electrode overlap the two protruding leg portions embedded in the insulator body; setting the distance of the overlap to replicate a proper gap distance; closing the split fixture securing the outer electrode against the protruding legs; introducing a pair of welding tips through holes in the split fixture exposing the overlap of the two legs of the outer electrode and the protruding leg portions; and pressing the welding tip against the protruding legs and welding each of the two legs of the outer electrode to each of the protruding leg portions, respectively.