Patent ID: 7624908

Claim:
A portable wire feeder for providing welding wire and electrical power to a welding torch, said wire feeder comprising: an output adapted to provide electrical power and welding wire to a torch cable; and an input comprising: a switching device with first and second electrical terminals, said second electrical terminal being electrically coupled to said output, said switching device having a first operating condition in which said first and second electrical terminals are electrically coupled to one another and a second operating condition in which said first and second electrical terminals are electrically isolated from one another, and an input connector coupled directly to said switching device, said input connector comprising: a conductive structure having a first end, a second end coupled to said first electrical terminal of said switching device, and a cavity extending into said first end to receive solid or stranded wire of a power source cable, and a clamping device mountable to said conductive structure, said clamping device being movable between a first position in which said wire of said power source cable is clamped to said conductive structure and a second position in which said wire of said power source cable is removable from said cavity.