Patent ID: 7034250

Claim:
A welding wire dispensing assembly, comprising: a frame, a spool support rotatably mounted to said frame having a first end and a second end, said spool support defining between said first end and said second end a surface around which a wire spool can be mounted; an axle assembly, comprising: an axle, a first friction member defining a first friction surface; a resistance adjustment assembly, comprising: a second friction member defining a second friction surface, one of said first friction surface and said second friction surface substantially fixed with respect to one of said spool support and said axle; a force actuator having a first adjustment surface, said force actuator having a first position in which said actuator exerts a first level of interface force on one of said first friction member and second friction member creating a first level of friction force between said first friction surface and said second friction surface; said force actuator having a second position in which said actuator exerts a second level of interface force on one of said first friction member and second friction member creating a second level of friction force between said first friction surface and said second friction surface; a cam mechanism comprising a cam channel and a cam follower, said cam follower movable between a first stop and a second stop, wherein movement of said cam follower to a first location in said cam channel causes said cam mechanism to at least indirectly exert a force on said force actuator to move said force actuator to said first position, and wherein movement of said cam follower to a second location in said cam channel causes said cam mechanism to at least indirectly exert a force on said force actuator to move said force actuator to said second position.