Patent ID: 8552341

Claim:
A torch for directing a welding wire with a given diameter toward a workpiece, said torch comprising: a main cylindrical conductive assembly having a diffuser for directing shielding gas outwardly from said assembly; a contact tip having a central wire guide bore; and, a cylindrical metal nozzle with a rear end held on said main assembly, wherein said rear end of said cylindrical metal nozzle includes a gripping mechanism, said gripping mechanism including: a first generally cylindrical collet as the rear end of said nozzle and having an outwardly facing surface and at least one axially extending collapsible slot extending through a thickness of said rear end; and a second generally cylindrical actuator ring with an inner generally cylindrical surface sliding around said outwardly facing surface, where at least one of said surfaces is slightly non-circular whereby rotation of said actuator ring on said collet at least partially closes at least one collapsible slot to clamp said rear end of said nozzle onto said cylindrical assembly.