Patent ID: 6847009

Claim:
A welding contact tip and diffuser assembly for use in a welding apparatus, said assembly comprising: an electrically conductive contact tip comprising a tip body having a longitudinal axis, a back end, a forward end, an axial bore through the tip body for the feed of welding wire through the tip, and a tapered surface on an exterior of the tip body, a diffuser for conducting electrical current and transmitting a shield gas, said diffuser comprising a diffuser body having a longitudinal axis, a back end adapted for connection to said welding apparatus, a forward end, and a cavity in the diffuser body extending from its forward end toward its back end, said cavity having a tapered surface, and a connection between the diffuser and the contact tip for releasably holding the contact tip in the cavity of the diffuser with said tapered surfaces in contact for the conduction of electric current from the diffuser to the contact tip, said connection comprising at least one detent element in one of said diffuser and contact tip, at least one recess in the other of said diffuser and contact tip forming a ramp, and at least one spring for biasing said detent element into said recess and against the ramp to generate an axial force against the ramp tending to urge said tapered surfaces into contact with one another, said contact tip being releasable from the diffuser by exerting an axial force on the tip sufficient to overcome the force of said spring urging the detent element into said recess.