Patent ID: 7759599

Claim:
An interchangeable nozzle plug interface for a thermal spray plasma gun and an interchangeable nozzle plug, comprising: a receptacle on said plasma gun, said receptacle fabricated at least partially from an electrically conductive material and having a face section and a first cylindrical bore extending from within said plasma gun to said face section; a mating end section of said interchangeable nozzle plug, said interchangeable nozzle plug being fabricated from an electrically conductive material and having a distal end section and a second cylindrical bore extending from said mating end section to said distal end section; a clamping assembly on said plasma gun for mechanically securing said mating end section to said face section; and an annular seal between said face section and said mating end section to prevent leakage of cooling liquid and/or plasma gas, wherein said mating end section of said interchangeable nozzle plug and said face section of said plasma gun are adapted to, when joined, (a) align said first cylindrical bore and said second cylindrical bore so as to form a continuous passage for plasma gas to flow from said first cylindrical bore through said second cylindrical bore, (b) form a channel for cooling liquid to flow from said plasma gun through said interchangeable nozzle plug and to a return path in said plasma gun, and (c) create an electrical contact between said plasma gun and said interchangeable nozzle plug.