Patent ID: 7081597

Claim:
An electrode for emitting an arc of a plasma torch and for being removably held in the plasma arc torch, the electrode comprising: a male threaded portion for removably holding the electrode in the plasma arc torch and defining at least one thread form extending helically and at least partially around a thread axis, the threaded portion defining; a major diameter comprising a larger diameter of the threaded portion, a minor diameter comprising a smaller diameter of the threaded portion, a pair of flanks defining one or more crest profiles when viewed in cross section and extending between the major diameter and the minor diameter, wherein each of the flanks of a crest profile defines at least one line that intersects at a crest apex with a line defined by the other of the flanks of that thread crest profile, and further wherein at least one of those lines intersects at a root apex with a line defined by a flank on an opposite side of the root apex, and a nominal pitch diameter defined halfway between the diameter of the crest apex and the diameter of the root apex; wherein the nominal pitch diameter is not greater than the minor diameter.