Patent ID: 7220942

Claim:
A device for feeding toward a welding station a welding wire stored in a first container in a first coil generally concentric with a first vertical axis and a second container in a second coil generally concentric with a second vertical axis spaced longitudinally from said first axis in a given direction, said device comprising: a track element extending in a path generally including said axes and extending above said coils in said given direction; a grommet with a vertical wire receiving guide opening surrounding a guide axis and having a lower entrant end; a support mechanism mounting said grommet on said track element for movement of the grommet above said coils and along said path; and, a mechanism with an input sensor mounted on said support mechanism and spaced below said grommet entrant end a distance defining a gap below said grommet to sense displacement of said welding wire generally in said given direction and a motion device responsive to said sensed displacement to move said grommet in the direction of said displacement, whereby said wire is generally aligned with said guide axis by said mechanism as it moves through said gap.