Patent ID: 7191968

Claim:
In combination: a coiled supply of welding wire; and a container having a main body defining an upwardly opening receptacle with a vertical center axis and bounded by an upwardly facing first surface on a bottom wall and a radially inwardly facing second surface on a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall and having a top edge, the coiled supply of welding wire having a radially inwardly facing inside and a radially outwardly facing outside, the radially outwardly facing outside of the coiled supply of welding wire spaced from the radially inwardly facing second surface so that a radial gap is defined between the radially outwardly facing outside of the coiled supply of welding wire and the radially inwardly facing second surface, the main body having a top opening in communication with the receptacle and for accessing the coiled supply of welding wire in an operative position within the receptacle wherein the coiled supply of welding wire bears on the upwardly facing first surface of the bottom wall and coils of the coiled supply of welding wire extend around the center axis, the container further comprising a lid that at least partially blocks the top opening, the lid having a guide opening through which a free end of the welding wire is directed from the receptacle to externally thereof and through which the welding wire in the coiled supply of welding wire is drawn to cause the welding wire to pay off of the coiled supply of welding wire, wherein the lid has a wall with a downwardly facing surface portion that is substantially flat and resides in a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the center axis of the container receptacle and adjacent to the top edge of the peripheral wall with the lid and main body in a first relationship, the top opening having a first area, the downwardly facing surface portion of the wall extending over a substantial portion of the first area, wherein with the lid and main body in the first relationship, the downwardly facing surface and top of the coiled supply of welding wire are spaced vertically from each other sufficiently that the welding wire can be drawn off of the coiled supply of welding wire from the radially outwardly facing outside of the coiled supply of welding wire from where the welding wire is directed radially inwardly and upwardly through the guide opening without permanently changing an initial set for the welding wire, wherein the coiled supply of welding wire has a free end that extends through the guide opening and is exposed at an outside region of the container with the lid and main body in the first relationship wherein the first relationship is maintained from initial placement of the coiled supply of welding wire into the container for shipping and through dispensing.