Welding wire feeding apparatus with orbital mounting assembly

• US 4,650,959 A
• Filed: 03/17/1986
• Issued: 03/17/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AEG Westinghouse Industrial Automation Corporation (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Inventors: Wolfe, Donald L., Swensrud, Roger L., Ziegler, James R., Soroka, Daniel P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US06/840,354
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 219/125.1, 219/137.2, 219/125.11, 901/42
• US Class Current: 219/125.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1336 Driving means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/287 Supporting devices for electrode holders not restricted to arc welding B23K37/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/01 Frames, beds, pillars or like members; Arrangement of ways
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/48 with sliding pairs and rotating pairs B23Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A welding wire feeding apparatus with orbital mounting assembly for use in combination with an industrial manipulator of the type including a "Z" axis assembly from which there is dependingly supported an extended welding axis post for rotational movement about the "Z" axis. The improved welding wire feeding apparatus mounting assembly is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the "Z" axis or wrist assembly of the robot and is in communication with the extended axis post by a rubber-lined yoke so that the rotational movement of the orbital welding wire feeding apparatus is simultaneous with that of the extended welding post. As a result of a support bearing and the attachment through a rubber-lined yoke, no mass or stiffness coupling occurs between the wire feeding apparatus and the extended axis post so that the natural frequencies of the extended axis post remain unchanged.

Claims

1. In combination with an industrial manipulator including a "Z" axis assembly from which there is dependingly supported an extended welding post for rotational movement about a vertical axis on which a welding device is supported for gas metal arc welding, an improved welding wire feeding apparatus and mounting assembly for continuously delivering welding wire to the welding device comprising:

a mounting baseplate means having a first end with an aperture therethrough and a second end opposite thereto and a first side and a second second side, which mounting baseplate means is disposed between the "Z" axis assembly and the extended welding post for independent rotational movement about the vertical axis which rotational movement is coordinated with the rotational movement of the extended welding post and wherein the extended welding post depends from the "Z" axis assembly through said aperture;

a reel spool means rotatably supported on the first side of said mounting baseplate means for rotation about a horizontal axis and on which a supply of welding wire is stored;

a wire drive means supported on the second side of said mounting baseplate for positively drawing the welding wire from the reel spool means supply for delivery to the welding device;

a set of leveling roller means mounted between said reel spool means and said wire drive means and through which the welding wire passes; and

insulated tube means extending from a location proximate said wire drive means to a second location proximate the welding device through which the welding wire is conveyed substantially the length of the extended welding post.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the mounting baseplate means rotational movement is coordinated with the movement of the extended welding post by means of a yoke means mounted on the second face of the mounting baseplate and in communication with the extended welding post.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the yoke means is fixedly supported from said mounting baseplate means and includes a rubber portion which is in contact with the extended axis post.

4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the mounting baseplate means is rotatably mounted on the "Z" axis assembly by bearing means.