A welding electrode is mounted in a tool holder that is part of a handle apparatus. The handle apparatus has an electrode power connection. The handle apparatus has a housing defining a haft that can be grasped in the hand of an operator. A vibrator is mounted inside the haft. The vibrator includes a force transmitter in the form of a cantilevered beam. The cantilevered beam is electrically conductive and carries power to the tool holder. The tool holder has a handle that permits the welding rod to be rotated about its axis as it wears during deposition of welding rod material on the object work piece.

Provided for herein is an apparatus that includes a machine-side connection housing. The machine-side connection housing includes a machine-side connection configured to provide a welding consumable or an electrical connection to a welding/cutting torch head. The apparatus also includes a fume extraction connection housing that includes a fume extraction connection to a fume extraction device. A flexible connection is arranged between the machine-side connection housing and the fume extraction connection housing. A seal that includes a first orifice is arranged between the fume extraction connection and the machine-side connection. Finally, a conduit, configured to connect the machine-side connection to the welding/cutting torch head, is arranged to pass through the first orifice, through the flexible connection and through the fume extraction connection housing to the welding/cutting torch head.

A rotating power connection for connecting an electrical supply power cable to an electric welding torch body is provided. In the rotating power connection, the mechanical load is carried by steel bearings, and the electric load is carried by multi-contact, spring loaded fins made out of highly conductive materials or coatings. In some examples, a rotating power connector is affixed to a torch before the power connection to a wire feeder. The rotating power connector advantageously allows for rotation of the welding torch relative to the unicable while providing continual electrical connection at the high current levels employed in welding applications.

Systems and apparatus are disclosed relating to improved fluid supply systems. In some examples, the improved fluid supply systems use an electrically controllable proportional valve and a surge prevention process to prevent a surge of pressurized fluid at the end of a welding-type operation. In particular, the surge prevention process may coordinate closure of the proportional valve and an on/off solenoid valve so that pressure in the fluid flow path can equalize to an ambient pressure after a welding operation (and/or a post flow operation) has ended. This coordination ensures that there is no pressure buildup and/or associated surge of fluid when the on/off solenoid valve is next opened (e.g., at the start of the next welding operation).

A welding torch having a nozzle assembly with multiple attachment methods is disclosed. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle shell, an electrically insulating sleeve, and a nozzle insert. The nozzle insert is configured for attachment to gas diffuser assemblies with different attachment mechanisms (e.g. a slip-on mechanism relying on frictional force, and/or screw-on mechanism relying on torque).

A welding device according to some embodiments includes a rotary table fixing two irregular shaped plates which are overlapped, a torch unit including a welding torch positioned to face outer peripheral edges of the two irregular shaped plates fixed to the rotary table, a torch actuator configured to move the welding torch toward and away from the outer peripheral edges, an after-shielding part mounted to the welding torch on downstream side in a rotational direction of the rotary table and having nozzles arranged along the rotational direction, configured to jet shielding gas to the outer peripheral edges, and including a first nozzle positioned upstream and a second nozzle positioned downstream of the first nozzle in the rotational direction, and a controller configured to control an orientation of the nozzle in a direction of decreasing a shielding-gas-jetting distance between the second nozzle and the outer peripheral edges welded by the welding torch.

Some examples of the present disclosure relate to welding systems that provide cooling gas flow to contact tips. The contact tip may be retained within a neck and nozzle assembly of a welding torch that receives gas, such as shielding gas, for example, from the welding system. A tip retention-device and gas diffuser may cooperate to retain the contact tip within the neck and nozzle assembly. The gas diffuser may have axial gas channels configured to direct the shielding gas over and/or across a rear portion of the contact tip seated within the gas diffuser. The tip retention device may have gas channels configured to guide gas flow from the gas diffuser over and/or across a forward portion of the contact tip. The gas flow may help to cool the contact tip before, during, and/or after welding, which may extend the life of the contact tip.

Systems and apparatus are disclosed relating to smart regulators and smart manifolds for welding-type systems. A smart regulator may be coupled to a fluid tank and provide information regarding the current pressure(s) and/or flow rate to a remote device and/or operator. The remote device may also determine and/or output additional information, such as, for example, remaining fluid and/or remaining time before the fluid runs out or becomes dangerously low. A smart manifold may be configured to work with several different fluid supplies. In this way, an operator may easily mix fluid types, switch between different fluid types, and/or switch between different fluid tanks.

A combined extraction/shielding gas nozzle of an arc welding torch with a non-consumable electrode, such as a TIG or plasma torch, is attached to a torch body and has a shielding gas channel for supplying shielding gas to the welding process, and has an extraction device connected integrally to the shielding gas channel, for extracting the flue gas produced during the welding process. The flue gas discharge is arranged via the torch head and a guide on the torch body into the handle, rather than via a separate bypass line The flue gas is directed from the nozzle on the torch head through the torch body of the nozzle to the handle of the welding torch.

In a method and a carrier gas nozzle for allowing at least one fluid to flow over a welding area of a workpiece along a welding path during a welding process, the at least one fluid is flowed onto the welding area via at least one inlet and channels having openings. The openings of the channels are divided into at least two sectors, and at least one flow parameter, if need be also a property of the at least one fluid of each sector, is individually controlled, wherein at least one flow parameter of at least one fluid of at least one sector is controlled depending on the geometry of the welding path and/or depending on the geometry of the workpiece.