JPH0123668Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a torch cable that guides a consumable electrode wire fed by a wire feeding device to a welding torch together with a shielding gas.

Prior Art Generally, in arc welding work, as shown in FIG. 1, a torch cable C is connected to a welding torch T, and an electrode wire W wound around a wire reel K is rewound by a wire feeding device F. The unwound electrode wire W and shielding gas are guided to a welding position via a torch cable C and a welding torch T.

Conventionally, as this type of torch cable C', the one shown in FIG. 2 has been widely used. That is, a flexible wire guide tube 11 is covered with a vinyl tube 14, and this wire guide tube 11 is covered with an airtight flexible tube 4 with a gap therebetween.
While guiding the electrode wire W, the shielding gas was supplied to the annular space C in the longitudinal direction formed by the wire guide tube 11 and the flexible tube 4.

By the way, when an electrode wire is guided by a wire guide tube, as shown in FIG. 3, the electrode wire forms a short arcuate part within the wire guide tube, and this arcuate part contacts the inner wall of the wire guide tube. As a result, a frictional force is generated, which exerts a force that tends to bend the wire guide tube. Note that if the electrode wire diameter is d ₁ and the inner diameter of the wire guide tube is d ₂ , then if the value of d ₂ is selected so that d ₂ ≒ (1.1 to 1.3) d ₁ , the electrode wire can be fed relatively smoothly. However, when the torch cable is long, the wire guide tube itself must be selected to have an appropriately high rigidity in order to withstand the bending force. That is, for example, the outer diameter of the tightly wound wire guide tube is appropriately increased. Increasing the outer diameter relative to the inner diameter in this way not only makes it difficult to manufacture the wire guide tube because the material for the wire guide tube has a large diameter, but also increases the rigidity of the wire guide tube on the torch side, making it difficult to weld. Workability deteriorates. Furthermore, when the outer diameter of the wire guide tube is increased, the inner diameter of the flexible tube must also be increased in order to maintain an appropriate gas supply amount, which makes the torch cable thicker and heavier, which reduces welding workability. is inhibited.

Therefore, in this kind of torch cable,
Of course, the electrode wire and shielding gas are supplied smoothly, but the conventional torch cable described above was designed in consideration of the fact that the torch cable is easy to manufacture and the welding workability is good in practice. Although there are differences depending on the diameter of the electrode wire used and the material of the electrode wire, the length generally has to be about 3 m.

Purpose of the invention The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is capable of supplying the electrode wire and shielding gas smoothly, being easy to manufacture, and making it as long as possible, and making it possible to weld. The purpose is to provide a torch cable with good workability.

Embodiments Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to illustrated embodiments. In FIGS. 4 and 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a highly conductive tip metal fitting disposed on the electrode wire feeding side of the torch cable C, and the tip metal fitting 1 has an opening in the approximately axial center in the _X1 direction. a hole 101 that communicates with this hole 101 and opens in the _X2 direction.
02 is bored. 2 is a connecting port for supplying shielding gas that communicates with the hole 101; 3 is an annular member whose end in the X ₂ direction is integrally supported inside the end of the tip fitting 1 in the X ₁ direction; The member is made of a member having greater mechanical strength than the tip fitting 1, for example, steel, and is formed to have a smaller outer diameter in the _X1 direction than in the _X2 direction. Reference numeral 4 denotes a flexible tube having substantially the same inner diameter and having airtightness and is supported by the tip fitting 1 via an annular member 3. For example, this flexible tube 4 is supported by an inner tube 5 having airtightness and flexibility, for example A tube made of synthetic resin or rubber such as vinyl or Teflon, a welding power cable and control line 6 made of copper twist wire arranged around the outer periphery of the inner tube 5, and a flexible cable covering the cable and control line 6. and an insulating jacket 7. By removing a _{predetermined} length of the inner tube 5 at the end of the flexible tube 4 in the , for example, is locked to the tip fitting 1 by a caulking tube. Also, from this locking part
The flexible tube 4 is secured to the annular member 3 by a similar fastener 9 in the _X1 direction. Note that even when caulked pipes are used as the fasteners 8 and 9, the annular member 3 is made of a material with high mechanical strength.
The through hole 301 of the annular member 3 is hardly deformed. Reference numeral 11 denotes an abrasive wire guide tube disposed substantially at the axial center over the entire length of the torch cable C. For example, this wire guide tube 11 is made by spirally winding a wire rod having a substantially circular cross section in a substantially tight manner. It is formed.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a flexible reinforcing member that covers the outer circumference of the wire guide tube 11 from the electrode wire feeding side to an appropriate position. For example, this reinforcing member 12 is made by spirally winding a wire rod having a rectangular cross section in a substantially tight manner. It is formed. Each of the reinforcing member 12 and the wire guide tube 11
The end in the _X2 direction is supported by a support 13. For example, a screw with a pitch slightly larger than the helical shape of the wire guide tube 11 is screwed into the support 13, and the end of the wire guide tube 11 in the X ₂ direction is screwed onto this screw, and the X ₂ direction of the reinforcing member 12 is The end portion of the reinforcing member 12 and the support 13 are fitted into a bottomed hole provided in the support 13 to integrally lock the reinforcing member 12 and the support 13 by appropriate means. In this case, the means for locking the reinforcing member 12 may be, for example, brazing, mounting, or locking with a set bolt. Reference numeral 14 is a covering member having airtightness and flexibility, for example, a tube made of vinyl, synthetic resin such as Teflon, or rubber. Covering member 1 in the X ₁ direction from the end of
4 covers the wire guide tube 11 in substantially close contact with the wire guide tube 11. The wire guide tube 11 and reinforcing member 12, which are integrally supported by the support 13, are inserted into the holes 102, 101 of the tip fitting 1, and the support 1 is removed by appropriate means at the position where the support 13 contacts the bottom of the hole 102.
3 to the tip fitting 1. In the illustrated case, the mounting member 15 that is screwed onto the tip fitting 1 is screwed in the _X1 direction, and the support 13 is positioned on the tip fitting 1 via the base 16. Reference numeral 17 is a connection terminal for supplying welding power supported by the tip fitting 1, and reference numeral 18 is an electrical insulating material for protecting each part of the power supply from the outside.
For example, the torch cable C is configured by the above-mentioned 1 to 18 with a cover divided into two parts.

In the above configuration, the end of the torch cable C in the X ₂ direction is placed near the wire feeding device F, the end of the torch cable C in the X ₁ direction is appropriately connected to the welding torch T, and the gas connection port 2 and connection terminal 17 while supplying shielding gas and welding power to the consumable electrode wire W by the wire feeder F.
Welding is performed by feeding the

Note that the connection structure between the end of the torch cable C in the _X1 direction and the welding torch T can be of various structures, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. By the way, the fourth
If the structure is as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. The inner wall of the flexible tube 4 and the covering member 14 form a second annular space "B", and the inner wall of the flexible tube 4 and the covering member 14 form a third annular space "B" in the _X1 direction from the end of the reinforcing member 12. ``C'' are formed substantially concentrically with respect to the axis of the wire guide tube 11, respectively.

Comparing the second annular space B and the third annular space C, it is clear from Figure 5 that the cross-sectional area of the third annular space C is sufficiently larger than that of the second annular space B. There is.

That is, when paying attention to the supply state of the shielding gas, the shielding gas is generally appropriately pressurized and supplied through a relatively narrow flow path, but the narrow flow path causes a pressure loss of the shielding gas. Therefore, as the shield gas supply path is lengthened, the cross-sectional area of the flow path must be appropriately increased.
For this purpose, a flexible tube 4 that forms a flow path for shielding gas
If the inner diameter of the shielding gas is gradually increased toward the downstream side of the shielding gas, a special flexible tube will be used, which will increase the manufacturing cost. However, if a flexible tube 4 with a substantially uniform inner diameter is used, the inner diameter based on the downstream side of the shielding gas will be used, so the flexible tube 4 will have a large diameter, and the torch The cable becomes heavy and workability becomes poor.

By the way, as mentioned above, in the present invention, a long torch cable is realized because the downstream side of the shielding gas, that is, the third annular space C, has a sufficiently larger cross-sectional area than the upstream side, that is, the second annular space B. can do.

On the other hand, a flexible reinforcing member 12 is provided to cover the outer periphery of the wire guide tube 11 from the electrode wire feeding side, that is, from the end of the torch cable C in the _X2 direction to an appropriate position in the _X1 direction. Therefore, even if bending force is applied to the wire guide tube 11 due to contact between the arcuate member of the electrode wire W and the wire guide tube 11 as shown in FIG. Due to the arrangement of the member 12, the wire guide tube 11 is not bent freely. That is, the wire guide tube 11
can have a structure similar to that of the conventional short length case. In this way, since the reinforcing member 12 is disposed at an appropriate position on the base side of the torch cable C, that is, on the wire feeding side, the torch cable C can be made as long as possible. Moreover, since the torch cable C on the welding torch side has the same structure as the conventional short cable, there is no problem in handling the torch cable C. Further, since the wire guide tube 11 and the reinforcing member 12 are respectively arranged inside the flexible tube 4 to form third and second annular spaces, the wire guide tube 11 and the reinforcing member 12 can be bent as appropriate. However, in the curved part, the second and third annular spaces are only biased to one side, and the effective cross-sectional area of each annular space is maintained almost constant, so the shielding gas supply will be carried out smoothly. Further, the wire guide tube 11 and the reinforcing member 12 are connected to the flexible tube 4, respectively.
Because the flexible tube 4 is placed inside the flexible tube 4, even if a strong external force in the radial direction acts on the flexible tube 4, the
It remains flat as if the wire guide tube 11 or the reinforcing member 12 were used as a core member, so there is no risk that the annular spaces B and C for the shielding gas would be completely closed. Note that if a strong external force in the radial direction is applied to the entire circumference of the flexible tube 4, the annular spaces B and C may be closed, but this situation does not occur at all in practice, so there is no problem. It won't happen.

In the above, a cable for welding power and a control line 6 are housed between the inner tube 5 and the insulating jacket 7, and this control line is attached to the welding torch T at the end in the _X1 direction. connected to a torch switch,
The ends in the _X2 direction are connected to appropriate electrical control equipment. Further, the welding power is conducted to the power supply tip of the welding torch T via the connection terminal 17 → the tip metal fitting 1 → the welding power cable. Inner pipe 5 like this
By constructing an airtight flexible tube 4 with a cable for welding power, a control line 6, and an insulating jacket 7, a so-called strong torch cable can be obtained, and the cross-sectional area of the torch cable is small. Although the size is relatively small, only the supply paths for the shielding gas and the electrode wire can be arranged coaxially. Furthermore, if the reinforcing member 12 is formed by spirally winding a wire rod having a rectangular cross section,
Since the outer diameter can be made small, the second annular space for shielding gas becomes relatively large, and the bending resistance of the reinforcing member 12 can be increased. In addition, despite this, the cross section is non-rectangular,
For example, it can be circular or hexagonal. Furthermore, the covering member 14 is disposed so as to cover the entire length of the outer periphery of the wire guide tube 11, and the reinforcing member 12 covers the outer periphery of the covering member 14 from the feeding side of the electrode wire to an appropriate position. You can also do that. If the inside of the flexible tube 4 and the inside of the wire guide tube 11 are airtightly separated in this way, the shielding gas can be reliably guided. Despite this, when the electrode wire diameter is extremely small, such as 0.8 mm or less, the torch cable C
X Since the space formed by the fixed wire guide disposed in _two directions, for example, the hole in the base 16 and the electrode wire W inserted through the hole, is extremely small, the hole in the base 16 is The amount of shielding gas leaking from the hole in the _X2 direction is extremely small.
Therefore, when the diameter of the electrode wire is extremely small, it is possible to omit providing the covering member 14 for separating the inside of the flexible tube 4 and the inside of the wire guide tube 11. Further, the support 13 can be attached to and detached from the tip fitting as appropriate using a set bolt, a snap spring, or the like.

Further, a first wire feeding device is arranged on the wire reel side, a second wire feeding device is arranged on the welding torch side, and a torch cable is arranged between these first and second wire feeding devices. In this case, the torch cable according to the present invention can of course be applied to one disposed between the first and second wire feeding devices.

Although it is not possible to make a definitive statement as there are differences depending on the dimensions of each part of the torch cable,
Length; L ₁ (m) is the length of the torch cable; L ₀
It is preferable to select such that the relationship with (m) is approximately as shown below.

L ₁ = L ₀ − (1.5 to 2.5) For example, when L ₀ = 6 (m), L ₁ = 3.5 to 4.5 (m)
was suitable.

Effects of the Invention As described in detail in the above embodiments, the present invention provides a flexible wire guide tube that is disposed in the axial center, and extends from the electrode wire feeding side to an appropriate position on the outer periphery of the wire guide tube. A flexible reinforcing member covering the torch cable is disposed, and a flexible tube having substantially the same inner diameter and having airtightness is disposed over the entire length of the torch cable, covering the reinforcing member and the wire guide tube at intervals, In addition, since a shielding gas supply port communicating with the inside of the flexible tube is provided at the end of the feeding side of the electrode wire, the torch cable can be made as long as possible compared to the conventional one.
Moreover, the electrode wire and shielding gas are of course supplied smoothly, and the wire guide tube can have the same structure as the conventional short length, so it is easy to manufacture.Furthermore, the torch cable on the welding torch side is Since the structure is similar to that of the conventional short case, welding workability is good.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the entire welding device equipped with a torch cable that is the object of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing a conventional example, and Fig. 3 is a feeding state of the electrode wire in Fig. 2. A vertical cross-sectional view to explain the
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an upper half of the longitudinal section showing a portion in the _X1 direction of FIG. 4... Airtight flexible tube, 5... Inner tube, 6
...Cables and control lines for welding power, 7...
Insulating jacket, 11...Wire guide tube, 12...Reinforcing member, 14...Coating member, C...Torch cable, F...Wire feeding device, R...Wire reel, T...Welding torch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] 1. In a torch cable that guides a consumable electrode wire fed by a wire feeding device to a welding torch together with a shielding gas, a flexible wire guide tube is arranged in the shaft core. A flexible reinforcing member is provided to cover the outer periphery of the wire guide tube from the electrode wire feeding side to an appropriate position, and the reinforcing member and the wire guide tube are covered with an interval to ensure airtightness. A flexible tube having approximately the same inner diameter is disposed along the entire length of the torch cable 9, and a shielding gas supply port communicating with the inside of the flexible tube is disposed at the end on the feeding side of the electrode wire. Torch cable. 2. The torch cable according to claim 1, wherein the inside of the flexible tube and the inside of the wire guide tube are airtightly separated. 3. The flexible tube includes an airtight flexible inner tube, welding power cables and control lines arranged around the outer periphery of the inner tube, and an insulating jacket covering the cables. A torch cable according to claim 1 or 2 of the utility model registration claim.