FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an accessory and a kit for use with a welding and/or cutting device.

BACKGROUND

Metal inert gas welding, or MIG welding, is well known in the art and is a welding process in which an electric arc forms between a consumable wire electrode and the work piece metal(s), which heats the work piece metal(s), causing them to melt, and join. Along with the wire electrode, a shielding gas feeds through the welding gun, which shields the process from contaminants in the air.

Heretofore, a welder performing a MIG welding operation had to maintain by hand the proper shield gas plume and electric arc gap while also attempting to move the welding device fluidly and continuously to achieve a proper and acceptable welding bead, which could take years of experience to achieve on a consistent basis. Stated differently, heretofore, it has been difficult for novice and even semi-experienced welders to achieve an acceptable bead and weld on a consistent basis, which can be both frustrating and time consuming for a welder or welding technician attempting to learn the craft and lead to inconsistent results.

Oxy-fuel cutting is also a process that is well known in the art and involves using a torch, fuel gases and oxygen to cut metals. More specifically, in oxy-fuel cutting, a torch is used to heat metal to its kindling temperature. A stream of oxygen is then trained on the metal, burning it into a metal oxide that flows out of the kerf as slag. Similar to MIG welding, heretofore, it has been difficult for a novice welder or welding technician to make precision cuts using an oxy-fuel torch due to the need to continuously and fluidly move the cutting torch along the piece of metal being cut.

Consequently, there is a long felt need in the art for a welding accessory that allows the welder to easily maintain the proper electrical arc gap between the torch and the metal surface, and that improves consistency of the shield gas plume by reducing the variation of gap between the shield gas nozzle and the metal surface while in motion. There is also a long felt need in the art for a welding accessory that improves the consistency of the bead and the weld by providing the welder with a means for more concisely and fluidly moving the torch along a desired weld path. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a welding kit that comprises a plurality of welding/cutting accessories that enable the welder to accomplish all of the forgoing objectives in a MIG welding or oxy-fuel cutting operation, and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and safe and easy to use.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed herein, in one aspect thereof, is a welding accessory device for: (i) enabling a welder user to easily maintain the proper electrical arc gap between the welding torch and the metal surface, and that improves consistency of the shield gas plume by reducing the variation of gap between the shield gas nozzle and the metal surface while in motion; and (ii) that improves the consistency of the bead and the weld by providing the welder with a means for more concisely and fluidly moving the torch along a desired weld or cutting path.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the welding accessory device comprises a body portion, a repositionable arm having a first end and a second end, and a rotatable wheel positioned along said second end of said arm, as described more fully below. Also disclosed is a kit comprised of the above described welding accessory device and other welding/cutting accessories that enable the welder to accomplish all of the forgoing objectives, as well as others, in a MIG welding or oxy-fuel cutting operation, and that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and safe and easy to use.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

