Kenneth C Altekruse

6444950, Sep 3, 2002

Feb 16, 2001

09/788039

Kenneth C. Altekruse - Appleton WI
James E. Doherty - Barrington IL

Illinois Tool Works, Inc. - Glenview IL

B23K 916

21913742

A MIG welding gun has a diffuser with an external thread and a frusto-conical back ramp. A nozzle assembly includes an insert with a back ramp and a thread that mates with the diffuser thread. The threads of the diffuser and insert have respective ramps that mate. A single turn of the nozzle assembly on the diffuser causes simultaneous engagement of the insert and diffuser back ramps and of the insert and diffuser thread ramps. Such engagement centers the nozzle to be concentric with the diffuser and also produces a wedging action that retains the nozzle assembly on the diffuser until a relatively substantial reverse torque is applied to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle front end has a narrow annulus, which reduces the amount of radiant heat from the welding arc that reaches the nozzle.

6476355, Nov 5, 2002

Sep 1, 2000

09/654012

L. Thomas Hayes - Oshkosh WI
Kenneth C. Altekruse - Appleton WI
Mark R. Christopher - Neenah WI

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

B23K 910

21913771, 219132

A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed with a remote wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed. A run-in wire feed speed control is also disclosed. The range of the run-in wire feed speed is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel or torch welding wire feed speed.

6689987, Feb 10, 2004

Feb 16, 2001

09/785937

Kenneth C. Altekruse - Appleton WI
Ronald W. Colling - Kaukauna WI

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

B23K 928

21913761, 21913742

A MIG welding gun contact tip has a cylindrical section with a predetermined outer diameter adjacent one end, and frusto-conical surface adjacent the other end. Threads are rolled from the cylindrical section outer diameter between the cylindrical section and the frusto-conical surface. The threads major diameter is larger than the cylindrical section outer diameter, and the threads minor diameter is less than the cylindrical section outer diameter. In a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical section outer diameter is approximately 0. 350 inches, the threads have a major diameter of approximately 0. 375 inches, and the threads are stub acme threads with a pitch of 14 threads per inch. The contact tip is assembled to a diffuser having mating threads and a frusto-conical surface that engages the contact tip frusto-conical surface when the contact tip has been turned a single turn into the diffuser.

6720528, Apr 13, 2004

Oct 16, 2002

10/272210

Nicholas A. Matiash - Oshkosh WI
Kenneth C. Altekruse - Appleton WI

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

B23K 9173

21913731, 21913763

A welding gun comprising: an electrically conductive gun body having a passageway; a head tube assembly having one end inserted in the passageway of the gun body; a rotation nut that retains the head tube assembly in the inserted state when the rotation nut is threadably coupled to the gun body; and an electrically insulative ring installed between a portion of the gun body and an electrically conductive part of the head tube assembly. The electrically conductive gun body has a frusto-conical inner peripheral surface that is in contact with a frusto-conical outer peripheral surface of the electrically insulative ring. The rotation nut comprises an electrically conductive part that is threadably engaged to the electrically conductive gun body and that is in electrical contact with the electrically conductive portion of the head tube assembly. Electric current for welding is transmitted around the electrically insulative ring, through the electrically conductive portion of the rotation nut and into the electrically conductive part of the head tube assembly.

6781095, Aug 24, 2004

Oct 15, 2002

10/272558

L. Thomas Hayes - Oshkosh WI
Kenneth C. Altekruse - Appleton WI
Mark R. Christopher - Neenah WI

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

B23K 910

219132

A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed. The method includes sensing the status of a trigger between an on position and an off position. A system latch is set or released based on the trigger status and the latch status. The system latches on when the trigger is held for a predetermined time (and the latch was previously off). The latch is released when the trigger is pulled and released when the latch was previously on. When the latch is off, pulling the trigger turns the system on, and releasing the trigger before the predetermined time turns the system off. The latch may also be released when welding current drops below a threshold. The time might not start until after welding current is flowing. A welding wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is also disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed.

6933467, Aug 23, 2005

Feb 26, 2004

10/789162

L. Thomas Hayes - Oshkosh WI, US
Kenneth C. Altekruse - Appleton WI, US
Mark R. Christopher - Neenah WI, US

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

B23K009/10

21913771, 219132

A method and apparatus for welding is disclosed. The method includes sensing the status of a trigger between an on position and an off position. A system latch is set or released based on the trigger status and the latch status. The system latches on when the trigger is held for a predetermined time (and the latch was previously off). The latch is released when the trigger is pulled and released when the latch was previously on. When the latch is off, pulling the trigger turns the system on, and releasing the trigger before the predetermined time turns the system off. The latch may also be released when welding current drops below a threshold. The time might not start until after welding current is flowing. A welding wire feed speed control potentiometer on a torch is also disclosed. The range of the torch potentiometer is from a minimum to a value dependent on the control panel welding wire feed speed.

7868588, Jan 11, 2011

Sep 11, 2007

11/853089

Kenneth Altekruse - Appleton WI, US
Jeffrey Lonigro - Appleton WI, US
Bernard J. Vogel - Troy OH, US
James D. Kimball - Appleton WI, US

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

H02J 7/00
H02J 7/14

320109, 320104

A battery charging system which includes a main housing with a main chamber defined by a base, an end panel mounted on each end of the base, and a cover enclosing the end panels. At least one battery charging connector is connected to the housing. A power supply is connected to the at least one battery charging connector, where the power supply provides a battery charging electrical power to the at least one battery charging connector. The power supply has at least one heat generating electrical device. A tunnel is formed at least partially within the main chamber and extends between the end panels in the main chamber. At least one heat generating electrical device at least partially extends into the tunnel to be exposed to air in the tunnel to cool the heat generating electrical device.

8188708, May 29, 2012

Sep 11, 2007

11/853094

Kenneth Altekruse - Appleton WI, US
James D. Kimball - Appleton WI, US
Dennis Sigl - Greenville WI, US
Bernard J. Vogel - Troy OH, US
Jeffrey Lonigro - Appleton WI, US

Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Glenview IL

H02J 7/00

320108, 320104, 320107

A battery-charging system includes a power supply having a high-frequency transformer and is configured to deliver a battery charging power to charge at least one battery. The high-frequency transformer has a bobbin including an elongated top and bottom surfaces and first and second substantially semi-circular end surfaces connecting the top surface with the bottom surface to form an elongated first coil winding surface having a central axis. A first coil is wound around the first coil winding surface, and a second coil is magnetically coupled to the first coil and wound thereto.