CN104603039B - Welding wire retaining ring for welding system - Google Patents

Abstract

The embodiment of this theme is related to system, the system allows uninterrupted flowing of the coil of wire welding wire from a container (102) to another container (104), and the coil of wire (106) of welding wire includes (150) and coil bottom (152) at the top of the coil of wire.Each container includes at least one side wall (156) extended vertically, the bottom of closure, the open top for removing welding wire and is used for the welding wire coil of wire reception cavity for receiving the welding wire coil of wire (106) in outer packing, and feed end (118) and tail end (122) can be placed near open top.Welding wire retaining ring (130) is arranged at the top of the coil of wire in the container (102) and another described container (104) on (150), welding wire retaining ring (130) includes groove (134), and the groove allows the tail end of the coil of wire (106) (122) to be extracted at the position away from coil of wire center from radially extending for the coil of wire (106).

Description

Wire retaining rings for welding systems

technical field

The present disclosure relates to welding systems, and more particularly, to wire retaining rings for dispensing coiled welding wire from a plurality of containers to the welding system.

Background of the invention

Welding wire is often packaged and stored in containers for delivery to end users. In particular, welding wire, such as that used for welding or soldering, is wound in coils as it is packaged in drums or containers. Once shipped to the end user, the welding wire is dispensed from the container for use in any number of processes. In many embodiments, the wire is left in the container and metered out as needed without removing the entire coil. To facilitate easy removal, suppliers often introduce twist in the wire as it is fed into the drum. This helps the wire to appear without rotation when the wire is drawn back.

However, dispensing welding wire from coils presents the problem of unwinding the welding wire smoothly without tangling or forming knots that can lead to defects or breaks in the welding wire that result in high costs of downtime. Welding wire can be tangled in any number of ways. For example, multiple turns of welding wire may rise off the top of the coil while tangling the welding wire as it is drawn from the drum. In other embodiments, the loops of wire may unravel and fall behind the coil causing the wire to entangle. Systems and methods are needed to overcome these and other deficiencies.

Contents of the invention

In order to overcome the problem of unwinding the welding wire smoothly without tangling or forming knots, the invention proposes a system according to claim 1 . Preferred embodiments are disclosed in dependent claims 2 to 7 . It is further preferred that the grooves extend in an arcuate manner from the inner ring to the outer ring, and/or the portion of said grooves extending from the inner ring to a position adjacent the intermediate ring has a substantially constant width, and from the adjacent intermediate ring where the portion of the groove extending to the outer ring is increased in width, and/or the corners of the first portion of the wire guide adjacent to the discontinuity on the inner ring are radiused, and/or the spokes are radiused in the outer ring The outer position is bent at an angle of about 90 degrees in the upward direction, and/or where the spokes are generally upwardly inclined from the outer ring to the inner ring, and/or where the spokes are discontinuous from the middle ring to the discontinuous The upward angle of the inner ring is greater than its upward angle from the outer ring to the discontinuous intermediate ring, and/or wherein the wire guiding means comprises an upwardly offset lip in said groove radial ends of the wire guides on both sides. The invention also proposes a welding wire retaining ring according to claim 8 . Preferred embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims 9 to 14 . The invention also proposes an infinite wire dosing system for coiled welding wire according to claim 15 . The system also preferably includes a discontinuous intermediate ring radially between said discontinuous inner ring and said discontinuous outer ring, and said discontinuous intermediate ring has a diameter greater than said discontinuous inner ring and smaller than the radius of the discontinuous outer ring; the portion of the groove extending from the inner ring to a position adjacent to the middle ring has a substantially constant width, and the portion of the groove extending from a position adjacent to the middle ring to the outer ring from Increased width from middle ring to outer ring. In an embodiment, a system for packaging and unwinding coils of welding wire is employed to allow uninterrupted flow of welding wire from one container to another. Coils of welding wire include a coil top and a coil bottom, where the feeding end of the welding wire extends from the top of the coil and the tail end of the welding wire extends from the bottom of the coil, the tail end of one container being the feed end engageable to another container end. The system includes at least one container including at least one vertically extending side wall, a closed bottom, a top opening for removing welding wire, and a wire coil receiving cavity for receiving a welding wire coil within an outer packaging, The feed end and tail end are positionable near the top opening. A wire retaining ring is disposed on top of the coil of the at least one container. The wire retaining ring includes a discontinuous inner ring having an inner radius and an inner notch and a discontinuous outer ring having an outer radius. The outer ring has a greater radius than the inner radius, and the outer ring is disposed substantially concentrically with respect to the inner ring. At least two spokes extend radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, and the spokes intersect the outer ring to create a plurality of segments along the circumference of the outer ring. The wire ring also includes a wire guide extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, and the wire guide has a first portion and a second portion. The wire guide includes a slot having a slot width, the slot separates the first portion of the guide from the second portion of the guide, and the slot defines the inner ring The discontinuity on and the discontinuity on the outer ring. The groove is provided in place of one of the plurality of spokes. The tail end of the first coil of welding wire is seated in the slot.

In another embodiment, a wire retaining ring for a coil of welding wire comprising a coil top and a coil bottom, the feeding end of the welding wire extending from the top of the wire and the tail end of the welding wire extending from the coil Extending at the bottom, the trailing end of the coil of welding wire is engageable to the feed end of another coil of welding wire, the wire retaining ring comprising a discontinuous inner ring and a discontinuous outer ring, the discontinuous inner ring having an inner radius and an inner gap, the discontinuous outer ring having an outer radius that is greater than the inner radius, the outer ring being disposed substantially concentrically with respect to the inner ring. The wire retaining ring also includes at least two spokes each extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, the spokes intersecting the outer ring to create a plurality of segments along the circumference of the outer ring . Additionally, the wire retaining ring includes a wire guide extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, and the wire guide has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the wire The guide includes a slot having a slot width, and the slot separates the first portion of the guide from the second portion of the guide. The groove defines a discontinuity on the inner ring and a discontinuity on the outer ring, and the groove is disposed in place of one of the plurality of spokes.

In yet another embodiment, an infinite wire dispensing system for coiled welding wire includes a first container containing a first coil of welding wire, and a second container, the first coil of welding wire The coil has a feed end and a tail end, the feed end is fed by a wire feeder for a welding operation, the second container contains a second coil of welding wire, the second coil of welding wire has a feed end and a tail end, the feed end of the second coil is connected to the tail end of the first coil. The system also includes a first wire retaining ring disposed on top of the first wire coil and a second wire retaining ring disposed on top of the first wire coil. on top of the second coil. Each wire retaining ring includes a discontinuous inner ring having an inner radius and an inner notch, a discontinuous outer ring having an outer radius that is greater than the inner radius, and a discontinuous outer ring that is greater than the inner radius. The outer ring is arranged substantially concentrically with respect to the inner ring. The wire retaining ring also includes at least two spokes each extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, the spokes intersecting the outer ring to create a plurality of segments along the circumference of the outer ring . Additionally, the wire retaining ring includes a wire guide extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, and the wire guide has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the wire The guide includes a groove having a groove width and separating the first portion of the guide from the second portion of the guide, the groove defining different gaps on the inner ring. a continuum and a discontinuity on the outer ring, and the groove is provided in place of one of the plurality of spokes. The trailing end of the first coil of welding wire is seated within the slot.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described herein. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

Brief description of the drawings

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which particular embodiments of the present invention and further advantages are illustrated, as described in more detail in the following description, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an unlimited bulk welding wire system including a wire retaining ring to place the tail end of welding wire from a coil in a position that reduces the risk of entanglement;

Figure 2 is a top view of a welding wire spool with a welding wire retaining ring;

Figure 3 is a front view of the welding wire coil with the first embodiment of the welding wire retaining ring;

Figure 4 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a welding wire retaining ring;

Figure 5 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a welding wire retaining ring;

Figure 6 is a front view of a second embodiment of a wire retaining ring;

Figure 7 is a top perspective view of a third embodiment of a welding wire retaining ring;

Figure 8 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a welding wire retaining member;

Figure 9 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a wire retaining ring; and

10 is a perspective view of the wire retaining ring of FIG. 9 within a wire container.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, some embodiments or implementations of the present invention are hereinafter described in conjunction with the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. Embodiments of the present subject matter refer to wire retaining rings that are used to move the tail end out of the center of the wire coil, thereby alleviating the possibility of the tail end becoming entangled with the feed end. For this purpose, a wire retaining ring is provided on top of the wire coil and includes grooves extending radially outward from the center of the ring to the outer periphery of the wire coil to seat the tail ends. Although illustrated and described below in the context of various exemplary welding systems, the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

More particularly, embodiments of the present subject matter relate to infinite welding wire container structures in which a first container contains a coil of welding wire including a coil top and a coil bottom, wherein the feed end of the coil starts from the center of the coil. The opening in is pulled out from the top of the reel. The tail end of the coil is also withdrawn from the center of the coil, thereby creating a potential risk of entanglement between the feed end and the tail end during the wire feeding operation. Embodiments of the present subject matter refer to wire retaining rings that are used to move the tail ends out of the center of the wire coil, thereby mitigating the possibility of tangling between wire ends. For this purpose, a wire retaining ring is provided on top of the wire coil and includes grooves extending radially outward from the center of the ring to the outer periphery of the wire coil. In this way, when the container is opened, the tail end can be manually seated radially outwards in the groove formed in the retaining ring into the corner of the container where it poses no risk of entanglement. The ends can be connected to coils in different containers to provide the welder with an unlimited supply of wire. Such a configuration can be implemented repeatedly when adapted to efficiently provide an unlimited amount of welding wire to the welding system.

FIG. 1 illustrates a wire reel system 100 that facilitates an unlimited supply of welding wire for delivery to a welding system, such as an electric or arc welder. Embodiments of the present subject matter relate to a plurality of welding wire coils interconnected to facilitate delivery of welding wire to a welding system and to alleviate tangling or other obstructions that may occur when welding wire is paid out from the coils. The first container 102 is adjacent to the second container 104 , wherein the first container 102 contains a coil of welding wire 106 and the second container 104 contains a coil of welding wire 108 . The coils 106, 108 contain a quantity of welding wire wound to form a hollow body having a circular cross-section. In FIG. 1, the containers 102, 104 have a plurality of walls disposed within the interior of the containers to mitigate coil movement during shipping or other transportation. The first wire coil 106 has a feed end 118 that is paid out to a welding system or other suitable receiving component. Tail end 122 is welded, fused or otherwise coupled to feed end 124 of the second coil at location 142 .

The first container 102 and the second container 104 are positioned in a side-by-side manner with welding wire being fed from the container 102 and then automatically switched to feeding welding wire from the container 104 . After the welding wire in the container 102 is exhausted, the welding wire in the container 104 is pulled out from the second container, the welding wire in the container 104 is finally moved to the position of the first container, and the second container is empty. The positions are filled by subsequent supply of coil wire. Two welding wires are joined (eg via a standard butt weld) to create an infinite number of welding wires. The term "infinite" as used herein means that there are at least two containers at the installation where the tail end of the welding wire in the first container 102 is connected to the feed of the welding wire in the second coil 108 in the second container 104. End 124. Similarly, the tail end 126 of the welding wire of the second coil 108 may then be connected to another container or the like.

The container may be a circular drum, a square plate container with one or more vertical walls, or any container suitable for storage and payout of welding wire. The container shown in FIG. 1 includes a quantity of welding wire in the form of coils 106, 108 having welding wire with feeding ends 118, 124 and trailing or trailing ends 122, respectively. , 126. When transported, the tail end of the coil is loose and the feed end is pulled from the coil until it reaches the tail end at the bottom of the coil. At that time, the tail end is connected to the feed end of the next coil, so there is an automatic transition from one coil to the next. To illustrate the placement of the tail end of the wire coil 106 as the container is shipped, the tail end 122 of the wire coil 106 is illustrated starting from the bottom portion 152 of the wire coil 106 . Thus, when the coil 106 is depleted, the last portion of the coil pulled from the container is the trailing or trailing end 122 . This is the end that is last connected (e.g., butted) when the coil 106 is exhausted and replaced by converting to a coil 108 that is transferred to the location of the first (empty) container 102 soldering) to the feed end of the next coil.

The welding wire coil 106 also includes a feed end 118 extending between the coils 106 near the top 150 and a trailing end 122 extending from the welding wire coil 106 from the adjacent coil bottom 154 . The feed end 118 is fed into the welding operation from the center of the coil. The tail end 122 is positioned so that it extends through the bottom of the coil from the adjacent bottom and then up the wall 172 and toward the center of the coil 106 . Similarly, the welding wire coil 108 further includes a feed end 124 that is withdrawn from the center of the coil 106 through the top 152 . Once the first coil 106 has been used, the tail end 126 of the second coil is positioned from the bottom 154 of the coil 108 to be connected to the subsequently positioned coil. The welding wire coils 106, 108 may be any coil known in the art wound by any known winding technique in the art and may include a coil bottom positioned at the bottom of the package and an oppositely facing coil top. The wire coils 106, 108 also include a cylindrical outer surface and a cylindrical inner surface extending between the coil bottom and the coil top. Due to the method by which the welding wire is wound into the container 102, 104, the individual coils of wire 106, 108 may have a natural cast which creates a radially outward force and Upward stretch. The upward spring force is maintained and controlled by wire retaining ring 130, which will be discussed in more detail below. The radially outward force of the coils 106 , 108 is at least partially controlled by the walls of the containers 102 , 104 .

The interiors of the containers 102, 104 are configured to receive coils of welding wire 106, 108, respectively. In one embodiment, the containers 106, 108 may be drum-shaped, having a circular cross-section. An alternative embodiment introduces a cubic container with four side walls 156 joined together by a floor 160 . Inserts may be added that create a polygonal boundary that inscribes the outer perimeter of the coiled welding wire 106 , 108 . In particular, corner inserts 158 may be placed vertically within containers 102, 104 to create octagonal boundaries. Although not shown, the containers 102, 104 may also include inner packaging components such as vertically extending gaskets, vapor shields, hold-down mechanisms, or other wire packaging components. Additionally, the containers 102, 104 may be covered by container lids (not shown) configured to prevent debris and other contaminants from entering each container.

Wire retaining rings 130 are disposed on top of the wire coils within containers 102, 104, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , wire retaining ring 130 includes three discontinuous rings arranged concentrically: an inner ring 162 , a middle ring 164 , and an outer ring 166 . The inner ring is coupled to the intermediate and outer rings via a plurality of spokes 168 arranged such that they are regularly spaced around the inner ring at arcuate intervals, preferably as illustrated. The spokes 168 may have an upward extension both at the inner ring 162 and adjacent the outer ring 166 . Alternatively, or in addition, the spokes 168 may extend beyond the radius of the outer ring 166 for abutting against the inner walls of the containers 102, 104 (eg, within corners). The wire retaining ring 130 includes a groove 134 defined by a first groove rail 136 and a second groove rail 138 as shown in FIG. 2 . For structural consistency, grooves 134 may be provided in place of spokes 168 and are illustrated in FIGS. The central notch 224 accommodates the continuous slot. In one embodiment, slot 134 is a single slot extending from inner ring 162 to outer ring 166 . As best depicted in FIG. 4 , the slots consist of a first slot track 136 and a second slot track 138 extending from an inner ring 162 to an outer ring 166 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , a connecting member 412 is provided at the outer ring 166 , said connecting member 412 including a first vertical rail 414 connecting the first grooved rail 136 to the first supplementary rail 214 . A second vertical rail 416 within connecting member 412 connects second channel rail 138 to second supplementary rail 216 . In such a configuration, the tail end 122 may be moved away from the center of the coil, similar to the first embodiment in which redundant slot configurations are employed. Regardless of the slot configuration, however, essentially any configuration that moves the tail end away from the pay-out position in the center of the coil is contemplated to ensure that no tangling occurs and to allow feeding from the tail end 122 to a different coil (e.g. Simplified connection of feed end 124). In this manner, the tail end 122 from the first welding wire coil 106 can be positioned and maintained at a position away from the center of the welding wire coil 106 . When the feeding end of welding wire 118 is being paid out to a welding or other receiving component, tail wire 122 will not interfere with such paying out to avoid tangling or other negative consequences of interference between wire ends. Although the connection members 412 are illustrated as extending beyond the periphery of the outer ring 166, the design need not be so limited as the connection members may end at the peripheral edge or on the inside.

Wire retaining ring 130 may be made from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, steel, aluminum, copper, nickel, stainless steel, and brass. Alternatively or in addition, the components within the wire retaining ring 130 may include thermoplastics, thermosets, terpolymers, and/or polymers. For example, polymers of monoolefins and diolefins may include polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polybutene-1, polymethylpentene-1, polyisoprene, or polybutadiene; and polymers of cyclic olefins, For example cyclopentene or norbornene; polyethylenes (which may optionally be crosslinked), such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) can used. Blends of these polymers, for example blends of polypropylene with polyisobutylene, polypropylene with polyethylene (eg PP/HDPE), may also be used. Also useful are copolymers of mono- and dienes with each other or with other vinyl monomers, such as, for example, ethylene/propylene, LLDPE and its blends with LDPE, propylene/butene- 1. Ethylene/hexene, ethylene/ethylpentene, ethylene/heptene, ethylene/octene, propylene/butadiene, isobutylene/isoprene, ethylene/alkyl acrylate, ethylene/methacrylate esters, ethylene/vinyl acetate (EVA) or ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers (EAA) and their salts (ionomers), and ethylene with propylene and dienes (such as hexadiene, dicyclopentadiene or ethyl-norbornene) terpolymers; and mixtures of such copolymers and their mixtures with the above-mentioned polymers, for example, polypropylene/ethylene-propylene copolymers, LDPE/EVA, LDPE/ EAA, LLDPE/EVA and LLDPE/EAA.

Thermoplastic polymers can also include styrenic polymers, for example, polystyrene, poly(p-methylstyrene), poly(alpha-methylstyrene); styrene, p-methylstyrene, or alpha-methylbenzene Copolymers of ethylene with diene or acrylic acid derivatives, such as, for example, styrene/butadiene, styrene/acrylonitrile, styrene/alkyl methacrylate, styrene/maleic anhydride, styrene/butylene Diene/ethyl acrylate, styrene/acrylonitrile/methacrylate; those with high impact strength from styrene copolymers and another polymer (such as, for example, from polyacrylates, diene polymers or ethylene/ propylene/diene terpolymers); and block copolymers of styrene, such as, for example, styrene/butadiene/styrene, styrene/isoprene/styrene, styrene/ethylene /butylene/styrene or styrene/ethylene/propylene/styrene. Styrenic polymers may additionally or alternatively comprise graft copolymers of styrene or alpha-methylstyrene, such as, for example, styrene on polybutadiene; polybutadiene-styrene or Styrene on polybutadiene-acrylonitrile; Styrene and acrylonitrile (or methacrylonitrile) on polybutadiene; Styrene and maleic anhydride or maleimide on polybutadiene Amines; Styrene, Acrylonitrile and Maleic Anhydride or Maleimide on Polybutadiene; Styrene, Acrylonitrile and Methyl Methacrylate on Polybutadiene, on Polybutadiene styrene and alkyl acrylate or methacrylate, styrene and acrylonitrile on ethylene/propylene/diene terpolymer, styrene and acrylonitrile on polyacrylate or polymethacrylate, Styrene and acrylonitrile on acrylate/butadiene copolymer, and mixtures of the styrene copolymers indicated above.

Nitrile polymers are also useful. These include homopolymers as well as copolymers of acrylonitrile and its analogs (e.g. methacrylonitrile), e.g. polyacrylonitrile, acrylonitrile/butadiene polymers, acrylonitrile/alkyl acrylate polymers, acrylonitrile Nitrile/alkyl methacrylate/butadiene polymers, acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (ABS) and ABS including methacrylonitrile.

Acrylic acid based polymers such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl methacrylate acid and ethacrylic acid and their esters may also be used. Such polymers include polymethylmethacrylate and ABS-type graft copolymers in which all or part of the acrylonitrile-type monomers have been replaced by acrylates or acrylamides. Polymers including other acrylic-type monomers such as acrolein, methacrolein, acrylamide, and methacrylamide may also be used.

Halogen-containing polymers may also be useful. These include resins such as polychloroprene, epichlorohydrin homopolymers and copolymers, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl bromide, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene chloride, chlorinated polyethylene, chlorinated polypropylene, Fluorinated polyethylene diene, brominated polyethylene, chlorinated rubber, vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymer, vinyl chloride propylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-styrene copolymer, vinyl chloride-isobutylene Copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinylidene chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride-styrene-maleic anhydride terpolymer, vinyl chloride-styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, vinyl chloride-isoprene copolymer, vinyl chloride - Chlorinated propylene copolymer, vinyl chloride-vinylidene chloride-vinyl acetate terpolymer, vinyl chloride-acrylate copolymer, vinyl chloride-maleate copolymer, vinyl chloride-methacrylate copolymer , vinyl chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer and internally plasticized polyvinyl chloride.

Other useful thermoplastic polymers include homopolymers and copolymers of cyclic ethers such as polyalkylene glycols, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide or their copolymers with bisglycidyl ethers; Aldehydes, such as polyoxymethylene and those containing ethylene oxide as a co-monomer; polyacetals modified with thermoplastic polyurethanes, acrylates, or ABS containing methacrylonitrile; polyphenylene ethers and polyphenylene sulfides , and mixtures of polyphenylene ethers with polystyrene or polyamides; polycarbonates and poly-ester-carbonates; polysulfones, polyethersulfones, and polyetherketones; and polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acid and diols and/or derived from hydroxycarboxylic acids or corresponding lactones, for example, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, poly-1,4-dimethylol ( dimethylliol)-cyclohexane terephthalate, poly-[2,2,4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propane] terephthalate and polyhydroxybenzoate, and from Terminated polyether derived block copolyetheresters.

Polyamides and copolyamides derived from diamines and dicarboxylic acids and/or from aminocarboxylic acids or corresponding lactams can be useful, for example, polyamide-4, polyamide-4, 6. Polyamide-6/6, polyamide-6/10, polyamide-6/9, polyamide-6/12, polyamide-4/6, polyamide-11, polyamide-12, Youjian Aramids obtained by condensation of toluene, diamines and adipic acid; polyamides prepared from hexamethylenediamine and isophthalic and/or terephthalic acid and optionally elastomers as modifiers, For example, poly-2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylene terephthalamide (poly-2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylene terephthalamide) or poly-m-phenylene isophthalamide (poly-m- phenylene isophthalamide). Further copolymers of the aforementioned polyamides with polyolefins, olefin copolymers, ionomers or chemically bonded or grafted elastomers; or with polyethers such as, for example, with polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol or polytetramethylene glycol (polytetramethylene glycols)); and polyamides or copolyamides modified with EPDM or ABS can be used.

Regardless of the material, it will be appreciated that by increasing the thickness and/or substituting the material of construction of the rings 162, 164, 166 and spokes 168, the rigidity of the wire retaining ring 130 can be altered to accommodate the unwinding of the welding wire from the wire coil. Deflection or deformation of the ring body is minimized during this process. This variation in part thickness is also commensurate with variable weight, which can be used for different wire types and sizes. For example, wire retaining ring 130 may have a weight range that varies with respect to wire gauge, twist on the wire, wire material, and other related factors. In an embodiment, the wire retaining ring 130 has a weight between 1 and 7 pounds that can be calibrated for different welding wires, where different models of wire retaining rings have different weights as practical. For example, wire retaining ring 130 may have a total weight of 5 lbs when used with heavier gauge wire, yet have a weight of 2 lbs when used with relatively finer gauge wire. Addition or removal of spokes and/or changes in material thickness can be used to achieve desired weight results. In this manner, the wire retaining ring 130 will not interfere with the payout of the welding wire from the coils 106, 108 by under-compressing or over-compressing the coils.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of wire retaining ring 130 to illustrate the configuration of inner ring 162 , intermediate ring 164 , and outer ring 166 . As depicted, the discrete rings are concentrically disposed relative to each other and are coupled together via a plurality of spokes 168 . It will be appreciated that although only a single intermediate ring 164 is depicted, substantially any number of intermediate rings may be employed, including the elimination of intermediate rings, as appropriate for each application. As shown, the tail end 122 is illustrated away from the slot 134 and is positioned away from the inner ring. The feed end 118 is paid out from the coil 106 through the inner loop into a receiving component (eg, welding system).

FIG. 3 illustrates the height of the water level defined by the rings within the wire retaining ring 130 . Inner ring 162 is shown raised relative to intermediate ring 164 and outer ring 166 to allow flexibility in paying out feed end 118 from coil 106 . The height of the inner ring 162 relative to the middle and outer rings may vary, and may be equal to or lower than the height of the middle and outer rings in various applications. The heights from the middle ring 164 to the outer ring 166 are substantially equal. Because the inner ring 162 is taller than the intermediate ring 164 and the outer ring 166, the slots 134 may be sloped upward toward the inner ring. Such an arrangement may facilitate payout of welding wire in an upward direction from the coil and outwardly from the respective container through the inner ring.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a wire retaining ring showing a wire retaining ring 500 . Wire retention ring 500 includes a discontinuous inner ring 562 , a discontinuous intermediate ring 564 , and an outer ring 566 that are axially concentrically aligned with one another. The inner ring 562 has a radius A, the middle ring has a radius B, and the outer ring has a radius C, where radius C is greater than radius B and radius B is greater than radius A. Furthermore, the height of the level defined by the inner ring is greater than the height of the outer ring to accommodate the welding wire being drawn from the center of the inner ring 562 in an upward motion. The middle ring 564 is substantially equal in height to the outer ring 566 . The height of the inner ring 562 relative to the middle ring 564 is shown in FIG. 6 .

A plurality of spokes 568 extend from inner ring 562 to outer ring 566 to provide structural support, additional weight, and to maintain position within the container for welding wire retaining ring 500 . Because spokes are coupled to each of rings 562, 564, and 566, the spokes are generally upwardly sloped from outer ring to inner ring due to the height of the inner ring relative to outer ring 566 and intermediate ring 564. In the example shown in this embodiment, wire retaining ring 500 has eight spokes 568 each extending radially from inner ring 562 to outer ring 566 . In containers with eight corners (e.g., at the intersection of eight vertical walls as shown above in Figures 1 and 2), each spoke 568 is positioned within a corner to relieve the wire retention ring within the container. 500 lateral movement. The length of the spokes may be less than, substantially equal to or greater than radius C. In an embodiment, the spokes 568 are longer than the radius C. The spokes 568 intersect the outer ring to create a plurality of segments having an arc length 592 along the outer ring 566 . Because the spokes are arranged at substantially equal offset angles around the outer ring, the pitches between the spokes have substantially equal arc lengths 592 . The spokes 568 have an inner end 582 and an outer end 584, wherein the ends 582 and 584 are bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees in an upward direction. This feature can also reduce the risk of welding wire becoming entangled with the retaining ring 500 .

The wire slot 534 is defined by a first slot rail 526 and a second slot rail 528 that both extend from an inner ring 562 to an outer ring 566 . The wire slots 534 are generally provided in place of the spokes 568 to maintain overall structural integrity, with an inner notch 572 in the inner ring and a middle notch 574 in the middle ring formed to facilitate wire retaining ring from inside to outside of continuous slots. In an embodiment, the width of the inner notch 572 is less than the width of the middle notch 574 . However, it will be appreciated that the inner notch 572 may have a width of substantially any size relative to the central notch 574 . Using wire slot 534 , a user may move the tail end of the wire (eg, tail end 122 ) out of inner ring 562 to a location near outer ring 566 , such as between intermediate ring 564 and outer ring 566 as shown in FIG. 6 . Simultaneously, the feeding end of the welding wire is withdrawn from the inner ring to the welding operation. When the coils are used up from the top to the bottom of the coils in the container, the wire is drawn upwards through the wire slot 534 where the tail end is lifted out of the first container to become the leading end of the second coil in the second container ( leading end). To facilitate this infinite wire configuration, the tail end is fused, welded or otherwise connected to the front end of the second coil. Because subsequent coils can include the wire retaining ring, the wire can effectively provide an unlimited supply of wire to the welding system while alleviating any tangles associated therewith.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a third embodiment of a wire retaining ring 700 . Wire retention ring 700 includes a discontinuous inner ring 762 , a discontinuous intermediate ring 764 , and an outer ring 766 that are axially concentrically aligned or coaxial with each other. The inner ring 762 has a radius A, the middle ring 764 has a radius B, and the outer ring 766 has a radius C, where radius C is greater than radius B and radius B is greater than radius A. In addition, the height of the level defined by the inner ring 762 is greater than the height of the level defined by the outer ring 766 to accommodate the welding wire being drawn from the center of the inner ring in an upward motion. The height of the level defined by the intermediate ring 764 is substantially equal to the height of the level of the outer ring 766 .

A plurality of spokes 768 extend radially from the inner ring 762 to the outer ring 766 to provide structural support, additional weight to the wire retaining ring 700 and to maintain the position or index of the wire retaining ring 700 within the container. Because spokes are coupled to each of rings 762, 764, and 766, the spokes are generally upwardly sloped from outer ring to inner ring due to the height of the inner ring relative to outer ring 766 and intermediate ring 764. In the example shown in this embodiment, wire retaining ring 700 has seven spokes 768 each extending radially from inner ring 762 to outer ring 766 . In a container with eight corners (e.g., at the intersection of eight vertical walls as shown above in FIGS. 1 and 2), each spoke 768 is positioned within a corner to relieve the wire retention ring in the container. 700 degrees of lateral or rotational movement. The length of the spokes may be less than, substantially equal to or greater than radius C. In an embodiment, spokes 768 are longer than radius C. The spokes 768 intersect the outer ring to create a plurality of segments 792 along the outer ring 766 that have an arc length. Because the spokes 768 are disposed at substantially equal angles around the outer ring 766, the segments 792 have substantially equal arc lengths. The spokes 768 have an inner end 782 and an outer end 784, wherein the outer end 784 is bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees in an upward direction. In addition to reducing movement of the ring 700 and container, these upward facing ends 782, 784 can also reduce the risk of welding wire becoming entangled with the retaining ring 700.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 , the wire retaining ring 700 also includes a plate 730 . Plate 730 extends radially from inner ring 762 to outer ring 766 and is attached to ring 700 at inner ring 762 and outer ring 766 . Additionally, plate 730 may also be attached to intermediate ring 764 . Plate 730 may be attached to rings 762, 764, 766 by welding, soldering, or other joining techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A plurality of windows 738 are provided in the plate 730, and the windows provide no material, which reduces the amount of surface area of the plate in contact with the welding wire during payout, thereby reducing the amount of friction experienced by the welding wire during payout from the wire container .

The plate 730 also includes a slot 734 having a slot width. Groove 734 defines a discontinuity or gap in inner ring 762 and intermediate ring 764 and extends radially from the discontinuity in the inner ring to a location radially inward of outer ring 766 . A protrusion 736 is provided on the plate 730 and extends partially across the slot 734 at a location adjacent to the inner notch 764 or a discontinuity on the inner ring 760 . The protrusion 736 serves to narrow the slot 734 at the inner ring 762 to relieve the wire being paid out from jamming or sticking in the notch 734 during wire payout. Although the protrusion 736 is provided as a protruding member from one wall of the groove 734, it is also understood that the groove 734 may be tapered from the outer ring 766 towards the inner ring 762 to obtain the same effect of the protrusion (in FIG. 7 not shown). The slots 734 are curved or arcuate and thus extend from the inner ring 762 towards the outer ring 766 in an arcuate fashion, but may alternatively extend linearly from the inner ring 762 towards the outer ring 766 . The wire slots 734 are generally provided in place of the spokes 768 to maintain overall structural integrity, wherein the discontinuity or notch 772 in the inner ring 762 and the discontinuity or notch 774 in the middle ring 764 are formed. Continuous groove from inside to outside to facilitate wire retention ring. In an embodiment, the width of the inner notch 772 is less than the width of the middle notch 774 . However, it will be appreciated that the inner notch 772 may have a width of substantially any size relative to the central notch 774 . Using the wire groove 734 , the user can move the tail end of the welding wire out from the inner ring 762 to a location near the outer ring 766 , such as between the middle ring 764 and the outer ring 766 . Simultaneously, the feeding end of the welding wire is withdrawn from the inner ring 762 to the welding operation. When the coils are used up from the top to the bottom of the coils in the container, the welding wire is drawn upwards through the wire slot 734, wherein the tail end of the welding wire is lifted out of the first container to become a second coil in the second container. front end. To facilitate this infinite wire configuration, the tail end is fused, welded or otherwise connected to the front end of the second coil. Because subsequent coils can include the wire retaining ring, the wire can effectively provide an unlimited supply of wire to the welding system while alleviating any tangles associated therewith.

Wire retaining ring 700 may be made from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, steel, aluminum, copper, nickel, stainless steel, brass, and the various metal and plastic materials described herein above.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a wire retaining ring showing a wire retaining member 800 . Wire retention member 800 includes a substantially planar body 860 having a perimeter, an inner wall 862 and an outer wall 866 . As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 8 , the perimeter of the planar body is octagonal, and such a configuration is designed so that the number of corners 810 of the retaining member 800 is equal to the number of corners in the container of welding wire. When the retaining member 800 is placed in the wire container, this configuration mitigates lateral or rotational movement of the wire retaining ring within the container during wire payout. Of course, circular perimeters and other polygonal perimeter shapes are also contemplated and can be configured to correspond to the interior shapes of various wire containers. The planar body 860 also includes a plurality of viewing slots 868 that are provided to allow the user to monitor the level of the welding wire within the container as it is being paid out. Viewing slots 868 shown in FIG. 8 are spaced at equal intervals through the planar body and arcuate from Inner wall 862 extends toward outer wall 866 .

Protrusion 836 is provided on inner wall 862 and extends partially across slot 834 at a location adjacent a discontinuity on inner wall 862 . The protrusion 836 serves to narrow the slot 834 at the inner wall 862 to relieve the wire being paid out from jamming or sticking in the notch 834 during wire payout. While the protrusion 836 is provided as a protruding member from one wall of the slot 834, it is also understood that the slot 834 could be tapered from the outer ring 866 towards the inner ring 862 to achieve the same effect of the protrusion.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 , the inner wall 862 is frustoconical in shape and extends upwardly from the substantially planar body 860 . At its top, the inner wall 862 is circular in shape, which defines an aperture 850 disposed at the center of the planar body 860 . The aperture 850 is oriented to be coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the coil of welding wire when inserted in the wire container. In other words, the aperture 850 and the coiled welding wire share a common axis. An outer wall 866 also extends upwardly from the substantially planar body 860 and extends continuously around the perimeter of the planar body. As is the case in Figure 8, the outer wall 866 is provided in the form of a plurality of walls meeting at corners 810, where the number of corners 810 is equal to the number of corners on the interior of the container. In such a polygonal configuration, each wall has a wall length 892, wherein the wall length is substantially equal to the length of the interior wall of the wire container.

In place of one of the viewing slots 868, a wire slot 834 is provided. The wire slot 834 has a slot width and defines a discontinuity or gap in the inner wall 862 . Wire slot 834 extends radially from a discontinuity on inner wall 862 to a location radially inward of outer wall 866 . The slot 834 is curved or arcuate and thus extends from the inner wall 862 towards the outer wall 866 in an arcuate fashion, but may alternatively extend linearly from the inner wall towards the outer wall. Wire slot 834 is generally provided in place of viewing slot 868 to maintain overall structural integrity, wherein a discontinuity or inner notch 872 in inner wall 862 is formed to facilitate continuity of wire retaining member 800 from inside to outside. groove. Using wire slot 834 , a user can move the tail end of the welding wire out from inner wall 862 to a position near outer wall 866 . Simultaneously, the feeding end of the welding wire is withdrawn from the inner wall 862 to the welding operation. When the coils are used up from the top to the bottom of the coils in the container, the welding wire is drawn upwards through the wire slot 834, wherein the tail end of the welding wire is lifted out of the first container to become the second coil in the second container. front end. To facilitate this infinite wire configuration, the tail end is fused, welded or otherwise connected to the front end of the second coil. Because subsequent coils can include the wire retaining ring, the wire can effectively provide an unlimited supply of wire to the welding system while alleviating any tangles associated therewith.

Wire retaining member 800 may be made from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, steel, aluminum, copper, nickel, stainless steel, brass, and the various metal and plastic materials described herein above.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of a welding wire retaining ring 900 . Wire retention ring 900 includes a discontinuous inner ring 962 , a discontinuous intermediate ring 964 , and an outer ring 966 that are axially concentrically aligned or coaxial with each other. The inner ring 962 has a radius A, the middle ring 964 has a radius B, and the outer ring 966 has a radius C, where radius C is greater than radius B and radius B is greater than radius A. In addition, the height of the level defined by the inner ring 962 is greater than the height of the level defined by the outer ring 966 to accommodate the welding wire being drawn from the center of the inner ring in an upward motion. The height of the level defined by the intermediate ring 964 is substantially equal to the height of the level of the outer ring 966 .

A plurality of spokes 968 extend radially from the inner ring 962 to the outer ring 966 to provide structural support, additional weight to the wire retaining ring 900 and to maintain the position or index of the wire retaining ring 900 within the container. Because spokes are coupled to each of rings 962, 964, and 966, the spokes are generally upwardly sloped from outer ring to inner ring due to the height of the inner ring relative to outer ring 966 and intermediate ring 964. In the example shown in this embodiment, wire retaining ring 900 has seven spokes 968 each extending radially from inner ring 962 to outer ring 966 . In a container with eight corners (e.g., at the intersection of eight vertical walls as shown above in Figures 1 and 2), each spoke 968 is positioned within a corner to relieve the wire retention ring within the container. 900 of lateral or rotational movement. The length of the spokes may be less than, substantially equal to or greater than radius C. In an embodiment, the spokes 968 are longer than the radius C. The spokes 968 intersect the outer ring to create a plurality of segments 992 along the outer ring 966 that have an arc length. Because the spokes 968 are disposed at substantially equal angles around the outer ring 966, the segments 992 have substantially equal arc lengths. The spokes 968 have an inner end 982 and an outer end 984, wherein the outer end 984 is bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees in an upward direction. In addition to reducing movement of the ring 900 and container, these upward facing ends 982, 984 can also reduce the risk of welding wire becoming entangled with the retaining ring 900.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , the wire retaining ring 900 also includes a wire guide 930 having a first portion 931 and a second divided portion 932 . Wire guide 930 extends radially from inner ring 962 to outer ring 966 and is attached to ring 900 at inner ring 962 and outer ring 966 . Additionally, wire guide 930 may also be attached to intermediate ring 964 . The wire guide 930 may be attached to the rings 962, 964, 966 by welding, soldering, or other fastening or joining techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A plurality of windows 938 are provided in the second portion 932, and the windows provide no material, which reduces the amount of surface area of the second portion 932 that is in contact with the welding wire during payout, thereby reducing the amount of welding wire during payout from the wire container. amount of friction

The wire guide 930 defines a slot 934 having a slot width. Slot 934 defines a discontinuity or gap in inner ring 962 , intermediate ring 964 , and outer ring 966 thereby separating wire guide 930 into first portion 931 and second portion 932 . While the radius 936 may be provided as a protruding member from one wall of the groove 934, it is also understood that the groove 934 may taper from the outer ring 966 toward the inner ring 962 to obtain the same radius. effect (not shown in Figure 9). The inner portion of the illustrated slot 934 is curved or arcuate and thus extends from the inner ring 962 towards the intermediate ring 964 in a so-called arcuate fashion. To this end, the first portion 931 of the guide means 930 comprises a concave edge 1001 extending from the inner ring 962 towards the intermediate ring 964 . As shown, edge 1001 may extend beyond intermediate ring 964 . As concave edge 1001 extends radially outward from fillet 936 , concave edge 1001 extends outward (ie, clockwise), forming nose 1003 at inner ring 962 . The concave edge reaches a curved apex 1005 between the inner ring 962 and the middle ring 964 . From apex 1005, concave edge 1001 extends inward (counterclockwise) as concave edge 1001 continues radially outward. From this point, the first portion 931 flares or fans outwardly from a location adjacent the middle ring 964 to the outer ring 966 forming a knee 1007 at the terminal end of the concave edge 1001 . As shown, from knee 1007 , first portion 931 of guide 930 may extend outwardly at a constant slope to form straight edge 1009 . In the illustrated embodiment, between the inner ring 962 and the intermediate ring 964, the gap 972 formed between the first and second portions 931, 932 is maintained at a constant width by a raised edge 1002 which 1002 generally has the same radius of curvature as edge 1001 . From intermediate ring 964 to outer ring 966 , edge 1002 may include a section 1004 that extends along a line generally parallel to the radial but offset from the central axis of retaining ring 900 . Flaring of first portion 931 relative to section 1004 opens gap 972 between first and second portions 931 , 932 .

In other words, the portion of the groove 934 extending from the inner ring 962 to a location adjacent the middle ring 964 has a substantially constant width, while the portion of the groove 934 extending from a location adjacent the middle ring 964 to the outer ring 966 has a substantially constant width from the middle ring to the outer ring 966. Increased width. Alternatively, the slots 934 may run straight from the inner ring 962 towards the middle ring 964 while still opening up from the middle ring 964 to the outer ring 966 . The wire slots 934 are generally located in place of the spokes 968 to maintain the overall structural integrity, wherein the discontinuity or indentation 972 at the inner ring 962, the discontinuity or indentation 974 on the middle ring 964, and the discontinuity or indentation 974 on the outer ring 966 A discontinuity or gap 976 is formed to facilitate a continuous groove of the wire retaining ring 900 from the inside to the outside. In an embodiment, the width of the inner notch 972 is smaller than the width of the middle notch 974 which is in turn smaller than the width of the outer notch 976 . However, it is to be understood that the inner notch 972 may have a width of substantially any size relative to the central notch 974 or the outer notch 976 .

Considering that the slot 934 may be arcuate, or curved in shape, it is also contemplated that the shortened spoke 999 may be attached to one of the portions 931, 932 of the wire guide 930 to further aid in the welding wire container or box. Alignment of ring 900 . Alternatively, the radially outer end of the guide 930 may be provided with an upwardly biased end to further control release of the welding wire from the retaining ring 900 . The upward bias directs the welding wire upward just before it is released from the ring 900, promoting a more gradual release of the welding wire from the ring 900, and toward the top of the box or the wire holder 174 on the wall of the box 172 (Fig. 10) Guide the wire upwards, effectively reducing the length of wire that is released from the loop 900, and thereby reducing the chance that an e-script will form when released. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , each guide portion 931 , 932 may be provided with an upwardly biased rim 1011 , 1012 extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the respective edge portion 1009 , 1004 . In the illustrated embodiment, the shortened spokes 999 are attached to the second rim 1012 on the second guide portion 932 .

Using the wire slot 934 , the welding method can move the tail end of the wire out of the inner ring 962 to a location near the outer ring 966 , such as between the middle ring 964 and the outer ring 966 . In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 10, the tail end of the welding wire may pass through a strap 174 formed in the interior of a wall 172 of the wire container. Simultaneously, the feeding end of the welding wire is withdrawn from the inner ring 962 to the welding operation. When the coils are used up from the top to the bottom of the coils in the container, the welding wire is drawn upwards through the wire slot 934, wherein the tail end of the welding wire is lifted out of the first container to become the second coil in the second container. front end. To facilitate this infinite wire configuration, the tail end is fused, welded or otherwise connected to the front end of the second coil. Because subsequent coils can include the wire retaining ring, the wire can effectively provide an unlimited supply of wire to the welding system while alleviating any tangles associated therewith.

Wire retaining ring 900 may be made from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, steel, aluminum, copper, nickel, stainless steel, and brass, as well as the various metal and plastic materials described above. Additionally, wire retaining ring 900 may be made of other non-metallic or plastic materials of sufficient strength to perform the functions described herein, including but not limited to paper, wood, ceramic, fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Combinations of these materials and others described above.

The above examples only illustrate several possible implementations of various aspects of the present invention, wherein those skilled in the art will think of equivalent alterations and/or modifications based on reading and understanding the specification and accompanying drawings. In particular, the terms (including references to "means") used to describe above-described components (components, devices/devices, systems and circuits, etc.) are intended to be compared to the various functions performed by such components Any component (such as hardware, software, or a combination thereof) corresponding to the specific function of the described component (such as a functionally equivalent component), unless otherwise indicated, even if it is not structurally equivalent to performing the illustrated invention The exposed structure of the functionality in the implementation. Furthermore, although specific features of the invention may be disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, when desired and advantageous for any given or particular application, such features may be combined with one of the other implementations. or a combination of other features. Also, to some extent, the terms "including", "includes", "having", "has", "with" or variations thereof are Where used in the specification and/or claims of , such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "comprising".

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements.

Reference number:

100 Coil System 500 Wire Retaining Ring

102 First container 526 First groove

104 Second container 528 Second channel

106 Wire Coil 534 Wire Slot

108 Welding Wire Coil 562 Discontinuous Inner Ring

118 Feed end 564 Discontinuous intermediate ring

122 end 566 outer ring

124 Feed 568 Spokes

126 One or more ends 572 Inner notch

130 Retaining Ring 574 Center Notch

134 slot 582 inner end

136 Groove rail 584 Outer end

138 groove rail 592 arc length

142 position 700 wire retaining ring

150 top 730 plate

152 bottom 734 slot

154 Bottom 736 Protrusion

156 side wall 738 window

158 Angle plug 762 Inner ring

160 Floor 764 Intermediate ring

162 inner ring 766 outer ring

164 center ring 768 spokes

166 Outer ring 772 Inner notch

168 spokes 774 center notch

172 wall 782 inner end

174 Wire holder 784 Outer end

214 first supplementary track 792 more segments

216 second supplementary rail 800 holding member

222 Inner Gap 810 Corner

224 Center notch 834 Slot

412 Connection part 836 Protrusion

414 vertical rail 850 holes

416 Second vertical rail 860 Planar body

862 Inner wall 976 Notches

866 outer wall 982 inner end

868 slot 984 outer end

872 inner gaps 992 segments

892 wall length 999 shortened spokes

900 Wire Retaining Ring 1001 Concave Edge

930 Wire guide 1003 Protruding structure

931 Part I Section 1004

932 Part II 1005 Curved Vertices

934 Slot 1007 Knee Structure

936 rounded corners 1009 straight edges

938 multiple windows 1011 offset edges

962 Inner Ring 1012 Offset Edge

964 middle ring

966 Outer Ring A Radius

968 Spoke B Radius

972 Notch C Radius

974 Gap

Claims (17)

CLAIMS 1. A welding wire retention system for packaging and unwinding coils of welding wire to allow uninterrupted flow of the welding wire from a first container to a second container, the coils of welding wire comprising coils top and bottom of the coil, the feeding end of the welding wire extends from the top of the coil and the tail end of the welding wire extends from the bottom of the coil, the tail end of the first container is engageable to the of the feed end of the second container, the wire retention system comprising: said first container, said first container comprising at least one vertically extending side wall, a bottom, a top opening for removing said welding wire, and a welding wire coil receiving device within an outer packaging for receiving said welding wire coil cavity, said feed end and said tail end being positionable adjacent said top opening; Each of the first container and the second container includes a wire retaining ring disposed on top of the coil, the wire retaining ring comprising, a discontinuous inner ring having an inner radius and an inner gap; a discontinuous outer ring having an outer radius greater than the inner radius, the outer ring being disposed substantially concentrically with respect to the inner ring; at least two spokes each extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, the at least two spokes intersecting the outer ring to create segments along the circumference of the outer ring, and the each of the spokes includes an inner end bent at an angle of 90 degrees in an upward direction; and A wire guide extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring and having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the wire guide includes a slot, the slot having a groove width and separating the first portion of the guide from the second portion of the guide, the groove defining a discontinuity on the inner ring and a discontinuity on the outer ring and the groove is disposed in place of one of the at least two spokes, wherein said tail end of said coil of welding wire is disposed within said slot. 2. The welding wire retention system of claim 1 , further comprising a discontinuous intermediate ring having an intermediate radius and an intermediate notch corresponding to the groove, the intermediate ring relative to The inner ring is disposed substantially concentrically, and the intermediate radius is greater than the inner radius and less than the outer radius. 3. The welding wire retention system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the tail end of the welding wire is positioned closer to the outer ring than the inner ring. 4. The welding wire retention system of claim 1, wherein said first container and said second container each comprise vertical walls, wherein each of said first container and said second container The number of spokes in the wire retaining ring is equal to the number of vertical walls. 5. The welding wire retention system of claim 4, wherein the vertical walls are connected to each other in an end-to-end configuration around an interior portion of each of the first container and the second container to create some corners, the number of which is equal to the number of walls, and each spoke is placed within the corner. 6. The welding wire retention system of claim 1, wherein the height of the level of the inner ring is greater than the height of the level of the outer ring. 7. The wire retention system of claim 1, further comprising a discontinuous intermediate ring, wherein the height of the level of the discontinuous intermediate ring is substantially equal to the height of the level of the outer ring. 8. The welding wire retention system of claim 1 , wherein said tail end of said coil of welding wire is further disposed within a welding wire holder formed in at least one of said first receptacles. vertically extending side walls. 9. The wire retention system of claim 8, wherein the wire retainer is a strip formed in the first container. 10. A wire retaining ring for a coil of welding wire, the coil comprising a coil top and a coil bottom, the feeding end of the welding wire extending from the coil top and the tail end of the welding wire Extending from the bottom of said coil, said tail end of said coil of welding wire being engageable to the feed end of another coil of welding wire, said wire retaining ring comprising: a discontinuous inner ring having an inner radius and an inner gap; a discontinuous outer ring having an outer radius greater than the inner radius, the outer ring being substantially concentrically disposed relative to the inner ring; at least two spokes each extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, the at least two spokes intersecting the outer ring to create segments along the circumference of the outer ring, and the each of the spokes includes an inner end bent at an angle of 90 degrees in an upward direction; and A wire guide extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring and having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the wire guide includes a slot, the slot having a groove width and separating the first portion of the guide from the second portion of the guide, the groove defining a discontinuity on the inner ring and a discontinuity on the outer ring of the discontinuity. 11. The welding wire retaining ring of claim 10, wherein the wire guide is provided in place of one of the at least two spokes. 12. A wire retaining ring as claimed in claim 10 or 11, further comprising shortened spokes attached to radial ends of the wire guide. 13. The welding wire retaining ring of claim 10, wherein said first portion of said wire guide includes a concave edge extending from said inner ring to said intermediate ring, and said second portion has a The inner ring extends to the convex edge of the intermediate ring, wherein the concave edge and the convex edge have the same radius of curvature. 14. The welding wire retaining ring of claim 13, wherein the second portion extends linearly outwardly from the intermediate ring along a radial offset from the central axis, and the first portion includes an outer edge, the outer edge A rim flares outwardly from the concave rim and the second portion to form a wider opening in the wire guide near the outer ring. 15. The welding wire retaining ring of claim 10, further comprising a discontinuous intermediate ring having an intermediate radius and an intermediate indentation corresponding to the groove, the intermediate ring relative to The inner ring is disposed substantially concentrically, and the intermediate radius is greater than the inner radius and less than the outer radius. 16. The welding wire retaining ring of claim 15 , the portion of said groove extending from said inner ring to a location adjacent said intermediate ring has a substantially constant width and extends from said intermediate ring adjacent to said intermediate ring. The portion of the groove extending to the outer ring increases in width from the intermediate ring to the outer ring. 17. An infinite wire dosing system for coiled welding wire, the infinite wire dosing system comprising: A first container containing a first coil of welding wire having a feed end and a tail end, the feed end being fed by a wire feeder for a welding operation ; a second container containing a second coil of welding wire having a feed end and a tail end, the feed end being connected to the tail end of the first coil ; A first wire retention ring disposed on top of the first wire coil and a second wire retention ring disposed on top of the second wire coil , where each wire retaining ring includes a discontinuous inner ring having an inner radius and an inner gap; a discontinuous outer ring having an outer radius greater than the inner radius, the outer ring being substantially concentrically disposed relative to the inner ring; at least two spokes each extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring, the at least two spokes intersecting the outer ring to create segments along the circumference of the outer ring, and the each of the spokes includes an inner end bent at an angle of 90 degrees in an upward direction; and A wire guide extending radially from the inner ring to the outer ring and having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the wire guide includes a slot, the slot having a groove width and separating the first portion of the guide from the second portion of the guide, the groove defining a discontinuity on the inner ring and a discontinuity on the outer ring and the groove is disposed in place of one of the at least two spokes, wherein said tail end of said first coil of welding wire is disposed within said slot.