Electrode for a contact start plasma arc torch and contact start plasma arc torch employing such electrodes

• Main Authors: SANDERS NICHOLAS A, SHIPULSKI E MICHAEL, TWAROG PETER, MATHER JONATHAN P, LINDSAY JON W, DUAN ZHENG, COOK DAVID JONATHAN
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 01.10.2014
• Subjects: ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OFNEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMICBEAMS

A component for a contact start plasma arc torch is provided. The component includes a hollow body defining a channel with a longitudinal axis. The channel is capable of slideably receiving an electrode body along the longitudinal axis. The component includes a contact element disposed in the hollow body and includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is adapted to facilitate electrical communication with a power supply and the second surface is adapted to physically contact a surface of the electrode body when the plasma arc torch is operated in a transferred arc mode. In addition, the second surface is characterized by the absence of physical contact with the surface of the electrode body when the torch is operated in a pilot arc mode.