This invention relates to a hand-operated remote control unit for controlling the welding current of a welding machine, and more particularly to such a device in which a single push button activates and controls the current of a welding machine with a universal mounting structure which permits the positioning of the welding torch in a variety of positions and permits the push button to be easily operated with different digits of the hand without effecting the welding operations being performed.
A number of prior art devices have been disclosed which utilize remote control means for controlling the welding current of a welding torch without resorting to returning to the welding console for such an adjustment. Two of the more recent patents dealing with this problem are U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,341 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,344 include on-off switches and linearly actuated controls for varying the resistance of a potentiometer to vary the current supplied to a welding torch. Both devices are hand-held and thumb operated. The problem with this type of operation is that the thumb is better used for support than for control because the thumb has less sensitivity to touch than the other digits of the hand. Further, using linear operation requires pressure on the handle which tends to move the torch and changes its position with respect to the workpiece thereby producing a faulty weld. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,341, the control is actually mounted in the handle and accordingly the positioning of the welding torch is limited since the thumb must be positioned on the actuating control. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,344, the control unit is strapped to the welding torch again restricting movement in all but a rotational sense.