Continuous anode mode for high-speed tungsten/inert-gas arc welding

It has been reported recently that, for an arc in air between a stationary thoriated tungsten rod cathode and two copper anode cylinders rotating together end to end, the arc current, when above a certain critical value, divides and flows from a stationary bell-shaped arc column into continuous `diffuse¿ electron-collecting areas on the two anodes, instead of into separate anode spots with an arc column jumping from one to another. Because of possible advances in high-speed welding techniques, to which this continuous anode mode may lead, this work has now been extended to stainless-steel anodes in a shielding flow of argon. It is shown that this same mode does exist both for these conditons, and also when small percentages of hydrogen are added to the shielding gas, whereby useful increases in workpiece melting are achieved for the same arc current.