HAND MANEUVERABLE LASER WELDING GUN

A hand displaceable laser welding gun (12) is configured with an elongated support column (50) extending along a longitudinal axis and made from lightweight material. A support plate (54) is displaceably mounted to the column while supporting thereon an optical head (62) axially which is provided with optics. The optics is configured to direct a laser beam along a path towards a welding zone through a protective window of the optical head (62). The laser welding gun (12) further is structured with a first arm (46) mounted to the support plate (54) and extending along a longitudinal axis of the gun diametrically opposite to the optical head (62). The inner surface of the displaceable arm has an inner surface defining a tunnel (75) which is aligned with the optical head (62) and axially traversed by the laser beam, a first axially flowing stream of pressurized gaseous medium, and a second axially flowing stream of gaseous medium. The second stream, entering the tunnel (75) at a pressure lower than that one of the first stream in response to a pressure gradient generated in the column, does not generate vortexes within the column. The first and second streams exit through the downstream end of the tunnel (75) next to the welding zone. As the streams flow out, they carry out welding debris flowing within the tunnel (75) to the optical head (62). (Fig. 2)