the arc the operator activates trigger assembly 64 causing pressurized air to enter conduit 290 and electrical current to be delivered to the torch head assembly 263 current flows in a 34 dead short 34 mode for a brief period as air enters cylinder 280 because the electrode 250 is in direct contact with the nozzle 220 when pressurized air builds up in the cylinder 280 piston rod 281 extends toward pivot link 206 and causes it to rotate a few degrees in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in fig5 and 6 this causes the cam lobes 207 and the plunger 254 to assume the position shown in dashed lines in fig7 the electrode 250 is thus drawn away from the nozzle 220 so as to strike an arc in the pilot arc chamber 222 the gap in which the arc forms is approximately 0 06 inches wide the plasma developed by the arc and the flow of gas through the arc exits at the nozzle orifice 221 this can be transferred to a workpiece 10 as shown in fig4 in the known manner see e g u s pat no 4 791 268 briefly stated the motion of the electrode 250 away from the nozzle 220 strikes a pilot arc or non transferred arc that leaves the electrode 250 and attaches to the inside of nozzle 220 this non transferred arc can be blown out the orifice 221 by the flow of gas exiting from the nozzle orifice 221 and attach to the outside surface of the nozzle 220 a transferred arc the preferred type of arc for cutting and maximum life of consumable parts occurs when the non transferred arc approaches the grounded workpiece 10 and the arc attachment point changes from.