Tool changing – Process
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-07
2001-03-20
Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)
Tool changing
Process
C483S031000, C409S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203477
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to cutter changing systems and methods for an internal crankshaft miller, i. e., a miller of internal type for fabricating crankshafts.
BACKGROUND ART
Internal crankshaft millers, or millers of internal type for fabricating crankshafts make use of an inside edge cutter having a plurality of tips or cutting edges attached thereto along its inner peripheral surface, and cutter changing systems or apparatuses for use with such millers have been known as disclosed, e. g., in patent literature JA P 8-118125 A and JA U 6-5816 A.
JA P 8-118125 A describes a cutter mounting apparatus having a construction in which two or more splines are arranged circumferentially spaced apart and equi-distantly along the outer periphery of a pin forming miller cutter corresponding to the splines, spline slots are formed along the inner periphery of an adapter. The splines and the spline slots to be fitted together are tapered to become gradually narrower in the forward direction in which the cutter is inserted into the adapter. Such a construction is described to prevent a thermal expansion from making the fit tight and a tilt of the cutter pulled out from causing the fit to misfit, and thus to have the advantage of permitting the pin forming miller cutter to be centered with precision and yet to be mounted and dismounted with ease.
JA U 6-5816 A describes a cutter mounting apparatus in which a cutter body has a key slot formed therein that is tapered with respect to a longitudinal axis of the cutter body to accept and fit with a cutter adapter key. It is taught that the arrangement permitting the cutter body if thermally expanded to be readily removed from the cutter adapter is thus capable of effecting a cutter changing operation in a short period of time and with ease.
Inconveniently, however, both the cutter mounting apparatuses described above require that a cutter body upon being mounted on the cutter adapter be fixed to the cutter adapter with a plurality of clamping bolts fastened to both the cutter body and the cutter adapter.
In removing the cutter body from the cutter adapter, this also requires that these clamping bolts be loosened and detached to release the cutter body from the cutter adapter.
The prior art is found inconvenient in that it entails a time consuming operation in loading and unloading a cutter body and is hence inefficient. Further, the cutter mounting method with a plurality of clamping both described above is a big factor in holding back an automatization of the cutter changing.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Developed with the above mentioned inconvenience in the prior art taken into account, the present invention has for an object thereof to provide a cutter changing system and method for a crankshaft fabricating miller of internal type that permits a cutter change to be effected quickly and with ease, thereby enhancing both the operating efficiency and the productivity of fabricating crankshafts.
In order to achieve this and other objects which will become more readily apparent hereinafter, the present invention provides in a first form of implementation thereof a cutter changing system for a crankshaft fabricating miller of internal type in which a cutter body having tips attached thereto along an inner peripheral surface thereof is fitted with and fixed to a cutter adapter so as to be rotatable together with the cutter adapter, thereby permitting a workpiece to be machined therewith by milling to fabricate a crankshaft, which cutter changing system comprises: at least one portion of recess formed in an outer peripheral portion of the said cutter body; at least one clamping means including: a pawl member disposed in the said cutter adapter so as to be movable in a radial direction thereof to set its forward end for motion to protrude and withdraw from an inner peripheral surface of the said cutter adapter, the said pawl member having an inclined engagement surface and an inclined guide surface formed both on the said forward end of the pawl member and located respectively at a fore and a rear portion thereof in a direction in which the said cutter body is fitted as aforesaid, and a means for biasing the said pawl member in a direction of its motion to project; and at least one pawl retracting means operable when the said cutter body is fitted into the said cutter adapter and adapted to be then inserted into said portion of recess to come into a pressure contact with the inclined guide surface of the said pawl member for permitting the said pawl member to be retracted against the said means for biasing, whereby fitting the said cutter body together with the said pawl retracting means into the said cutter adapter causes the said pawl retracting means combined with the outer peripheral portion of the said cutter body to retract the said pawl member and thereafter extracting the said pawl retracting means causes the said pawl member to project into the said portion of recess and thereby to permit clamping the said cutter body onto the said cutter adapter with the said inclined engagement surface, and inserting the said pawl retracting means into the said portion of recess causes the said pawl member to be retracted to release the said clamping and thereby to permit the said cutter body to be removed together with the said pawl retracting means from the said cutter adapter.
The construction mentioned above that permits fitting a cutter body into a cutter adapter mounted onto a cutter drum to press the cutter body into the cutter adapter to cause an inclined guide surface formed on the forward end of a pawl member to be pressed by the cutter body to recede the pawl member forward end, does allow the cutter body to be mounted onto the cutter adapter with ease while permitting both cutter mounting and dismounting operations to be accomplished more quickly and efficiently than could have been done by the prior art that requires the use of a plurality of bolts both when a cutter body is to be mounted and dismounted.
Because both cutter mounting and dismounting operations can be performed quickly, the operating efficiency of a crankshaft fabricating miller is enhanced, thus enhancing the productivity of fabricating crankshaft products as well.
In order to achieve its objects, the present invention also provides in a second form of implementation thereof a construction as described above which further comprises a raised annular cutter seat formed on an inner peripheral surface of the said cutter adapter and an annular indented portion formed on an outer peripheral surface of the said cutter body and adapted to come into engagement with the said raised annular cutter accepting seat.
The specific construction mentioned above that permits clamping a cutter body firmly between a cutter accepting seat formed in the cutter adapter and an inclined surface of engagement formed on the pawl member prevents the cutter body from vibrating in the course of milling a workpiece or the tips from developing a chatter mark, thereby permitting milling of the workpiece with an increased accuracy.
In order to achieve its objects, the present invention also provides in a third form of implementation thereof a construction which further comprises a first tapered spline formed in an inner peripheral surface of the said cutter adapter and a second tapered spline formed in an outer peripheral surface of the said cutter body and adapted to come into engagement with the said first tapered spline.
The specific construction mentioned above which permits a cutter adapter and a cutter body to be firmly coupled together does prevent the cutter body from vibrating in the course of milling a workpiece or the tips from developing a chatter mark, thereby permitting milling of the workpiece with an increased accuracy.
In order to achieve its objects, the present invention also provides in a fourth form of implementation thereof a construction which further comprises a cutter unit having the said cutter adapter mounted thereto so as to be rotatable for indexing; an arm disp
Ergenbright Erica
Kananen Ronald P.
Komatsu Machinery Corporation
Rader Fishman & Grauer
Wellington A. L.
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