Cam micro-finishing tool

Details Cam micro-finishing tool Cam micro-finishing tool

1998-01-15

2001-10-30

Eley, Timothy V. (Department: 3723)

Abrading

Machine

Endless band tool

C451S317000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06309287

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to micro-finishing tooling, and more particularly to a replaceable wear surface insert provided on such tooling for finishing cam lobes for internal combustion engine camshafts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,191 discloses a tool for micro-finishing cam lobes and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The cam tooling of the '191 patent, typical of prior art finishing tools, includes articulating members to support the film for micro-finishing the cam lobes. As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the '191 patent, rollers 44 are attached to a roller plate 40 by pins 46. The roller plate 40 is held by a support block 36 which is attached to the plates 40 by a pivot pin 42, thereby enabling the roller plates 40 to pivot about the pin 42. The rollers 44 are held by the roller plate 40 with the pins 46 enabling the rollers 44 to rotate. The rollers 44, as shown in FIG. 2 of the '191 patent, support the finishing film 50. These pins and articulating connections are areas which have been discovered to present wear problems with this device. As these connections wear, the precision of the tool is compromised and therefore these worn components must be replaced. Such replacement is both time consuming and expensive, as these wear items are unique to these machines and must be manufactured specifically for this use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,631 illustrates another micro-finishing tool useful for micro-finishing cylindrical workpieces such as crankshaft journals. This tool includes a pair of pivots, as illustrated in FIG. 12 at 94 and 96, about which the micro-finishing shoe 98 rotates. As discussed above, these pivots wear and therefore require replacement of the pins and of the tool hanger 116. This is, again, time consuming and expensive because these are custom parts for this particular machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,974 discloses a universal jaw attachment for a micro-finishing machine. As shown in FIG. 1, and described in column 2, prior art devices include shoes 32 which are permanently attached to jaw arms 14 and 16. Due to the permanent attachment and unique shape of these shoes, it is expensive and time consuming to service them upon wear, as in the other devices described above. FIGS. 2-
4
illustrate a two-piece shoe design utilizing shoe portions 118 permanently attached to jaw arms 121 and 122. Similar to that described above, these shoe portions 118 have a unique shape and are expensive to produce and time consuming to replace. The '974 patent then describes a design to provide a universal shoe, as illustrated in FIGS. 6-10B. As shown in these figures, the universal shoe is complex, requiring several pieces and unique designs, thereby increasing the expense of these parts and the difficulty to service these upon wear. Further, the attachment includes a pinned attachment as best shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, at 320 and 330. This, again, will produce wear at the pin connections, thereby requiring service of additional parts.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a simple design of a shoe for a camshaft finishing machine, the shoe having improved wear and an inexpensive and easily replaceable wear surface design.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a shoe assembly for a micro-finishing machine for finishing a workpiece. The shoe assembly includes a C-frame structure adapted for nonrotatable mounting to the micro-finishing machine and a pair of slats secured nonrotatably to the C-frame assembly. A replaceable insert is nonrotatably secured to the C-frame assembly.
By eliminating the rotatable connections, a machine according to the present invention avoids wear at the rotatable pinned connections. Furthermore, the replaceable insert is inexpensive and is easily replaced.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 31593 (1984-06-01), Judge, Jr.
patent: 4292767 (1981-10-01), Fatula
patent: 4893642 (1990-01-01), Parslow, Jr. et al.
patent: 4993191 (1991-02-01), Judge et al.
patent: 5148636 (1992-09-01), Judge et al.
patent: 5210978 (1993-05-01), Phillips
patent: 5531631 (1996-07-01), Judge
patent: 5651719 (1997-07-01), Pineau
patent: 5695391 (1997-12-01), Steinwender
patent: 5730647 (1998-03-01), Becker et al.
patent: 5775974 (1998-07-01), Hulsebus
patent: 5984767 (1999-11-01), Pineau et al.
patent: 6001006 (1999-12-01), Pineau et al.

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