Gear cutting – milling – or planing – Planing – Means for cutting groove
Patent
1997-05-12
1999-03-02
Pitts, Andrea L.
Gear cutting, milling, or planing
Planing
Means for cutting groove
409260, 409304, 409318, B23D 502
Patent
active
058761632
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to bore slotting machinery and in particular to apparatus of the type utilising a reciprocating cutting face to produce one or more longitudinal slots in the bore of a component.
For many year various apparatus have been proposed for cutting longitudinal slots in the bores of relatively small sleeves such as those utilised in automotive rotary power steering valves. The design of such machinery necessarily involves relative movement between the cutting face and the component being worked along and about multiple axes; precision synchronisation of the high speed movements relative to the various axes being of critical importance. In addition to the synchronised movements required to achieve the actual cut the cutting face of the tool and/or the workholding member must be capable of movement to facilitate loading and unloading of the workholding member without interference with the cutting face.
To date a number of mechanical arrangement have been proposed in order to achieve the high speed synchronised relative movement between a workholding member and the cutting face necessary for the cutting operation and also to facilitate relative displacement of the component for loading and unloading during both the cutting and loading/unloading operations.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an alternate bore slotting machine which utilises computer controlled servo drives to control and synchronise at least some of the relative motions between the cutting face and the workholding member. The term "servo drive" where used throughout this specification is intended to encompass any type of servo driven motor or actuator including conventional motors, servo motors, linear motors, hydraulic activators, pneumatic linear actuators and rotary actuators.
The use of a servo drive system as opposed to mechanical configurations to control bore slotting machinery is particularly advantageous as it has been found that comparable speeds may be obtained to those achieved by mechanically synchronised equipment whereas electronically synchronised equipment eliminates the need for complicated mechanical linkages and is not subject to the wear rates and associated frequent service requirements of mechanically synchronised equipment.
Electronically synchronised bore slotting machinery is furthermore better adapted for situations where components of different dimensions are to be produced having regard to the fact that the CNC parameters may be programmed, stored and recalled far more quickly than replacement, adjustment and/or alteration of mechanical components of comprising the system.
In addition, greater accuracy of the position, size and surface finish of the generated slots may be achieved because of the mechanical simplicity of the servo controlled machinery, and the ability to use feedback to compensate for variation and imperfections in the machine elements.
According to the present invention there is provided a bore slotting machine comprising a cutting face adapted to operate within a bore of a component being worked; a motorised drive adapted to impart reciprocating motion to the cutting face; an electronic positional feedback device associated with the cutting face; a workholding device adapted to hold a component being worked at a location adjacent the cutting arm and being supported for indexible rotational movement about an axis substantially parallel to that of the bore in the component being worked; a first shuttle being adapted for linear movement along an axis parallel to the bore axis and a second shuttle carrying either the workholding device or the cutting face, the second shuttle being adapted for linear motion perpendicular to the bore axis of the component under the control of a servo drive; the first shuttle carriage adapted to carry parts of the machine such that movement of the carriage achieves linear reversible relative motion between the component being worked and the cutting face parallel to the bore axis; a servo drive for actuating the first shuttle carri
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Frecker Paul
Kuenzle Mark
Nemeth Fred
Kirkman Christopher
Pitts Andrea L.
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