Device for clamping a knife of a machine center

Details Device for clamping a knife of a machine center Device for clamping a knife of a machine center

2000-01-06

2001-01-30

Briggs, Williams (Department: 3722)

Gear cutting, milling, or planing

Milling

Cutter spindle or spindle support

C279S050000, C279S900000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06179533

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device that has a clamping member with awls to hold the knife and the pawls are obtained by an annular flange of a movable sleeve mounted to the clamping member. When the movable sleeve is moved relative to the clamping member, the annular flange is disengaged from the pawls so that the knife can be removed from the pawls by a knife switching arm.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional knife replacement system of a machine center
10
is illustrated in
FIG. 1
, wherein a shaft
11
has a recess
110
defined in a lower end thereof so that a knife
12
is engaged with the recess
10
. A kick member
13
is received in the shaft
11
and clamps the knife
12
by a clamping member
130
. A main cylinder
14
exerts a force onto the kick member
130
and an auxiliary cylinder
15
is connected to the system of the main cylinder
14
so as to exert the kick member
13
a steady increment force so force the knife
12
to be disengaged from the recess
110
. A knife switch arm (not shown) then pulls the knife
12
from the recess
110
and inserts a new knife
12
in the recess
110
. However, it requires a huge force to the knife
12
from the two cylinders
14
and
15
so that the cost of the power is large. The knife
12
has to be maintained still to eliminate the expansion of heat of the knife so that the knife
12
can be easily removed from the recess
110
. During the waiting period, the knife switch arm cannot do anything so that the time for replacing a new knife is long. Furthermore, when the cylinders exert a force to the kick member
13
, the clamping member
130
is opened slightly so that the knife
12
could drop.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for clamping a knife of a machine center and comprising a sleeve and a clamping member received therein. The clamping member has a plurality of pawls for holding a knife and the pawls are separated by slots. A kick member extends through the clamping member, and at least two bolts are respectively connected between the kick member and the sleeve via the two slots. The sleeve has an annular flange extending radially inward from a lower end thereof so as to be engaged with the pawls of the clamping member. A pushing means for pushing the kick member moves the sleeve member relative to the clamping member to disengage the annular flange from the pawls.
An object of the present invention is to provide a device that has a sleeve having annular flange which obtain the pawls of a clamping member so that when the sleeve is moved the pawls are loosened and the knife is conveniently replaced.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device that employs a link mechanism to exert a force to the knife clamping member so as to disengage the knife from the clamping member.


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