Gear cutting – milling – or planing – Milling – Work support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-02
2001-12-11
Briggs, William (Department: 3722)
Gear cutting, milling, or planing
Milling
Work support
C409S223000, C409S131000, C074S81300L, C074S822000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328508
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the field of machine tools, and more particularly, to an improved work piece holding device mountable on a work surface and useful for selectively positioning the work piece.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The art has provided various indexing devices mountable on a work surface of machine tools that are useful for holding work pieces at selected angular positions for machine tool applications. However, prior art indexers have had several disadvantages including, for example, excessive weight, complicated machine tool interface, imprecise angular locking, the inability to sequentially index in separate directions, or the inability to be easily customized or adapted for different applications. Accordingly, there is a need for an indexer that addresses some or all of these problems and does so in an efficient, reliable, and precise manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an indexing device for use with a machine tool. The indexing device includes a rotary member that is contactable by a control member of the machine tool. The device also includes a trigger that, when actuated by the control member, allows the rotary member to rotate when the control member applies a rotary force to the rotary member.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an indexing device with a work holding fixture coupled to a rotary member rotatably mounted on a support member. Three or more pins extend from a surface of the rotary member and are positioned about its axis of rotation such that the angle between any two adjacent pins relative to the axis of rotation is less than 180 degrees. The indexing device further includes a stop assembly coupled to a trigger assembly. The stop assembly is moveable between a first position in contact with the rotary member and a second position allowing rotational movement of the rotary member. The control member is positionable to contact the trigger assembly to move the stop assembly from its first position to its second position while contacting one of the pins to rotate the rotary member.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for machining a work piece. The device includes a control member operatively connected to a machine tool. The device further includes a rotary member rotatably mounted to at least one support member. The rotary member includes a plurality of pins. A stop assembly includes a plunger that is biased generally towards the rotary member. A trigger is coupled to the support member and is also coupled to an actuator in contact with the stop assembly such that the trigger is operable to move the plunger between engagement and disengagement with the rotary member. The control member is positionable to actuate the trigger while in contact with one of the plurality of pins to rotate the rotary member.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided an indexing device for use with a machine tool that includes a control member. The indexing device includes a support member and a work holding fixture mounted to a rotary member. The rotary member is rotatably coupled to the support member about an axis of rotation. The rotary member has a plurality of index pins extending therefrom. A trigger assembly is mounted to the support member. The trigger assembly includes a trigger having a contact surface with a length that is at least as great as the length between adjacent ones of the plurality of index pins. The control member is positionable to simultaneously contact the trigger and one of the plurality of index pins to rotate the rotary member by translating along the trigger contact surface.
There is further provided methods for machining a work piece. Such methods include: providing an indexing device including a rotary member rotatable about an axis and having a plurality of index pins extending therefrom, the indexing device further including a trigger coupled to a stop assembly; engaging a work holding fixture coupled to the rotary member; mounting a work piece to the work holding fixture; contacting the trigger to move the stop assembly from a first position preventing rotation of the rotary member to a second position allowing rotation of the rotary member; and contacting one of the plurality of index pins while maintaining contact with the trigger to rotate the rotary member.
These and other aspects, advantages, features, embodiments, and objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the following descriptions of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention.
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YUASA—Super Rapidex Visedex Product Specification Data Sheet.
Briggs William
Cadugan Erica E
Woodard Emhardt Naughton Moriarty & McNett
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