Tool for honing an external surface of a right cylindrical tube and method of use

A honing tool (1) for honing a cylindrical external surface (2) of a rod (3), the tool comprising:

• a plurality of honing inserts (4) adapted to hone a metal;
• and
• a support (5) for the honing inserts, the inserts (4) being carried by the support (5) so as to define a passage (6) around which the inserts (4) are to be found and in which it is possible to introduce the cylindrical external surface (2) of the rod (3);
• wherein the tool (1) includes a plurality of sliding skids (7) carried by the support (5), the sliding skids (7) and the honing inserts (4) being arranged to be capable of coming simultaneously into contact against the cylindrical external surface (2) of the rod (3) when the rod is placed inside said passage (6) and so as to be able to center the cylindrical external surface (2) inside said passage (6), and
• wherein the tool further includes a connection structure (8) between said support (5) for supporting the honing inserts (4) and a drive motor (M) for rotating the insert support, the connection structure (8) comprising:
• assembly means (9) for assembling the connection structure (8) with the support (5) for the honing inserts (4), the assembly means (9) allowing the connection structure (8) to be disassembled from the insert support (5);
• and
• a drive shaft (10) for rotating the connection structure (8), the drive shaft (10) being connected to the assembly means (9) via a deformable connection (11),
• the honing tool further including a centering part (16) presenting an external surface of revolution (17) extending along a main axis of symmetry (Y-Y) of the passage, the honing inserts (4) and the sliding skids (7) extending along the main axis of symmetry (Y-Y) of the passage and parallel to the main axis of symmetry, and
• wherein the honing inserts (4) and the sliding skids (7) all being spaced apart from the external surface of revolution (17) and at equal distances from said external surface of revolution (17), the centering part (16) presenting a through internal bore (18) extending along the main axis of symmetry (Y-Y) of the passage,
• the tool further including a centering pin (19) extending inside the through internal bore (18) of the centering part (16) in order to provide a rotary and sliding connection for the centering part (16) along the centering pin (19), the centering part (16) being separable from the centering pin (19).