Rotary cutting insert and support device
AssigneeEIP Holdings, LLC
InventorsWilliam J. Endres, Douglas J. Woodruff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention relates to cutting tools used to machine materials to produce new surfaces and chips of removed material. Embodiments of this invention allow round rotating cutting inserts to be used in a more economical way, with improved accuracy, with improved sealing, and with greater ease of use. The rotary support device and cutting inserts may be used in either radial or tangential mounting types of cutters. It also provides a built-in, fully sealed means of fine adjustment of the cutting insert that is useful in some applications.
Claims18
A device for mechanically removing material, the device comprising:
- a. a rotary support device comprising:
- i. a rotor that is rotatable about an axis, the rotor having at least one protrusion and a cutting insert interface, the cutting insert interface having an insert mounting surface, at least a portion of which is symmetric about the axis;
- ii. a stator that is not rotatable about the axis;
- iii. an upper bearing having a rotating bearing surface and a stationary bearing surface, each bearing surface symmetric about the axis, wherein the included angle of one of the upper bearing surfaces is between 10° and 120° inclusive;
- iv. a lower bearing having a rotating bearing surface and a stationary bearing surface, each bearing surface symmetric about the axis, wherein the included angle of one of the lower bearing surfaces is between 180° and 350° inclusive, whereby the rotor is located and oriented relative to the stator by the upper bearing and the lower bearing;
- and
- b. a round cutting insert affixed to the cutting insert interface, the cutting insert comprising:
- i. an insert axis;
- ii. an upper end having a surface that is axisymmetric about the insert axis;
- iii. a lower end having a rotor interface, the rotor interface having a rotor mounting surface, at least a portion of which is symmetric about the insert axis to oppositely match a portion of the axisymmetric portion of the insert mounting surface;
- iv. a peripheral surface symmetric about the insert axis;
- v. a circular cutting edge at the intersection of the upper end surface and the peripheral surface;
- vi. a central hole passing from the upper end surface through to the rotor mounting surface;
- and
- vii. at least one receiver mating in loose slip fit with at least one protrusion.
A method for mechanically removing material to create a new surface on a workpiece by removing chips of material using a device comprising:
- a. a rotary support device comprising:
- i. a rotor that is rotatable about an axis, the rotor having at least one protrusion and a cutting insert interface, the cutting insert interface having an insert mounting surface, at least a portion of which is symmetric about the axis;
- ii. a stator that is not rotatable about the axis;
- iii. an upper bearing having a rotating bearing surface and a stationary bearing surface, each bearing surface symmetric about the axis, wherein the included angle of one of the upper bearing surfaces is between 10° and 120° inclusive;
- iv. a lower bearing having a rotating bearing surface and a stationary bearing surface, each bearing surface symmetric about the axis, wherein the included angle of one of the lower bearing surfaces is between 180° and 350° inclusive, whereby the rotor is located and oriented relative to the stator by the upper bearing and the lower bearing;
- and
- b. a round cutting insert affixed to the cutting insert interface, the cutting insert comprising:
- i. an insert axis;
- ii. an upper end having a surface that is axisymmetric about the insert axis;
- iii. a lower end having a rotor interface, the rotor interface having a rotor mounting surface, at least a portion of which is symmetric about the insert axis to oppositely match a portion of the axisymmetric portion of the insert mounting surface;
- iv. a peripheral surface symmetric about the insert axis;
- v. a circular cutting edge at the intersection of the upper end surface and the peripheral surface;
- vi. a central hole passing from the upper end surface through to the rotor mounting surface;
- and
- vii. at least one receiver mating in loose slip fit with at least one protrusion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.