Contouring head

A contouring head for contouring an inner surface of a bore comprising:

• a spindle having a longitudinal axis adapted to carry a cutting tool configured to contour the bore;
• a slide mount;
• a slide disposed in the slide mount and supported by roller bearings for movement at right angles relative to the longitudinal axis;
• a yoke pivotally connected between the spindle and the slide to convert axial movement of the spindle relative to a sleeve into radial movement of the slide along a slide track and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, wherein the yoke includes a pair of triangular plates with three corners, wherein the pair of triangular plates are configured to pivot between an anchor plate, the spindle, and the slide at a first corner of the triangular plates;
• and
• keeper plates carried by the slide mount and overlying the slide to hold the slide to the slide mount;
• wherein the roller bearings are disposed between the keeper plates and the slide;
• and
• the slide is configured to move in response to movement of the spindle along the longitudinal axis.

A contouring apparatus for use in controlling a radial position of a cutting tool that rotates within and about a longitudinal axis of a bore, comprising:

• a spindle having a longitudinal axis of rotation and adapted for controlled bi-directional movement along the longitudinal axis of rotation;
• a slide plate mounted for rotation with the spindle and having a slide track formed therein and arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of rotation;
• a slide disposed in the slide track for movement perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of rotation and configured to carry a post on a front face thereof;
• a pair of keeper plates mounted to the slide plate to maintain the slide between the pair of keeper plates and the slide plate;
• a first set of roller bearings disposed between the slide and the slide plate and a second set of roller bearings disposed between the keeper plates and the slide, wherein the first and second sets of roller bearings permit low friction movement of the slide relative to the slide plate, and wherein the second set of bearings includes V-shaped grooves in the front faces of the slide and a pair of V-shaped projections on interior faces of the keeper plates and fitting into the V-shaped grooves, the set of bearings being operatively disposed between the pair of V-shaped projections and the V-shaped grooves;
• a yoke pivotally connected between the spindle and the slide to convert axial movement of the spindle relative to a sleeve into radial movement of the slide along the slide track and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of rotation;
• and
• a tool mount, wherein the slide is adapted to receive the tool mount therein such that a tool carried by the tool mount is subject to radial movement with the slide under control of a longitudinal position of the spindle.