Milling machine
AssigneeGrant Prideco, L.P.
InventorEdgar M. Stokley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable and field-adjustable milling machine comprises: a base; a milling assembly coupled to the base and that includes a milling tool rotatable by a driver; a roller bed coupled to the base and configured to support a tubular member thereon; and a vice assembly that is coupled to the base. Each vice member of the vice assembly is configured to be moved towards the other of the pair and includes camming surfaces configured to lift the tubular member off of the roller bed in response to the vice members being moved toward one another. The vice member may have a v-shaped notch defined by a pair of angled surfaces. The vice assembly lifts the tubular member and retains it in the notch at a position that is a predetermined distance away from the roller bed.
Claims20
A milling machine, comprising:
- a base;
- a plurality of legs configured to support the base, wherein each of the legs has a length that is adjustable;
- a milling assembly coupled to the base, the milling assembly including a milling tool rotatable by a driver;
- a plurality of rollers coupled to the base for supporting a tubular member to be machined by the milling tool;
- a vice assembly coupled to the base and including a pair of vice members, each vice member configured to be moved towards the other of the pair and including a v-shaped notch formed by a pair of angled surfaces, wherein the vice assembly is configured to lift the tubular member off of the rollers in response to the vice members being moved toward one another.
A milling machine, comprising:
- a base;
- a milling assembly coupled to the base, the milling assembly including a milling tool rotatable by a driver;
- a roller bed coupled to the base and configured to support a tubular member on a plurality of rollers, including a first roller;
- and
- a vice assembly coupled to the base and comprising a first vice spaced apart from a second vice, wherein the first roller is positioned between the first vice and the second vice, and wherein each of the first vice and second vice includes a pair of vice members, each vice member configured to be moved towards the other of the pair and including camming surfaces configured to lift the tubular member off of the roller bed in response to the vice members being moved toward one another.
A method of machining a pocket in a surface of a tubular member, comprising:
- placing a tubular member in contact with a plurality of rollers on a roller bed that is supported on the base of a milling machine;
- moving towards one another a pair of vice members that are coupled to the base, wherein each of the vice members include a notch formed by the intersection of two angled surfaces;
- as the vice members are moving towards one another, causing an angled surface of each of the vice members to engage the tubular member and lift the tubular member off of the rollers;
- capturing the tubular member and retaining it at a predetermined distance from the roller bed;
- after capturing the tubular member, machining a pocket in the tubular member with a milling tool supported from the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.