Cutting electrode head for a handheld electrical discharge machining device
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorChristopher J. Preece
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cutting electrode head for a handheld electrical discharge machining (EDM) device comprising: a housing; a cutting electrode supported in the housing, and configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position along an electrode axis (C) to cut a workpiece; and an actuator supported in the housing and movable along a movement axis (E) which is at an angle to the electrode axis (C), wherein movement of the actuator along the movement axis (E) causes the cutting electrode to move between its retracted and extended positions.
Claims14
A cutting electrode head for a handheld electrical discharge machining (EDM) device comprising:
- a housing;
- a cutting electrode supported in the housing, the cutting electrode configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position along an electrode axis (C) to cut a workpiece;
- and
- an actuator supported in the housing and movable along a movement axis (E) which is at an angle to the electrode axis (C), the actuator configured to move the cutting electrode by way of a linear cam arrangement,
- wherein movement of the actuator (60) along the movement axis (E) causes the cutting electrode to move between its retracted and extended positions, and
- wherein the cutting electrode is resiliently biased, by a spring acting between the cutting electrode and the housing or a component fixed to the housing, to its retracted position.
A method of retrofitting a handheld EDM device, the handheld EDM device comprising a drivetrain connected to an electrode cutting head, the method comprising the steps of:
- removing the electrode cutting head from the drivetrain;
- and
- attaching a cutting electrode head to the drivetrain, the cutting electrode head comprising:
- a housing;
- a cutting electrode supported in the housing, the cutting electrode configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position along an electrode axis (C) to cut a workpiece;
- and
- an actuator supported in the housing and movable along a movement axis (E) which is at an angle to the electrode axis (C), the actuator configured to move the cutting electrode by way of a linear cam arrangement,
- wherein movement of the actuator (60) along the movement axis (E) causes the cutting electrode to move between its retracted and extended positions, and
- wherein the cutting electrode is resiliently biased, by a spring acting between the cutting electrode and the housing or a component fixed to the housing, to its retracted position.
A method of operating a handheld electrical discharge machining (EDM) device, the EDM device comprising:
- a housing;
- a cutting electrode supported in the housing, the cutting electrode configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position along an electrode axis (C), wherein the cutting electrode is resiliently biased, by a spring acting between the cutting electrode and the housing or a component fixed to the housing, to its retracted position;
- and
- an actuator supported in the housing and movable along a movement axis (E) which is at an angle to the electrode axis (C), the actuator configured to move the cutting electrode by way of a linear cam arrangement,
- wherein movement of the actuator along the movement axis (E) causes the cutting electrode to move between its retracted and extended positions,
- the method comprising the step of:
- moving the actuator from a first position to a second position along the movement axis (E) to move the cutting electrode from its retracted position to its extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.