Centerless grinder

A centerless grinder for grinding a workpiece comprising:

• a grinding wheel;
• first means for supporting the workpiece and moving the workpiece laterally toward the grinding wheel into a working area adjacent the grinding wheel for grinding the workpiece;
• second means for moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area;
• third means for rotating the workpiece in the working area;
• a spool for holding wire stock;
• fourth means for dispensing a length of the wire stock from the spool;
• fifth means for cutting the length of wire stock to provide the workpiece;
• and
• a guide for receiving the length of wire stock from the spool, directing the length of wire stock to the fifth means, and directing the workpiece from the fifth means toward the working area.

A centerless grinder for grinding a workpiece comprising:

• a grinding wheel;
• a support for holding the workpiece and moving the workpiece laterally toward the grinding wheel into a working area adjacent the grinding wheel for grinding the workpiece;
• a first spindle and collet positioned in front of the working area for rotating the workpiece and for moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area;
• a spool for holding wire stock;
• a gripper for pulling a length of the wire stock from the spool and transmitting the length of wire stock through the first spindle and collet;
• a cutter for cutting the length of wire stock to provide the workpiece.

A centerless grinder for grinding a workpiece comprising:

• a grinding wheel;
• a work rest blade for supporting the workpiece adjacent the grinding wheel;
• a regulating wheel positioned adjacent the grinding wheel for rotating the workpiece and moving the workpiece through a working area adjacent the grinding wheel;
• a spool for holding wire stock;
• a gripper for pulling a length of the wire stock from the spool;
• a cutter for cutting the length of wire stock to provide the workpiece;
• and
• a guide for receiving the length of wire stock from the spool, directing the length of wire stock to the cutter, and directing the workpiece from the cutter toward the working area.

A method of grinding an elongated workpiece using a centerless grinder, the centerless grinder comprising a grinding wheel, a support for holding the workpiece and moving the workpiece laterally toward the grinding wheel into a working area adjacent the grinding wheel for grinding the workpiece, a spindle and collet positioned in front of the working area for rotating the workpiece and moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area, a spool for holding wire stock and a guide, said method comprising:

• moving the spindle and collet backwardly away from the working area;
• dispensing a length of the wire stock from the spool into the guide and from the guide through the spindle and collet;
• closing the collet to grip the wire stock;
• cutting the wire stock to provide the workpiece;
• and
• moving the spindle and collet one or both of toward the working area and away from the working area, while rotating the spindle and collet, to grind the workpiece.

A centerless grinder for grinding a workpiece comprising:

• a grinding wheel;
• a support for holding the workpiece and moving the workpiece laterally toward the grinding wheel into a working area adjacent the grinding wheel for grinding the workpiece;
• a first spindle and collet positioned in front of the working area for rotating the workpiece and moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area;
• a second spindle and collet positioned behind the working area for rotating the workpiece and moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area.

A centerless grinder for grinding a workpiece comprising:

• a grinding wheel having a working surface with a plurality of raised areas extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the working surface;
• a platform having an elongated top surface for supporting the workpiece substantially adjacent to the working surface and a front surface with a plurality of lateral grooves for receiving the raised areas on the working surface such that movement of the platform toward the working surface into a working area adjacent the grinding wheel enables the raised areas to pass into the lateral grooves and grind the workpiece;
• a first spindle and collet positioned in front of the working area for rotating the workpiece and for moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area;
• a second spindle and collet positioned behind the working area for rotating the workpiece and for moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area.

A method of grinding a workpiece using a centerless grinder, the centerless grinder comprising a grinding wheel, a support for holding the workpiece and moving the workpiece laterally toward the grinding wheel into a working area adjacent the grinding wheel for grinding the workpiece, a first spindle and collet positioned in front of the working area for rotating the workpiece and moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area, and a second spindle and collet positioned behind the working area for rotating the workpiece and moving the workpiece one or both of forwardly and backwardly through the working area, the method comprising:

• grinding one end of the workpiece using the first spindle and collet;
• moving one or both of the first spindle and collet and the second spindle and collet such that the one end of the workpiece passes into the second spindle and collet;
• opening the first collet to release the workpiece;
• closing the second collet to grip the workpiece;
• and
• removing the workpiece from the working area using the second spindle and collet.