Grooving tool for cutting grooves in workpieces and a grooving tool tool holder for permitting replacement of inserts and permitting inserts to be replaced without moving the tool holder with respect to the grooving tool in which the tool holder is installed

A grooving tool, which grooving tool is configured to cut grooves in workpieces, said grooving tool comprising:

• a grooving tool tool holder configured to permit replacement of grooving inserts in order to provide secure clamping of replacement grooving inserts during operation of a machine tool and to permit a grooving insert to be replaced in said tool holder without said tool holder being moved in a machine tool in which said tool holder is installed;
• said grooving tool tool holder having:
• a length, a height, and a width;
• said grooving tool tool holder length being greater than either said grooving tool tool holder height or said grooving tool tool holder width;
• a grooving tool tool holder longitudinal axis extending along said grooving tool tool holder length;
• a clamping head being disposed on a first end of said grooving tool tool holder length and being configured and disposed to accept a grooving insert;
• said clamping head comprising:
• a top surface in operation;
• a bottom surface in operation;
• a first side surface being disposed adjacent said first end of said grooving tool tool holder length and being disposed adjacent said top surface;
• a second side surface being disposed adjacent said first end of said grooving tool tool holder length and being disposed adjacent said bottom surface;
• a third side surface being disposed adjacent said top surface and being opposite said first side surface;
• a grooving insert being configured to cut a groove in a workpiece and comprising:
• a length, a height, and a width;
• said grooving insert length being greater than either said grooving insert height or said cutting insert width;
• said grooving insert further comprising two sides being disposed vertically when in operation, extending along said grooving insert length, and being opposite one another;
• and
• said grooving insert further comprising at least one cutting edge being disposed on each end of said grooving insert;
• a connecting body extending away from said first end of said grooving tool tool holder length and extending away from said clamping head in the direction of the grooving tool tool holder longitudinal axis and being configured to connect said grooving tool to a lathe;
• said clamping head comprising a receptacle being configured and disposed to accept said grooving insert such that one side of said grooving insert is in contact with said grooving tool tool holder and the other side of said grooving insert is open to the air;
• said grooving insert receptacle comprising two v-shaped slots, which two v-shaped slots extend in the direction of said grooving tool tool holder longitudinal axis and are configured and disposed to allow said grooving insert to slide into said grooving insert receptacle upon assembly;
• said grooving insert further comprises two v-shaped projections being configured to slide into said two v-shaped slots of said grooving insert receptacle and being disposed in said two v-shaped slots, upon said grooving insert being slid into said grooving insert receptacle and upon assembly;
• said grooving insert receptacle further comprising a stop surface being disposed opposite said first end of said grooving tool tool holder length;
• said grooving insert being configured to rest against said stop surface, upon said grooving insert being slid into said grooving insert receptacle and upon assembly, and being disposed against said stop surface;
• said clamping head comprising an upper portion, during use, being disposed on a first side of said grooving insert receptacle and being adjacent said first side surface of said clamping head;
• said clamping head comprising a lower portion, during use, being disposed on a second side of said grooving insert receptacle, which second side is opposite said first side, and being adjacent said second side surface of said clamping head;
• a separating slot being disposed between and separating said upper portion, during use, of said clamping head and said lower portion, during use, of said clamping head;
• said separating slot comprising a first surface and a second surface;
• said first surface and said second surface being substantially parallel;
• said first surface of said separating slot being disposed nearer to said first side surface of said clamping head than said second surface of said separating slot;
• said second surface of said separating slot being disposed nearer to said connecting body than said first surface of said separating slot;
• said separating slot comprising a substantially s-shaped curve in a cross-sectional view, which substantially s-shaped curve comprises:
• a first slot portion, in which said first surface and said second surface extend from said first end of said grooving tool tool holder length toward said connecting body and said first surface and said second surface extend substantially parallel to said grooving tool tool holder longitudinal axis;
• a second slot portion extending from said first slot portion and curving toward said upper portion, during use, of said clamping head, in which said first surface curves convexly toward said connecting body and said second surface curves concavely away from said first side surface of said clamping head;
• a third slot portion extending from said second slot portion, in which said first surface and said second surface are substantially straight;
• and
• a fourth slot portion extending from said third slot portion, in which said first surface curves concavely away from said connecting body and said second surface curves convexly toward said first side surface;
• a threaded clamping screw being configured and disposed to:
• extend between and connect said upper portion, during use, of said clamping head and said lower portion, during use, of said clamping head;
• narrow said separating slot by bringing said upper portion, during use, of said clamping head and said lower portion, during use, of said clamping head closer together to clamp said clamping head about said grooving insert;
• and
• expand said separating slot by moving said upper portion, during use, of said clamping head and said lower portion, during use, of said clamping head farther apart to loosen said clamping head around said grooving insert;
• said threaded clamping screw longitudinal axis being inclined with respect to the grooving tool tool holder longitudinal axis at an angle of less than about forty-five degrees, which angle permits accessibility for loosening and tightening of said threaded clamping screw, and permits replacing grooving inserts in said grooving insert receptacle, in order to provide secure clamping of replacement grooving inserts during operation of a machine tool in which access to said upper portion and/or side portions, during use, is blocked, such that an adjustment tool for said threaded clamping screw is blocked from accessing a threaded clamping screw disposed on an upper and/or side portion, during use, of a grooving tool tool holder, and further permits a grooving insert to be replaced in said tool holder without said tool holder being moved in a machine tool in which said tool holder is installed;
• and
• said threaded clamping screw longitudinal axis being substantially perpendicular to said first surface and said second surface of said third slot portion of said separating slot.