Tool, an appratus for machining splines on a workpiece and a method of machining splines on a workpiece

A method of machining splines on a workpiece, the method comprising providing a tool, the tool comprising a base, a first tooth extending radially from the base, a second tooth extending radially from the base, the second tooth being spaced circumferentially from the first tooth, the first tooth having a first height, the second tooth having a second height, the second height being less than the first height, the first tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the first tooth, the second tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the second tooth, the first tooth being identical to the second tooth to the second height, the workpiece having an axis of rotation, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are rotatable relative to each other around the axis of rotation of the workpiece, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are movable relative to each other axially of the workpiece, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a first predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts an initial portion of a spline, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of the spline and the second tooth rough cuts an initial portion of an adjacent spline, relatively rotating the workpiece and tool to a predetermined number of circumferentially spaced positions, at each circumferential position moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of the adjacent spline and the second tooth roughs cut an initial portion of a further adjacent spline, relatively rotating the workpiece and tool to a final circumferential position, at the final circumferential position moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of a further adjacent spline to form the final spline.

A method of machining splines on a workpiece, the method comprising providing a tool, the tool comprising a base, a first tooth extending radially from the base, a second tooth extending radially from the base, the second tooth being spaced circumferentially from the first tooth, the first tooth having a first height, the second tooth having a second height, the second height being less than the first height, the first tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the first tooth, the second tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the second tooth, the first tooth being identical to the second tooth to the second height, the workpiece having an axis of rotation, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are rotatable relative to each other around the axis of rotation of the workpiece, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are movable relative to each other axially of the workpiece, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a first predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts an initial portion of a first axially extending slot, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of the first axially extending slot and the second tooth rough cuts an initial portion of a second axially extending slot, relatively rotating the workpiece such that the first tooth is aligned circumferentially with the second axially extending slot, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of the second axially extending slot to form a first spline and the second tooth roughs cut an initial portion of a third axially extending slot.

A method of machining splines on a workpiece, the method comprising providing a tool, the tool comprising a base, a first tooth extending radially from the base, a second tooth extending radially from the base, the second tooth being spaced circumferentially from the first tooth, the first tooth having a first height, the second tooth having a second height, the second height being less than the first height, the first tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the first tooth, the second tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the second tooth, the first tooth being identical to the second tooth to the second height, the workpiece having an axis of rotation, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are rotatable relative to each other around the axis of rotation of the workpiece, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are movable relative to each other axially of the workpiece, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a first predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts an initial portion of each of the confronting faces of first and second circumferentially adjacent axially extending splines, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of each of the confronting faces of the first and the second circumferentially adjacent axially extending splines and the second tooth rough cuts an initial portion of each of the confronting faces of second and third circumferentially adjacent axially extending splines, relatively rotating the workpiece such that the first tooth is aligned circumferentially between the second and third circumferentially adjacent axially extending splines, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of each of the second and third circumferentially spaced axially extending splines to form the second spline and the second tooth roughs cut an initial portion of each of the confronting faces of third and fourth circumferentially spaced axially extending splines.

A method of machining splines on a workpiece, the method comprising providing a tool, the tool comprising a base, a first tooth extending radially from the base, a second tooth extending radially from the base, the second tooth being spaced circumferentially from the first tooth, the first tooth having a first height, the second tooth having a second height, the second height being less than the first height, the first tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the first tooth, the second tooth tapering from the base to the tip of the second tooth, the first tooth being identical to the second tooth to the second height, the workpiece having an axis of rotation, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are rotatable relative to each other around the axis of rotation of the workpiece, arranging the workpiece and the tool such that they are movable relative to each other axially of the workpiece, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a first predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts an initial portion of a first axially extending slot, moving the tool axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of the first axially extending slot and the second tooth rough cuts an initial portion of a second axially extending slot, relatively rotating the workpiece and tool to a circumferential position in which the first tooth of the tool is aligned with a desired position of a further slot between two adjacent circumferentially spaced axially extending splines and the tool is moved axially towards and through the workpiece a first predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts an initial portion of the further slot and then the tool is moved axially towards and through the workpiece a second predetermined number of times such that the first tooth rough cuts a remaining portion of the further slot and the second tooth rough cuts an initial portion of slot adjacent to the further slot.