Collet and assembly for mounting a workpiece to a milling machine
OwnerDrew Boersmainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A milling machine can include a chuck and at least one tool. The chuck is rotatable about a first rotational axis and has clamping jaws. The at least one tool is movable relative to the first rotational axis. An assembly for the milling machine includes a workpiece and a collet. The collet includes fingers affixing the collet to the workpiece. The collet also includes a chuck mount receivable within the chuck. The chuck is rotatable about a first rotational axis and has clamping jaws. The at least one tool is movable relative to the first rotational axis. An assembly for the milling machine includes a workpiece and a collet. The collet includes fingers affixing the collet to the workpiece. The collet also includes a chuck mount receivable within the chuck.
Claims61
A method of mounting a workpiece to a milling machine haying a chuck with clamping jaws, the method comprising:
- mounting a collet to the workpiece by:
- moving fingers of the collet to an unclamped position, where a portion of the workpiece can be received between the fingers, and moving the fingers of the collet to a clamped position, where the portion of the workpiece is clamped between the fingers;
- and
- mounting the collet, while mounted to the workpiece, to the chuck by:
- inserting at least a portion of the collet into the chuck, and applying a clamping force from the clamping jaws to the fingers to increase the clamping force applied by the fingers to the workpiece.
An assembly for a milling machine comprising a chuck, rotatable about a first rotational axis and having clamping jaws, and at least one cutting tool movable relative to the first rotational axis, the assembly comprising:
- a workpiece;
- and
- a collet comprising resilient fingers applying a clamping force affixing the collet to the workpiece and a chuck mount receivable within the chuck.
A collet for mounting to a workpiece and receivable within a milling machine chuck having clamping jaws, the collet comprising:
- a clamp assembly comprising multiple fingers arranged in spaced relation to define a gap, the multiple fingers being deflectable from a clamping position to a non-clamping position;
- and
- a piston assembly having a mandrel movable between a retracted position to an extended position to move the fingers from the clamping position to non-clamping position.
A method of automatic loading of a workpiece into a milling machine having a rotating chuck, the method comprising:
- moving the workpiece along a conveyor to an indexed position corresponding to alignment of a collet mounting station and a collet mounting location on the workpiece;
- when the workpiece is in the indexed position, mounting at least one collet to the workpiece at the collet mounting location to form a workpiece assembly comprising the workpiece and the at least one collet;
- and
- carrying the workpiece assembly with a robotic arm to the milling machine and inserting the at least one collet into the chuck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.