Graphite fiber reinforced structure for supporting machine tools
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsCharles E. Knight, Jr., Louis Kovach, John S. Hurst
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Machine tools utilized in precision machine operations require tool support structures which exhibit minimal deflection, thermal expansion and vibration characteristics. The tool support structure of the present invention is a graphite fiber reinforced composite in which layers of the graphite fibers or yarn are disposed in a 0/90.degree. pattern and bonded together with an epoxy resin. The finished composite possesses a low coefficient of thermal expansion and a substantially greater elastic modulus, stiffness-to-weight ratio, and damping factor than a conventional steel tool support utilized in similar machining operations.
Claims6
In combination with a machine tool comprising a machine tool housing and a tool support carried by said housing for supporting a tool in a desired working relationship with a workpiece, said tool support comprising a hollow elongated tubular body formed of a plurality of layers of graphite fibers with the layers and fibers in each layer bonded together with a resin binder, the fibers in the majority of said layers being disposed in a side-by-side relationship and oriented so as to extend along a plane projecting between opposite ends of the tubular body, the fibers in the minority layers being wound about the tubular body in a side-by-side relationship and projecting in a plane orthogonal to the fibers in the first-mentioned plane, each of the minority of the layers being separated from one another by a plurality of the majority of the layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.