Clampable apparatus for grinding spherical surfaces

Clampable apparatus for producing convex and/or concave spherical surfaces in workpieces such as optical lenses, comprising

• a frame,
• a swivel arm substantially in the form of a gantry and mounted on the frame such that its angle of inclination relative thereto is adjustable, the swivel arm including two support portions having an axle extending therebetween,
• a rocker arm pivotally and adjustably mounted on the axle,
• the swivel arm and rocker arm being adjustably locatable and securable in a selective adjustment position,
• a spindle sleeve housing axially displaceably mounted on the rocker arm and having a tool spindle for carrying a machine tool and being received in the housing and mounted for rotation about a tool spindle axis of rotation lying in a tool spindle plane, which plane is normal to the axle, in any adjustment position of the swivel arm and rocker arm,
• a workpiece spindle for supporting a workpiece to be machined by the machine tool and being arranged at the frame such that the machine tool and workpiece are locatable in the plane of the axis of rotation of the tool spindle, and
• a pair of clamping devices for retaining the swivel arm and rocker arm in any such adjustment position,
• said clamping devices being substantially identical and symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of rotation of the tool spindle so as to be substantially mirror images of one another, each clamping device having two cooperating members which are clampingly embraceable by frictional engagement with one another, one such member being mounted on the swivel arm and the other such member being mounted on the rocker arm, and
• wherein at least one of the two cooperating members of each clamping device is adjustable relative to the other corresponding member and is securable in a selective adjusted clamping position, and
• wherein one of the cooperating members includes a tension block adjustably mounted on a corresponding supporting portion of the swivel arm and which has a clamping cup for exerting a tensional force located in such tension block, and the other of the cooperating members includes a clamping rail located on a corresponding lateral side of the rocker arm which cooperates with the clamping cup, the clamping rail being clampingly embraced relative to the tension block by the tensional force exerted by the clamping cup.

Clampable apparatus operable at a heated operating temperature for producing convex and/or concave spherical surfaces in workpieces such as optical lenses, comprising

• a frame,
• a swivel arm adjustably mounted on the frame for movement to a selective adjustment position relative to the frame,
• a rocker arm adjustably mounted on the swivel arm for movement about a rocker pivot axis to a selective adjustment position relative to the swivel arm,
• a tool spindle for carrying a machine tool to machine a workpiece, and which is mounted on the rocker arm for axial displacement relative thereto and for rotation about a tool spindle axis of rotation lying in a tool spindle plane which is normal to the rocker pivot axis,
• a workpiece spindle for supporting a workpiece to be machined by the machine tool, and which is arranged at the frame in the tool spindle plane,
• means for maintaining the tool spindle axis of rotation in the tool spindle plane in any selective adjustment position of the swivel arm and of the rocker arm and in turn of the tool spindle, and
• bilateral clamping means on opposed sides of the tool spindle plane for releasably retaining the swivel arm and rocker arm in any selective adjustment position relative to each other, and including a pair of correspondingly opposed clamping devices substantially symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of rotation of the tool spindle, each clamping device having two cooperating members which are clampingly embraceable by operative engagement with one another, one such member being correspondingly mounted on the swivel arm and the other such member being correspondingly mounted on the rocker arm, one of the members of each clamping device being arranged for operative displacement to a heated operating temperature displacement location relative to the arm on which it is mounted, when the apparatus is at its corresponding heated operating temperature, for operative engagement at such displacement location with the other member of such clamping device, whereby to prevent lalteral deviation of the rocker arm and inturn of the tool spindle axis of rotation from the tool spindle plane.

Clampable apparatus for producing convex and/or concave spherical surfaces in workpieces such as optical lenses, comprising

• a frame,
• a swivel arm adjustably mounted on the frame for movement to a selective adjustment position relative to the frame,
• a rocker arm adjustably mounted on the swivel arm for movement about a rocker pivot axis to a selective adjustment position relative to the swivel arm,
• a tool spindle for carrying a machine tool to machine a workpiece, and which is mounted on the rocker arm for axial displacement relative thereto and for rotation about a tool spindle axis of rotation lying in a tool spindle plane which is normal to the rocker pivot axis,
• a workpiece spindle for supporting a workpiece to be machined by the machine tool, and which is arranged at the frame in the tool spindle plane,
• means for maintaining the tool spindle axis of rotation in the tool spindle plane in any selective adjustment position of the swivel arm and of the rocker arm and in turn of the tool spindle, and
• bilateral clamping means on opposed sides of the tool spindle plane for releasably retaining the swivel arm and rocker arm in any selective adjustment position relative to each other, and including a pair of correspondingly opposed clamping devices substantially symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of rotation of the tool spindle, each clamping device having two cooperating members which are clampingly embraceable by operative engagement with one another, one such member being correspondingly mounted on the swivel arm and the other such member being correspondingly mounted on the rocker arm, and
• wherein at least one of the two cooperating members of each clamping device is adjustable relative to the other corresponding member and is securable in a selective adjusted clamping position, and
• wherein one of the cooperating members includes a tension block adjustably mounted on a corresponding supporting portion of the swivel arm and which has a clamping cup for exerting a tensional force located in such tension block, and the other of the cooperating members includes a clamping rail located on a corresponding lateral side of the rocker arm which cooperates with the clamping cup, the clamping rail being clampingly frictionally embraced relative to the tension block by the tensional force exerted by the clamping cup, whereby to prevent lateral deviation of the rocker arm and in turn of the tool spindle axis of rotation from the tool spindle plane.