Milling cutter with adjustable finishing insert

A milling cutter having an adjustable finishing insert assembly, said milling cutter being generally cylindrical in configuration having a planar cutting surface, said milling cutter being rotatable about its longitudinal axis, said cutter having a plurality of indexable cutting inserts mounted around the periphery thereof adjacent the cutting surface, said assembly for adjusting the angle of said finishing insert relative to said cutting surface of said milling cutter thereby insuring that a flat cutting edge of the finishing insert may be addressed to the surface of a workpiece in order to provide a smooth cutting profile, said milling cutter comprising:

• a cartridge pocket formed in said dish cutting surface of said milling cutter and spaced radially inwardly from the periphery thereof, said cartridge pocket including a planar floor disposed at an inclined angle on the order of 10.degree. relative to said planar cutting surface, said cartridge pocket further including an upstanding arcuate rear wall;
• a finishing insert formed from a flat wafer of cutting material and having a polygonal configuration in plan, and at least one flat cutting edge;
• a finishing insert cartridge mounted in said cartridge pocket, said cartridge having a planar bottom surface abutting said floor of said cartridge pocket, said cartridge having a recess with said finishing insert mounted therein, and with said cartridge further including a complimentary, arcuate rear wall engaged and abutting said arcuate rear wall of said cartridge pocket, said complimentary arcuate walls cooperating to support said cartridge in said cartridge pocket;
• first mounting means for fixing the position of said finishing insert relative to said cartridge;
• and
• second mounting means for adjustably mounting said cartridge within said cartridge pocket such that by varying the position of said cartridge relative to said cartridge pocket along said inclined floor thereof, the angle of said finishing insert relative to the planar cutting surface of said milling cutter is capable of being varied so as to exactly compensate for the tilt of said longitusinal axis of the milling cutter relative to the surface of the workpiece.