US 4,592,173 AGranted

Hone for gerotor stators, and honing method

OwnerHollis N. White, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for honing cylindrical bores adjacent to a larger cavity or bore is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a set of expandable abrasive-coated frustro-conical sleeves mounted on rotating shafts, one for each cylindrical bore, which circumferentially surround, and are supported by, a rotating inner supporting member. The sleeves and supporting member are moved through the bore and larger cavity in a direction along their axis of rotation, and in so doing, the sleeves contact the bore walls to impart a honing action. A means for precisely adjusting the final honing diameter of the sleeves is provided, as well as means for adjusting the distance of the sleeves from the center of the larger cavity. By adjusting the sleeves at successively closer positions to a desired final bore, the bore can be honed with great accuracy.

Claims15

Dependent claims

Apparatus for honing a cylindrical bore or portion thereof, comprising in combination

a shaft, said shaft having an axis approximately coaxial with said bore, said shaft having a sleeve-bearing portion thereof which is generally frustro-conical and coaxial with the axis of said shaft;
an abrasive sleeve, said abrasive sleeve having inner and outer generally frustro-conical surfaces, said outer surface of said abrasive sleeve being abrasive, being coaxial with said shaft, and having a radius at its larger end approximately equal to the radius of said bore, said inner surface surrounding the sleeve-bearing portion of said shaft and closely but slidingly fitting said sleeve-bearing portion, said abrasive sleeve being provided with a longitudinal slot therethrough and extending axially the length thereof, whereby radial expansion of said abrasive sleeve is permitted;
means to move said abrasive sleeve axially on said shaft at the said sleeve bearing portion thereof, whereby axial motion in the direction of increasing radius of said sleeve bearing portion causes said abrasive sleeve to be expanded radially;
means for rotating said shaft, together with said abrasive sleeve carried thereupon, about the axis of said shaft;
means for moving said shaft and abrasive sleeve through said bore in a direction substantially parallel to its axis so that said abrasive sleeve is caused to hone said bore;
a rotatable frustro-conical hone-supporting member having on its lateral aspect an outer frustro-conically curved face, and having an axis of rotation coincident with the geometric axis of said face, said face being shaped complementarily to said abrasive sleeve such that when said hone-supporting member and said abrasive sleeve are rotated, rolling contact is made between said face and said abrasive sleeve at a point outside said bore, said hone-supporting member thus supporting said abrasive sleeve and said shaft directly against movement radially toward said axis of rotation of said hone-supporting member, and thus urging said shaft and abrasive sleeve into said bore;
and
means for rotating hone-supporting member.

5 more elements

Apparatus for honing a plurality of cylindrical outer bores, or portions thereof, of equal radii, disposed about the perimeter of a central bore, all of which outer bores have parallel axes, comprising in combination

a plurality of hones, each associates with one of said outer bores and having an axis approximately coaxial with its said associated outer bore, each of said hones having an outer abrasive surface which is frustro-conical and coaxial with the axis of said hone, said outer abrasive surface having a radius at is larger end approximately equal to said radii of said outer bores;
means for rotating each of said outer hones;
a rotatable frustro-conical hone-supporting member having on its lateral aspect an outer frustro-conically curved face and having an axis of rotation coincident with the geometric axis of said face, said face being shaped complementarily to said hone such that when said hone-supporting member and said hones are rotated, rolling contact is made between said face and each said hone at a point outside of its said associated outer bore, said hone-supporting member thus supporting each said hone directly against movement radially toward said axis of rotation, and thus urging each of said hone into its said associated outer bore;
and
means for moving all of said hones through said outer bores in a direction substantially parallel to said axes of said outer bores.

2 more elements

In a workpiece having a cavity therein, and in which it is desired to enlarge said cavity such that a cylindrical bore B.sub.f, whose axis is coincident with a line A.sub.f and whose radius is r.sub.f, is contained within said cavity, and the distance between A.sub.f and another line A.sub.c is R.sub.f, and said cavity further having the property that a bore B.sub.c is contained within said cavity, where the axis of B.sub.c is coincident with said line A.sub.c, and B.sub.c has radius R.sub.f -r.sub.f, and A.sub.c and A.sub.f are parallel, the method of enlarging said cavity to contain the said cylindrical bore B.sub.f, comprising the following steps in the order named:

(a) choosing a line A.sub.1 and a radius r, said line A.sub.1 being parallel to A.sub.c and A.sub.f and lying close to A.sub.f, said radius r being less than but approximately equal to r.sub.f, and choosing together with A.sub.1 and r a frustro-conically shaped abrasive member whose greatest radius is r.sub.f, such that if the said cavity is enlarged to contain a bore B.sub.0 of radius r and axis A.sub.1, it is possible to pass said abrasive member through said workpiece rotating about an axis coincident with A.sub.1, to cut a new bore B.sub.1 whose radius is r.sub.f and axis is A.sub.1, and it is then possible to pass said abrasive member through said workpiece rotating about an axis coincident with A.sub.f to cut the desired final said bore B.sub.f ;
and
(b) cutting into said workpiece the said bore B.sub.0 of radius r and axis A.sub.1 ;
and
(c) holding said abrasive member in position by support means which pass through said bore B.sub.c, which support means may be adjusted to support said abrasive member in its passage through said workpiece so that the axis of said abrasive member lies at either A.sub.1 or A.sub.f, and at the same time, passing through said workpiece the said abrasive member and support means with the axis of said abrasive member coincident with A.sub.1, and with the abrasive member rotating around its axis;
thereby cutting the bore B.sub.1 into the said cavity;
and
(d) adjusting said support means to support said abrasive member upon said axis at A.sub.f ;
and then
(e) repeating step (c) but with the axis of said abrasive member coincident with A.sub.f, thereby cutting the desired bore B.sub.f.

7 more elements

In a workpiece having a cavity therein, and in which it is desired to enlarge said cavity such that a cylindrical bore B.sub.f, whose axis is coincident with a line A.sub.f and whose radius is r.sub.f, is contained within said cavity, and the distance between A.sub.f and another line A.sub.c is R.sub.f, and said cavity further having the property that bores B.sub.c and B.sub.0 both are contained within said cavity, where the axis of B.sub.c is coincident with said line A.sub.c and B.sub.c has radius R.sub.f -r.sub.f, and where the axis of B.sub.0 is coincident with another line A.sub.1 and B.sub.0 has radius r, and A.sub.c, A.sub.1, and A.sub.f are parallel, and r is less than but approximately equal to r.sub.f, the method of enlarging said cavity to contain the said cylindrical bore B.sub.f, comprising the following steps in the order named:

(a) passing through said workpiece a frustro-conically shaped abrasive member whose greatest radius is r.sub.f and whose frustro-conical axis is coincident with A.sub.1, and which abrasive member rotates around its axis, and which abrasive member is held in position by support means which pass through said bore B.sub.c, and which support means may be adjusted to support said abrasive member in its passage through said workpiece at an axis coincident with any line A such that A is parallel to A.sub.c, and lies farther from A.sub.c than A.sub.1 but closer to A.sub.c than A.sub.f ;
(b) choosing a line A.sub.2 parallel to A.sub.c, and lying farther than A.sub.1 from A.sub.c, but closer than A.sub.1 to A.sub.f, such that A.sub.2 is close enough to A.sub.1 to permit the passage through the workpiece of said abrasive member when its axis coincides with A.sub.2, and choosing A.sub.2 to be at A.sub.f if possible;
(c) adjusting said support means to support said abrasive member upon said axis at A.sub.2 ;
(d) passing said abrasive member through said workpiece with its axis at A.sub.2 ;
(e) if A.sub.2 was not at A.sub.f, choosing a line A.sub.3 lying farther than A.sub.2 from A.sub.c, and closer than A.sub.2 to A.sub.f, such that A.sub.3 is close enough to A.sub.2 to permit the passage through the workpiece of said abrasive member when its axis coincides with A.sub.3 ;
(f) repeating steps (c) and (d) for said axis A.sub.3 ;
and
(g) repeating said steps (e), (c) and (d) as long as necessary, in the order given, for successive choices A.sub.4, A.sub.5, etc., successively approaching A.sub.f, until some choice of axis A.sub.n may be made to coincide with the desired final axis A.sub.f.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.