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AssigneeThe Warner & Swasey Company
InventorsRichard L. Patterson, Jyoti Mukherjee, Edward L. Slaby, Robert A. Furmanek
Estimating the term…
A tool force sensor assembly (20) generates an electrical signal which is related to the change in force applied by a tool (24) to a workpiece (28) and is indicative of the wear condition or failure of the tool (24). The sensor assembly (20) is mounted in force transmitting relationship between a movable tool support (30, 36) and a nut member (44, 45) which is driven by screw shaft (40, 41). The sensor assembly (20) comprises a plurality of ring-shaped piezoelectric transducers (48) which are held in preselected, circumferentially spaced relationship to each other around the screw shaft (40, 41) by a retainer ring (56, 58) which is sandwiched between a pair of load distribution plates (52, 54). Fasteners (46) extend through each of the transducers (48) and mount the sensor assembly (20) between the nut member (44, 45) and the tool support (30, 36). An alternate form of the retainer ring (80) is formed by molding the transducers (48 ) within a layer of flexible molding material which allows the transducers (48) to seat properly against the load distribution plates (52, 54). A pair of the sensor assemblies (20) may be respectively mounted on the slide (30) and carriage (36) of a machine tool (22) in order to monitor tool force in two mutually orthogonal directions.
In combination with machine tool apparatus (22) of the type including a workpiece cutting tool (24) mounted on a support (36), means (42) for mounting the support (36) for movement on a base (51) and along a reference axis (29), means (40, 44) adapted to be coupled with a source of motive power for driving said support (36) along said reference axis (29) and a plurality of elongate fasteners (46) connecting said driving means (40, 44) with said support (36), a tool force sensor for generating electrical signals corresponding to cutting tool force and indicative of the wear condition or failure of said tool (24), comprising:
In combination with machine tool apparatus (22) of the type including a workpiece cutting tool (24) mounted on a support (36), means (42) for mounting the support for movement on a base (51) and along a reference axis (29), a lead screw (40) adapted to be coupled with a source of rotating power for driving said support (36) along said reference axis (29), a nut (44) threadably receiving said lead screw (40) for transmitting force from said lead screw (40) to said support (36), and a lubrication passageway (76) extending through said support (36) into said nut (44) for delivering lubrication form a source (78) to said nut (44), a device for generating an electrical signal corresponding to cutting tool force and indicative of the wear condition or failure of said cutting tool (24), comprising:
In combination with machine tool apparatus (22) of the type including a workpiece cutting tool (24) mounted on a support (36), means (42) for mounting the support for movement on a base (51) and along a reference axis (29), means (40, 44) adapted to be coupled with a source of rotating power for driving said support (36) along said reference axis (29), and a plurality of fasteners (46) extending between said driving means (40, 44) and said support (36) for connecting said driving means (40, 44) with said support (36), a device for generating an electrical signal corresponding to cutting tool force and indicating the wear condition or failure of said cutting tool (24), comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.