Stone expansion control for a honing machine
AssigneeDelapena Honing Equipment Limited
InventorsMichael A. Boulton, Joseph I. Roberts, Hamid R. Bassirat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A honing machine has a stone expansion system in which the honing stones are expanded radially via wedges by radial movement generated by a d.c. wedge motor. The motor (13) is driven by a constant-current amplifier (50) which provides a driving current according to a required stone pressure (a). This determines the torque of the motor during honing. A speed input (g) sets a required approach speed and from this is derived a control signal which controls an on/off controller (55). This causes the output current of the constant-current amplifier to be choppped, therby controlling speed as the stones approach the wall of the bore while allowing control of torque during honing.
Claims12
A stone expansion system for a honing machine which has honing stones mounted to expand radially with respect to a spindle of the machine;
- a stone expansion drive motor and a stone expansion drive linkage coupling the motor to the stones, the motor being a d.c. electric motor, the stone expansion system being characterised in that there is provided a constant-current amplifier connected to drive the motor;
- a torque control system whereby the operator can set a torque command input to determine the amplitude of the current from the constant-current amplifier;
- and a speed control system whereby the operator can set at least one speed command input to determine the speed of the motor, the arrangement being such that the speed control system is effective to ensure control of speed as the stones approach the wall of the bore and that the torque control system is effective to control stone pressure during honing.
A stone expansion system for a honing machine comprises a hollow spindle;
- an expandable honing stone carrier arrangement at the end of the spindle;
- a stroke motor for reciprocating the spindle relative to a work-piece;
- and a wedge control system for expanding the stroke carrier arrangement by axial movement of wedges having extension strips which pass along the hollow spindle;
- there being provided a drive motor for rotating the spindle, the drive motor comprising a stator/rotor assembly, the rotor having a hollow core which carries the hollow spindle, the stator being mounted in a housing assembly, the wedge extension strips passing through the core of the rotor and the wedge control system being fixed directly to the stator housing assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.