Valve resurfacing apparatus and method for making the same

An apparatus for engaging the stem of a valve member and for rotating the valve member about an axis, said apparatus comprising

• a housing,
• bearing means within said housing,
• a sleeve member supported by said bearing means for rotation about an axis, said sleeve member having therein a cylindrical bore centered on said axis and machined by rotating said sleeve member about said axis,
• a spindle slideably housed within said bore for movement relative to said sleeve member along said axis, said spindle including a first inner surface defining a frustoconical bore centered on said axis, said first inner surface being machined by rotating said spindle in said sleeve and about said axis,
• a collar mounted on said sleeve member for common rotation therewith about said axis, said collar including a second inner surface defining a second frustoconical bore centered on said axis said second frustoconical bore being in spaced opposed facing relation with respect to said frustoconical bore of said first inner surface, said second inner surface being machined by rotating said sleeve member and said collar about said axis,
• first and second axially spaced sets of balls located within said bore,
• means for supporting said first set of balls for radial movement relative to said sleeve member and for engagement with said first inner surface,
• means for supporting said second set of balls for radial movement relative to said sleeve member and for engagement with said second inner surface,
• means for moving said spindle relative to said sleeve member and along said axis so that said inner surface on said spindle engages said first set of balls and so that said inner surface on said collar engages said second set of balls, and
• means for rotating said spindle about said axis.

An apparatus for engaging a workpiece and for rotating the workpiece, said apparatus comprising

• a housing,
• a sleeve member having therein a bore centered on an axis,
• bearing means supported by said housing and supporting said sleeve member for rotation about said axis,
• a plunger slideably housed within said bore and moveable relative to said sleeve member along said axis,
• means for securing the workpiece within said bore in response to axial movement of said plunger relative to said sleeve member, said securing means including first and second axially spaced sets of balls, means for supporting said balls within said bore so that said balls are circumferentially spaced around said axis and so that said first set of balls is spaced axially from said second set of balls, and means for moving said balls radially inwardly toward said axis and into engagement with the workpiece in response to axial movement of said plunger relative to said sleeve member, said means for moving said balls radially inwardly including a first frustoconical bore surface supported by said plunger and adapted to engage the first set of balls for moving the balls inwardly and a second frustoconical bore surface adapted to engage the second set of balls for moving the balls of the second set inwardly, and
• means for rotating said sleeve member about said axis.

An apparatus for engaging a workpiece and for rotating the workpiece, said apparatus comprising

• a housing,
• a sleeve member having therein a bore centered on an axis,
• bearing means supported by said housing and supporting said sleeve member for rotation about said axis,
• a plunger slideably housed within said bore and moveable relative to said sleeve member along said axis,
• means for securing the workpiece within said bore in response to axial movement of said plunger relative to said sleeve member, and
• means for rotating said sleeve member about said axis, said means for rotating said sleeve member including means connected directly to said plunger for rotating said plunger about said axis.

An apparatus for engaging a workpiece and for rotating the workpiece, said apparatus comprising

• a housing,
• a sleeve member having therein a bore centered on an axis,
• bearing means supported by said housing and supporting said sleeve member for rotation about said axis,
• means for securing the workpiece within said bore, said securing means including first and second axially spaced sets of balls circumferentially spaced around said axis, means defining a first frustoconical inner surface and a second frustoconical inner surface facing said first frustoconical inner surface, means for supporting said first set of balls for radial movement relative to said sleeve and for engagement with said first frustoconical inner surface, means for supporting said second set of balls for radial movement relative to said sleeve and for engagement with said second frustoconical inner surface, and means for causing engagement of said first and second frustoconical surfaces with said first and second sets of balls, respectively, and
• means for rotating said sleeve member about said axis.

A valve resurfacing apparatus comprising

• a base,
• a chuck assembly mounted on said base and including a housing, a sleeve member having therein a bore centered on an axis, bearing means supported by said housing and supporting said sleeve member for rotation about said axis, a plunger slideably housed within said bore and moveable relative to said sleeve member along said axis, means for securing the stem of a valve within said bore in response to axial movement of said plunger relative to said sleeve member, said securing means including a first plurality of bearing members and a second plurality of bearing members spaced axially from said first plurality of bearing members, means for supporting said bearing members within said bore so that said bearing members are circumferentially spaced around said axis, the means for supporting the bearing members including a carriage housed within said bore and having a central bore adapted to house the valve stem, and the carriage supporting the first plurality of bearing members in spaced apart relation around the valve stem and supporting the second plurality of bearing members in spaced apart relation around the valve stem and means for causing said bearing members to move radially inwardly toward said axis and into engagement with the valve stem in response to axial movement of said plunger relative to said sleeve member, said means for causing the bearing members to move radially inwardly including a first ramp surface supported by said sleeve member and engaging said first plurality of bearing members to force said bearing members inwardly in response to axial movement of the plunger toward the first ramp surface of the sleeve member and a second ramp surface supported by the plunger and engaging the second plurality of bearing members to force said bearing members inwardly in response to axial movement of the plunger toward the first ramp portion and means for rotating said sleeve member and the valve about said axis, and
• means mounted on said base for resurfacing the valve.

An apparatus for engaging the stem of a valve member and for rotating the valve member about an axis, said apparatus comprising

• a housing,
• bearing means within said housing
• a sleeve member supported by said bearing means for rotation about an axis, said sleeve member having therein a cylindrical bore centered on said axis and machined for rotating said sleeve member about said axis,
• a spindle slideably housed within said bore for movement relative to said sleeve member along said axis, said spindle including a first inner surface defining a frustoconical bore centered on said axis, said first inner surface being machined by rotating said spindle in said sleeve and about said axis,
• a collar mounted on said sleeve member for common rotation with said sleeve member about said axis, said collar including a second inner surface defining a second frustoconical bore centered on said axis, said second inner surface being machined by rotating said sleeve member and said collar about said axis,
• a bearing member carriage means housed in said cylindrical bore between said first inner surface and said second inner surface,
• first and second axially spaced sets of bearing members located within said bore and supported by said bearing member carriage, said first set of bearing members being supported by said carriage for radial movement relative to said sleeve member, said first surface being engageable with said first set of bearing members to force said bearing members against the stem of a valve member when the spindle moves toward the collar, and the second set of bearing members being supported by the carriage for radial movement relative to said sleeve member, said second inner surface being engageable with the second set of bearing members to force said bearing members against the stem of a valve member when the spinkle moves toward the collar,
• means for moving said spindle relative to said sleeve member and along said axis so that said first inner surface on said spindle engages said first set of bearing members and so that said second inner surface on said collar engages said second set of bearing members, and
• means for rotating said spindle about said axis.