Precision cutter with automated pressure control
AssigneeBuehler AG
InventorsThomas A. Linke, Alan W. Wilkerson, Ashok K. Parida
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A saw apparatus comprises an operatable saw blade and a holding arm for gripping an object to be sawed, plus means for moving the saw blade and holding arm together to cause the saw blade to engage the object for sawing under controlled-pressure conditions. The saw blade is carried by strain gauge means, the strain gauge means being part of electronic means for sensing the load of the operatable saw blade on the strain gauge means. Thus, pressure of the object for sawing against the top of the saw blade causes an increase in the load sensed by the strain gauge. The electronic signal generated thereby may be used in a feedback system to control the pressure of the workpiece against the saw blade.
Claims15
In an automatic saw of the type having a rotatable saw blade for cutting through a workpiece which is carried on a movable arm which permits the workpiece to be moved into engagement with the saw blade for cutting through the workpiece, the improvement comprising, in combination, a rotatable saw blade mounted on a first shaft, a saw blade drive motor for rotating said first shaft, first frame means supporting said saw blade motor and said first shaft and said saw blade, load cell means providing an electical output signal corresponding to a load supported thereon, said first frame means being mounted on said load cell means to measure the force exerted against said saw blade by said workpiece, arm means for carrying said workpiece, and arm drive means for moving said arm means toward said saw blade, said arm drive means being controlled in response to said electrical output signal.
In an automatic saw of the type having a rotatable saw blade for cutting through a workpiece which is carried on a rotatable arm which permits the workpiece to be moved into engagement with the saw blade for cutting through the workpiece, the improvement comprising, in combination, a rotatable saw blade mounted on a first shaft, a saw blade drive motor for rotating said first shaft, first frame means for supporting said saw blade motor and said first shaft and said saw blade, load cell means providing an electrical output signal corresponding to a load supported thereon, said first frame means being mounted on said load cell means to measure the force exerted against said saw blade by said workpiece, arm means for carrying said workpiece, said arm means being mounted for partial rotational movement on an arm shaft, said arm shaft being longitudinally extendable and retractable, ramoval control means for controlling the length of said arm shaft to control the amount of material removed from said workpiece during a sawing operation, and an arm drive motor controlled by said electrical output signal for moving said arm means toward said saw blade.
In an automatic saw of the type having a rotatable saw blade for cutting through a workpiece which is carried on a rotatable arm which permits the workpiece to be moved into engagement with the saw blade for cutting through the workpiece, the improvement comprising, in combination, a rotatably saw blade mounted on a first shaft, a saw blade drive motor for rotating said first shaft, first frame means for supporting said saw blade motor and said first and said saw blade, load cell means providing an electrical output signal corresponding to a load supported thereon, said load cell means being fixedly mounted at one end and said first frame means being mounted on the other end thereof to measure the force exerted against said saw blade by said workpiece, said rotatable arm being mounted for partial rotational movement on an arm shaft, said arm shaft being longitudinally extendable and retractable, removal control means for controlling the length of said arm shaft to control the amount of material removed from said workpiece during a sawing operation, an arm drive motor controlled by said electrical output signal for moving said rotatable arm toward said saw blade, a gear segment mounted on said arm shaft, a drive pinion in driving relation with said gear segment, and drive pulley means for rotating said drive pinion, said arm drive motor being connected to drive said drive pulley means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.