Milling machine with mill head having retractible return

A milling machine for cutting a surface on a workpiece and including a milling head assembly having a cutting stroke for cutting the surface of the workpiece and a return stroke to prepare for the next cutting stroke, said milling head assembly including:

• a rotatable spindle structure,
• power means for rotating said spindle structure about a preselected axis,
• cutter means actuable to provide a desired cut on the workpiece surface,
• positioning means operatively connected with said cutter means to axially position said cutter means between an advanced position to provide a desired out on the workpiece surface and a retracted position relative to the workpiece surface to preclude cutting engagement with the workpiece surface as said cutter means is moved in opposite directions traversing the workpiece surface,
• connecting means connecting said positioning means and said cutter means to said spindle structure for rotation with said spindle structure and for axial movement relative to said spindle structure,
• actuating means operably connected with said positioning means to actuate said positioning means to said advanced position for said cutting stroke and to said retracted position for said return stroke.

In a milling machine for cutting a surface on a workpiece and including a milling head assembly having a cutting stroke for cutting the surface of the workpiece and a return stroke to prepare for the next cutting stroke, said milling head assembly including

• a rotatable spindle structure,
• power means for rotating said spindle structure about a preselected axis,
• cutter means actuable to provide a desired cut on the workpiece surface,
• positioning means operatively connected with said cutter means to axially position said cutter means between an advanced position to provide a desired cut on the workpiece surface and a retracted position relative to the workpiece surface to preclude cutting engagement with the workpiece surface as said cutter means is moved in opposite directions traversing the workpiece surface,
• connecting means connecting said positioning means and said cutter means to said spindle structure for rotation with said spindle structure and for axial movement relative to said spindle structure,
• actuating means operably connected with said positioning means to actuate said positioning means to said advanced position for said cutting stroke and to said retracted position for said return stroke,
• the method of cutting the workpiece surface comprising the steps of:
• locating the workpiece such that the workpiece surface is in a position for a first cut by said cutter means when said cutter means is in said retracted position,
• causing said actuating means to actuate said positioning means to locate said cutter means in said retracted position,
• moving said cutter means in its cutting stroke to make said first cut on the workpiece surface with said cutter means in said retracted position,
• returning said cutter by means of said return stroke,
• causing said actuating means to actuate said positioning means to locate said cutter means in said advanced position,
• moving said cutter means in its cutting stroke to make a second cut on the workpiece surface,
• causing said actuating means to actuate said positioning means to locate said cutter means in said retracted position for said return stroke.

In a milling machine including a milling head assembly for cutting the surface of a workpiece, said milling head assembly including

• a rotatable spindle structure,
• power means for rotating said spindle structure about a preselected axis,
• cutter means actuable to provide a desired cut on the workpiece surface,
• positioning means operatively connected with said cutter means to axially position said cutter means between an advanced position relative to the workpiece surface and a retracted position relative to the workpiece surface as said cutter means is moved in opposite directions traversing the workpiece surface,
• connecting means connecting said positioning means and said cutter means to said spindle structure for rotation with said spindle structure and for axial movement relative to said spindle structure,
• actuating means operably connected with said positioning means to actuate said positioning means to said advanced position and to said retracted position,
• the method of cutting the workpiece surface comprising the steps of:
• locating the workpiece such that the workpiece surface is in a position for a first cut by said cutter means when said cutter means is in said retracted position,
• causing said actuating means to actuate said positioning means to locate said cutter means in said retracted position,
• moving said cutter means in a first stroke relative to the workpiece surface to make said first cut on the workpiece surface with said cutter means in said retracted position,
• causing said actuating means to actuate said positioning means to locate said cutter means in said advanced position,
• moving said cutter means in a second stroke relative to the workpiece surface to make a second cut on the workpiece surface.