Liquid supply system of an ultrasonic machine

In an ultrasonic machine including an ultrasonic horn driven longitudinally by a piezoelectric transducer and rotatably supported by a machine body wherein the ultrasonic horn has a cylindrical portion formed on a moving end thereof carrying a machine tool and there is a machining liquid passage for supplying machining liquid from outside of the cylindrical portion to a passage on the inside thereof and from there to a bore through the machine tool, sealing apparatus for connecting a pressured supply of machining liquid to the machine tool while minimizing undesired splattering and leakage of the machining liquid comprising:

• a sealing member carried the machine body and having a main bore therethrough concentrically disposed about the cylindrical portion of the horn in close-spaced relationship thereto to allow longitudinal and rotational motion of the cylindrical portion of the horn in said main bore wherein;
• a) said sealing member has a machining liquid supply passage connected on an outer end to a pressured supply of the machining liquid, said machining liquid supply passage having an inner end terminating adjacent an opening to the machining liquid passage in an outer surface of the cylindrical portion;
• b) said sealing member has an indentation formed in an inner surface of said main bore communicating with said inner end of said machining liquid supply passage;
• c) said sealing member has a pair of first thin portions longitudinally disposed on respective sides of said indentation near said opening;
• d) said sealing member has a pressure drop chamber formed therein adjacent said first thin portions, said pressure drop chamber having a drain therein communicating between said pressure drop chamber and an outside drain opening;
• e) said sealing member has a pair of second thin portions longitudinally disposed on respective sides of said pressure drop chamber;
• and,
• f) said sealing member has an air supply passage connected to a supply of pressurized air and communicating with said main bore on sides of said second thin portions opposite said pressure drop chamber.

In an ultrasonic machine including an ultrasonic horn driven longitudinally by a piezoelectric transducer and rotatably supported by a machine body wherein the ultrasonic horn has a cylindrical portion formed on a moving end thereof carrying a machine tool and there is a machining liquid passage for supplying machining liquid from outside of the cylindrical portion to a passage on the inside thereof and from there to a bore through the machine tool, sealing apparatus for connecting a pressured supply of machining liquid to the machine tool while minimizing undesired splattering and leakage of the machining liquid comprising:

• a sealing member carried the machine body and having a main bore therethrough concentrically disposed about the cylindrical portion of the horn in close-spaced relationship thereto to allow longitudinal and rotational motion of the cylindrical portion of the horn in said main bore wherein;
• a) said sealing member has a machining liquid supply passage connected on an outer end to a pressured supply of the machining liquid, said machining liquid supply passage having an inner end terminating adjacent an opening to the machining liquid passage in an outer surface of the cylindrical portion;
• b) said sealing member has a first annular groove formed in an inner surface of said main bore communicating with said inner end of said machining liquid supply passage;
• c) said sealing member has a pair of first thin portions longitudinally disposed on respective sides of said indentation near said opening, said pair of first thin portions being defined by a pair of second annular grooves in said inner surface of said main bore disposed on opposite sides of said first annular groove in close-adjacent spaced relationship thereto, said pair of second annular grooves being interconnected within said sealing member to form a pressure drop chamber adjacent said first thin portions, said pressure drop chamber further having a drain therein communicating between said pressure drop chamber and an outside drain opening;
• d) said sealing member has a pair of second thin portions longitudinally disposed on respective sides of said pressure drop chamber, said pair of second thin portions being defined by a pair of third annular grooves in said inner surface of said main bore disposed longitudinally opposite respective ones of said second annular grooves from said first annular groove;
• and,
• e) said sealing member has an air supply passage connected to a supply of pressurized air and communicating with said pair of third annular grooves in said inner surface of said main bore.

In an ultrasonic machine including an ultrasonic horn driven longitudinally by a piezoelectric transducer and rotatably supported by a machine body wherein the ultrasonic horn has a cylindrical portion formed on a moving end thereof carrying a machine tool and there is a machining liquid passage for supplying machining liquid from outside of the cylindrical portion to a passage on the inside thereof and from there to a bore through the machine tool, sealing apparatus for connecting a pressured supply of machining liquid to the machine tool while minimizing undesired splattering and leakage of the machining liquid comprising a sealing member carried the machine body and having a main bore therethrough concentrically disposed about the cylindrical portion of the horn in close-spaced relationship thereto to allow longitudinal and rotational motion of the cylindrical portion of the horn in said main bore, said sealing member comprising:

• a) a close-fit connecting portion wherein an inner surface of said main bore is concentrically close-adjacent an outer surface of the cylindrical portion, said close-fit connecting portion including a radial passageway communicating with the machining liquid passage to receive pressured machining liquid therefrom;
• b) pressure drop chamber means longitudinally disposed about said close-fit portion on opposite sides thereof for forming a chamber having a drain therein communicating with the atmosphere through which machining liquid entering said pressure drop chamber means can flow out of said sealing member;
• c) a pair of close-fit air-seal portions wherein an inner surface of said main bore is concentrically close-adjacent an outer surface of the cylindrical portion longitudinally disposed on opposites sides of said pressure drop chamber means;
• and,
• d) air supply means connected for supplying pressurized air adjacent said pair of close-fit air-seal portions or respective sides thereof opposite from sides adjacent said pressure drop chamber means sufficient to raise pressure adjacent said close-fit air-seal portions up to a level where said close-fit air-seal portions function as air seals preventing machining liquid under approximately atmospheric pressure in said pressure drop chamber means from leaking past said close-fit air-seal portion.