Machine tool and method of cooling rotary parts thereof
AssigneeSan Rocco Donzelli Industriale S.p.A.
InventorGiovanni Beretta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The spindle and the bearings for the spindle in a milling, boring or other machine are cooled by streams of air which is drawn from the surrounding atmosphere by one or more turbine wheels. The turbine wheel or wheels are rotated by the spindle or by a pulley which drives the spindle, and the air streams are caused to withdraw heat from one or more tubes which are adjacent and/or surround the bearings for the spindle. The feature that the turbine wheel or wheels are driven at a speed which is proportional to the RPM of the spindle ensures that the cooling action is also proportional to such speed.
Claims20
A method of cooling a spindle which is rotatable in a plurality of bearings in a housing of a machine, comprising the steps of:
- rotating the spindle at a plurality of speeds;
- providing a plurality of turbine wheels, each said turbine wheel being adjacent a respective bearing;
- inducing the flow of at least one cooling air stream by rotating said turbine wheels, said turbine wheels drawing air from the surrounding atmosphere;
- causing the at least one air stream to exchange heat with the spindle and with at leas one bearing;
- and
- coupling said turbine wheels to said spindle to vary the quantity of air in the at least one stream as a function of the speed of the spindle.
A machine comprising a housing;
- a spindle rotatable in said housing;
- friction reducing means including at least one bearing interposed between said housing and said spindle;
- means for rotating said spindle at a plurality of different speeds;
- and means for cooling said spindle and said at least one bearing, including means for drawing at least one stream of air from the surrounding atmosphere at a rate which is at least substantially proportional to the speed of the spindle, and means for establishing an exchange of heat between the at least one air stream on the one hand, and the spindle and the at least one bearing on the other hand, said rotating means including a pulley having at least one passage which connects said drawing means with the atmosphere.
A machine comprising a housing;
- a spindle rotatable in said housing;
- friction reducing means including at least one bearing interposed between said housing and said spindle;
- means for rotating said spindle at a plurality of different speeds;
- and means for cooling said spindle and said at least one bearing, including means for drawing at least one stream of air from the surrounding atmosphere at a rate which is at least substantially proportional to the speed of the spindle, and means for establishing an exchange of heat between the at least one air stream on the one hand, and the spindle and the at least one bearing on the other hand, said establishing means including a tubular member which is installed in said housing and surrounds said spindle, said tubular member and said housing defining a chamber for reception of said at least one air stream from said drawing means, said tubular member having heat dissipating projections in said chamber, said drawing means including a rotary turbine wheel for providing said at least one stream of air.
A machine comprising:
- a housing;
- a spindle rotatable in said housing;
- friction reducing means including at least one bearing interposed between said housing and said spindle;
- means for rotating said spindle;
- a first turbine wheel mounted coaxially for rotation with said spindle, said first turbine wheel being in heat transfer relationship with said at least one bearing, and comprising a rotating element having at least one axially directed rotating inlet and at least one rotating outlet located radially outward from said inlet, and a respective flow passage between said at least one inlet and said at least one outlet, rotation of said first turbine wheel drawing a flow of air into said inlet, through said flow passage and out from said first turbine wheel outlet, said flow of air cooling said first turbine wheel and thereby said at least one bearing.
A machine comprising a housing;
- a spindle rotatable in said housing;
- friction reducing means including at least two bearings spaced apart and interposed between said housing and said spindle;
- means for rotating said spindle;
- and means for cooling said spindle and said at least two bearings;
- a plurality of turbine wheels for drawing air from the surrounding atmosphere, and means for establishing heat exchange between the drawn air and the spindle and the at least two bearings, each said turbine wheel being located adjacent a respective one of said bearings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.