Method and apparatus for correcting diametrical taper on a workpiece

A microfinishing machine for reducing taper on selected bearing journal surfaces comprising:

• a machine base;
• a primary finishing arm affixable to said base;
• rotating means for rotating said workpiece about a longitudinal axis thereby causing said journal surfaces to rotate past predetermined locations, said rotating means affixable to said base;
• taper correction means for applying a plurality of adjacent, independently variable grinding pressures to said journal surfaces at said predetermined locations, said taper correction means mounted on said primary finishing arm;
• primary abrasive means for finishing said journal surfaces, said abrasive means mounted on said primary finishing arm and adapted for use in cooperation with said taper correction means;
• measuring means for gauging said bearing journal surfaces at a plurality of spaced points thereon during rotation of said workpiece to generate a plurality of gauging signals,
• processor means in electrical contact with said measuring means for receiving said gauging signals, calculating the diameters of said journal surfaces at said spaced points and generating a plurality of output signals corresponding to the diameters of said journal surfaces at said spaced points;
• comparator means in electrical contact with said processor means for comparing said output signals to determine the taper on said selected journal surf aces and controlling the extent to which said taper correction means applies variable grinding pressure to said selected surfaces to correct said taper.

A method of reducing taper on selected bearing journal surfaces of a workpiece which is rotated about a longitudinal axis past predetermined locations, comprising:

• providing a finishing arm having abrasive means mounted thereon for finishing selected journal bearing surfaces;
• providing a measuring means mounted on said finishing arm;
• measuring said selected journal bearing surfaces at a plurality of spaced points thereon during rotation of said workpiece;
• generating a plurality of gauging signals in accordance with said journal bearing surface measurements;
• analyzing said gauging signals and calculating the diameters of said selected journal surfaces at said spaced points;
• generating a plurality of output signals corresponding to the diameters of said selected journal surfaces at said spaced points;
• providing comparator means for comparing said output signals to determine the taper on said selected journal surfaces and generating corresponding control signals;
• providing taper correction means in electrical contact with said comparator means for receiving said control signals, said taper correction means mountable on said primary finishing arm;
• applying variable grinding pressure to said selected journal surfaces in accordance with said control signal to correct said taper.