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US 5,322,494 AGranted
High speed spindle unit and driver
AssigneeThe Ingersoll Milling Machine Company
InventorsJames O. Holtey, Paul A. S. Charles, Kugalur S. Chandrasekaran
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
High speed cutting with machine tools is achieved with readily available bearings of a small diameter by mounting and presetting the cutting tool directly in a spindle of a spindle unit without employing a tool holder. Preferably, the spindle unit is small like a tool holder and can be easily changed with conventional kinds of tool changing apparatus. The elimination of the tool holder allows the conventional bearings to be kept small so that they may be operated at high speeds, e.g., 20,000 to 40,000 rpm, without excessive heat that would damage the bearings.
Claims34
A spindle unit for automatic mounting and dismounting in a motorized driver having a drive shaft rotatable about a driven shaft axis, said spindle unit comprising:
- an outer stationary housing having a tool receiving end and a driver mounting end;
- cooperating means on the housing for cooperating with automatic means to remove the spindle unit from storage, and for placing the spindle unit in the motorized driver;
- a rotatable spindle rotatably mounted in the stationary housing for rotation about a spindle axis coaxial with the drive shaft axis and for supporting a cutting tool for rotation;
- a single cutting tool preset and preinstalled in the rotatable spindle and rotatable about the axis of the drive shaft and the spindle axis;
- bearing means in the stationary housing mounting the spindle for rotation in the stationary housing and thereby supporting the cutting tool for rotation within the stationary housing;
- said bearing taking axial and radial loads from the tool and being sized to the preset and preinstalled tool;
- said bearing means including a bearing positioned in the tool receiving end of the stationary housing and radially adjacent the tool shank and proximate the tool cutting edge;
- said cutting tool being mounted in the spindle without an adapter on the tool and without a rotating retention device gripping the adapter for the tool within the spindle unit;
- a drive coupling on the spindle having a driving connection with the drive shaft to rotate the spindle and cutting tool;
- and
- means non-rotatable with the spindle on the spindle unit for cooperation with the motorized driver to mount the spindle unit coaxially with the drive shaft of the motorized driver.
8 more elements
A spindle unit for automatic mounting and dismounting in a motorized driver having a driving shaft rotatable about a drive shaft axis, said spindle unit comprising:
- an outer stationary housing;
- cooperating means on the housing for cooperating with automatic means to remove the spindle unit from storage, and for placing the spindle unit in the motorized driver;
- a rotatable spindle rotatably mounted in the stationary housing and supporting a cutting tool for rotation;
- a cutting tool preset in the rotatable spindle and rotatable about the axis of the drive shaft;
- bearing means mounting the spindle for rotation in the stationary housing and thereby supporting the cutting tool for rotation within the stationary housing;
- a drive coupling on the spindle having a driving connection with the drive shaft to rotate the spindle and cutting tool;
- means non-rotatable with the spindle on the spindle unit for cooperation with the motorized driver to mount the spindle unit coaxially with the drive shaft of the motorized driver;
- and
- the spindle including a body having a thin shell section having substantially the shape of a hyperboloid, the cutting tool being mounted on an outer rim on the body.
6 more elements
A spindle unit for automatic mounting and dismounting in a motorized driver having a drive shaft rotatably about a drive shaft axis, said spindle unit comprising:
- an outer stationary housing;
- cooperating means on the housing for cooperating with automatic means to remove the spindle unit from storage, and for placing the spindle unit in the motorized driver;
- a rotatable spindle rotatably mounted in the stationary housing and supporting a cutting tool for rotation;
- a cutting tool preset in the rotatable spindle and rotatable about the axis of the drive shaft;
- bearing means mounting the spindle for rotation in the stationary housing and radially adjacent the cutting tool thereby supporting the cutting tool for rotation within the stationary housing;
- a drive coupling on the spindle having a driving connection with the drive shaft to rotate the spindle and cutting tool;
- means non-rotatable with the spindle on the spindle unit for cooperation with the motorized driver to mount the spindle unit coaxially with the drive shaft of the motorized driver;
- and
- the cutting tool rotating at a velocity in excess of 20,000 rpm, the inside diameter of the bearings being about 50 millimeters or less so that the DN product when multiplied by the velocity in revolutions per minute does not exceed approximately 1,000,000.
6 more elements
A spindle unit for automatic mounting and dismounting in a motorized driver having a drive shaft rotatably about a drive shaft axis, said spindle unit comprising:
- an outer stationary housing;
- cooperating means on the housing for cooperating with automatic means to remove the spindle unit from storage, and for placing the spindle unit in the motorized driver;
- a rotatable spindle rotatably mounted in the stationary housing and supporting a cutting tool for rotation;
- a cutting tool preset in the rotatable spindle and rotatable about the axis of the drive shaft;
- bearing means mounting the spindle for rotation in the stationary housing and thereby supporting the cutting tool for rotation within the stationary housing;
- a drive coupling on the spindle having a driving connection with the drive shaft to rotate the spindle and cutting tool;
- means non-rotatable with the spindle on the spindle unit for cooperation with the motorized driver to mount the spindle unit coaxially with the drive shaft of the motorized driver;
- and
- an outer shell wall on the spindle of substantially hyperboloid shape to reduce mass of the spindle and to contain cutting forces.
6 more elements
In a rotatable machine tool of the type having a driving head, a plurality of detachable rotary cutting tools and automatic means for selectively mounting and dismounting individual ones of said cutting tools with respect to said driving head, the combination comprising:
- a motorized drive head including a motor and a drive shaft which is driven by the motor and is rotatable about a drive shaft axis;
- a plurality of spindle units, each spindle unit having a stationary outer housing, an internal rotatable spindle rotatable coaxially about the drive shaft axis, and a single cutting tool preset and preinstalled on the spindle for rotation about a spindle axis;
- said tools being mounted in their respective spindles without an adapter on the tool and without a retention device for the tool adapter;
- bearings in each spindle unit being located radially adjacent its associated tool to keep the diameter (D) for the bearings small to minimize the linear speed thereof for a selected tool speed,
- mounting means non-rotatable with the spindle on said stationary housing and on each spindle unit to detachably retain any selected one of said spindle units on said drive head with said spindle axis aligned with said shaft axis;
- said mounting means being non-rotatable with the spindle;
- a drive coupling engaged upon assembly of any selected one of said spindle units to said drive head to connect said shaft to the spindle and cutting tool of the selected spindle unit;
- storage means for storing said plurality of spindle units each with a single tool adjacent to said motorized drive head;
- and
- automatically controlled mechanical transport means transporting any selected one of said spindle units from said storage means and mounting said selected spindle unit on said drive head with said drive shaft driving the cutting tool of the selected spindle unit.
7 more elements
A rotating machine tool having means for selectively driving any one of a plurality of rotary cutting tools at high speed, comprising:
- a motorized driver including a motor enclosed in a housing driving a drive shaft having an output end extending from said housing, said shaft having an axis about which it rotates;
- a plurality of cutting tool adaptors for detachably mounting rotary cutting tools for selective driving engagement with said drive shaft, each said adaptor including an outer non-rotatable support having a central bore in which a tool-receiving sleeve is mounted for rotation on spaced bearings secured to said support within said bore;
- means for securing each tool adaptor to said housing with the axis of said sleeve coaxial with said shaft axis;
- a drive coupling on said shaft and each said sleeve engaged upon mounting one of said tool adaptors on said housing to drivingly connect said shaft and said sleeve, said sleeve having a recess for receiving a mounting portion of a rotary machine tool, said recess being formed to transmit torque from said sleeve to said mounting portion;
- and
- said means for securing each adaptor to said housing includes a cylindrical coupling recess formed in said housing;
- said cylindrical coupling recess having an axis which is coincident with said shaft axis, and an expanding ring secured within said cylindrical coupling recess to grip an annular shoulder of one of said tool adaptors to secure such tool adaptor to said housing.
4 more elements
In a rotatable machine tool of the type having a driving head, a plurality of detachable rotary cutting tools and automatic means for selectively mounting and dismounting individual ones of said cutting tools with respect to said driving head, the combination comprising:
- a motorized drive head including a motor for driving a drive shaft which is rotatable about a drive shaft axis;
- a plurality of spindle units, each spindle unit having a stationary outer housing, an internal rotatable spindle, and a cutting tool preset on the spindle for rotation about a spindle axis;
- mounting means non-rotatable with the spindle on said housing and on each spindle unit to detachably retain any selected one of said spindle units on said drive head with said spindle axis aligned with said shaft axis;
- a drive coupling engaged upon assembly of any selected one of said spindle units to said drive head to connect said shaft to the spindle and cutting tool of the selected spindle unit;
- storage means for storing said plurality of spindle units adjacent to said motorized drive head;
- p1 automatically controlled mechanical transport means transporting any selected one of said spindle units from said storage means and mounting said selected spindle unit on said drive head with said drive shaft driving the cutting tool of the selected spindle unit;
- and
- an outer shell wall on the spindle of substantially hyperboloid shape to reduce mass of the spindle to contain cutting forces exerted on said cutting tool.
5 more elements
An apparatus for driving a rotating cutting tool comprising:
- a motorized driver including a motor enclosed in a housing and driving a drive shaft in the housing and having an output end, said shaft having an axis about which it rotates;
- a spindle unit having bearings radially adjacent the tool for journaling a tool-receiving sleeve for rotation about a spindle axis which is coaxial with the axis of the drive shaft;
- mounting means on said housing and said spindle unit to detachably retain said spindle unit on said housing with said spindle axis aligned with said shaft axis, said mounting means being non-rotatable with the sleeve;
- a spindle journaled in the bearings and carrying one or more cutting tools for rotation about the spindle axis;
- a single cutting tool having a maximum diameter without a tool changing adapter thereon with the tool being preset and preinstalled in said sleeve of the spindle;
- adapter means on the spindle unit for use with an automatic transport means to change a spindle unit each time a tool is changed;
- the bearings in the spindle having a reduced diameter related to the tool maximum diameter of the tool to allow an increase in tool cutting speed and a decrease in the linear speed of the bearings;
- and
- a drive coupling on said shaft and said spindle engaged upon assembly of said spindle unit to said housing to connect said shaft and said spindle.
6 more elements
An apparatus for driving a rotating cutting tool comprising:
- a motorized driver including a motor enclosed in a housing and driving a drive shaft in the housing and having an output end, said shaft having an axis about which it rotates;
- a spindle unit having bearings for journaling a tool-receiving sleeve for rotation about a spindle axis which is coaxial with the axis of the drive shaft;
- mounting means on said housing and said spindle unit to detachably retain said spindle unit on said housing with said spindle axis aligned with said shaft axis;
- a spindle journaled in the bearings and carrying one or more cutting tools for rotation about the spindle axis;
- a cutting tool preset and preinstalled in said spindle;
- a drive coupling on said shaft and said spindle engaged upon assembly of said spindle unit to said housing to connect said shaft and said spindle;
- and
- said mounting means including a cylindrical recess formed in said housing coaxial with said drive shaft and an annular shoulder on said spindle unit received within said recess, and an expanding ring fixed to said housing in said recess to grip said annular shoulder and secure said spindle unit to said housing.
5 more elements
An apparatus for driving a rotating cutting tool comprising:
- a motorized driver including a motor enclosed in a housing and driving a drive shaft in the housing and having an output end, said shaft having an axis about which it rotates;
- a spindle unit having bearings radially adjacent the tool for journaling a tool-receiving sleeve for rotation about a spindle axis which is coaxial with the axis of the drive shaft;
- mounting means non-rotatable with the shaft on said housing and said spindle unit to detachably retain said spindle unit on said housing with said spindle axis aligned with said shaft axis;
- a spindle having a hollow bore journaled in the bearings and carrying one or more cutting tools for rotation about the spindle axis;
- a cutting tool preset and preinstalled and telescoped within the hollow bore in said spindle;
- a drive coupling on said shaft and said spindle engaged upon assembly of said spindle unit to said housing to connect said shaft and said spindle;
- and
- said drive shaft being rotated at high speed, drive shaft bearings in said housing supporting said drive shaft for rotation, said spindle bearings being no greater in diameter than said drive shaft bearings, the spindle bearings being related in size to the tool without a tool adapter thereon to allow the spindle bearings to have a small diameter to minimize the linear speed of said spindle bearings for a selected tool rotational speed.
5 more elements
A rotating machine tool having means for selectively driving any one of a plurality of rotary cutting tools at high speed, comprising:
- a motorized driver including a motor enclosed in a housing driving a drive shaft having an output end extending from said housing, said shaft having an axis about which it rotates;
- a plurality of cutting tool adaptors for detachably mounting rotary cutting tools for selective driving engagement with said drive shaft, each said adaptor including an outer non-rotatable support having a central bore in which a tool-receiving sleeve is mounted for rotation on spaced bearings secured to said support within said bore, at least one of said spaced bearings being radially adjacent said tool;
- means non-rotatable with the sleeve for securing each tool adaptor to said housing with the axis of said sleeve coaxial with said shaft axis;
- a drive coupling on said shaft and each said sleeve engaged upon mounting one of said tool adaptors on said housing to drivingly connect said shaft and said sleeve, said sleeve having a recess for receiving a mounting portion of a rotary machine tool, said recess being formed to transmit torque from said sleeve to said mounting portion;
- and
- said drive coupling on said shaft and each said sleeve including a tapered end on said drive shaft having peripherally spaced lobes which engage a complementary-shaped recess at the end of each said sleeve to drivingly interconnect said drive shaft and each said sleeve.
3 more elements
An apparatus for driving a rotating cutting tool comprising:
- a motorized driver including a motor enclosed in a housing and driving a drive shaft in the housing and having an output end, said shaft having an axis about which it rotates;
- a spindle unit having bearings for journaling a tool-receiving sleeve for rotation about a spindle axis which is coaxial with the axis of the drive shaft;
- mounting means non-rotatable with the shaft on said housing and said spindle unit to detachably retain said spindle unit on said housing with said spindle axis aligned with said shaft axis;
- a spindle journaled in the bearings and carrying one or more cutting tools for rotation about the spindle axis;
- a cutting tool preset in said spindle;
- a drive coupling on said shaft and said spindle engaged upon assembly of said spindle unit to said housing to connect said shaft and said spindle;
- and
- said spindle comprising an outer shell of substantially hyperboloid shape to reduce mass of the spindle and to contain cutting forces.
5 more elements
In a rotating machine tool of the type having a driving head, a plurality of detachable rotary cutting tools and automatic means for selectively mounting and dismounting individual ones of said cutting tools with respect to said driving head, the combination comprising:
- a motorized drive head including a motor enclosed in a housing for driving a drive shaft mounted in said housing and having an output end, said drive shaft being rotatable about a drive shaft axis;
- a plurality of spindle units, each said spindle unit including a spindle housing and a single, tool-receiving shaft which is journaled on said spindle housing for rotation about a spindle axis which is coaxial with the drive shaft axis;
- spaced bearings in each of said spindles surrounding the spindle shaft and at least one bearing having an inner diameter radially adjacent to an outer diameter for the tool-receiving shaft to allow an increase in tool rotational speed;
- a plurality of cutting tools each having a shank preset within and received within a respective one of said shafts, drive means formed on respective ones of said shanks and said shafts to drivingly couple each said shank to a respective one of said shafts;
- mounting means on said housing and each said spindle unit to detachably retain any selected one of said spindle units on said housing with said spindle axis aligned with said shaft axis, said mounting means being non-rotatable with said shafts;
- a drive coupling formed by said drive shaft and any one of said tool-receiving shafts engaged upon assembly of any one of said spindle units to said housing to drivingly connect said drive shaft and said tool-receiving shaft;
- storage means for storing said plurality of spindle units each with a single tool therein adjacent to said motorized drive head;
- and
- automatically controlled mechanical transport means for transporting a selected one of said spindle units from said storage means and mounting said selected spindle units on said housing with said drive shaft and said tool-receiving shaft in driving engagement.
6 more elements
A rotating machine tool having means for selectively driving any one of a plurality of rotary cutting tools at high speed, comprising:
- a motorized driver including a motor enclosed in a housing driving a drive shaft having an output end extending from said housing, said shaft having an axis about which it rotates;
- a plurality of cutting tool adaptors for detachably mounting rotary cutting tools for selective driving engagement with said drive shaft, each said adaptor including an outer non-rotatable support having a central bore in which a tool-receiving sleeve is mounted for rotation on spaced bearings secured to said support within said bore, at least one of said spaced bearings being radially adjacent said tool;
- means non-rotatable with the sleeve for securing each tool adaptor to said housing with the axis of said sleeve coaxial with said shaft axis;
- a drive coupling on said shaft and each said sleeve engaged upon mounting one of said tool adaptors on said housing is drivingly connect said shaft and said sleeve, said sleeve having a recess for receiving a mounting portion of a rotary machine tool, said recess being formed to transmit torque from said sleeve to said mounting portion;
- and
- said rotary machine tool comprising at least one cutting tool insert mounted in a recess at the outer end of said sleeve at a location spaced from said sleeve axis.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.