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US 5,524,510 AGranted
Method and apparatus for manufacturing a rock bit leg
AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsPeter M. Davies, Dennis D. Bond
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsPeter M. Davies, Dennis D. Bond
Estimating the term…
A method of manufacturing a rock bit leg from a rough bit leg forging is disclosed whereby multiple machining operations are performed by a six-axis CNC machining center. Three dimensional datum surfaces are initially formed on a rough leg forging. The rough leg forging is then mounted in a holding fixture. The fixture, including the leg forging, is secured to the six-axis CNC machining center. A three dimensional datum reference from the leg forging is set into the NC function of the six-axis machining center. The rough leg forging includes a pair of extended flanges coincident with the 120.degree. leg surfaces. The leg flanges mount to complimentary surfaces formed on the leg holding fixture, thus securing the leg within the fixture without interference of any of the machining processes. The CNC machining center performs a majority of the material removal operations to prepare the leg for subsequent assembly through manipulation of the six interactive axes of the CNC machining center. The machining center positions the rough forging of the rock bit leg in any and all attitudes necessary to accomplish each of the separate material removal operations thereby maintaining extremely close tolerances since the leg forging remains indexed to and secured within the fixture throughout all of the machining processes.
A method of manufacturing a rock bit leg from a rough bit leg forging whereby multiple machining operations are performed by a six-axis CNC machining center comprising the steps of:
A method of manufacturing a rock bit leg from a raw leg forging whereby a majority of machining operations are performed by a six-axis CNC machining center comprising the steps of:
A rock bit leg forging for a three cone rock bit comprising means for mounting said leg forging in a leg machining holding fixture, said means for mounting said leg forging in the leg machining holding fixture is a pair of flanges integral with and protruding from opposite sides of the forging, the flanges being adjacent to and substantially parallel with two flat surfaces formed by the leg forging that intersect at an angle of about 120.degree., said mounting means facilitates subsequent multiple machining operations to the leg forging without interference from the means for mounting the leg to the fixture or the fixture itself.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.