Apparatus for cutting and grinding a workpiece
OwnerGarfield R. Lunninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine for simultaneously milling and grinding a workpiece comprises milling and grinding wheels rotatable about respective first and second parallel axes, the second axis being offset radially with respect to the first axis. A single motor drives the milling and grinding wheels at different relative speeds. The grinding wheel is mounted to a hub which includes an axially flexible portion to enable the grinding surface to be axially adjusted. The milling wheel includes an array of milling cutters with a large gap formed between leading and trailing ones of the milling cutters to accommodate the offset grinding wheel. The radial spacing of the milling cutters from the axis of rotation of the milling wheel progressively increases from the leading milling cutter to the trailing milling cutter.
Claims14
An apparatus for performing cutting and grinding operations on a workpiece, comprising:
- a hollow outer spindle mounted to be rotatably driven about a first axis of rotation;
- a cutting ring mounted on a front end of said outer spindle for carrying cutters rotatable about said first axis;
- an inner spindle disposed within said outer spindle and mounted to be rotatably driven about a second axis extending parallel to said first axis and offset radially there from;
- and a grinding wheel mounted on a front end of said inner spindle, said grinding wheel including a front grinding surface rotatable about said second axis and orbitable about said first axis.
An apparatus for performing cutting and grinding operations on a workpiece, comprising:
- a hollow outer spindle rotatable about its longitudinal axis;
- a cutting ring mounted on a front end of said outer spindle and carrying cutters rotatable in a cutting path about said axis of said outer spindle;
- an inner spindle disposed within said outer spindle and rotatable about its longitudinal axis;
- a grinding mechanism mounted on a front end of said inner spindle, said grinding mechanism including a mounting portion connected to said inner spindle, a front grinding surface, and an elastically flexible connector portion interconnecting said mounting portion and said grinding surface to enable said grinding surface to be axially adjusted relative to said cutting path in response to axial flexing of said connector portion;
- and
- an actuator for controlling the axial flexing of said connector portion.
An apparatus for grinding a workpiece, comprising:
- a spindle rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
- a grinding mechanism including a mounting portion mounted to a forward end of said spindle, a front grinding surface, and an elastically flexible portion interconnecting said grinding surface and said mounting portion to enable said grinding surface to be axially adjusted;
- and
- an actuator for controlling axial flexing of said connector portion along said axis;
- said mounting portion and said elastically flexible portion being defined by a one-piece member formed of a metallic material, said member being arranged coaxially with said axis, all of said elastically flexible portion disposed radially inside of said mounting portion, said actuator arranged to apply an axial force to a center portion of said member at a location disposed radially inwardly with respect to said elastically flexible portion to displace said center portion axially with respect to said mounting portion.
An apparatus for grinding a workpiece, comprising:
- a spindle rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
- a grinding mechanism including a mounting portion mounted to a forward end of said spindle, a front grinding surface, and an elastically flexible connector portion interconnecting said grinding surface and said mounting portion to enable said grinding surface to be axially adjusted;
- and an actuator for controlling axial flexing of said connector portion along said axis, said actuator being operable to apply an axial force in a forward direction to said flexible portion to elastically flex said flexible portion axially forwardly from a relaxed state thereof, said actuator effecting said axial adjustment by reducing said forward force to enable said connector portion to flex rearwardly partially to its relaxed state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.