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US 5,682,658 AGranted
Rotary index table assembly
AssigneeUtica Enterprises, Inc.
InventorRobert E. Roseliep
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary index table assembly including an annular positioning mechanism (22) that cooperates with a lift mechanism (140) to accurately position a rotary index table (14) on a base (12). The annular positioning mechanism (22) includes a base mounted crown gear (24), a table mounted crown gear (26) and a movable crown gear (28) that is moved out of engagement with the base and table mounted crown gears to permit the indexing rotation and that is thereafter moved into engagement with the base and table mounted crown gears to locate the table with respect to the base while the lift mechanism (140) supports the table on the base by the movement of the movable crown gear (28) to permit the accurate positioning.
Claims18
A rotary index table assembly comprising :
- a base;
- a rotary index table having a central rotational axis and an outer periphery;
- a rotary drive that rotates the index table on the base for indexing rotation about the rotational axis;
- stationary supports that support the periphery of the table to prevent movement thereof during machining of a workpiece supported by the table;
- an annular positioning mechanism including a base mounted crown gear, a table mounted crown gear and a movable crown gear that is moved to disengage from the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to permit the indexing rotation of the table and that is thereafter moved into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to locate the table with respect to the base after each indexing rotation;
- and a lift mechanism that removes weight of the table from the stationary supports by the impetus of the movable crown gear upon moving out of engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to facilitate accurate table positioning when the movable crown gear is subsequently again moved into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear after the indexing rotation of the table.
3 more elements
A rotary index table assembly comprising:
- a base;
- a rotary index table having a central rotational axis and an outer periphery;
- a rotary drive that rotates the index table on the base for indexing rotation about the rotational axis;
- stationary supports that support the periphery of the table to prevent movement thereof during machining of a workpiece supported by the table;
- an annular positioning mechanism including a base mounted crown gear, a table mounted crown gear and a movable crown gear that is moved to disengage from the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to permit the indexing rotation of the table and that is thereafter moved into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to locate the table with respect to the base after each indexing rotation;
- and a lift mechanism including lift members that extend between the table and movable crown gear to remove weight of the table from the stationary supports by the impetus of the movable crown gear upon moving out of engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to facilitate accurate table positioning when the movable crown gear is subsequently again moved into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear after the indexing rotation of the table.
3 more elements
A rotary index table assembly comprising:
- a base;
- a rotary index table having a central rotational axis and an outer periphery;
- a rotary drive that rotates the index table on the base for indexing rotation about the rotational axis;
- stationary supports that support the periphery of the table to prevent movement thereof during machining of a workpiece supported by the table;
- an annular positioning mechanism including a base mounted crown gear, a table mounted crown gear, a movable crown gear that has a piston portion and is moved to disengage from the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to permit the indexing rotation of the table, and a plurality of springs that bias the movable crown gear into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to locate the table with respect to the base after each indexing rotation;
- and a lift mechanism including a hydraulic circuit that selectively provides pressurized hydraulic fluid to the piston portion of the movable crown gear to thereby provide movement thereof against the bias of the springs out of engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to permit the indexing rotation under the impetus of the rotary drive, and the lift mechanism including lift members that extend between the table and movable crown gear to remove weight of the table from the stationary supports by the impetus of the movable crown gear upon moving out of engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to facilitate accurate table positioning when the movable crown gear is subsequently again moved into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear after the indexing rotation of the table.
3 more elements
A rotary index table assembly comprising:
- a base having an annular ring including circumferentially spaced vertical openings extending therethrough;
- a rotary index table having a central rotational axis and an outer periphery;
- the table having a lower glide ring;
- a rotary drive that rotates the index table on the base for indexing rotation about the rotational axis;
- stationary supports that support the periphery of the table to prevent movement thereof during machining of a workpiece supported by the table;
- an annular positioning mechanism including a base mounted crown gear, a table mounted crown gear, a movable crown gear that has a piston portion and is moved to disengage from the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to permit the indexing rotation of the table, and a plurality of springs that bias the movable crown gear into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to locate the table with respect to the base after each indexing rotation;
- a lift mechanism including a hydraulic circuit that selectively provides pressurized hydraulic fluid to the piston portion of the movable crown gear to thereby provide movement thereof against the bias of the springs out of engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to permit the indexing rotation under the impetus of the rotary drive, the lift mechanism including lift members that are respectively received by the vertical openings of the annular ring of the base, the lift members extending between the lower glide ring of the table and the movable crown gear to remove weight of the table from the stationary supports by the impetus of the movable crown gear upon moving out of engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear to facilitate accurate table positioning when the movable crown gear is subsequently again moved into engagement with the base mounted crown gear and the table mounted crown gear after the indexing rotation of the table;
- and a lubrication system for providing lubrication between the lower glide ring of the table and the lift members .
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.