# US 5,704,736 A · Dove-tail end mill having replaceable cutter inserts

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- Number: US 5,704,736 A
- Document ID: US5704736A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/488,693
- Filed: 1995-06-08
- Granted: 1998-01-06
- Earliest claimed: 1995-06-08
- Inventors: Enrico R. Giannetti
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704736A

## CPC

- B23C 5/1054: {T slot cutters}
- Y10T 407/191: Plural simultaneously usable separable tools in common seat or common clamp actuator for plural simultaneously usable tools
- Y10T 407/1926: Plural simultaneously usable separable tools in common seat or common clamp actuator for plural simultaneously usable tools
- Y10T 407/1936: Apertured tool
- Y10T 407/2274: Apertured tool
- B23C: MILLING (broaching B23D; broach-milling in making gears B23F; arrangement for copying or controlling B23Q)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A dove-tail end mill having a cutter shank with a milling head supporting a plurality of replaceable standard 60.degree. triangular cutter inserts. The cutter inserts are designed and oriented with respect to the cutter head to position cutter edges for generating the inclined undercut surface of a dove-tail slot. Simultaneously, the cutter configuration is designed to establish a clearance angle between the lower cutting edge of each of the cutters and the planar surface being generated by the cutter inserts. The milling head defines a plurality of cutter stations each having planar support surfaces for stabilization of the respective cutter inserts and cutter orientation shoulders for accurate positioning of each of the cutter inserts with respect to the cutting head. The cutting head supports each of the cutter inserts to define a cutting rake of about plus 15.degree. and axial rake of about plus 10.degree. and a radial rake of about minus 14.degree..

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dove-tail end milling tool for milling in a workpiece a dove-tail slot having angulated undercut shoulder surfaces and a planar bottom surface, comprising:
(a) a tool shank defining an axis of rotation and having a milling head at one end thereof, said milling head defining at least one cutter station having a generally triangular planar cutter support surface and defining a cutter locator shoulder;
(b) a replaceable, generally triangular cutter insert composed of durable metal cutting material and defining three cutting edges being oriented in angular relation of 60.degree. with one another, one of said cutting edges engaging and being oriented by said cutter locator shoulder for positioning two of said cutting edges of said cutter for cutting a dove-tail slot, said cutter insert defining a screw opening centrally thereof;
(c) a retainer screw extending through said screw opening and being threaded into said cutter station at said cutter support surface for retaining said cutter insert in releasable assembly with said milling head at said cutter station;
(d) said generally triangular cutter support surface being in angular relation with said axis of rotation and said cutter locator shoulder being at an angle for orienting a second of said cutting edges of said cutter insert at a designated angle for cutting undercut dove-tail shoulder surfaces of a designated angle and orienting a third cutting edge of said cutter insert at a clearance angle with respect to the planar bottom surface of the dove-tail slot being generated by said cutter insert.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dove-tail end milling tool of claim 1, wherein said milling head defines a plurality of substantially identical cutter stations being equally spaced about said axis of rotation of said tool shank for support of a plurality of said generally triangular cutter inserts in position for milling said dovetail lots.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The dove-tail end milling tool of claim 1, wherein:
said cutter locator shoulder accomplishing positioning of said cutter insert at a predetermined cutting rake angle, a predetermined axial rake angle and a predetermined radial rake angle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The dove-tail end milling tool of claim 1, wherein:
(a) said milling head defining an end surface for positioning adjacent a workpiece to be milled; and
(b) said cutter locator shoulder positioning an exposed cutting portion of said cutter insert at a location beyond said end surface for cutting engagement with a workpiece and defining a clearance between the milling head and the workpiece.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The dove-tail end milling tool of claim 1, wherein said generally triangular cutter insert having:
(a) a cutting rake angle of about plus 15 degrees;
(b) an axial rake angle of about plus 10 degrees; and
(c) a radial rake angle of about minus 14 degrees.

### Claim 6

A dove-tail end milling tool for milling dove-tail slots having angulated undercut shoulder surfaces and a planar bottom surface, comprising:
(a) a tool shank defining a longitudinal axis and having a milling head at one end thereof, said milling head defining a plurality of cutter stations oriented in equally angularly spaced relation about said longitudinal axis;
(b) each of said cutter stations having a generally planar, generally triangular cutter support surface of a dimension for stable support of said cutter insert and being oriented in angular relation with said longitudinal axis;
(c) a replaceable, generally triangular cutter insert composed of durable metal cutting material and defining three cutting edges being oriented in angular relation with one another, said three cutting edges having included angles of 60.degree. with one another and being less than the angle of the angulated undercut shoulder surface with the planar bottom surface of the dove-tail slots, said cutter insert having a cutting rake of about plus 15.degree., an axial rake angle of about plus 10.degree. and a radial rake angle of about minus 14.degree.;
(d) a locator shoulder being defined by said milling head and being engaged by one of said cutting edges for accurately positioning a second of said three cutting edges of said cutter insert for cutting said undercut shoulder surfaces of said dove-tail slot and for positioning a third of said three cutting edges of said cutter insert for cutting said planar bottom surface of said dove-tail slot and for positioning said third of said three cutting edges for cutting said planar bottom surface and defining a clearance angle of said third of said cutting edges with said planar bottom surface;
(e) a retainer screw extending through said cutter insert and into said cutter station for retaining said cutter insert in releasable assembly with said milling head at said cutter station with two of said three cutting edges exposed for simultaneous milling of said planar bottom surface and at least one of said angulated undercut shoulder surfaces and with one of said cutting edges oriented at a clearance angle with the planar bottom surface of the dove-tail slot.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The dove-tail end milling tool of claim 6, wherein:
said locator shoulder positioning said cutter insert at a predetermined cutting rake angle, a predetermined axial rake angle and a predetermined radial rake angle.

### Claim 8

A dove-tail end milling tool for milling dove-tail slots having angulated undercut shoulder surfaces and a planar bottom surface, comprising:
(a) a plurality of replaceable, triangular cutter inserts composed of durable metal cutting material and defining three cutting edges being oriented in equal angular relation with one another and having included angles of 60.degree. with one another;
(b) a tool shank defining an axis of rotation and having a milling head at one end thereof, said milling head each having a plurality of cutter stations having a generally planar, generally triangular cutter support surface of a dimension for stable support of said one of triangular cutter inserts, each of said cutter stations having a locator shoulder being defined by said milling head and being engaged by one of said cutting edges of said triangular cutter insert for accurately positioning a second of cutting edges of said cutter insert for cutting said undercut shoulder surface of said dove-tail slot and positioning a third of said cutting edges for cutting the planar bottom surface of the dove-tail slot and;
(c) retainer screws extending through each of said cutter inserts and into said cutter stations for retaining said cutter insert in releasable assembly with said milling head at said cutter station; and
(d) said locator shoulder orienting one cutting edge of said cutter insert for cutting undercut dove-tail shoulder surfaces at a designated angle and orienting an adjacent cutting edge of said cutter insert at a clearance angle with respect to the planar bottom surface being generated by said cutter insert and accomplishing positioning of said cutter insert at a cutting rake angle of about plus 15.degree., a axial rake angle of about plus 10.degree. and a radial rake angle of about minus 14.degree..

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The dove-tail end milling tool of claim 8, wherein said cutter locator shoulder orienting one cutting edge of said cutter insert comprising:
(a) a generally planar, generally triangular cutter support surface of a dimension for stable support of said cutter insert and being oriented an angular relation with said axis of rotation; and
(b) said locator shoulder being defined by said milling head and being engaged by one of said cutting edges of said generally triangular insert for accurately positioning said cutter insert for cutting said undercut shoulder surfaces of said dove-tail slot and for defining said clearance angle.