End-mill tool with high and low helical flutes and related method for rough cutting and finishing a workpiece
OwnerLon J. Wardellinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An end-mill tool has at least one low helix angle flute, or primary flute) and at least two low helix angle flutes, or secondary flutes. The primary and secondary flutes intersect to define a plurality of compound helical cutting surfaces. Each of the compound cutting surfaces includes a cutting edge having a leading portion formed adjacent one of the primary flutes and a trailing portion formed adjacent one of the secondary flutes.
Claims15
An end-mill for performing a machining operation on a workpiece, the end-mill comprising:
- a shank;
- a point;
- a main body portion located intermediate said shank and said point;
- at least one primary flute formed on said main body portion along a first helix angle;
- said at least one primary flute defining a primary helical cutting surface,
- at least one secondary flute formed on said main body portion along a second helix angle, said at least one secondary flute defining a secondary helical cutting surface, said primary and secondary flutes intersecting;
- and
- said corresponding primary and secondary helical cutting surfaces intersecting to form a compound helical cutting surface, said compound helical cutting surface including a continuous cutting edge having a leading cutting edge formed along a portion of said primary helical cutting surface and a trailing cutting edge formed along a portion of said secondary helical cutting surface.
A combined roughing and finishing end-mill tool for forming a workpiece by removing chips from the workpiece, the end-mill tool comprising:
- a shank for engaging the end-mill tool with a rotating device for rotating the end-mill tool about a longitudinal axis;
- a point for plunging the tool into the workpiece;
- a main body portion located intermediate said shank and said point;
- at least one primary flute formed on said main body portion along a first helix;
- said at least one primary flute defining a primary helical cutting surface;
- a least one secondary flute formed on said main body portion along a second helix angle, said at least one secondary flute defining a secondary helical cutting surface, said at least one secondary flute intersecting said at least one primary flute;
- said primary and secondary helical cutting surfaces intersecting;
- and
- a plurality of compound helical cutting surfaces defined by said primary and secondary cutting surfaces, each of said compound helical cutting surfaces including a continuous cutting edge operative to remove chips of varying lengths from the work piece such that chips having a first length are removed from the workpiece through the at least one primary flute and chips having a second length are removed from the workpiece through the at least one secondary flute.
A method of rough cutting and finishing cutting a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an end-mill tool having a longitudinal axis, a primary flute disposed at a low helix angle and a secondary flute disposed at a high helix angle, said primary and secondary flutes intersecting to form a compound helical cutting surface having a continuous cutting edge, said continuous cutting edge having a leading portion along said primary flute with a first axial length and a trailing portion along said secondary flute with a second axial length;
- removing a first plurality of chips from the workpiece through said primary flute;
- and
- removing a second plurality of chips from the workpiece through said secondary flute.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.