Nozzle for lubricating a workpiece
AssigneeUniversity of Missouri Board of Curators
InventorsKevin Hubbard, Richard N. Callahan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a nozzle for use in a metalworking process, whereby the nozzle is designed to precisely deliver an oil-containing liquid and non-flammable gas mixture onto the interface between a metalworking tool and a workpiece, whereby the nozzle is comprised of a tip and a valve body affixed to one another. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for cooling and lubricating a tool and workpiece during a metalworking process.
Claims31
A nozzle for applying a metalworking fluid to a workpiece and metalworking tool during metalworking of the workpiece, said metalworking fluid comprising an amount of at least one oil-containing liquid and an amount of a non-flammable gas, whereby effective cooling and lubrication of the workpiece and the tool occurs, said nozzle comprising:
- (a) a tip having an inner wall and an outer wall, and a front end and a back end, said inner wall of at least a first and second diameter;
- wherein said inner wall of first diameter forms a chamber and said inner wall of second diameter forms a passage way of a smaller diameter than said chamber connecting said chamber and the front end of said tip, wherein said oil-containing liquid and said non-flammable gas mix in said passage way;
- (b) a valve body having a valve body inner wall and a valve body outer wall, and a front end and a back end, the front end of said valve body being attached to the back end of said tip;
- said valve body inner wall being of varying diameter and having at least a first and second diameter and forming a valve body chamber, with said valve body inner wall first diameter of a larger diameter than said valve body inner wall second diameter, said inner wall having an oil-containing liquid inlet located in said valve body inner wall first diameter, and said valve body having at least one non-flammable gas conduit located between said inner and outer walls extending from said valve body back end to said valve body front end;
- and,
- (c) a hollow needle fitted into the portion of said valve body chamber formed by said valve body inner wall second diameter, said needle projecting away from the front end of said valve body into said tip chamber.
A method for applying a metalworking fluid during metalworking of a workpiece using a metalworking tool comprising:
- (a) conveying an oil-containing liquid through a protrusion into a mixing chamber by discharge at a forward position of the protrusion towards an orifice of a nozzle;
- (b) delivering a pressurized non-flammable gas to said mixing chamber at a position rearward of the forward position of the protrusion to mix said oil-containing liquid with the pressurized non-flammable gas and produce a metalworking fluid, wherein said non-flammable gas is at a sufficient pressure to produce adequate mixing of said oil-containing liquid and said non-flammable gas, and said orifice is of a diameter effective to produce a fine spray of said metalworking fluid;
- and,
- (c) contacting said metalworking fluid with said workpiece and said metalworking tool at the interface of said workpiece and said tool.
A method for metalworking a workpiece using a metalworking tool comprising:
- (a) mixing at least one oil-containing liquid with a pressurized non-flammable gas in a nozzle orifice to produce a metalworking fluid, wherein said non-flammable gas is at a sufficient pressure to produce adequate mixing of said oil-containing liquid and said non-flammable gas at a velocity ranging from Mach 0.3 to Mach 0.7, and said orifice is of a diameter effective to produce a fine spray of said metalworking fluid;
- (b) contacting said metalworking fluid with said workpiece and said metalworking tool at the interface of said workpiece and said tool;
- and
- (c) metalworking said workpiece using said tool.
A metalworking fluid composition comprising a mixture of a vegetable-based oil, a viscosity modifier, and a pressurized non-flammable gas, wherein said metalworking fluid is a fine spray.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.