Method and apparatus for drilling countersunk holes
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorKumun R. Vakil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drilling apparatus includes a drill, a surge control device and a countersink limiter coupled to the drill, and a rotatable cutting tool coupled to the countersink limiter. The cutting tool includes a drilling portion operable to form a hole, a countersink portion operable to form a countersink, and a fillet portion operable to form a longitudinally-curved transition between the hole and the countersink. The depth of the countersink is controlled by the countersink limiter. The surge control device is operable to control the axial speed of the cutting tool.
Claims26
A drilling apparatus, comprising:
- a drill;
- a countersink limiter coupled to the drill;
- a rotatable cutting tool coupled to the countersink limiter and including:
- a drilling portion operable to form a hole;
- and
- a countersink portion operable to form a countersink having a depth controlled by the countersink limiter;
- and
- a surge control device coupled to the drill and operable to control the axial speed of the cutting tool, and
- the cutting tool further comprises a fillet portion disposed between the drilling portion and the countersink portion and operable to form a longitudinally-curved transition between the hole and the countersink.
A method of forming a hole and countersink in a composite material, comprising:
- using a first cutting tool to:
- form a hole in the composite material;
- form a countersink aligned with the hole;
- and
- form a longitudinally-curved transition between the countersink and the hole;
- and
- applying a surge control device to control the axial speed of the first cutting tool.
A cutting tool comprising:
- a body including:
- a drilling portion operable to form a hole;
- a countersink portion coupled to the drilling portion and operable to form a countersink having a depth;
- and
- a fillet portion disposed between the drilling portion and the countersink portion and operable to form a longitudinally-curved transition between the hole and the countersink;
- a countersink limiter;
- and
- a mounting portion coupled to the body and operable to be coupled to the countersink limiter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.