Final adjustment mechanism with tactile feedback

A cutting tool, comprising:

• a tool body;
• a cartridge for one or more cutting inserts, the cartridge mountable in a slot of the tool body with a cutting surface of the one or more cutting inserts projecting beyond a volume of the tool body;
• and
• an adjustment system for positioning the cutting insert in a radial direction, the adjustment system including:
• a first rod located in a first channel of the tool body, the first rod rotatable in the first channel about a first axis, the first axis oriented in a first direction, wherein the first rod includes a surface having a plurality of flatted areas arranged radially to the first axis and wherein each of the plurality of flatted areas is at a different radial distance from an axial center of the first rod relative to a sequentially adjacent flatted area,
• a second rod located in a second channel of the tool body, a first end of the second channel at least partially intersecting the first channel, the second rod translatable in the second channel along a second axis oriented in a second direction, wherein a first end of the second rod has a face that contacts one of the plurality of flatted areas and wherein a surface of the second rod is tapered in the axial direction,
• a biasing element located within the interior of the tool body to exert a force to bias the face of the first end of the second rod to contact the one of the plurality of flatted areas, and
• a push pin located in a third channel of the tool body, a first end of the third channel at least partially intersecting the second channel and a second end of the third channel at least partially intersecting the slot, the push pin translatable in the third channel along a third axis oriented in a third direction, wherein a face of the first end of the push pin contacts the tapered surface of the second rod and wherein a face of the second end of the push pin operatively contacts the mounted cartridge.

A method of radially positioning a cutting surface of a cutting insert on a cutting tool, the method comprising:

• adjusting an adjustment system for the cutting insert,
• wherein the adjustment system includes
• a first rod rotatable about a first axis, the first axis oriented in a first direction, wherein the first rod includes a surface having a plurality of flatted areas arranged radially to the first axis and wherein each of the plurality of flatted areas is at a different radial distance from an axial center of the first rod relative to a sequentially adjacent flatted area,
• a second rod translatable along a second axis oriented in a second direction, wherein a first end of the second rod has a face that contacts one of the plurality of flatted areas and wherein a surface of the second rod is tapered in the axial direction,
• a biasing element positioned to exert a force to bias the face of the first end of the second rod to contact the one of the plurality of flatted areas, and
• a push pin translatable along a third axis oriented in a third direction, wherein a face of the first end of the push pin contacts the tapered surface of the second rod and wherein a face of the second end of the push pin operatively contacts a cartridge mounted on the cutting tool and in which the cutting insert is seated, and
• wherein adjusting the adjustment system changes the flatted surface contacting the face at the first end of the second rod.

A method of adjusting a radial position of a cutting surface of a cutting insert on a cutting tool, the method comprising:

• operating a first rod to place one of a plurality of flatted areas arranged radially to a first axis in contact with a face at a first end of a second rod, wherein the first rod is rotatable about the first axis oriented in a first direction, wherein the second rod is translatable along a second axis oriented in a second direction and wherein a surface of the second rod is tapered in the axial direction;
• translating the second rod in the second direction to change a portion of the tapered surface contacting a face of a first end of a push pin;
• and
• translating the push pin along a third axis oriented in a third direction, wherein a face of a second end of the push pin operatively contacts a cartridge mounted on the cutting tool and in which the cutting insert is seated.