US 8,202,473 B2Granted

Framed TEM machine and method of operating same

AssigneeKennametal Inc.

InventorsRichard A. Pellerito, James H. Wawrzyniak, Axel Willi Kieser, Miles Edmond Loretta, Daryl Duane Perkins

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Abstract

A thermal energy method (TEM) machine for deburring and deflashing work pieces, the TEM machine having an explosion load bearing frame. The frame comprises spaced apart coparallel first and second frame walls and a lateral structural member spacing apart the first and second frame walls. The top portion of the TEM combustion chamber is supported by the lateral structural member. The first and second frame walls are adapted to support a vertical displacement means. The first and second frame walls, the lateral structural member, and the vertical displacement means cooperate to contain vertically-directed explosion forces exerted upon the combustion chamber during the operation of the combustion chamber. Methods for deburring and/or deflashing using such TEM machines are also disclosed.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of removing burrs and/or flashing from manufactured parts, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a TEM machine having:
i) a combustion chamber, having a top portion and a bottom portion;
ii) a vertical displacement means for bringing into closure the bottom and top portions of the combustion chamber;
and
iii) an explosion load-bearing frame having:
A) coparallel first and second frame walls each having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end of each wall is adapted to rest upon a floor and the frame walls define an inner area;
B) a lateral structural member interconnected with and spacing apart the first and second frame walls at the top end, wherein the lateral structural member extends from the top end and supports the top portion of the combustion chamber;
C) wherein the vertical displacement means supports the bottom portion of the combustion chamber and wherein the vertical displacement means is attached directly or indirectly to one or both of the first and the second frame walls at a location spaced upwardly from the bottom end such that a substantially smaller length of the frame walls exists between the top end and the mounting location of the vertical displacement than if the vertical displacement means were supported at a location closer to the bottom end;
D) wherein the full tensile load of vertically-directed explosion forces exerted upon the combustion chamber during the operation of the combustion chamber is transferred to the frame walls;
and
E) wherein the vertical displacement means is mounted upon a shelf connected to at least one of the first and second frame walls and interposed between at least one of the first and second frame walls and the vertical displacement means and, wherein the shelf extends into the inner area;
b) loading the parts into the combustion chamber;
c) operating the vertical displacement means to bring into closure the top and bottom portions of the combustion chamber;
and
d) igniting an explosion within the combustion chamber;
and
e) removing the parts from the combustion chamber.

14 more elements

A TEM machine having an explosion load-bearing frame, a combustion chamber and a vertical displacement means for bringing into closure bottom and top portions of the combustion chamber, the explosion load-bearing frame comprising:

a) coparallel first and second frame walls each having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end of each wall is adapted to rest upon a floor and the frame walls define an inner area;
b) a lateral structural member interconnected with and spacing apart the first and second frame walls at the top end, wherein the lateral structural member extends from the top end and supports the top portion of the combustion chamber;
c) wherein the vertical displacement means supports the bottom portion of the combustion chamber and wherein the vertical displacement means is attached directly or indirectly to one or both of the first and the second frame walls at a location spaced upwardly from the bottom end such that a substantially smaller length of the frame walls exists between the top end and the mounting location of the vertical displacement than if the vertical displacement means were supported at a location closer to the bottom end;
d) wherein the full tensile load of vertically-directed explosion forces exerted upon the combustion chamber during the operation of the combustion chamber is transferred to the frame walls;
e) wherein the vertical displacement means is mounted upon a shelf connected to at least one of the first and second frame walls and interposed between at least one of the first and second frame walls and the vertical displacement means and, wherein the shelf extends into the inner area.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/204,249Filed 4 Sep 2008 · continuation in part
Priority: 6 May 2008
Published: US 2009/0277538 A112 Nov 2009
Granted: 19 Jun 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification2 codes

B23D 79/005
Methods, machines, or devices not covered elsewhere, for working metal by removal of material: for thermal deburring
B23D
Planing

Family

Application12/115,566Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 May 2008
US 2009/0277538 A1Pre-grant publication · published 12 Nov 2009
US 8,157,497 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2009/0279988 A1Published application
US 8,202,473 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.