Rotary cutting tool having an adjustable cooling mechanism

A cutting tool (10) having a longitudinal axis of rotation (A) and comprising:

• a tool body (12) comprising:
• a body front face (14);
• a body rear face (16), opposite the body front face (14);
• a body peripheral face (18), extending rearwardly from the body front face (14);
• a body central bore (32) extending in a forward to rear direction of the tool body (12);
• and
• at least one flute (20) formed on the body peripheral face (18) and extending rearwardly from the body front face (14), the at least one flute comprising a first row of insert pockets adjacent the body front face (14) and at least a second row of insert pockets axially rearwardly displaced with respect to the first row, wherein each of the insert pockets (22) is associated with a cooling hole (30) that is in fluid communication with the body central bore (32);
• a cutting insert (24) retained within each of the insert pockets (22), the cutting inserts (24) retained in the first row of insert pockets forming a first row (98) of cutting inserts, and the cutting inserts (24) retained in the second row of insert pockets forming a second row (100) of cutting inserts;
• a center pin (54) having a pin axis (B) and seated within the body central bore (32), the center pin comprising a center pin bore (62) longitudinally extending along the pin axis (B);
• and
• a relocatable seal (94) bounded between the center pin (54) and the body central bore (32);
• wherein:
• the center pin (54) has a center grooved portion (58) comprising at least two pin grooves (86) axially spaced from each other;
• and
• the relocatable seal (94) is adjustable between:
• a first sealing position in which the relocatable seal is seated in a first of said at least two pin grooves and the body central bore (32) is in fluid communication with cooling holes (30) associated with a first number of rows of cutting inserts;
• and
• a second sealing position in which the relocatable seal is seated in a second of said at least two pin grooves and the body central bore (32) is in fluid communication with cooling holes (30) associated with a second number of rows of cutting inserts, the second number of rows of cutting inserts being different from the first number of rows of cutting inserts.

In an extended flute milling cutter (10) having an axis (A) defining a forward to rearward direction, the milling cutter comprising a tool body (12) having a body front face (14) at a forward end of the milling cutter and a plurality of cutting inserts (24), each cutting insert belonging to one of a plurality of circumferential rows, the tool body (12) also having a body central bore (32), a method for supplying one or more axially forwardmost rows of cutting inserts with cooling fluid, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a center pin (54) bearing a relocatable seal (94) whose position along a length of the center pin (54) determines the number of axially forwardmost rows of cutting inserts receiving cooling fluid, upon seating of the center pin (54) in the body central bore (32);
• and
• (b) seating said center pin (54) in the body central bore (32);
• and
• (c) supplying cooling fluid to one or more axially forwardmost rows of cutting inserts via the body central bore (32), without supplying cooling fluid to one or more axially rearwardmost rows of cutting inserts.

A cutting tool (10) having an axis (A) defining a forward to rearward direction, the cutting tool comprising a tool body (12) having a body front face (14) at a forward end of the cutting tool, a body peripheral face (18), a body central bore (32), a center pin (54) seated within the body central bore (32), and a relocatable seal (94) seated on the center pin (54);

• wherein:
• when the relocatable seal (94) is seated at a first sealing position along the center pin (54), the body central bore (32) is in fluid communication with a first non-zero number of axially forwardmost rows of cutting inserts (24) on the body peripheral face (18);
• and
• when the relocatable seal (94) is seated at a second sealing position along the center pin (54), the body central bore (32) is in fluid communication with a second non-zero number of axially forwardmost rows of cutting inserts on the body peripheral face (18), the second number being different from the first number;
• and
• in at least one of the first and second sealing positions, the body central bore (32) is not in fluid communication with one or more axially rearwardmost rows of cutting inserts.