EP0589565A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Octahedral machine with a hexapodal triangular servostrut section
Assignee: Ingersoll Milling Machine Co
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Filing: 1993-08-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-08-19
Abstract
Abstract In a cutting machine having an octahedral framework (12), a cutting tool (14) is carried by a servostrut support (15) having a platform (16) mounted on extendable and retractable struts (18). In order to reduce deflections and to limit transfer of bending moments, from the servostrut support (39) to the other connected support sections (40) of the framework (12), the six struts (18) are mounted at pivot mounts such as ball joints (36) in a triangular support (39). Three of the pivotal mounts are positioned in a first triangle and in corners of the triangle support (39) and the other three struts are positioned in a second larger triangle in the triangular support (39). The nominal axis of rotation of spindle drive (27) for the cutting tool may be either about a nominal horizontal axis, a nominal vertical axis or a nominal 45° axis. Several frameworks may be arranged to define a hollow tunnel (80) with platforms projecting their cutting tools (14) from opposite sides of the transfer tunnel (80).
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas Jules Lindem
- 👤 Paul A. S. Charles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:17
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q1/00; B23Q1/25; B23Q1/44; B23Q1/50; B23Q1/54; B23Q1/545; B23Q1/5462; B23Q1/01; B23Q1/015; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T408/00; Y10T408/03; Y10T408/91; Y10T408/93; Y10T409/00; Y10T409/30; Y10T409/303752; Y10T409/303808; Y10T409/306664; Y10T409/307672; Y10T409/309576
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
An apparatus for use in a framework of a cutting machine, comprising: a triangular support having three corners; six extendable and retractable struts each pivotally mounted on one of the three corners of the triangular support; a platform pivotally connected at remote ends of the struts and manipulatable with selective extension and retraction of the struts; six pivotal mounts on the triangular support for pivotally mounting other ends of the struts, three of the pivotal mounts being positioned in a first triangle and at the corners of the triangular support, and the other three pivotal mounts for the other ends of three struts being in a second triangle, the second triangle being larger than the first triangle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 in which the triangular support comprises a plate extending between each of the three respective corners, each plate having reinforced edges to provide greater strength along the side edges thereof to resist forces.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
102 words
A cutting machine comprising: a framework; a movable platform for carrying a tool; hexapodal struts pivotally connected at one end to the movable platform and sharing the cutting load from the tool; a triangular shaped support section on the framework having six pivotal mounts for supporting the other ends of hexapodal struts and allowing pivotal movement thereof, two of the pivotal mounts being spaced apart and located at each corner of support section; and means for resisting bending moments applied to the triangle shaped support section by the hexapodal struts to limit transfer of bending moments from support section to the framework.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A cutting machine as claimed in Claim 3 in which a triangular base section supports the workpiece being machined and determines the overall size of the machine, the size of the triangular support section determining the overall capability of the struts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
95 words
A cutting machine as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which the support section is mounted on the framework at inclination of about 45° to the vertical; and the machine further comprises a base on the framework for supporting a vertically-positioned workpiece thereon; a cutting tool on the platform projecting inwardly toward the workpiece from a nominal axis of about 45°; the hexapodal struts shifting the platform so that the cutting tool may be swung to be either substantially horizontal or vertical for machining on the top or the sides of the workpiece.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
A machine for cutting metal comprising: a framework having triangular sections enclosing a hollow interior within the framework; an index table mounted on a triangular base section of the framework; a Stewart platform mounted on another triangular section of the framework including extendable and retractable struts projecting inwardly from the one side of the frame toward the index table; and a tool-carrying platform on the Stewart platform manipulatable by the extension and retraction of the struts for moving a tool against a workpiece on the index table to the machine within the hollow interior of the framework.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
87 words
A transfer tunnel for cutting on different sides of a workpiece traveling along the interior of the tunnel; a tubular framework having opposing side sections and a top section defining a tunnel having an elongated hollow interior; a plurality of Stewart platforms mounted on the opposing side sections of the tubular frame; and struts on the Stewart platforms projecting inwardly from opposite sides of the tunnel to position tools to machine the workpiece which is transferred from cutting station to cutting station along length of the tunnel.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of machining comprising: providing a framework with opposed sides and a bottom side defining a hollow interior having a workholder in the hollow interior; moving a workpiece into the hollow interior and putting the workpiece on the workholder; manipulating a Stewart platform by moving extendable and retractable struts to move a tool to engage the workpiece on the workholder; machining the workpiece by relative surface movement between the tool and the workpiece; and transferring axially-directed loads along the struts to a pair of spaced pivotal mounts at each corner of a triangular section of the framework and limiting the transfer of bending movements to the remainder of the machine frame from the triangular frame section supporting the struts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in Claim 8 including the rotating the workpiece and its supporting index table about a nominal vertical axis while holding the tool stationary.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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