Method and apparatus for electrolytic cutting, shaping, and grinding

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR COMBINED ELECTROLYTIC AND ABRASIVE SHAPING OF AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE WORKPIECE INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A ROTATABLE ELECTRODE HAVING A WORKING FACE MADE OF AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ELECTRODE FOR ROTATING THE LATTER, MEANS FOR FLOWING A CONDUCTIVE ELECTROYTE OVER SAID WORKING FACE, ELECTRICALLY INSULATING SPACING MEANS CONSISTING OF APRTICLES OF INSULATING ABRASIVE MATERIAL FIXED TO AND PROJECTING FROM SAID WORKING FACE ONLY A VERY SHORT DISTANCE TO DETERMINE THE SPACING DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODE AND THE WORKPIECE, SAID ABRASIVE INSULATING SPACING MEANS HAVING OPEN SPACES BETWEEN THE PARTICLES THEREOF TO LEAVE UNINSULATED PORTIONS OF SAID WORKING FACE EXPOSED TOWARD THE WORKPIECE AND PROVIDING MEANS TO ENTRAIN AND CARRY FRESH ELECTRLYTE INTO THE WORK SPACE ADJACENT THE WORKPIECE, AND MEANS FOR PASSING BETWEEN SAID WORKING FACE AND THE WORKPIECE A HIGH DENSITY, LOW VOLTAGE CURRENT IN A SENSE TO MAKE SAID WORKING FACE A CATHODE, WHEREBY MATERIAL MAY BE ELECTROLYTIC ATTACK AND CONCURRENT ABRASION OF THE WORKPIECE.