Electrochemical machining apparatus with electrolyte flow control means

Claim 1

ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING APPARATUS FOR USE IN PRODUCING AN ARTICLE SURFACE FROM AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE WORKPIECE INCLUDING A WORK SURFACE, IN COMBINATION: A CATHODE-TOOL HAVING A THREE DIMENSIONAL TOOL SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT IN SURFACE CONTOUR FROM THAT OF THE WORK SURFACE OF THE WORKPIECE PRIOR TO ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING OPERATION, THE TOOL SURFACE INCLUDING AT AN EDGE AN EXIT TOOL PROFILE PORTION; A WORKPIECE SUPPORT MEANS TO POSITION THE WORK SURFACE OF THE WORKPIECE IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH THE TOOL SURFACE TO DEFINE AN ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING GAP; MEANS FOR MOVING THE CATHODE-TOOL AND THE WORKPIECE SUPPORT MEANS ONE TOWARD THE OTHER TO MAINTAIN THE GAP; CHAMBER MEANS TO PROVIDE AN ELECTROLYTE ENCLOSURE FOR FILLING THE GAP AND FOR DIRECTING ELECTROLYTE THROUGH THE GAP TOWARD THE EXIT TOOL PROFILE PORTION; AN ELECTROLYTE SOURCE; MEANS CONNECTING THE CHAMBER MEANS WITH THE ELECTROLYTE SOURCE TO CIRCULATE ELECTROLYTE THROUGH THE CHAMBER MEANS; WEIR MEANS INCLUDING A WEIR PROFILE EDGE PORTION RELATING IN SHAPE TO THE EXIT TOOL PROFILE PORTION; MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE WEIR MEANS TO POSITION THE WEIR PROFILE EDGE PORTION IN SPACED APART RELATIONSHIP WITH AND SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE THE EXIT TOOL PROFILE PORTION OF THE CATHODE-TOOL DURING ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING OPERATION TO MAINTAIN AN EXIT GAP BETWEEN THE EXIT TOOL PROFILE PORTION AND THE WEIR PROFILE EDGE PORTION THROUGH WHICH ELECTROLYTE IS DISCHARGE FROM THE ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING GAP; SHUTTER MEANS HAVING A SHUTTER EDGE PORTION FORMING ONE BOUNDARY OF AN OPENING IN THE SHUTTER EDGE PORMEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE SHUTTER MEANS ADJACENT THE WEIR MEANS AND FOR POSITIONING THE SHUTTER EDGE PORTION WITH RESPECT TO THE EXIT GAP FORMED BY THE EXIT TOOL PROFILE PORTION AND THE WEIR PROFILE EDGE PORTION, DURING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE EXIT GAP AND THE SHUTTER EDGE PORTION, TO CONTROL FLOW OF ELECTROLYTE FROM THE EXIT GAP AS A FUNCTION OF THE ARTICLE SURFACE TO BE PRODUCED; AN ELECTRICAL POWER SOURCE OF PREDOMINANTLY DIRECT CURRENT; AND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN THE CATHODE-TOOL AND THE WORKPIECE WHEREBY THE CATHODE-TOOL IS PREDOMINANTLY NEGATIVE AND THE WORKPIECE IS PREDOMIINANTLY POSITIVE DURING ELECTROCHEMICAL MACHINING.