Electroerosive machining structure

Claim 2

Structure for electrical machining comprising means for receiving a workpiece to be machined including a tank without a bottom, means for moving the tank vertically, a fixed worktable positioned within the tank operable to form the bottom of the tank on movement of the tank into an upper limiting position and sealing means between the tank and worktable, said tank having a removable upper tank portion whereby the top of the tank with the removable portion removed is flush with the fixed worktable with the tank in a lower limiting position thereof, means for supporting an electrode in sPaced relation to the workpiece, centrally pivotally mounted lever means one end of which is engaged with the electrode supporting means for moving the electrode toward and away from the workpiece, power supply means connected to the electrode and workpiece for providing an electrical signal between the electrode and workpiece, means connected to and operable in conjunction with the lever means for maintaining a predetermined spark gap between the electrode and workpiece and means operably associated with the means for receiving the workpiece and supporting the electrode for maintaining a fluid between the electrode and workpiece during machining of the workpiece.

Claim 3

Structure for electrical machining comprising means for receiving a workpiece to be machined, means for supporting an electrode in spaced relation to the workpiece, centrally pivotally mounted lever means one end of which is engaged with the electrode supporting means for moving the electrode toward and away from the workpiece, power supply means connected to the electrode and workpiece for providing an electrical signal between the electrode and workpiece, means connected to and operable in conjunction with the lever means for maintaining a predetermined spark gap between the electrode and workpiece, means operably associated with the means for receiving the workpiece and supporting the electrode for maintaining a fluid between the electrode and workpiece during machining of the workpiece, and a manifold positioned on the fixed worktable having a plurality of openings therethrough and means for feeding fluid through the manifold and through selected combinations of the openings therethrough, which manifold includes a base having the openings therein and the means for feeding fluid through selected combinations of openings includes a plurality of cylindrical members having angularly spaced apart radial openings therethrough rotatably mounted in the manifold base with the openings therein aligned with the openings through the manifold base whereby on rotation of the cylinders selected openings therethrough align with predetermined openings in the manifold base, and means for passing fluid through the cylindrical members.

Claim 4

Structure for electrical machining comprising means for receiving a workpiece to be machined, means for supporting an electrode in spaced relation to the workpiece, centrally pivotally mounted lever means one end of which is engaged with the electrode supporting means for moving the electrode toward and away from the workpiece, power supply means connected to the electrode and workpiece for providing an electrical signal between the electrode and workpiece, means connected to and operable in conjunction with the lever means for maintaining a predetermined spark gap between the electrode and workpiece, means operably associated with the means for receiving the workpiece and supporting the electrode for maintaining a fluid between the electrode and workpiece during machining of the workpiece, and a manifold positioned on the fixed worktable having a plurality of openings therethrough and means for feeding fluid through the manifold and through selected combinations of the openings therethrough, which manifold includes a base having the openings therein and the means for feeding fluid through selected combinations of openings includes a plurality of cylindrical members having angularly spaced apart radial openings therethrough rotatably mounted in the manifold base with the openings therein aligned with the openings through the manifold base whereby on rotation of the cylinders selected openings therethrough align with predetermined openings in the manifold base, and means for passing fluid through the cylindrical members.

Claim 5

Structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for maintaining a predetermined spark gap between the electrode and workpiece includes a ball screw and nut, means for pivotally connecting the nut to the other end of the lever means and means for driving the screw in accordance with the electrical signal in the spark gap between the electrode and workpiece.

Claim 6

Structure for electrical machining comprising a lower storage tank, an upper storage tank supported on the lower storage tank, a pair of guides positioned on the front of the upper storage tank, electrode supporting means including slides engaged with the guides for vertical movement therealong, a work tank supported on the lower storage tank for vertical movement toward and away from the electrode supporting means having no bottom therein, a stationary worktable positioned in the lower storage tank for holding a workpiece, a ball nut and screw structure positioned at each side and in back of the upper storage tank, a servomotor positioned centrally and in back of the upper storage tank adjacent the top thereof, a servo circuit for rotating the servomotor in accordance with the spark gap between an electrode secured to the electrode supporting means and a workpiece positioned on the worktable, means positioned between the servomotor and the ball nut screws for rotating the ball nut screws in response to rotation of the servomotor, parallel lever structure pivotally mounted centrally to each side of the upper storage tank and slidably engaged with the ball nuts on the ball nut screws and the electrode supporting means at the opposite ends thereof for moving the electrode supporting means toward and away from the worktable in accordance with the rotation of the ball nut screws by the servomotor.

Claim 7

Structure for electrical machining comprising a lower storage tank, an upper storage tank supported on the lower storage tank, a pair of guides positioned on the front of the upper storage tank, electrode supporting means including slides engaged with the guides for vertical movement therealong, a work tank supported on the lower storage tank for vertical movement toward and away from the electrode supporting means having no bottom therein, a stationary worktable positioned in the lower storage tank for holding a workpiece, a ball nut and screw structure positioned at each side and in back of the upper storage tank, a servomotor positioned centrally and in back of the upper storage tank adjacent the top thereof, a servo circuit for rotating the servomotor in accordance with the spark gap between an electrode secured to the electrode supporting means and a workpiece positioned on the worktable, means positioned between the servomotor and the ball nut screws for rotating the ball nut screws in response to rotation of the servomotor, parallel lever structure pivotally mounted centrally to each side of the upper storage tank and slidably engaged with the ball nuts on the ball nut screws and the electrode supporting means at the opposite ends thereof for moving the electrode supporting means toward and away from the worktable in accordance with the rotation of the ball nut screws by the servomotor.

Claim 8

Structure as set forth in Claim 4 wherein the work tank includes a removable upper portion whereby the top of the work tank with the removable portion removed is flush with the fixed worktable with the work tank in a lower limiting position thereof.

Claim 9

Structure as set forth in claim 4 and further including counterbalance means connected to the upper storage tank and operable between the upper storage tank and the electrode supporting means for counterbalancing the combined weight of the electrode and electrode supporting means whereby the parallel linkage structure is required to move a minimum weight due to the electrode and electrode supporting means.

Claim 10

Structure as set forth in claim 4 and further including a manifold positioned on the fixed worktable having a plurality of openings therethrough and means for feeding fluid through the manifold and through only selected combinations of the openings therethrough.