Cam-forming method and apparatus

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 including sensing the instantaneous lateral displacement of said linear pattern relative to a predetermined reference as said linear pattern is scanned, and simultaneously varying said radial cutting distance as a function of said instantaneous lateral displacement.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein said steps include rescanning at least a portion of said linear pattern in a direction opposite to said first direction.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said steps include flipping said pattern and rescanning at least a portion of said pattern.

Claim 6

Apparatus for forming a cam blank into a cam having a rotary pattern around an axis of rotation of said blank, said rotary pattern corresponding to a given linear pattern, including: scanner means for traversing the linear pattern and for sensing the instantaneous lateral changes thereof relative to a predetermined reference line; first mounting means mounting said cam blank for rotation about and in a plane substantially normal to said axis of rotation, while preventing movement of said cam blank in tHe direction of said axis of rotation; cutter means for cutting the rotating cam blank at an incision point displaced from said axis of rotation; second mounting means fixedly mounting said cutter means in the direction of said axis of rotation; drive means for moving said scanner means along the linear pattern at a predetermined scanning rate and for rotating the cam blank relative to the cutter means about said axis at a rotation rate proportional to said scanning rate; and means operatively associated with said scanner means and said first and second mounting means for providing relative movement between the rotary cam blank and said cutter in the direction of said plane for cutting said rotary pattern in said plane, and said last mentioned means being responsive to the instantaneous lateral changes sensed thereby for varying the radial cutting distance as a function of instantaneous lateral displacement of said linear pattern from said reference line.

Claim 7

Apparatus for forming a cam blank into a cam having a rotary pattern around an axis of rotation of said blank, said rotary pattern corresponding to a given linear pattern, including: scanner means for traversing the linear pattern and for sensing the instantaneous lateral changes thereof relative to a predetermined reference line; first mounting means mounting said cam blank for rotation about and in a plane substantially normal to said axis of rotation, while preventing movement of said cam blank in tHe direction of said axis of rotation; cutter means for cutting the rotating cam blank at an incision point displaced from said axis of rotation; second mounting means fixedly mounting said cutter means in the direction of said axis of rotation; drive means for moving said scanner means along the linear pattern at a predetermined scanning rate and for rotating the cam blank relative to the cutter means about said axis at a rotation rate proportional to said scanning rate; and means operatively associated with said scanner means and said first and second mounting means for providing relative movement between the rotary cam blank and said cutter in the direction of said plane for cutting said rotary pattern in said plane, and said last mentioned means being responsive to the instantaneous lateral changes sensed thereby for varying the radial cutting distance as a function of instantaneous lateral displacement of said linear pattern from said reference line.

Claim 8

Apparatus for forming a cam blank into a cam having a rotary pattern corresponding to a given linear pattern, including: scanner means for traversing the linear pattern and for sensing the instantaneous lateral changes thereof relative to a predetermined reference line; cutter means for cutting the cam blank at an incision point displaced from an axis of said cam blank; drive means for moving said scanner means along the linear pattern at a predetermined scanning rate and rotating the cam blank relative to the cutter means about said axis at a rotation rate proportional to said scanning rate said drive means including means for varying said scanning rate relative to said rate of rotation of said cam blank; and means operatively associated with said scanner means and responsive to the instantaneous lateral changes sensed thereby for varying the radial cutting distance as a function of instantaneous lateral displacement of said linear pattern from said reference line.

Claim 9

Apparatus for forming a cam blank into a cam having a rotary pattern corresponding to a given linear pattern, including: scanner means for traversing the linear pattern and for sensing the instantaneous lateral changes thereof relative to a predetermined reference line; cutter means for cutting the cam blank at an incision point displaced from an axis of said cam blank; drive means for moving said scanner means along the linear pattern at a predetermined scanning rate and rotating the cam blank relative to the cutter means about said axis at a rotation rate proportional to said scanning rate said drive means including means for varying said scanning rate relative to said rate of rotation of said cam blank; and means operatively associated with said scanner means and responsive to the instantaneous lateral changes sensed thereby for varying the radial cutting distance as a function of instantaneous lateral displacement of said linear pattern from said reference line.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said drive means includes means for reversing the direction of scanning relative to the direction of rotation of said cam blank.

Claim 11

Apparatus for forming a cam including: a template having an edge defining a given linear pattern relative to a predetermined reference line on said template; first drive means for moving said template at a predetermined rate in a scanning direction parallel to said reference line; a tracer stylus adapted to contact said edge of said template to sense its lateral displacement relative to said reference line; a cam blank; cutter means for cutting said cam blank at an incision point having a radial cutting distance measured from an axis of said cam blank; second drive means for rotating said cam blank about said axis at a rate proportional to said predetermined rate of movement of said template; and means responsive to operation of said stylus for varying the radial cutting distance of said incision point to continually maintain said radial cutting distance proportional to said instantaneous lateral displacement of said edge of said template as sensed by said tracer stylus, whereby simultaneous rotation of said cam blank and variation of said radial cutting distance enables said cutting member to cut and form a rotary pattern corresponding to said linear pattern defined by said edge of said template.

Claim 12

Apparatus for forming a cam including: a template having an edge defining a given linear pattern relative to a predetermined reference line on said template; first drive means for moving said template at a predetermined rate in a scanning direction parallel to said reference line; a tracer stylus adapted to contact said edge of said template to sense its lateral displacement relative to said reference line; a cam blank; cutter means for cutting said cam blank at an incision point having a radial cutting distance measured from an axis of said cam blank; second drive means for rotating said cam blank about said axis at a rate proportional to said predetermined rate of movement of said template; and means responsive to operation of said stylus for varying the radial cutting distance of said incision point to continually maintain said radial cutting distance proportional to said instantaneous lateral displacement of said edge of said template as sensed by said tracer stylus, whereby simultaneous rotation of said cam blank and variation of said radial cutting distance enables said cutting member to cut and form a rotary pattern corresponding to said linear pattern defined by said edge of said template.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said means for varying said radial cutting distance includes: hydraulic piston means for moving said cam blank relative to said cutter means and in a radial direction passing through said incision point; and valve means for controlling the movement of said hydraulic piston means, said valve means being actuated by changes in said instantaneous lateral displacement of said edge of said template as sensed by said tracer stylus.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 further including: mounting means for securing said template in a new position after a firsT scan of said pattern with said reference line parallel to said scanning direction; and prepositioning means for moving said template and mounting means laterally relative to said stylus to bring said edge of said template against said stylus at a point having a displacement from said reference line identical to the displacement of a terminal point on said edge at the completion of said first scan.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said prepositioning means further includes means for moving said template in said scanning direction.