Grinding machine

Claim 2

A grinding machine for grinding a workpiece having a plurality of portions to be ground, comprising: a bed; a grinding wheel head slidably mounted on said bed and rotatably supporting a grinding wheel; a traverse table slidably mounted on said bed and having a head stock and a tail stock thereon for rotatably supporting a workpiece therebetween; an indexing means mounted on said bed being operatively engaged with said traverse table for indexing one of said grinding portions on said workpiece with respect to said grinding wheel; a feed mechanism mounted on said bed being operatively connected to said grinding wheel head for advancing and retracting said grinding wheel head relative to said workpiece; a first stop member mounted on said bed for engaging said feed mechanism for limiting the advance of said grinding wheel head during rough grinding operations; a second stop member mounted on said bed for engaging said feed mechanism for limiting the advance of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations; and, a change-over valve hydraulically connected to said first stop member for deactuating the same in response to the completion of rough grinding operations being applied on all of said portions being ground.

Claim 3

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first stop member comprises a cylinder mounted on said bed and a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder having a piston rod thereon; said piston rod serving as a stop member for mechanically engaging an engaging portion provided on said grinding wheel head feed mechanism during advancement thereof, whereby said advancement of said grinding wheel head is limited by said first stop member during rough grinding operations.

Claim 4

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second stop member comprises a supporting block mounted on said bed and a plunger axially adjustable therein; said plunger having an inclined flat surface thereon and being opposite an engaging portion on said grinding wheel head feed mechanism for engaging the same during advancement of said grinding wheel head, whereby said advancement of said grinding wheel head is limited by said second stop member during fine grinding operations.

Claim 5

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said second stop member further comprises a cylinder mounted on said bed and a piston slidably mounted therein; a piston rod of said piston being provided with a rack portion which is mechanically connected to said plunger, whereby said plunger is axially movable in said supportiNg block in response to movement of said piston for changing the limiting point to which said grinding wheel head may be advanced.

Claim 6

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 4, wherein said cylinder of said second stop member is connected to means for compensating the advancement of said grinding wheel head for wear, said compensating means comprises a cylinder connected to said second stop member and said feed mechanism for determining the compensating amount of said second stop member, and a main change-over valve provided between said last-named cylinder and said feed mechanism for sending a predetermined amount of fluid in said last-named cylinder to said cylinder of said second stop member in response to each reciprocation of said grinding wheel head.

Claim 7

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said feed mechanism for said grinding wheel head comprises a first hydraulic actuator mounted on said bed being mechanically connected to said grinding wheel head for reciprocably moving the same with respect to said workpiece at a rapid feed speed; a second hydraulic actuator mounted on said bed being operatively connected to said grinding wheel head for reciprocably moving the same with respect to said workpiece at a grinding feed speed; and, a third stop member provided in said second hydraulic actuator being operable after said plurality of portions are rough ground for limiting the extent of retraction of said grinding wheel head.

Claim 8

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second hydraulic actuator comprises a second cylinder and a second piston, and said third stop member comprises a shaft threadedly engaged with one end of said second cylinder being adapted to abut said second piston at one end thereof and having a pinion at the other end thereof; and further comprising: a third hydraulic actuator including a third cylinder mounted on said bed and having a third piston slidably mounted therein, a piston rod of said third piston being provided with a rack which engages said pinion, whereby said shaft is movable into and out said cylinder in response to the movement of said third hydraulic actuator for limiting the extent of retraction of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations.

Claim 9

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tail stock comprises a sleeve slidably mounted in a body thereof having a work center; a cylinder having a piston slidably mounted therein; said cylinder and piston being coaxially aligned with said work center; and, a spring inserted between said sleeve and said piston for urging said workpiece in one direction, whereby compression of said spring is changed by supply and exhaust of pressure fluid into said cylinder.

Claim 10

A cam grinding machine comprising: a bed; a traverse table slidably mounted on said bed; a swing table pivotably mounted on said traverse table; a head stock and a tail stock mounted on said swing table for rotatably supporting a workpiece having a plurality of portions to be ground; a grinding wheel head slidably mounted on said bed and rotatably supporting a grinding wheel; a plurality of master cams rotatably mounted on said swing table; a cam roller rotatably mounted on said head stock; means for urging said master cams toward said cam roller for making engagement between said cam roller and a selected one of said master cams; a feed mechanism mounted on said bed and operatively connected to said grinding wheel head for advancing and retracting the same relative to said workpiece; a first stop member mounted on said bed and adapted to be engaged by said feed mechanism for limiting advancement of said grinding wheel head during rough grinding operations; a second stop member mounted on said bed and adapted to be engaged by said feed mechanism for limiting advancement of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations; a third stop member proVided in said feed mechanism for limiting the extent of retraction of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations; and, means for deactuating said first stop member and for actuating said third stop member in response to the completion of rough grinding operations performed on said plurality of workpiece portions.

Claim 11

A cam grinding machine comprising: a bed; a traverse table slidably mounted on said bed; a swing table pivotably mounted on said traverse table; a head stock and a tail stock mounted on said swing table for rotatably supporting a workpiece having a plurality of portions to be ground; a grinding wheel head slidably mounted on said bed and rotatably supporting a grinding wheel; a plurality of master cams rotatably mounted on said swing table; a cam roller rotatably mounted on said head stock; means for urging said master cams toward said cam roller for making engagement between said cam roller and a selected one of said master cams; a feed mechanism mounted on said bed and operatively connected to said grinding wheel head for advancing and retracting the same relative to said workpiece; a first stop member mounted on said bed and adapted to be engaged by said feed mechanism for limiting advancement of said grinding wheel head during rough grinding operations; a second stop member mounted on said bed and adapted to be engaged by said feed mechanism for limiting advancement of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations; a third stop member proVided in said feed mechanism for limiting the extent of retraction of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations; and, means for deactuating said first stop member and for actuating said third stop member in response to the completion of rough grinding operations performed on said plurality of workpiece portions.

Claim 12

A cam grinding machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first stop member comprises a cylinder mounted on said bed; and, a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder having a piston rod thereon; said piston rod serving as a stop member mechanically engaging an engaging portion provided on said grinding wheel head feed mechanism at the forward end of said advancement of said grinding wheel head.

Claim 13

A cam grinding machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second stop member comprises a supporting block mounted in said bed and a plunger being axially adjustable in said supporting block; said plunger having an inclined flat surface thereon and being oppositely disposed of an engaging portion on said grinding wheel head feed mechanism for engagement therewith when said grinding wheel head is being advanced.

Claim 14

A cam grinding machine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second stop member further comprises a cylinder mounted on said bed and a piston slidably mounted therein; a piston rod of said piston being provided with a rack portion which is mechanically connected to said plunger, whereby said plunger is axially moved responsive to the movement of said piston so as to change the forward end of advancement of said grinding wheel head.

Claim 15

A cam grinding machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein said feed mechanism comprises a cylinder and a piston slidably received therein; and, wherein said third stop member comprises a shaft member threadedly engaged with said cylinder and adapted to abut said piston; and further comprising: means connected to said shaft member for moving said shaft member toward and from said piston.

Claim 16

A cam grinding machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein said urging means comprises: a cylinder provided on said head stock; a piston slidably received in said cylinder; a sleeve adjustably mounted in said piston; resilient means provided between said sleeve and said swing table; whereby the tension of said resilient means is changed by supply of pressure fluid into said cylinder.

Claim 17

A grinding machine for grinding a workpiece having a plurality of portions to be ground, comprising: a bed; a grinding wheel head slidably mounted on said bed and rotatably supporting a grinding wheel; a traverse table slidably mounted on said bed and having a head stock and a tail stock thereon for rotatably supporting said workpiece therebetween; means for indexing said traverse table for positioning said workpiece portions selectively before said grinding wheel; a feed mechanism for advancing said grinding wheel head toward said workpiece and retracting the same therefrom; means for limiting the advancement of said grinding wheel head during rough grinding operations; means for limiting the advancement of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations; and, means for limiting the retraction of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations to a point near the rough grinding advancing limit thereof.

Claim 18

A grinding machine for grinding a workpiece having a plurality of portions to be ground, comprising: a bed; a grinding wheel head slidably mounted on said bed and rotatably supporting a grinding wheel; a traverse table slidably mounted on said bed and having a head stock and a tail stock thereon for rotatably supporting said workpiece therebetween; means for indexing said traverse table for positioning said workpiece portions selectively before said grinding wheel; a feed mechanism for advancing said grinding wheel head toward said workpiece and retracting the same therefrom; means for limiting the advancement of said grinding wheel head during rough grinding operations; means for limiting the advancement of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations; and, means for limiting the retraction of said grinding wheel head during fine grinding operations to a point near the rough grinding advancing limit thereof.

Claim 19

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 15, further comprising means connected with said feed mechanism and said fine grinding advancement limiting means for changing the advancement of said grinding wheel head permitted thereby to compensate for grinding wheel wear.