End mill grinder

Claim 2

In an end mill grinding machine for grinding cutTer end faces on a cutter end of an end mill that has a longitudinal axis, the combination of: a frame; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said frame; a work head including a rotatably mounted collet in which the end mill is clamped; means mounting the work head on the frame for movement relative to the grinding wheel, including means supporting and guiding said work head for feed movement toward a position of engagement of the cutter end of said end mill with said grinding wheel, and for swing movement about a rock axis perpendicular to the longitudinal end mill axis to bring different portions of said cutter end of said end mill to bear against the grinding wheel; and coordinated motor means for motivating said feed and swing movements to occur in predetermined sequence.

Claim 3

In an end mill grinding machine for grinding cutTer end faces on a cutter end of an end mill that has a longitudinal axis, the combination of: a frame; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said frame; a work head including a rotatably mounted collet in which the end mill is clamped; means mounting the work head on the frame for movement relative to the grinding wheel, including means supporting and guiding said work head for feed movement toward a position of engagement of the cutter end of said end mill with said grinding wheel, and for swing movement about a rock axis perpendicular to the longitudinal end mill axis to bring different portions of said cutter end of said end mill to bear against the grinding wheel; and coordinated motor means for motivating said feed and swing movements to occur in predetermined sequence.

Claim 4

In an end mill grinding machine for grinding cutTer end faces on a cutter end of an end mill that has a longitudinal axis, the combination of: a frame; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on said frame; a work head including a rotatably mounted collet in which the end mill is clamped; means mounting the work head on the frame for movement relative to the grinding wheel, including means supporting and guiding said work head for feed movement toward a position of engagement of the cutter end of said end mill with said grinding wheel, and for swing movement about a rock axis perpendicular to the longitudinal end mill axis to bring different portions of said cutter end of said end mill to bear against the grinding wheel; and coordinated motor means for motivating said feed and swing movements to occur in predetermined sequence.

Claim 5

The machine of claim 1, wherein said rock axis is perpendicular to but laterally offset from the longitudinal end mill axis.

Claim 6

The machine of claim 2, wherein said feed movement is a swing movement about a feed axis, said feed axis being spaced from the end mill face to be ground by a distance which is large relative to the radial distance from said rock axis to said end mill face.

Claim 7

The machine of claim 2, wherein said feed movement is a swing movement about a feed axis parallel to said rock axis.

Claim 8

The machine according to claim 4 that also includes means for rotating the collet in the work head to present successive end faces on the end mill to the grinding wheel.

Claim 9

The machine according to claim 3, which also includes motor means for moving said work head along said feed axis.

Claim 10

In a machine for grinding faces on an end mill, the combination that comprises: a frame; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on the frame; a work head including a rotatably mounted collet in which the end mill is clamped; mounting means for the work head on the frame establishing two spaced parallel axes about which the work head can turn; and separate independently operable motor means, one corresponding to each of said axes, for moving the work head about said axes to bring the end mill into engagement with the grinding wheel.

Claim 11

In a machine for grinding faces on an end mill, the combination that comprises: a frame; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on the frame; a work head including a rotatably mounted collet in which the end mill is clamped; mounting means for the work head on the frame establishing two spaced parallel axes about which the work head can turn; and separate independently operable motor means, one corresponding to each of said axes, for moving the work head about said axes to bring the end mill into engagement with the grinding wheel.

Claim 12

The machine according to claim 7 that also comprises independently operable motor means for moving the work head along one of said two axes.

Claim 13

The machine according to claim 7 that also comprises motor means for rotating the collet in the work head to present successive faces on the end mill to the grinding wheel.

Claim 14

The machine according to claim 9 that also includes manually adjustable means controlling the angular extent of each rotational movement of the collet.

Claim 15

The machine according to claim 7 that also comprises separate and independently operable motor means for moving the work head along one of said two axes and for rotating the collet in the work head; and a control system for actuating automatically all of said motor means in a predetermined sequence and for predetermined periods of time.

Claim 16

Apparatus for grinding an end mill having a longitudinal axis, comprising: a frame; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on the frame; and a work head supported in the frame for holding an end mill during a grinding operation, including a work head body; a collet rotatably mounted in the body and in which the end mill is clamped to turn the end mill about the longitudinal axis of the end mill; trunnion means on the body establishing a second axis about which the work head can turn, said second axis being perpendicular to said first mentioned axis, and separate independently operable motor means for moving the collet alone about the first mentioned axis, and the work head body with the collet about said second axis.

Claim 17

Apparatus for grinding an end mill having a longitudinal axis, comprising: a frame; a grinding wheel rotatably mounted on the frame; and a work head supported in the frame for holding an end mill during a grinding operation, including a work head body; a collet rotatably mounted in the body and in which the end mill is clamped to turn the end mill about the longitudinal axis of the end mill; trunnion means on the body establishing a second axis about which the work head can turn, said second axis being perpendicular to said first mentioned axis, and separate independently operable motor means for moving the collet alone about the first mentioned axis, and the work head body with the collet about said second axis.

Claim 18

Apparatus for grinding an end mill of the type having a fluted shank having a longitudinal axis and whose end has a plurality of end cutters symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis of the shank, each cutter having a cutting edge disposed generally radially of said axis, and having a cutter end face in back of said cutting edge formed with axial clearance relative to a plane normal to said longitudinal axis, comprising: a frame; a grinding wheel with a side face bounded by a peripheral grinding surface rotatably mounted on said frame; means mounted on the frame for holding an end mill during a grinding operation; feed means for moving the holding means with the end mill therein so that the end mill feeds in toward the peripheral grinding surface endwise, with its longitudinal axis substantially in the plane of the side face of the grinding wheel, and with substantially half the end thereof overlapping said peripheral grinding surface, and the remainder beyond the plane of said side face of said grinding wheel; and swing means operable on said holding means after the end mill has been so moved into predetermined proximity with said peripheral grinding surface for swinging the end mill against and longitudinally along said peripheral grinding wheel surface.

Claim 19

Apparatus for grinding an end mill of the type having a fluted shank having a longitudinal axis and whose end has a plurality of end cutters symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis of the shank, each cutter having a cutting edge disposed generally radially of said axis, and having a cutter end face in back of said cutting edge formed with axial clearance relative to a plane normal to said longitudinal axis, comprising: a frame; a grinding wheel with a side face bounded by a peripheral grinding surface rotatably mounted on said frame; means mounted on the frame for holding an end mill during a grinding operation; feed means for moving the holding means with the end mill therein so that the end mill feeds in toward the peripheral grinding surface endwise, with its longitudinal axis substantially in the plane of the side face of the grinding wheel, and with substantially half the end thereof overlapping said peripheral grinding surface, and the remainder beyond the plane of said side face of said grinding wheel; and swing means operable on said holding means after the end mill has been so moved into predetermined proximity with said peripheral grinding surface for swinging the end mill against and longitudinally along said peripheral grinding wheel surface.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said holding means feeds in said end mill with the longitudinal axis thereof offset laterally a predetermined distance from a plane parallel thereto and passing through the grinding wheel axis; and means included in said end mill swinging means comprising a pivot means therefor having a pivot axis parallel to the axis of said grinding wheel and located in said plane through said axis of said grinding wheel.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 14 in which said feed and swing means include means for sequentially advancing the end mill toward the grinding wheel, swinging the end mill relative to the grinding wheel, retracting the end mill away from the grinding wheel, and finally swinging the end mill back to the initial position.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to claim 13 which includes indexing means turning the end mill in the holding means to grind successive end faces of the end mill, and also includes flute selector means adjustable to operate the indexing means with reference to the number of flutes on the end mill.

Claim 23

Apparatus for grinding an end mill of the type having a fluted shank having a longitudinal axis and whose end has a plurality of end cutters symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis of the shank, each cutter having a cutting edge disposed generally radially of said axis, and having cutter end face surface in back of said cutting edge formed with axial clearance relative to a plane normal to said longitudinal axis, comprising: a frame; a grinding wheel with a peripheral grinding surface terminating in a curved peripheral edge rotatably mounted on said frame; and holding and operating means mounted on the frame for holding an end mill and for moving it to be ground by said grinding wheel; said holding and operating means including feed means for substantially bodily feeding the end mill toward said peripheral grinding surface with the cutter end portion to be ground presented toward said grinding surface, and with the longitudinal axis of the end mill substantially intersecting said curved peripheral grinding wheel edge, on approach of said end mill face to proximity with said grinding wheel surface, so that substantially half the end of the end mill overlaps said grinding wheel surface, and the remainder is beyond said curved peripheral grinding wheel edge; said holding and operating means including also swing means for moving said end mill about a swing axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the end mill; and indexing means for periodically rotating said end mill on its longitudinal axis through a predetermined angle to present successive end mill cutter faces to said peripheral grinding surface.

Claim 24

Apparatus for grinding an end mill of the type having a fluted shank having a longitudinal axis and whose end has a plurality of end cutters symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal axis of the shank, each cutter having a cutting edge disposed generally radially of said axis, and having cutter end face surface in back of said cutting edge formed with axial clearance relative to a plane normal to said longitudinal axis, comprising: a frame; a grinding wheel with a peripheral grinding surface terminating in a curved peripheral edge rotatably mounted on said frame; and holding and operating means mounted on the frame for holding an end mill and for moving it to be ground by said grinding wheel; said holding and operating means including feed means for substantially bodily feeding the end mill toward said peripheral grinding surface with the cutter end portion to be ground presented toward said grinding surface, and with the longitudinal axis of the end mill substantially intersecting said curved peripheral grinding wheel edge, on approach of said end mill face to proximity with said grinding wheel surface, so that substantially half the end of the end mill overlaps said grinding wheel surface, and the remainder is beyond said curved peripheral grinding wheel edge; said holding and operating means including also swing means for moving said end mill about a swing axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the end mill; and indexing means for periodically rotating said end mill on its longitudinal axis through a predetermined angle to present successive end mill cutter faces to said peripheral grinding surface.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said swing axis is laterially offset from said grinding wheel axis.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said parallel axes are both perpendicular to and laterally offset from the longituDinal end mill axis, with the offset of one of said axes greater than the other, and with the one of said axes which is least offset substantially passing through the grinding wheel axis.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 19, including means in said work head rotatably adjustable about the longitudinal axis of the end mill held therein for adjusting the distance between said least offset axis and said longitudinal end mill axis.