Work holding, positioning, and feeding mechanism

Claim 2

A mechanism for holding a workpiece, seequentially positioning, and feeding unwanted portions of the workpiece into engagement with and for removal by a driven multi-point cutting tool, moving around an axis of rotation of means for supporting the cutting tool, of a machine tool, comprising: a support frame fixed relative to the machine tool, adjacent the multi-point cutting tool; a carriage slidably and pivotally attached to and extending upwardly from the support frame to a position opposite the cutting tool, the carriage being movable along and pivotable relative to the support frame about a longitudinal axis extending substantially horizontal adjacent the machine tool; means for traversing the carriage in opposite directions, along the longitudinal axis, relative to the support frame and the cutting tool; cross feed means for pivoting the carriage, relative to the support frame, about the longitudinal axis toward and away from the cutting tool; a work support head rotatably mounted on the carriage opposite the cutting tool for pivotal movement, relative to the carriage and the cutting tool, about a pivot axis of the work support head substantially parallel to and movable about the longitudinal axis; means, mounted on and pivotable with the work support head, for holding and rotating a workpiece about a normal axis substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis relative to the work support head and the cutting tool; means, for simultaneously pivoting the work support head and the workpiece holding and rotating means together about the pivot axis relative to the carriage and the cutting tool; and programmed control means operable for actuating and deactuating in a predetermined sequence the means for traversing and pivoting the carriage along and about the longitudinal axis, the means for simultaneously pivoting the work support head and the workpiece holding means about the pivot axis, and the means for rotating the workpiece holding means about the normal axis.

Claim 3

A mechanism according to claim 1 further comprising: means adjacent to and movable with the carriage, operable for allowing and preventing pivotal movement of the work support head relative to the carriage about the pivot axis and maintaining the workpiece holding means in a predetermined angular position relative to the cutting tool; and wherein the programmed control means further comprises: means operable for actuating and deactuating in the predetermined sequence the means operable for allowing and preventing pivotal movement of the support head about the pivot axis.

Claim 4

A mechanism according to claim 2 further comprising: a support shaft attached to the carriage and slidably mounted in the support frame for axial movement along the longitudinal axis.

Claim 5

A mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the carriage comprises: an upwardly extending lever arm connected to the support shaft and having a lower portion with a bearing hole through which the support shaft extends, and to which the support shaft is fixed against axial movement relative to the lever arms, an upper portion with a bearing hole in which the work support head is pivotally mounted.

Claim 6

A mechanism according to claim 4 further comprising: a link bar with a rear end portion pivotally connected to the lever arm to pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and extending outwardly away from the lever arm and the cutting tool to an opposite forward end portion thereof; a cross feed bar connected to the cross feed means and pivotally connected to the forward end portion of the link bar to extend lengthwise and pivot about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and having an elongated slot extending through opposite sides of the cross feed bar and elongated lengthwise of the cross feed bar; a tie rod having an upper end portion with a ball joint connected to the forward end portion of the link bar a fixed center distance from the pivotal connection between the rear end portion of the link bar and the lever arm, an opposite end portion with a lower ball joint connected to the base frame a center distance from the longitudinal axis substantially equal to the fixed center distance between the pivotal connection and the upper ball joint, and the ball joints being spaced a center distance less than a center distance between the pivotal connection and the longitudinal axis; whereby the lever arm, the support frame, the link bar, and the tie rod are pivotally connected to one another and form a four bar linkage system constantly changing the angular relationship between the link bar and a horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the support shaft and allowing the cross feed means to move the carriage together with the workpicce at a relatively constant force during the pivotal movement of the carriage about the longitudinal axis toward the cutting tool.

Claim 7

A mechanism according to claim 5 wherein the means for traversing the carriage in opposite directions along the longitudinal axis comprises: a fluid operated traversing cylinder fixed to the support frame, a traversing piston slidably mounted in the traversing cylinder; a traversing piston rod connected to the traversing piston and to the support shaft.

Claim 8

A mechanism according to claim 6 wherein the cross feed means for pivoting the carriage about the longitudinal axis comprises: a pivot support, fixed relative to the machine tool and the support frame, adjacent the cutting tool, a fluid operated cross feed cylinder having one of its end portions pivotally attached to the pivot support for movement in a vertical plane about a substantially horizontal axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and normal to a central axis of the cross fEed cylinder, a cross feed piston slidably mounted in the cross feed cylinder, a cross feed piston rod connected to and extending from the cross feed piston through the opposite end of the cylinder, a threaded rod coupled to the cross feed piston rod and extending through the elongated slot in the cross feed bar, a hand wheel, threaded onto the threaded rod, and having a portion extending into the elongated slot, and fixed against axial movement relative to the cross feed bar, whereby the elongated slot allows the cross feed bar to traverse relative to the handwheel and the cross feed means during a traversing movement of the carriage along the longitudinal axis and rotation of the handwheel shifts the handwheel and the cross feed bar axially relative to the threaded rod, and the position of the carriage and the pivot axis of the work support head relative to the cutting tool.

Claim 9

A mechanism according to claim 7 wherein the work support head comprises: a work support housing rotatably supported opposite the cutting tool by the lever arm and fixed against axial movement relative to the upper portion of the lever arm; a pivotal drive shaft fixed to and extending from a side of the housing through the bearing hole in the upper portion of the lever arm; a hollow driven shaft fixed to and extending from an opposite side of the work support housing and driven in axial alignment with the pivotal drive shaft and the pivot axis.

Claim 10

A mechanism according to claim 8 wherein the means for holding and rotating a workpiece about the normal axis relative to the work support head comprises: a workholder drive shaft rotatably mounted in the work support housing for rotation about the normal axis, having an upper end portion extending through and beyond a side wall of the work support housing and fixed against axial movement relative to the work support housing; a workholder drive gear fixed to and rotatable with the workholder drive shaft within the housing; a workholder support base fixed to the upper end position for rotation with the workholder drive shaft; and means, adapted to mate with, be fixed to, and removable from the workholder support base for locating and clamping the workpiece in a predetermined position; a driving gear drive shaft rotatably mounted within the hollow driven shaft and having an end portion extending into the housing; a driving gear fixed to the end portion of the driving gear drive shaft extending into the housing and in driving engagement with the workholder drive gear; and a reversible fluid operated rotary motor attached to, rotatable with, and supported by an opposite end portion of the hollow driven shaft and having an output drive shaft coupled to rotate the driving gear drive shaft relative to the hollow driven shaft, and clutch means, coupled to the driving gear drive shaft, the output drive shaft and to the hollow driven shaft, operable for allowing and preventing relative rotary motion between the driving gear drive shaft and the hollow driven shaft and between the workpiece holding means and the work support head.

Claim 11

A mechanism according to claim 9 wherein the means operable for allowing and preventing pivotal movement of the work support head relative to the carriage and maintaining the normal axis of the workpiece holding means in the predetermined angular position comprises: a work positioning arm fixed to the pivotal drive shaft to extend, normal to the pivot axis, adjacent the lever arm of the carriage and having a locating hole with an axis located a predetermined distance from the pivot axis; a torque arm adjacent the work positioning arm having a hole through which the pivotal drive shaft extends into and through the means for pivoting the work support head fixed to the torque arm, the torque arm being pivotable relative to and with the pivotal drive shaft about the longitudinal axis and having a short lever arm portion extending normal to and from the pivot axis, a hole in the short lever arm portion axially alligned with the locating hole in the work positioning arm, a long lever arm portion extending normal to the pivot axis opposite the short lever arm portion; a second tie rod having an upper end portion with an upper ball joint connected to the long arm portion a fixed center distance from the pivot axis, a lower end portion with a lower ball joint connected to the support frame a center distance from the longitudinal axis substantially equal to the fixed center distance, the ball joints being spaced a center distance substantially equal to a center distance between the longitudinal axis and the pivot axis; and means for aligning the holes, engaging, and locking the work positioning arm to the short lever arm portion of the torque arm; whereby the long lever arm portion of the torque arm, the lever arm, the second tie rod, and the support frame are pivotally connected together at the pivot axis, the longitudinal axis, and axes of the ball joints and provide a four bar parallel linkage system maintaining the position of torque arm the work support head and the normal axis of the workpiece holding means relative to the cutting tool during a pivotal movement of the carriage about the longitudinal axis.

Claim 12

A mechanism according to claim 10 wherein the means for simultaneously pivoting the work support head and the workpiece holding and rotating means together about the pivot axis comprises: a reversible fluid operated rotary actuator comprising: a body fixed to the torque arm and mounted on a portion of the pivotal drive shaft rotatable within and extending through spaced bearing holes in the body; a gear fixed and rotatable with the pivotal drive shaft; a rack piston slidably mounted within a cylinder bore in the body and having rack teeth in driving engagement with the gear; whereby movement of the rack piston in opposite directions rotates the gear, the pivotal drive shaft and the work support head in opposite directions relative to the carriage and the cutting tool.

Claim 13

A mechanism according to claim 11 wherein the programmed control means comprises: a plurality of removable cam supports fixed for movement with the pivotal drive shaft, the driving gear drive shaft, the cross feed piston rod, and the traversing piston rod; a plurality of cams fixed in predetermined positions on the cam supports; a plurality of limit switches fixed adjacent the cam supports for actuation by the cams; at least one programmed step switch mechanism having a plurality of sets of contacts programmed to open and close in a predetermined sequence, a set of the plurality of sets of contacts connected in series with each of the limit switches to a source of power and to means for actuating each stepping switch mechanism; whereby the actuation of a limit switch to close its contacts, and the programmed closed contacts of the step switch mechanism in series therewith closes a circuit to simultaneously actuate and advance the step switch mechanism one step of a programmed cycle of operation.

Claim 14

A mechanism according to claim 12 wherein the means for locating and clamping the workpiece comprises: a work locating arbor fixed to the work support base and having a central hole extending axially therethrough, a slot extending transversely to the axis of the hole and through an upper end portion of the locating arbor, and upper and lower camming surfaces on upper and lower portions, of the slots, on opposite sides of the central hole; means for orienting the workpiece on the locating arbor; a clamp actuating rod slidably mounted in the central hole of the locating arbor and extending through the workholder drive shaft to an opposite side of the work support housing; a pair of clamps adapted to engage the camming surfaces and the workpiece, pivotally connected to the clamp actuating rod and eXtending in opposite directions in the slot; and a fluid operated clamping cylinder mounted on the work support housing and having a piston slidably mounted in the clamping cylinder, a piston rod connected to the piston and to the clamping rod; whereby shifting the clamp actuating rod axially in one direction causes the lower camming surfaces to retract the clamps within the slot and shifting the clamping rod in an opposite direction causes the clamps to engage the upper camming surfaces forcing the clamps outwardly into clamping engagement with the workpiece.

Claim 15

A mechanism according to claim 13 wherein the means for aligning the holes engaging, and locking the work positioning arm to the short lever arm portion comprises: a fluid operated lock pin cylinder fixed to the body of the rotary actuator adjacent the aligned holes in the short arm portion of the torque arm; a lock pin piston slidably mounted in the lock pin cylinder, a lock pin piston rod attached to the lock pin piston, a tapered lock pin fixed to an opposite end of the lock pin piston rod in axial alignment with the holes in the short arm portion and the work positioning arm; whereby movement of the lock pin piston in opposite directions causes a corresponding movement of the lock pin into and out of the aligned holes and locking engagement with the short lever arm portion and the work positioning arm.

Claim 16

A mechanism according to claim 14 wherein the programmed control means further comprises: a plurality of solenoid operated directional control valves connected to the traversing cylinder, the cross feed cylinder, the rotary actuator, the rotary motor, the lock pin cylinder, the clamping cylinder, and the clutch means, each solenoid connected in series with a set of programmed contacts of the programmed stepping switch mechanism to the source of power, whereby closing of the contacts in the predetermined sequence actuates the solenoids and the fluid flow control valves directing fluid under pressure to actuate the traversing cylinder, the cross feed clyinder, the rotary actuator, the rotary motor, the lock pin clyinder, the clamping cylinder, and the clutch means in the predetermined sequence.

Claim 17

A mechanism according to claim 15 wherein the programmed control means further comprises: at least a second programmed stepping switch mechanism having a set of programmed contacts connected in series with each of the limit switches and in parallel with each set of the programmed contacts of the first mentioned stepping switch mechanism connected in series with each of the limit switches; and a set of programmed contacts connected in series with each of the solenoids and in parallel with each set of the programmed contacts of the first mentioned stepping switch mechanism connected in series with each of the solenoids; whereby a larger number of programmed contacts and steps are provided than might be available in the first stepping switch mechanism to produce an additional number of movements necessary to finish the workpiece.

Claim 18

A mechanism according to claim 16 wherein the programmed control means further comprises: means, including a pair of normally open manually operated switches each of which is connected in series with a set of a pair of alternately opened and closed programmed contacts of the step switch mechanism and to the programmed contacts connected in series with the solenoids, for manually actuating the solenoids one at a time in the predetermined programmed sequence, deactuating the solenoids, and manually controlling programmed movements of the mechanism; whereby the normally open switches must be alternately operated and held closed to maintain one of the solenoids energized to complete one of the programmed movements, and until one of the cams actuates one of the limit switches, the step switch mechanism one step opening the closed set of the pair of alternately opened and closed programmed contActs deenergizing the one solenoid and stepping the one movement and closing the opened set of the pair of alternately opened and closed programmed contacts in series with the other one of the pair of normally open switches, and the other one of the pair of normally open switches must be actuated and held closed to start and complete another one of the movements of the programmed movements.

Claim 19

A mechanism according to claim 17 wherein the programmed control means further comprises: a third stepping switch mechanism connected in parallel stepping and actuated simultaneously with the first mentioned stopping switch and having a plurality of programmed contacts programmed to open and close in the predetermined sequence, and a set of the programmed contacts connected in series with each of the solenoids connected in series to the source of power; whereby the first and third stepping switch mechanisms are actuated simultaneously, the solenoids are separated from the first stepping switch and connected to and solely under the control of the individually programmed third stepping switch mechanism.

Claim 20

A mechanism according to claim 18 wherein the programmed control means further comprises: a fourth stepping switch mechanism connected in parallel with and actuated simultaneously with the second mentioned stepping switch mechanism and having a set of programmed contacts connected in series with each of the solenoids and in parallel with each set of the programmed contacts of the third mentioned stepping switch mentioned connected in series with the solenoids; whereby an additional number of programmable contacts and steps are available in the first and second stepping switches for connection to the limit switches, an additional number of programmed contacts and steps are available in the second and fourth stepping switches for connection to the solenoids, and the solenoids are separated from the first and second stepping switches mechanisms and connected solely to and under the control of the third and fourth stepping switches.

Claim 21

A mechanism according to claim 19 further comprising: a second upwardly extending lever arm on the carriage spaced from and connected to the first mentioned lever arm and to the support shaft and having a lower portion with a bearing hole through which the support shaft extends and to which the support shaft is fixed against axial movement relative to the lever arm, an upper portion with a bearing hole in which the hollow driven shaft of the work support head is pivotally mounted with the work support housing situated between the upper portions of the lever arms; and a second link bar with a rear end portion pivotally connected to the second lever arm for relative movement about an axis aligned with the axis of pivotal connection between the first mentioned link bar and lever arm and extending outwardly away from the second lever arm and the cutting tool substantially parallel to the first mentioned link bar to a second opposite forward end portion connected to the upper ball joint of the tie rod and the first mentioned forward end portion, the second forward end portion being pivotally connected to an opposite end of the cross feed bar for movement about an axis aligned with the axis of the pivotal connection between the first mentioned link bar and the cross feed bar.

Claim 22

A mechanism for holding a workpiece, sequentially positioning, and feeding unwanted portion of the workpiece into engagement with and for removal by a driven multi-point cutting tool, moving around an axis of rotation of means for supporting the cutting tool, of a machine tool, comprising: a support frame fixed relative to the machine tool, adjacent the multi-point cutting tool; carriage means slidably attached to and extending upwardly from the support frame to a position opposite the cutting tool, the carriage means being movable relative to the support frame along a longitudinal axis extending substantially horizontal adjacent the machine tool and toward and away from the cutting tool; means for traversing the carriage means in opposite directions, along the longitudinal axis, relative to the support frame and the cutting tool; cross feed means for moving the carriage means, relative to the support frame, toward and away from the cutting tool; a work support head rotatably mounted on the carriage means opposite the cutting tool for pivotal movement, relative to the carriage means and the cutting tool, about a pivot axis of the work support head including a work support housing and a hollow shaft fixed to and extending from a side of the work support housing, rotatably supported by the carriage means and driven about the pivot axis; means, mounted on and pivotable with the work support head about the pivot axis, for holding and rotating a workpiece about a normal axis substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis relative to the work support head and the cutting tool including a workholder drive shaft rotatably mounted in the work support housing for rotation about the normal axis a workholder, fixed to the workholder drive shaft, for locating and clamping the workpiece in a predetermined position a shaft mounted within the hollow shaft for rotation about the pivot axis, and reversible drive means, connected to and for simultaneously rotating the shaft within the hollow shaft about the pivot axis relative to the hollow shaft and the workholder drive shaft about the normal axis; means, for simultaneously pivoting the work support head and the workpiece holding and rotating means together about the pivot axis relative to the carriage means and the cutting tool; and programmed control means operable for actuating and deactuating in a predetermined sequence the means for traversing the carriage means along the longitudinal axis, the cross feed means for moving the carriage means toward and away from the cutting tool, the means for simultaneously pivoting the work support head and the workpiece holding means about the pivot axis, and the means for rotating the workpiece holding means about the normal axis.

Claim 23

A mechanism for holding a workpiece, sequentially positioning, and feeding unwanted portion of the workpiece into engagement with and for removal by a driven multi-point cutting tool, moving around an axis of rotation of means for supporting the cutting tool, of a machine tool, comprising: a support frame fixed relative to the machine tool, adjacent the multi-point cutting tool; carriage means slidably attached to and extending upwardly from the support frame to a position opposite the cutting tool, the carriage means being movable relative to the support frame along a longitudinal axis extending substantially horizontal adjacent the machine tool and toward and away from the cutting tool; means for traversing the carriage means in opposite directions, along the longitudinal axis, relative to the support frame and the cutting tool; cross feed means for moving the carriage means, relative to the support frame, toward and away from the cutting tool; a work support head rotatably mounted on the carriage means opposite the cutting tool for pivotal movement, relative to the carriage means and the cutting tool, about a pivot axis of the work support head including a work support housing and a hollow shaft fixed to and extending from a side of the work support housing, rotatably supported by the carriage means and driven about the pivot axis; means, mounted on and pivotable with the work support head about the pivot axis, for holding and rotating a workpiece about a normal axis substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis relative to the work support head and the cutting tool including a workholder drive shaft rotatably mounted in the work support housing for rotation about the normal axis a workholder, fixed to the workholder drive shaft, for locating and clamping the workpiece in a predetermined position a shaft mounted within the hollow shaft for rotation about the pivot axis, and reversible drive means, connected to and for simultaneously rotating the shaft within the hollow shaft about the pivot axis relative to the hollow shaft and the workholder drive shaft about the normal axis; means, for simultaneously pivoting the work support head and the workpiece holding and rotating means together about the pivot axis relative to the carriage means and the cutting tool; and programmed control means operable for actuating and deactuating in a predetermined sequence the means for traversing the carriage means along the longitudinal axis, the cross feed means for moving the carriage means toward and away from the cutting tool, the means for simultaneously pivoting the work support head and the workpiece holding means about the pivot axis, and the means for rotating the workpiece holding means about the normal axis.

Claim 24

A mechanism according to claim 21 further comprising: means adjacent to and movable with the carriage means, operable for allowing and preventing pivotal movement of the work support head relative to the carriage means about the pivot axis and maintaining the workpiece holding means in a predetermined angular position relative to the cutting tool; and wherein the programmed control means further comprises: means operable for actuating and deactuating in the predetermined sequence the means operable for allowing and preventing pivotal movement of the support head about the pivot axis.