Center maintaining rotary feeding system

Claim 2

Apparatus for turning a workpiece comprising: rotary support means for supporting a workpiece having a longitudinal axis; a rotatable tool holding spindle for holding a workpiece turning tool; a rotary support head supporting said spindle for movement therewith in an orbital path of travel and for rotation about its own axis relative to said support head when said support head is rotated; means for rotating said support head to move said tool holding spindle in said orbital path and move said tool into turning engagement with said workpiece; and means for rotating said tool holding spindle about its axis as said spindle moves in said orbital path in such a manner that the relative circumferential positions of said tool holding spindle and a radial line intersecting said workpiece axis and any given point on said tool holding spindle remains substantially the same as the workpiece is turned.

Claim 3

Machining apparatus comprising: means for supporting a workpiece to be machined at a work station; means for machining said workpiece including tool means, and means mounting said tool means for movement in an orbital path of travel about the axis of said workpiece, toward and away from the axis of said workpiece, and for rotation about its own axis during said orbital movement, said workpiece being in cutting engagement with said workpiece along a cutting radius to machine said workpiece during a portion of movement in said orbital path; means mounting one of said tool means and said workpiece support means for rotation about the workpiece axis; and means for rotating said tool means about its own axis as it moves in said orbital path so that the circumferential orientation of said tool means relative to said cutting radius remains constant when said tool means is in cutting engagement with said workpiece.

Claim 4

Machining apparatus comprising: means for supporting a workpiece to be machined at a work station; means for machining said workpiece including tool means, and means mounting said tool means for movement in an orbital path of travel about the axis of said workpiece, toward and away from the axis of said workpiece, and for rotation about its own axis during said orbital movement, said workpiece being in cutting engagement with said workpiece along a cutting radius to machine said workpiece during a portion of movement in said orbital path; means mounting one of said tool means and said workpiece support means for rotation about the workpiece axis; and means for rotating said tool means about its own axis as it moves in said orbital path so that the circumferential orientation of said tool means relative to said cutting radius remains constant when said tool means is in cutting engagement with said workpiece.

Claim 5

Machining apparatus comprising: means for supporting a workpiece to be machined at a work station; rotary cutting tool means for cutting said workpiece at said work station; means mounting said support means and said rotary cutting tool means for relative movement and including means mounting at least one of said support means and said cutting tool means for rotation about the axis of said workpiece and mounting said cutting tool means for movement in an endless path; means for rotating said one of said cutting tool means and said support means about the axis of said workpiece while moving said cutting tool means in said endless path; and means for rotating said cutting tool means about its own axis to move the cutting tool means toward and away from the workpiece axis to cut the workpiece, as said cutting tool means moves in said endless path, said cutting tool means rotating in such a manner that the radial orientation of said tool means and said workpiece axis remains constant as said cutting tool means cuts said workpiece.

Claim 6

Machining apparatus comprising: means for supporting a workpiece to be machined at a work station; rotary cutting tool means for cutting said workpiece at said work station; means mounting said support means and said rotary cutting tool means for relative movement and including means mounting at least one of said support means and said cutting tool means for rotation about the axis of said workpiece and mounting said cutting tool means for movement in an endless path; means for rotating said one of said cutting tool means and said support means about the axis of said workpiece while moving said cutting tool means in said endless path; and means for rotating said cutting tool means about its own axis to move the cutting tool means toward and away from the workpiece axis to cut the workpiece, as said cutting tool means moves in said endless path, said cutting tool means rotating in such a manner that the radial orientation of said tool means and said workpiece axis remains constant as said cutting tool means cuts said workpiece.

Claim 7

Machining apparatus comprising: means for supporting a workpiece to be machined at a work station; swingable cutting tool means including a cutting edge for turning said workpiece at said work station; means mounting said support means and said swingable cutting tool means for relative movement including means mounting at least one of said support means and said cutting tool means for rotation about the axis of said workpiece and mounting said cutting tool for movement in an endless path; means for rotating said one of said cutting tool means and said support means about the axis of said workpiece while moving said cutting tool means in said endless path; and means for swinging said cutting tool means, as said cutting tool means moves in said endless path, about an axis spaced from the workpiece axis, and in such a path that the relative circumferential positions of said cutting means and a radial line intersecting the workpiece axis and any given point on the cutting edge remains the same as said cutting tool means turns said workpiece.

Claim 8

Machining apparatus comprising: means for supporting a workpiece to be machined at a work station; swingable cutting tool means including a cutting edge for turning said workpiece at said work station; means mounting said support means and said swingable cutting tool means for relative movement including means mounting at least one of said support means and said cutting tool means for rotation about the axis of said workpiece and mounting said cutting tool for movement in an endless path; means for rotating said one of said cutting tool means and said support means about the axis of said workpiece while moving said cutting tool means in said endless path; and means for swinging said cutting tool means, as said cutting tool means moves in said endless path, about an axis spaced from the workpiece axis, and in such a path that the relative circumferential positions of said cutting means and a radial line intersecting the workpiece axis and any given point on the cutting edge remains the same as said cutting tool means turns said workpiece.

Claim 9

Machining apparatus comprising: a frame; workpiece support means on said frame for supporting a workpiece at a work station; and means for machining said workpiece to form an arcuate surface thereon about a longitudinal axis of said workpiece, said machining means including rotary cutter means for cutting said workpiece mounted on said frame; a carrier, mounted for rotation on said frame, mounting said cutter means for movement therewith in at least a portion of an orbital path of travel toward and away from the axis of the workpiece and for rotary movement relative thereto as said cutter means moves in said portion of said orbital path to engage and cut said workpiece; and means mounting one of said workpiece support means and said cutter means for rotation relative to the other; means for rotating said one of said workpiece support means and said cutter means including means for revolving said rotary carrier about its axis to move said cutter means in said orbital path, and means for rotating said cutter means on said carrier as it moves in said orbital path of travel with said carrier to engage said workpiece and cut said arcuate surface.

Claim 10

Machining apparatus comprising: a frame; workpiece support means on said frame for supporting a workpiece at a work station; and means for machining said workpiece to form an arcuate surface thereon about a longitudinal axis of said workpiece, said machining means including rotary cutter means for cutting said workpiece mounted on said frame; a carrier, mounted for rotation on said frame, mounting said cutter means for movement therewith in at least a portion of an orbital path of travel toward and away from the axis of the workpiece and for rotary movement relative thereto as said cutter means moves in said portion of said orbital path to engage and cut said workpiece; and means mounting one of said workpiece support means and said cutter means for rotation relative to the other; means for rotating said one of said workpiece support means and said cutter means including means for revolving said rotary carrier about its axis to move said cutter means in said orbital path, and means for rotating said cutter means on said carrier as it moves in said orbital path of travel with said carrier to engage said workpiece and cut said arcuate surface.

Claim 11

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 including means for maintaining the angle between said cutter means and a plane perpendicular to the workpiece surface portion being cut constant.

Claim 12

Apparatus for machining a workpiece comprising: a frame; workpiece support means on said frame for supporting a workpiece at a work station; rotary cutting tool means for cutting said workpiece at said work station; means mounting at least one of said support means and said rotary cutting tool means for rotation relative to the other about the axis of said workpiece; and means mounting said cutting tool means for movement in at least a portiOn of an orbital path of travel and for concurrent rotation about its axis as it moves in said orbital path while maintaining a constant angle between said cutting means and a plane perpendicular to the workpiece surface portion being cut.

Claim 13

Apparatus for machining a workpiece comprising: a frame; workpiece support means on said frame for supporting a workpiece at a work station; rotary cutting tool means for cutting said workpiece at said work station; means mounting at least one of said support means and said rotary cutting tool means for rotation relative to the other about the axis of said workpiece; and means mounting said cutting tool means for movement in at least a portiOn of an orbital path of travel and for concurrent rotation about its axis as it moves in said orbital path while maintaining a constant angle between said cutting means and a plane perpendicular to the workpiece surface portion being cut.

Claim 14

The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 where said carrier means comprises rotary cylinder means having an eccentric bore rotatably receiving said rotary cutter means, and said means for rotating said cutter means includes rotatable means reacting between said cylinder means and said cutter means.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cutter means is movable between workpiece engaging and non-engaging positions as it is moved toward and away from, respectively, said workpiece axis.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for machining an arcuate surface comprises means for turning a diameter on said workpiece.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for machining an arcuate surface comprises means for cutting a cylindrical surface about the axis of said workpiece.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cutter means is revolved about its own axis in such a manner that the radial orientation of said cutter means relative to said workpiece axis remains constant as said cutter means moves in said orbital path.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the cutter means is revolved about its own axis in such a manner that the orientation of said cutter means relative to a radial line intersecting the workpiece axis and any given point on said cutter means remains the same as said cutter means moves in said orbital path and cuts said workpiece.

Claim 20

The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said rotary carrier and said cutter means rotate about their respective axes in opposite directions as said cutter means moves in said orbital path to swing said cutter means into and out of cutting engagement with said workpiece.

Claim 21

The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said means for relatively rotating said workpiece support means and said cutter means includes means for rotating said workpiece about its axis.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said rotary carrier is mounted for rotation about the axis of said workpiece.

Claim 23

The apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said means for relatively rotating said workpiece support means and said cutter means includes translatable means movable in an axial path toward and away from said support means; means mounting said rotary carrier on said translatable means for movement therewith in said axial path; and means for interrupting the axial movement of said rotary carrier in said axial path to drive said carrier in said orbital path.

Claim 24

The apparatus as set forth in claim 23 including a carrier support member movable axially toward and away from said workpiece support means and supporting said carrier for rotary movement thereon; means for relatively axially moving said carrier support member and said workpiece support means axially toward and away from each other; and means responsive to axial movement of said rotary carrier toward said workpiece support means to rotate said rotary carrier in an annular path and move said cutter means into cutting engagement with the workpiece.

Claim 25

The apparatus set forth in claim 18 wherein said responsive means includes actuator means mounted on said carrier support member for movement axially therewith and for rotary movement relative thereto; means for interrupting the axial movement of said actuator means; said actuator means and rotary carrier including cooperating cam means and cam follower means for rotating said rotary carrier when the axial movement of said actuator means is interrupted.

Claim 26

The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein said rotary carrier is mounted on said carrier support member for movement axially therewith and axially relative thereto when axial movement of said actuator is interrupted.

Claim 27

The apparatus set forth in claim 20 including additional cutter means mounted on said rotary carrier support member for axial movement therewith for cutting said workpiece as said carrier support member and said workpiece support member are moved axially toward each other.

Claim 28

The apparatus set forth in claim 19 wherein said actuator means comprises an axially extending bar; and wherein said cam comprises a cam track in the surface of said rotary carrier and said cam follower comprises means on said bar and received in said track.

Claim 29

The apparatus set forth in claim 5 including a carrier support member supporting said carrier thereon for rotary movement about its own axis; said means for relatively rotating said cutter means and said support means comprises means for rotating said carrier about its own axis on said carrier support members.

Claim 30

The apparatus set forth in claim 23 wherein said workpiece support means is rotatably mounted on said carrier support member; and means coupled with the carrier revolving means for driving said workpiece support member.

Claim 31

The apparatus set forth in claim 23 wherein said means for relatively rotating said carrier and said workpiece support means comprises means mounted on said carrier support member and coupled with said carrier for translating linear motion into rotary motion for rotating said carrier in a reciprocatory path.