US3925878A — Grinding machine with an automatic exchange devic…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 152 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head, a wheel spindle rotatably mounted upon said wheel head and having a wheel support end for supporting one of a plurality of wheel holders respectively fixing grinding wheels, each wheel holder having means defining a bore which is engageable with said wheel support end; a storage device provided with a plurality of stub shafts each of which includes a holder support end for supporting one of said wheel holders as a result of the engagement between said means defining said bore and said holder support end, said holder support end having a configuration similar to that of said wheel support end; and an exchange device for transferring one of said wheel holders from said storage device to said wheel head in order to attach said one of said wheel holders to said wheel spindle through the engagement between said bore and said wheel support end.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 152 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head, a wheel spindle rotatably mounted upon said wheel head and having a wheel support end for supporting one of a plurality of wheel holders respectively fixing grinding wheels, each wheel holder having means defining a bore which is engageable with said wheel support end; a storage device provided with a plurality of stub shafts each of which includes a holder support end for supporting one of said wheel holders as a result of the engagement between said means defining said bore and said holder support end, said holder support end having a configuration similar to that of said wheel support end; and an exchange device for transferring one of said wheel holders from said storage device to said wheel head in order to attach said one of said wheel holders to said wheel spindle through the engagement between said bore and said wheel support end.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 86 words

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said storage device comprises: a wheel carrier movable within a horizontal plane and supporting said stub shafts which project verticalLy from the upper surface of said carrier so as to support said wheel holders within a horizontal plane; and drive means for moving said wheel carrier so as to bring one of said wheel holders supported upon said stub shafts to an exchange station which is located at a predetermined position relative to said exchange device.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 217 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head; a wheel spindle mounted upon said wheel head so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis and including a wheel support portion which is provided with first threaded means disposed at one end thereof; a storage device for storing a plurality of wheel sleeves in a horizontal plane each of which includes means defining a bore engageable with said wheel support portion and second threaded means connectable with said first threaded means, said wheel sleeves firmly fixing grinding wheels thereon respectively; guide means extending from the vicinity of said wheel spindle to said storage device and aligned parallel with the axis of said wheel spindle; a shuttle carrier movable along said guide means between said wheel spindle and said storage device; an exchange device including gripping means for gripping and supporting one of said wheel sleeves and drive means for reversibly rotating said second threaded means for attaching and detaching one of said wheel sleeves to and from said wheel spindle through the connection between said first and second threaded means; means for pivotably suspending said exchange device from said shuttle carrier; and indexing means for pivoting said exchange device between two positions so as to selectively confront said exchange device with said wheel spindle and said storage device.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 217 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head; a wheel spindle mounted upon said wheel head so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis and including a wheel support portion which is provided with first threaded means disposed at one end thereof; a storage device for storing a plurality of wheel sleeves in a horizontal plane each of which includes means defining a bore engageable with said wheel support portion and second threaded means connectable with said first threaded means, said wheel sleeves firmly fixing grinding wheels thereon respectively; guide means extending from the vicinity of said wheel spindle to said storage device and aligned parallel with the axis of said wheel spindle; a shuttle carrier movable along said guide means between said wheel spindle and said storage device; an exchange device including gripping means for gripping and supporting one of said wheel sleeves and drive means for reversibly rotating said second threaded means for attaching and detaching one of said wheel sleeves to and from said wheel spindle through the connection between said first and second threaded means; means for pivotably suspending said exchange device from said shuttle carrier; and indexing means for pivoting said exchange device between two positions so as to selectively confront said exchange device with said wheel spindle and said storage device.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 88 words

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 3, wherein said storage device comprises: a wheel carrier movable within a horizontal plane; a plurality of stub shafts projecting vertically from the upper surface of said wheel carrier for supporting said wheel sleeves and wheels in a horizontal plane; and drive means for moving said wheel carrier so as to bring one of said wheel sleeves and wheels supported upon said stub shafts to an exchange station which is located at a predetermined position relative to said exchange device.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 210 words

A grinding machine comprising: a machine base; a wheel head mounted upon said machine base; a wheel spindle mounted upon said wheel head so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis and including a wheel support end for supporting one of a plurality of wheel sleeves which are fixedly provided with grinding wheels respectively; storage device means disposed alongside said machine base within the vicinity of said support end and including a plurality of vertically extending stub shafts for supporting said wheel sleeves within a horizontal plane through engagement means cooperative therebetween similar to that between said support end and said wheel sleeves; transfer head means pivotable about a horizontal axis for transferring one of said wheel sleeves from said storage device means to said support end; attaching means mounted upon said transfer head for gripping one of said wheel sleeves at said storage device means and for attaching said one of said wheel sleeves to said support end; and drive means for pivoting said transfer head away from said machine base in order to transfer said transfer head from said storage device means to said support end without any interference between said machine base and said one of said wheel sleeves and wheels gripped by said attaching means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 210 words

A grinding machine comprising: a machine base; a wheel head mounted upon said machine base; a wheel spindle mounted upon said wheel head so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis and including a wheel support end for supporting one of a plurality of wheel sleeves which are fixedly provided with grinding wheels respectively; storage device means disposed alongside said machine base within the vicinity of said support end and including a plurality of vertically extending stub shafts for supporting said wheel sleeves within a horizontal plane through engagement means cooperative therebetween similar to that between said support end and said wheel sleeves; transfer head means pivotable about a horizontal axis for transferring one of said wheel sleeves from said storage device means to said support end; attaching means mounted upon said transfer head for gripping one of said wheel sleeves at said storage device means and for attaching said one of said wheel sleeves to said support end; and drive means for pivoting said transfer head away from said machine base in order to transfer said transfer head from said storage device means to said support end without any interference between said machine base and said one of said wheel sleeves and wheels gripped by said attaching means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 85 words

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 5, which further comprises: transfer guide means extending parallel to said axis of said wheel spindle; a shuttle carrier adapted to be moved along said transfer guide means and pivotably mounting said transfer head and said drive means; and carrier shift means for moving said shuttle carrier and said transfer head along said tRansfer guide means to and away from said storage device and said support end in conjunction with the pivotable movement of said transfer head.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 182 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head; a wheel spindle rotatably mounted upon said wheel head and including a support end having a first threaded means for supporting one of a plurality of wheel sleeves each of which is adapted to firmly fix a grinding wheel and provided with a bore and a second threaded means, said bore and second threaded means being respectively engageable with said support end and said first threaded means; a storage device provided with a plurality of support shafts each of which is engageable with said bore so as to removably support said wheel sleeves and which have third threaded means similar to said first threaded means; means for transferring one of said wheel sleeves between said wheel head and said storage device and for selectively mounting said one of said wheel sleeves upon said support end and one of said support shifts; and drive means mounted upon said transfer means for driving said second threaded means so as to selectively secure said one of said sleeves upon wheel spindle and said one of said support shafts.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 182 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head; a wheel spindle rotatably mounted upon said wheel head and including a support end having a first threaded means for supporting one of a plurality of wheel sleeves each of which is adapted to firmly fix a grinding wheel and provided with a bore and a second threaded means, said bore and second threaded means being respectively engageable with said support end and said first threaded means; a storage device provided with a plurality of support shafts each of which is engageable with said bore so as to removably support said wheel sleeves and which have third threaded means similar to said first threaded means; means for transferring one of said wheel sleeves between said wheel head and said storage device and for selectively mounting said one of said wheel sleeves upon said support end and one of said support shifts; and drive means mounted upon said transfer means for driving said second threaded means so as to selectively secure said one of said sleeves upon wheel spindle and said one of said support shafts.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 109 words

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 7, wherein said wheel spindle is rotatable about a horizontal axis and said storage device further comprises: a rotatable wheel carrier mounting said support shafts which extend radially therefrom and which are disposed within a horizontal plane; and an indexing device for selectively rotating said wheel carrier so as to selectively present one of said wheel sleeves to an exchange station while still disposed within said horizontal plane; said transfer means being capable of transferring said one of said wheel sleeves between said wheel head and said exchange station while maintaining said one of said wheel sleeves within a vertical plane.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 139 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head; a wheel spindle rotatably mounted upon said wheel head and having first threaded means disposed at one end thereof; a storage device for removably storing a plurality of wheel sleeves each of which includes second threaded means engageable with said first threaded means, said wheel sleeves being fixedly provided with grinding wheels respectively; means for transferring one of said wheel sleeves between said storage device and said wheel head; and drive means, for driving said second threaded means for attaching said wheel sleeves to said wheel spindle, including a drive member engageable with said second threaded means, a first drive actuator for driving said drive member by means of a first force, and a second drive actuator for applying a second force to said drive member in addition to said first force.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 139 words

A grinding machine comprising: a wheel head; a wheel spindle rotatably mounted upon said wheel head and having first threaded means disposed at one end thereof; a storage device for removably storing a plurality of wheel sleeves each of which includes second threaded means engageable with said first threaded means, said wheel sleeves being fixedly provided with grinding wheels respectively; means for transferring one of said wheel sleeves between said storage device and said wheel head; and drive means, for driving said second threaded means for attaching said wheel sleeves to said wheel spindle, including a drive member engageable with said second threaded means, a first drive actuator for driving said drive member by means of a first force, and a second drive actuator for applying a second force to said drive member in addition to said first force.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 120 words

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein said second drive actuator comprises: a hydraulic rotary actuator having at least one pair of chambers defined in part by a rotary shaft and a rotary casing rotatably mounted upon said rotary shaft, said rotary shaft being operably connected with said drive member and said first actuator; first and second stops respectively provided upon said rotary shaft and said rotary casing so as to limit the relative rotational movement therebetween; and fluid distribution means for alternatively supplying pressurized fluid into said chambers so as to oscillate said casing and generate an impact force upon said drive member as a result of the successive collisions between said first and second stops.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 65 words

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein said stops are wing members disposed within said rotary casing and serving to define said chambers with said shaft and casing, and wherein said fluid distribution means comprises: a rotary valve for alternatively conducting said pressurized fluid into said chambers in accordance with the rotation thereof; and a drive motor for rotating said rotary vAlve.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 54 words

A grinding machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said second threaded means are respectively supported upon said wheel sleeves in concentric relation therewith; said drive means is mounted upon said transfer device; and said transfer device further comprises gripping means in concentric relation with said drive member for gripping said wheel sleeves.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-12-15	1979-06-16	1979-12-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-12-15	1983-06-16	1983-12-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-12-15	1987-06-16	1987-12-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Grinding machine with an automatic exchange device for grinding wheels

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