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US3942287A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Contour grinders

Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1974-10-07
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Granted: 1976-03-09
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Expires: 1994-10-07
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Abstract

Abstract A contour grinder having a grinding wheel that forms a workpiece into a desired contour by directly controlling the movement of the grinding wheel with a motor operated by numerical control. The grinding wheel has an arched shaped surface on the periphery thereof. The grinder also includes a vertical shaft about which the grinding wheel is rotatable and a support arm which carries a horizontal shaft to which the grinding wheel is fixed. The support arm is rotatably connected to a portion of the vertical shaft and connects the horizontal shaft at a right angle thereto so that the center of the arched surface on the periphery of the grinding wheel is aligned with the center of the vertical shaft. The vertical shaft is rotatable about its axis and movable longitudinally and laterally and the grinding wheel is movable with the vertical shaft. The vertical shaft is hollow and a microscope, marked with reference lines for inspecting the shape of the periphery of the grinding wheel and the position of the workpiece to be ground by the grinding wheel, is mounted in the hollow shaft.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yoshio Tokunaga
  • 👤 Keizo Shinano

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 22:28
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B17/00; B24B17/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S451/00; Y10S451/913

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 180 words
A contour grinder for grinding the contour of a workpiece into a desired shape with a grinding wheel having an arched surface on the periphery thereof, said grinder comprising: a rotatable substantially horizontally extending shaft, a grinding wheel having an arched surface on the periphery thereof, said grinding wheel being fixed to said shaft, a substantially vertically extending shaft, means for rotating said substantially vertically extending shaft on its substantially vertically extending axis, said means comprising a motor driven and controlled by numerical control means, means for moving said substantially vertically extending shaft longitudinally and laterally, said moving means comprising motors driven and controlled by numerical control means, means connecting said substantially horizontally extending shaft to said substantially vertically extending shaft at a substantially right angle thereto for aligning the center of the arched surface on the periphery of the grinding wheel with the center of the substantially vertically extending shaft, a substantially vertically slidable member on which a workpiece to be ground by the grinding wheel is mounted, and means for substantially vertically reciporcatingly moving said vertically slidable member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 180 words
A contour grinder for grinding the contour of a workpiece into a desired shape with a grinding wheel having an arched surface on the periphery thereof, said grinder comprising: a rotatable substantially horizontally extending shaft, a grinding wheel having an arched surface on the periphery thereof, said grinding wheel being fixed to said shaft, a substantially vertically extending shaft, means for rotating said substantially vertically extending shaft on its substantially vertically extending axis, said means comprising a motor driven and controlled by numerical control means, means for moving said substantially vertically extending shaft longitudinally and laterally, said moving means comprising motors driven and controlled by numerical control means, means connecting said substantially horizontally extending shaft to said substantially vertically extending shaft at a substantially right angle thereto for aligning the center of the arched surface on the periphery of the grinding wheel with the center of the substantially vertically extending shaft, a substantially vertically slidable member on which a workpiece to be ground by the grinding wheel is mounted, and means for substantially vertically reciporcatingly moving said vertically slidable member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 30 words
A contour grinder according to claim 1, further comprising: dressing means for correcting the arched surface of the grinding wheel, said dressing means being mounted on said vertically slidable member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A contour grinder according to claim 2, further comprising: control means for selectively controlling the position at which reciprocating movement of said vertically slidable member is stopped.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 59 words
A contour grinder according to claim 3, wherein: said means for substantially vertically reciprocatingly moving said vertically slidable member comprises a driving shaft and an eccentric fixed to said driving shaft, said control means comprises a switch lever and a limit switch adapted to engage with said switch lever, and said switch lever is connected to said driving shaft.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
A contour grinder according to claim 3, further comprising: driving means for adjusting the vertical position of the vertically slidable member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
A contour grinder according to claim 5, further comprising: control means for vertically adjustably driving said dressing means to, and stopping it at, a predetermined dressing position and back to a predetermined original position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 47 words
A contour grinder according to claim 6, further comprising: at least one striker mounted on said vertically slidable member, and at least one limit switch adapted to engage said at least one striker to stop said dressing means at the dressing position and at the original position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 42 words
A contour grinder according to claim 1, wherein: said substantially vertically extending shaft has an eccentric periphery at a portion thereof, and said connecting means comprises a support arm rotatably adjustably connected to the eccentric periphery of the substantially vertically extending shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 85 words
A contour grinder according to claim 8, further comprising: a sheave fixed to said rotatable substantially horizontally extending shaft, a drive pulley rotatably mounted on said substantially vertically extending shaft, a take-up pulley mounted on said support arm, a grinding wheel drive belt trained about said sheave, said drive pulley and said take-up pulley, and means for driving said drive belt whereby said grinding wheel is rotatably about the axis of the substantially horizontally extending shaft and is also rotatable about the substantially extending shaft.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 52 words
A contour grinder according to claim 1, wherein: said substantially vertically extending shaft is hollow, and a microscope, marked with reference lines for inspecting the shape of the periphery of the grinding wheel and the position of a workpiece to be ground by the grinding wheel, is mounted in said hollow shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 36 words
A contour grinder according to claim 1, further comprising: means for changing the stroke of the reciprocating motion of the vertically slidable member, and driving means for adjusting the vertical position of the vertically slidable member.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3118254A Cited
US1045243A Cited
US1500963A Cited
US1674673A Cited
US1817405A Cited
US3105413A Cited
US3289355A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-03-09 1979-09-08 1980-03-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-03-09 1983-09-08 1984-03-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-03-09 1987-09-08 1988-03-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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