US4148246A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High speed spindle and draw bar assembly
Assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corp
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Filing: 1978-05-11
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Granted: 1979-04-10
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Expires: 1998-05-11
Abstract
Abstract A machine tool high speed spindle assembly and draw bar assembly, wherein the spindle assembly includes a hollow, rotary spindle shaft, and the draw bar assembly is nonrotational relative to the spindle shaft. The draw bar assembly is axially movable within the hollow rotary spindle shaft, and it includes a tool holder gripping means. The draw bar assembly rotates with the hollow rotary spindle shaft during a machining operation. The draw bar assembly with its tool holder gripping means is moved by an actuator means between an operative position for retaining a tool holder or the like in the spindle shaft, and an inoperative position to permit a tool holder or the like to be removed from or inserted into the spindle shaft. A spindle shaft holding or gripping means retains the hollow rotary spindle shaft in a stationary position when the draw bar actuator means moves the draw bar assembly between said operative and inoperative positions. The spindle shaft holding means comprises a collet means having relatively movable collet members and collet clamp ring members. The draw bar assembly actuator means includes a detachable spline means having relatively movable spline members and a drive motor means. The draw bar assembly actuator means and spindle shaft holding means are free from the spindle shaft and have no physical contact with said shaft during a machine tool operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles R. Johnson
- 👤 John K. Forlow
- 👤 Paul G. Black
- 👤 William A. Mitchell
- 👤 John S. Clark
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:07
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23B; B23B31/00; B23B31/02; B23B31/24; B23B31/26; B23B31/261; B23B31/265; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T408/00; Y10T408/94; Y10T408/95; Y10T408/957; Y10T409/00; Y10T409/30; Y10T409/309352; Y10T409/309408; Y10T409/309464
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
397 words
In a machine tool having a rotary hollow spindle shaft with a draw bar assembly including a tool holder gripping means mounted in said spindle shaft for axial movement with respect thereto, between an operative position for retaining a tool holder or the like in said spindle shaft, and an inoperative position to permit a tool holder or the like to be removed from or inserted into the spindle shaft, the combination comprising: (a) spindle shaft holding means for holding the spindle shaft stationary when the draw bar assembly is moved between said operative and inoperative positions; (b) actuator means for moving said draw bar assembly between said operative and inoperative positions, wherein said actuator means includes: (1) a drive motor; (2) means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and said draw bar assembly; (c) said draw bar assembly is nonrotational relative to said spindle shaft and it includes a draw bar and a rotatable drive means for moving the draw bar axially in the spindle shaft; (d) said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar comprises a spline means for operative engagement with said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means, said spline means includes: (1) a fixed spline driven member connected to said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means; (2) a movable spline driver member for operative engagement with said fixed spline driven member; (e) said spindle shaft holding means includes a collet means for selective engagement with the spindle shaft for holding it stationary, or for releasing the spindle shaft for rotation; said collet means includes: (1) a fixed collet member having a plurality of collet fingers for gripping engagement with said spindle shaft; (2) a movable collet clamp ring member for camming said collet fingers into a gripping engagement with said spindle shaft for holding it stationary; (3) said movable collet clamp ring members are biased to inactive positions by spring means, and to active positions by fluid pressure means; (f) said rotatable drive means includes: (1) a threaded rear end shaft on the draw bar assembly, said threaded rear end shaft and cylindrical drive nut are provided with left hand threads; (2) a cylindrical drive nut threadably mounted on said threaded rear end shaft and engageable by said draw bar assembly means; and (3) the fixed spline member is integrally connected to said cylindrical drive nut.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
397 words
In a machine tool having a rotary hollow spindle shaft with a draw bar assembly including a tool holder gripping means mounted in said spindle shaft for axial movement with respect thereto, between an operative position for retaining a tool holder or the like in said spindle shaft, and an inoperative position to permit a tool holder or the like to be removed from or inserted into the spindle shaft, the combination comprising: (a) spindle shaft holding means for holding the spindle shaft stationary when the draw bar assembly is moved between said operative and inoperative positions; (b) actuator means for moving said draw bar assembly between said operative and inoperative positions, wherein said actuator means includes: (1) a drive motor; (2) means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and said draw bar assembly; (c) said draw bar assembly is nonrotational relative to said spindle shaft and it includes a draw bar and a rotatable drive means for moving the draw bar axially in the spindle shaft; (d) said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar comprises a spline means for operative engagement with said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means, said spline means includes: (1) a fixed spline driven member connected to said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means; (2) a movable spline driver member for operative engagement with said fixed spline driven member; (e) said spindle shaft holding means includes a collet means for selective engagement with the spindle shaft for holding it stationary, or for releasing the spindle shaft for rotation; said collet means includes: (1) a fixed collet member having a plurality of collet fingers for gripping engagement with said spindle shaft; (2) a movable collet clamp ring member for camming said collet fingers into a gripping engagement with said spindle shaft for holding it stationary; (3) said movable collet clamp ring members are biased to inactive positions by spring means, and to active positions by fluid pressure means; (f) said rotatable drive means includes: (1) a threaded rear end shaft on the draw bar assembly, said threaded rear end shaft and cylindrical drive nut are provided with left hand threads; (2) a cylindrical drive nut threadably mounted on said threaded rear end shaft and engageable by said draw bar assembly means; and (3) the fixed spline member is integrally connected to said cylindrical drive nut.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
185 words
In a machine tool having a rotary hollow spindle shaft with a draw bar assembly including a tool holder gripping means mounted in said spindle shaft for axial movement with respect thereto, between an operative position for retaining a tool holder or the like in said spindle shaft, and an inoperative position to permit a tool holder or the like to be removed from or inserted into the spindle shaft, the combination comprising: (a) spindle shaft holding means for holding the spindle shaft stationary when the draw bar assembly is moved between said operative and inoperative positions; (b) actuator means for moving said draw bar assembly between said operative and inoperative positions; (c) said actuator means includes: (1) a drive motor; (2) means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and said draw bar assembly, said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar assembly includes: (A) a tubular drive shaft; (B) a piston movably mounted in said tubular drive shaft; and, (C) means drivably connecting said piston to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, and for relative longitudinal movement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
185 words
In a machine tool having a rotary hollow spindle shaft with a draw bar assembly including a tool holder gripping means mounted in said spindle shaft for axial movement with respect thereto, between an operative position for retaining a tool holder or the like in said spindle shaft, and an inoperative position to permit a tool holder or the like to be removed from or inserted into the spindle shaft, the combination comprising: (a) spindle shaft holding means for holding the spindle shaft stationary when the draw bar assembly is moved between said operative and inoperative positions; (b) actuator means for moving said draw bar assembly between said operative and inoperative positions; (c) said actuator means includes: (1) a drive motor; (2) means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and said draw bar assembly, said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar assembly includes: (A) a tubular drive shaft; (B) a piston movably mounted in said tubular drive shaft; and, (C) means drivably connecting said piston to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, and for relative longitudinal movement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
283 words
In a machine tool having a rotary hollow spindle shaft with a draw bar assembly including a tool holder gripping means mounted in said spindle shaft for axial movement with respect thereto, between an operative position for retaining a tool holder or the like in said spindle shaft, and an inoperative position to permit a tool holder or the like to be removed from or inserted into the spindle shaft, the combination comprising: (a) spindle shaft holding means for holding the spindle shaft stationary when the draw bar assembly is moved between said operative and inoperative positions; (b) actuator means for moving said draw bar assembly between said operative and inoperative positions; said actuator means includes: (1) a drive motor; (2) means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and said draw bar assembly; (3) said draw bar assembly is nonrotational relative to said spindle shaft and it includes a draw bar and a rotatable drive means for moving the draw bar axially in the spindle shaft; (4) said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar assembly comprises a spline means for operative engagement with said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means, said spline means includes: (A) a fixed spline driven member connected to said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means; and, (B) a movable spline driver member for operative engagement with said fixed spline driven member; (5) said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar assembly includes: (A) a tubular drive shaft; (B) a piston movably mounted in said tubular drive shaft; and, (C) means drivably connecting said piston to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, and for relative longitudinal movement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
283 words
In a machine tool having a rotary hollow spindle shaft with a draw bar assembly including a tool holder gripping means mounted in said spindle shaft for axial movement with respect thereto, between an operative position for retaining a tool holder or the like in said spindle shaft, and an inoperative position to permit a tool holder or the like to be removed from or inserted into the spindle shaft, the combination comprising: (a) spindle shaft holding means for holding the spindle shaft stationary when the draw bar assembly is moved between said operative and inoperative positions; (b) actuator means for moving said draw bar assembly between said operative and inoperative positions; said actuator means includes: (1) a drive motor; (2) means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and said draw bar assembly; (3) said draw bar assembly is nonrotational relative to said spindle shaft and it includes a draw bar and a rotatable drive means for moving the draw bar axially in the spindle shaft; (4) said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar assembly comprises a spline means for operative engagement with said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means, said spline means includes: (A) a fixed spline driven member connected to said draw bar assembly rotatable drive means; and, (B) a movable spline driver member for operative engagement with said fixed spline driven member; (5) said means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said drive motor and draw bar assembly includes: (A) a tubular drive shaft; (B) a piston movably mounted in said tubular drive shaft; and, (C) means drivably connecting said piston to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, and for relative longitudinal movement.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 3, wherein: (a) said fixed spline member is connected to a cylindrical drive nut mounted on a threaded rear end shaft on the draw bar assembly; and, (b) the movable spline member is releasably attached to said movable piston.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 4, wherein: (a) said movable piston is movable in one direction to an operative position to move said movable spline member into driving engagement with said fixed spline member, and is movable in the opposite direction to disengage said movable spline member from said fixed spline member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 4 wherein: (a) said fixed spline member is a male spline member; and, (b) said movable spline member is a female spline member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 6, wherein: (a) said movable female spline member is provided with at least one crown spline tooth which extends axially outward beyond the other female spline teeth for leading the movable female spline member into driving engagement with the fixed male spline member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
119 words
The machine tool structure as defined in either one of claims 2 or 3, wherein, said means drivably connecting said piston to said drive shaft comprises: (a) a drive spider member attached to said piston and having at least one driven arm extended radially outward from the longitudinal axis of said piston; and, (b) said tubular drive shaft having at least one longitudinally extending driver arm slidably engageable with said at least one radial driven arm of said drive spider member, whereby when said tubular drive shaft is rotated, said at least one driver arm on said tubular drive shaft drivably engages said at least one spider driven arm for rotating the piston simultaneously with the tubular drive shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 8, wherein: (a) said tubular drive shaft is provided with a plurality of driver arms; and, (b) said drive spider member is provided with a plurality of spider driven arms.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 8, wherein: (a) said drive spider member is attached to said piston by an adaptor member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 10, wherein: (a) said movable female spline member is attached to said adaptor member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The machine tool structure as defined in claim 11, including: (a) means for indicating that said movable female spline member is disengaged from said fixed male spline member; and, (b) means carried by said drive spider member for operating said means for indicating that the spline members are disengaged when said piston is moved to an inoperative position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-04-09 | 1982-10-09 | 1983-04-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-04-09 | 1986-10-09 | 1987-04-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-04-09 | 1990-10-09 | 1991-04-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |