Apparatus for crystal shaping

Claim 1

A unitary apparatus for shaping a crystal ingot into a crystal blank at a single station, the resulting crystal blank having a cylindrical surface with a flat thereon wherein the flat is oriented with respect to a crystal plane selected by observing reflected x-rays and wherein the flat extends along the length of the crystal parallel to the axis of the cylindrical surface, the apparatus comprising: a base; means mounted on the base for mounting the crystal, said mounting means including therewith means for rotating the crystal continuously about the axis thereof and means for translating the crystal back and forth in the direction that the axis extends while continuously rotating the crystal ingot; a grinding wheel having a flat grinding surface extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the grinding wheel to provide a radial grinding face, the grinding wheel having a diameter less than that of the crystal ingot; means for mounting the grinding wheel on the base with the axis of rotation thereof extending perpendicular to the axis of the mounted crystal ingot, said grinding wheel mounting means including means for rotating the grinding wheel and means for moving the grinding wheel in the direction of its axis of rotation to move the radial grinding face into engagement with the crystal ingot, wherein as the crystal ingot is rotated and translated the grinding wheel abrades the surface of the ingot to generate a cylindrical outer surface thereon; an x-ray source and receptor mounted on the base and aligned with the surface of the crystal wherein as the crystal is slowly rotated an area for generating a flat thereon is selected when the intensity of reflected x-rays is at a maximum, and means for translating the crystal in the direction of its axis without rotating the crystal and while rotating the grinding wheel with the radial grinding face of the grinding wheel in engagement with the crystal to generate the flat, whereby a crystal ingot is shaped into a cylindrical crystal blank with a flat thereon by use of a single apparatus at a single station without having to manually handle the crystal between the cylindrical shaping, x-ray measuring and flat generating operations.