Internal disk milling cutter

Claim 1

An internal disk milling cutter for the external cylindrical milling of workpieces, said cutter including a one-piece annular base having an internal circumferential edge and a series of radially inwardly extending holders removably arranged 360 degrees around said internal edge in a circumferentially uninterrupted manner so as to be capable of exerting circumferential forces against one another, said holders carrying tool bits and each including first abutment means and said base including second abutment means against which said first abutment means bears in a radial direction to support said holders in such radial direction, said holders each including third abutment means and said base including fourth abutment means against which said third abutment means bears in an axial direction to support said holders in such axial direction, a selected plurality of said removable holders of said series being of generally circular-segment configuration and including radially outwardly diverging frontal surfaces arranged to exert circumferential forces against associated frontal surfaces of circumferentially adjoining removable holders to prevent radially inwardly movement of said plurality of holders, the frontal surfaces of one other of said holders being of non-diverging relationship in the radially outward direction, at least a first of said plurality of holders which adjoins said one other holder having a frontal surface which is generally parallel to the opposing frontal surface of said one other holder, a clamping wedge disposed in either of said opposing frontal surfaces of said one other holder and said first holder and arranged to act in a circumferential direction against the other said opposing surface, to push all of said holders of said series together in the circumferential direction, and a plurality of retaining means associated with same but not all of said holders of said series for releasably securing same to said base.