US4841126A — Rotary table wire EDM machine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

A method of controlling relative movement between at least one electrode of an EDM machine and at least one workpiece, which relative movement follows a continuous curvilinear path capable of producing a desired contour of a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning each point on the curvilinear path by the distance of said each point from an axis of rotation; (b) providing a rotary table having an axis of rotation, said rotary table having contact ring means associated therewith, said contact ring means encircling said rotary table; (c) mounting the workpiece on the rotary table; (d) rotating the workpiece about the axis of rotation; (e) positioning each point on the curvilinear path by the angle through which the workpiece is rotated with respect to a reference axis, the reference axis intersecting the axis of rotation; and (f) providing a D.C. brush assembly, and supplying polarity to the workpiece via said D.C. brush assembly and said contact ring means.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 161 words

A method of controlling relative movement between at least one electrode of an EDM machine and at least one workpiece, which relative movement follows a continuous curvilinear path capable of producing a desired contour of a workpiece, the method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning each point on the curvilinear path by the distance of said each point from an axis of rotation; (b) providing a rotary table having an axis of rotation, said rotary table having contact ring means associated therewith, said contact ring means encircling said rotary table; (c) mounting the workpiece on the rotary table; (d) rotating the workpiece about the axis of rotation; (e) positioning each point on the curvilinear path by the angle through which the workpiece is rotated with respect to a reference axis, the reference axis intersecting the axis of rotation; and (f) providing a D.C. brush assembly, and supplying polarity to the workpiece via said D.C. brush assembly and said contact ring means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method defined in claim 1, wherein the distance of said each point from the axis of rotation is taken in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method defined in claim 2, wherein the step of positioning each point on the curvilinear path by the distance of said each point from an axis of rotation includes translating said at least one electrode to said each point.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method defined in claim 3, wherein said at least one electrode is translated along a translation axis that intersects the axis of rotation.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method defined in claim 4, wherein the translation axis is the reference axis.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method defined in claim 1, wherein step (a) is performed before steps (d) and (e).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method defined in claim 1, wherein steps (d) and (e) are performed concurrently.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of (g) memorizing the position of each point on the curvilinear path.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of repeating steps (a), (d) and (e).

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 143 words

In an EDM machine in which relative movement between at least one electrode of the EDM machine and a workpiece describe a path for producing a desired contour of a workpiece, the combination comprising: translation means for providing a distance between the at least one electrode and an axis of rotation, the distance corresponding to the distance between a point on the path and the axis of rotation; rotation means including a rotary table on which the workpiece is mountable for rotating the workpiece about the axis of rotation to an orientation in which the electrode is coincidental with the workpiece at a point on the path, said rotation means having a contact ring associated therewith; and polarity means including a d.c. brush assembly for supplying polarity to the workpiece via said contact ring when the workpiece is mounted on the rotary table.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 143 words

In an EDM machine in which relative movement between at least one electrode of the EDM machine and a workpiece describe a path for producing a desired contour of a workpiece, the combination comprising: translation means for providing a distance between the at least one electrode and an axis of rotation, the distance corresponding to the distance between a point on the path and the axis of rotation; rotation means including a rotary table on which the workpiece is mountable for rotating the workpiece about the axis of rotation to an orientation in which the electrode is coincidental with the workpiece at a point on the path, said rotation means having a contact ring associated therewith; and polarity means including a d.c. brush assembly for supplying polarity to the workpiece via said contact ring when the workpiece is mounted on the rotary table.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

The combination according to claim 10, further comprising splash guard means for protecting the rotation means against splashing by a dielectric fluid.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 15 words

The combination according to claim 10, wherein the contact ring contiguously encircles the rotary table.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 31 words

The combination of claim 12 wherein the D.C. brush assembly is mounted adjacent the rotary table, the D.C. brush assembly including a contacting member spring-biased into contact with the contacting ring.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 153 words

In an electro-eroding machine in which relative movement between at least one electrode of an electro-eroding machine and a workpiece describe a path for producing a desired contour of a workpiece, the combination comprising: a rotating work table including a table top and a contact ring encircling and depending downwardly from the table top; a base in which said table is rotatably supported; a D.C. brush assembly mounted on the base adjacent the rotating table, the D.C. brush assembly electrically contacting the contact ring to polarize a workpiece mounted on the table top; a servo motor and encoder assembly capable of rotating said table through a desired angle; rotatable drive linking means connecting said motor and encoder assembly to said rotatable table; and means protecting said motor and encoder and said linking drive means from a liquid dielectric splashed about said rotating table, base, servo motor and encoder, and linking rotatable drive means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 153 words

In an electro-eroding machine in which relative movement between at least one electrode of an electro-eroding machine and a workpiece describe a path for producing a desired contour of a workpiece, the combination comprising: a rotating work table including a table top and a contact ring encircling and depending downwardly from the table top; a base in which said table is rotatably supported; a D.C. brush assembly mounted on the base adjacent the rotating table, the D.C. brush assembly electrically contacting the contact ring to polarize a workpiece mounted on the table top; a servo motor and encoder assembly capable of rotating said table through a desired angle; rotatable drive linking means connecting said motor and encoder assembly to said rotatable table; and means protecting said motor and encoder and said linking drive means from a liquid dielectric splashed about said rotating table, base, servo motor and encoder, and linking rotatable drive means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 202 words

An improvement in the method of programmatically controlling the relative movement between at least one electrode of an EDM machine and at least one workpiece, whereby the relative movement includes at least one curve within a plane, the curve being defined by information from a software program, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) positioning each point on the curve by the distance within the plane of said point from an axis of rotation; (b) providing a rotary table having an axis of rotation, said step of providing a rotary table including providing a contact ring encircling said rotary table; (c) mounting the workpiece on the rotary table; (d) rotating the workpiece about the axis of rotation; (e) positioning each point on the curve by the angle through which the workpiece is rotated with respect to a reference axis within the plane, the reference axis intersecting the axis of rotation; (f) memorizing the position of each point on the curve; (g) providing a brush assembly; (h) supplying polarity to said workpiece via said brush assembly and said contact ring to create and maintain a voltage gap between said one electrode and said workpiece; and (i) repeating steps (a) , (d) and (e).

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 202 words

An improvement in the method of programmatically controlling the relative movement between at least one electrode of an EDM machine and at least one workpiece, whereby the relative movement includes at least one curve within a plane, the curve being defined by information from a software program, the improvement comprising the steps of: (a) positioning each point on the curve by the distance within the plane of said point from an axis of rotation; (b) providing a rotary table having an axis of rotation, said step of providing a rotary table including providing a contact ring encircling said rotary table; (c) mounting the workpiece on the rotary table; (d) rotating the workpiece about the axis of rotation; (e) positioning each point on the curve by the angle through which the workpiece is rotated with respect to a reference axis within the plane, the reference axis intersecting the axis of rotation; (f) memorizing the position of each point on the curve; (g) providing a brush assembly; (h) supplying polarity to said workpiece via said brush assembly and said contact ring to create and maintain a voltage gap between said one electrode and said workpiece; and (i) repeating steps (a) , (d) and (e).

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method defined in claim 15, wherein the step of positioning each point on the curve by the distance of said point from the axis of rotation includes translating the axis of rotation with respect to said at least one electrode.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method defined in claim 15, wherein the step of positioning each point on the curve by the distance of said point from the axis of rotation includes translating said at least one electrode to said each point.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-06-19	1992-12-19	1993-06-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-06-19	1996-12-19	1997-06-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-06-19	2000-12-19	2001-06-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Rotary table wire EDM machine

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