Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
533 words
An adjustable stop member for use with machines having a tool support structure, a tool mounted on said tool support structure, a work holder, means for producing relative movement between the tool support structure and the work holder, such that the tool mounted on the tool holder can be brought into cutting contact with a work piece mounted on the work holder, and stop means for limiting the relative movement between the tool support structure and the an elongate, cylindrical member having first and second ends and an elongate bore which is coaxial with a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical member, said elongate bore extending inwardly from the first end of said cylindrical member; internal threads along the length of said elongate bore; an elongate rod having first and second ends; a threaded section formed along the longitudinal length of said elongate rod, said threaded section comprising external threads which extend from the first end of said elongate rod along at least the major portion of the length of said elongate rod, with the threaded section of said elongate rod being receivable within said elongate bore in said cylindrical member for making engagement with the internal threads of said elongate bore such that the threaded section of said elongate rod can be adjustably advanced into and withdrawn from the elongate bore in said cylindrical member to thereby adjustably vary the effective, combined, longitudinal length of the cylindrical member and the elongate rod threaded therein; an elongate, relatively narrow, linear flat formed along the length of the threaded section in said elongate rod, said flat being formed at least as deeply into the surface of the elongate rod as are the deepest portions of the threads; an index line on said flat, said index line extending along the length of said flat and being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said elongate rod; a nut having first and second ends is threaded on the threaded section of said elongate rod such that the first end of said nut faces the first end of said elongate rod when the nut is fully threaded on the threaded section of said elongate rod; a circumferential band adjacent to the first end of said nut, said band being polished; and equally spaced markings along the circumferential length of the polished band on said nut, said markings forming a scale which extends around the length of said band, whereby, when the threaded section of the elongate rod is threaded into the first end of said cylindrical member, the scale on the nut and the index line on said flat of said elongate rod can be used to accurately adjust the overall length of the cylindrical member and elongate rod, and the nut can further be tightened against the first end of said cylindrical member to firmly secure the elongate rod and the cylindrical member in a releasably, fixed position relative to each other, and the stop member, comprising the elongate rod and the cylindrical member, can then be positioned in the stop means of said machine to limit the distance within which the tool support structure and the work holder can approach each other during use of said machine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
533 words
An adjustable stop member for use with machines having a tool support structure, a tool mounted on said tool support structure, a work holder, means for producing relative movement between the tool support structure and the work holder, such that the tool mounted on the tool holder can be brought into cutting contact with a work piece mounted on the work holder, and stop means for limiting the relative movement between the tool support structure and the an elongate, cylindrical member having first and second ends and an elongate bore which is coaxial with a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical member, said elongate bore extending inwardly from the first end of said cylindrical member; internal threads along the length of said elongate bore; an elongate rod having first and second ends; a threaded section formed along the longitudinal length of said elongate rod, said threaded section comprising external threads which extend from the first end of said elongate rod along at least the major portion of the length of said elongate rod, with the threaded section of said elongate rod being receivable within said elongate bore in said cylindrical member for making engagement with the internal threads of said elongate bore such that the threaded section of said elongate rod can be adjustably advanced into and withdrawn from the elongate bore in said cylindrical member to thereby adjustably vary the effective, combined, longitudinal length of the cylindrical member and the elongate rod threaded therein; an elongate, relatively narrow, linear flat formed along the length of the threaded section in said elongate rod, said flat being formed at least as deeply into the surface of the elongate rod as are the deepest portions of the threads; an index line on said flat, said index line extending along the length of said flat and being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said elongate rod; a nut having first and second ends is threaded on the threaded section of said elongate rod such that the first end of said nut faces the first end of said elongate rod when the nut is fully threaded on the threaded section of said elongate rod; a circumferential band adjacent to the first end of said nut, said band being polished; and equally spaced markings along the circumferential length of the polished band on said nut, said markings forming a scale which extends around the length of said band, whereby, when the threaded section of the elongate rod is threaded into the first end of said cylindrical member, the scale on the nut and the index line on said flat of said elongate rod can be used to accurately adjust the overall length of the cylindrical member and elongate rod, and the nut can further be tightened against the first end of said cylindrical member to firmly secure the elongate rod and the cylindrical member in a releasably, fixed position relative to each other, and the stop member, comprising the elongate rod and the cylindrical member, can then be positioned in the stop means of said machine to limit the distance within which the tool support structure and the work holder can approach each other during use of said machine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second end of said cylindrical member is closed, with the closed second end of said cylindrical member being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 1, wherein the threaded section on said elongate rod extends along at least about three-fourths of the length of said elongate rod.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 3, wherein a knurled band is formed adjacent to the second end of said elongate rod, with the knurled band having a width of between about 5 and 15 millimeters and with the threads of said threaded section extending from the first end of said elongate rod to the knurled band.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 1, wherein said index line is engraved in the surface of the flat on the elongate rod.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 1, wherein the nut has a cylindrical outer surface and the markings on the polished band of said nut are engraved in the surface of the polished band.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 6, wherein the first end of said nut is chamfered, with the chamfered end being polished and having markings engraved therein corresponding to the markings in the polished band adjacent to said chamfered end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 7, wherein a knurled band is formed adjacent to the second end of said nut.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 8, wherein a circumferential groove is formed in the nut between the polished band and the knurled band thereon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cylindrical member is further provided with a relatively narrow, raised, circumferential band, said raised band being positioned at least about twice as far from the first end of said cylindrical member than from the second end of said cylindrical member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 10, wherein said raised band has a width of between about 4 and 10 millimeters, and further, wherein the surface of the raised band is knurled.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 1, wherein there is further provided means for positioning said stop member in the stop means of said machine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 12, wherein said means for positioning said stop member in the stop means of said machine comprises a support arm which is mounted at one end thereof to said machine and extends to a position in which the free end thereof is positioned adjacent to the stop means of said machine; and mounting means at the free end of said support arm for holding the stop member in position in the stop means of said machine.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 13, wherein said support arm is mounted for pivotal movement about its one end, so that the free end thereof can be rotated away from said stop means of said machine to accommodate installation or removal of said stop member from the mounting means at the free end of said support arm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
121 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 12, wherein said means for positioning said stop member in the stop means of said machine comprises a support member which is mounted to said machine and has a pivotal connector means associated therewith, said connector means being positioned adjacent to the stop means of said machine; a carousel rotatably mounted to the pivotal connector means of said support member; and a plurality of mounting stations equally spaced about the perimeter of said carousel, with each mounting station being capable of having a stop member mounted therein, whereby the carousel can be rotated so as to sequentially position the mounting stations with respective stop members, one at a time, in said stop means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
87 words
An adjustable stop member in accordance with claim 1 wherein there is further provided means for accurately positioning the cutting tool, said means comprising a chuck comprising collet members which are tightened upon the tool; and a lug provided on at least one of the collet members, said lug being on the face of the collet member which contacts the surface of the tool, such that the tool can be placed in the chuck with its inner end in engagement with the lug on the collet member.