Patent ID: 11919094
Assignee: KENNAMETAL INC.
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 19:
20. A modular drill apparatus comprising:
a shank including a pocket defined by a bottom and sidewalls which extend from the bottom to a distal opening of the pocket, the shank including a cylindrical post centrally disposed at the bottom of the pocket;
a cutting tip including a lower portion, an upper portion and a channel therebetween, the channel spanning across the cutting tip perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the modular drill apparatus, the lower portion including a central bore which receives the cylindrical post for symmetrically supporting the cutting tip within the pocket and allowing repositioning of the cutting tip within the pocket along the longitudinal axis; and
an insert assembly interfitted within the channel,
the insert assembly being expandable along a channel axis of the channel for securing the cutting tip to the shank, the insert assembly including chamfered surfaces at opposite ends thereof and an adjusting component accessible via an opening in the shank, the adjusting component being rotationally repositionable within and longitudinally slidable along the channel by rotating the adjusting component in a first direction for repositioning, responsive to the chamfered surfaces interfacing with portions of the shank, the cutting tip and the insert assembly toward the bottom of the pocket, and
the insert assembly being retractable along the channel axis for releasing the cutting tip from the pocket, the adjusting component including a ramp circumferentially disposed thereabout and generally facing the central bore, the adjusting component being rotationally repositionable in relation to and longitudinally slidable along the channel axis by counterrotating the adjusting component in a second direction for repositioning, responsive to the ramp interfacing with a portion of the cylindrical post, the cutting tip and the insert assembly a sufficient distance away from the bottom of the pocket to release the cutting tip from the pocket.