Patent ID: 9403206
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: B21H

Claim Text:
1. A spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece, comprising: a durable carriage operable for being fixedly secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly within a machine for forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece, said carriage having a mounting surface, said carriage operable for sliding in reciprocating relation together with rotation of the workpiece; a perishable rack insert operable for being removably secured upon said mounting surface of said carriage, said rack insert having a working surface with a series of feature-forming surfaces formed thereupon for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece and a locking bearing surface, said rack insert operable for being removed from, and secured upon, said carriage within said machine without removing said carriage from within said machine; a locating key operable for being disposed between a first locating key recess formed within said rack insert and a second locating key recess formed within said carriage for properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position, wherein manufactured configurations of said locating key and said first and second locating key recesses together comprise primary engaging components and surfaces for properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position, and wherein said locating key is secured to said carriage; a locating assembly operable for being disposed upon said carriage in movable relation between a first position corresponding to a loading position of said rack insert upon said carriage and a second position corresponding to a work position of said rack insert upon said carriage, said locating assembly also operable for engaging a recess within said rack insert, wherein movement of said locating assembly from said first position to said second position engages said locating assembly with said recess within said rack insert to assist in properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position, wherein said locating assembly comprises a lock pin attached to a lock shaft rotatably disposed within said carriage and capable of being rotated between a first position corresponding to a load position of said rack insert upon said carriage and a second position where the locking shaft engages a tapered surface of the insert corresponding to a work position of said rack insert upon said carriage; and a plurality of clamping assemblies disposed at spaced apart locations longitudinally within said carriage, each clamping assembly having a translatable locking member with an annular engagement surface configured to engage the locking bearing surface of the rack insert, the translatable locking member having a shaft defining a cam following surface, said clamping assemblies each having a rotatable member disposed generally perpendicular to the shaft and having a cam configured to engage the cam following surface upon rotation of the rotatable member in a first direction, the translatable member being operable for releasably contacting said rack insert in a pressurized manner for securing said rack insert in a clamped work position upon said carriage, wherein each clamping assembly is operable for being adjusted between a released unclamped condition and an engaged clamped condition.