Patent ID: 9623493
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: B23C,Y10T

Claim:
1. A ball end mill, comprising: a body having a generally hemispherical forward end portion, a rearward end portion and a central axis, the generally hemispherical forward end portion including an insert-receiving pocket, the insert-receiving pocket including a bottom support surface, an axial support surface, a radial support surface, and a free surface between the axial support surface and the radial support surface; and a cutting insert including a first substantially planar surface, a second substantially planar surface, a first curvilinear side surface, a second curvilinear side surface, a corner radius between the first and second curvilinear side surfaces, a first pair of cutting edges formed at an intersection between the first substantially planar surface and the first and second curvilinear side surfaces, and a second pair of cutting edges formed at an intersection between the second substantially planar surface and the first and second curvilinear side surfaces, wherein the cutting insert is mirror symmetric about all three central x-, y- and z-axes, wherein the cutting insert is mounted in the insert-receiving pocket in such a way that at least a portion of the cutting insert lies along the central axis of the body.