Milling tool

A milling cutter having a pair of clamping components mounted on a tool holder to form a slot for receiving a cutting insert. One of the clamping components forms an integral extension of the tool holder's shank. The two clamping components are fastened together by threaded fasteners. The insert is fastened to the clamping components by a second threaded fastener received in through-holes in the two components and a central opening in the cutting insert.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a milling cutter, and more particularly to a tool holder having a pair of clamping components forming a slot for receiving a milling cutting insert.

Milling cutters are commonly used in industry for a variety of metal cutting operations. A problem with conventional milling cutters is supporting a replaceable cutting insert. It is sometimes difficult to ensure that the cutting insert is on the centerline of the tool during a cutting operation.

A purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved tool holder for supporting a milling cutter insert.

The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an elongated tool holder body having a shank at one end and a clamping component at the opposite, cutter head end. The shank is suited for connecting to a rotating driving means. A second removable clamping component is fastened to the tool holder body adjacent the first clamping component to form a slot for receiving the cutting insert. A fastener directly connects one clamping component to the other clamping component.

A camming screw passes through aligned holes in the two clamping components and a central hole in the cutting insert to connect the insert to the tool holder body.

The inner edge of the cutting insert has a V-shaped edge however it may take other configurations. The tool holder body has a V-shaped seat for receiving the V-shaped edge of the cutting insert to prevent it from being moved with respect to the tool holder body during a metal cutting procedure.

The camming screw biases the insert toward the V-shaped seat.

The first clamping component has an elongated longitudinal ridge. The second removable clamping component has a slot that mates with the ridge to prevent any lateral movement of one of the clamping components with respect to the other clamping component.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings,FIG. 1illustrates a preferred tool holder10comprising an elongated body12having a shank14at one end and a cutter head16at the opposite end.

The shank is adapted to be held in a rotating drive means, not shown, for rotation about a longitudinal axis18. A recess20and a slot22provide means for connecting the tool holder to the drive means in a manner described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,102. Other shank configurations can be used.

The shank is integrally attached to a collar24having a planar mounting face26. Axis18is perpendicular to the plane of face26.

The components of the preferred tool holder are made of suitable steel alloys adapted for the particular metal cutting application to which they are to be applied.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 3, the cutter end of the tool holder has a ridge28extending longitudinally from face26, and a pair of flat mounting surfaces30and32disposed in a common plane on opposite sides of ridge28, and at right angles to face26. Ridge28and mounting surfaces30and32terminate in a concave V-shaped seat34. Seat34has an apex36adjacent rotating axis18of the body.

The outer end of the cutter head forms a clamping component40with a clamping surface41disposed in a plane that is parallel to mounting surfaces30and32. Clamping surface41is recessed from mounting surfaces30and32, about one-half the thickness of a cutting insert. Surface41has a tapped hole42for receiving a camming screw44. The two tapped holes37and42are disposed along parallel axes and at right angles to mounting face41. Mounting face41is disposed in a plane that is at right angles to face26.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 4, a removable second clamping component46is mounted on body12in abutment with clamping component40. End face48abuts mounting face26of the collar.

Clamping component46has a longitudinal slot50that closely receives ridge28to prevent any lateral shifting between the two clamping components. Clamping component46also has a fastener-receiving through-hole52aligned with tapped hole37for receiving fastener38to tightly connect the two clamping components together.

Referring toFIG. 4, removable clamping component46has a pair of flat mounting surfaces54and56, disposed in a common plane, on opposite sides of slot50. The inner end of mounting surfaces54,56and slot50terminate in a V-shaped concave seat58for receiving a cutting insert60. When clamping component46is mounted on clamping component40, mounting surfaces30and32abut mounting surfaces56and54, respectively. Fastener38connects the two clamping components together.

V-shaped seat58on clamping component46is aligned with V-shaped seat34to form slot64. Face66on removable clamping component46and face68on clamping component40are parallel to one another and spaced to tightly receive cutting insert60.

Referring toFIGS. 1,7and9, insert60has an outer cutting edge70which extends beyond the end of the cutter head. The insert has an inner end with a V-shaped convex edge72seated in V-shaped seats34and58. The insert has a central through-hole74having an axis75slightly offset from axis75ain threaded hole42and frustoconical hole76.

Referring toFIGS. 6–8, hole76is tapered from an elongated outer opening80to an annular enlargement82. Camming screw44has a head86with a diameter less than the diameter of outer opening80. The underside88of the camming screw head is also frustoconical, but slightly smaller than tapered hole76so that a small clearance exists permitting the camming screw to move in the direction90.

The lower threaded end of the camming screw is slightly smaller than the threads of hole42to provide a small clearance permitting camming midsection92to slightly move in direction90. Smooth, cylindrical camming midsection92abuts the inner end of insert through-hole74.

The camming screw is turned in the direction of arrow94until the underside of the camming screw engages the right side of frustoconical hole76, as viewed inFIG. 6. Turning the camming screw further causes the camming screw head to slide down tapered hole76, moving camming midsection92in the direction of arrow90. This movement of the camming screw biases the insert toward a locked position in abutment with V-shaped seats34and58.

Further, as the head of the camming screw head slides down tapered hole76, the camming screw head sandwiches that portion of clamping component46between the camming screw head and the insert in area98to further lock the insert in slot64.

Turning the camming screw in the opposite direction releases the insert so the camming screw can be removed, and then the insert removed from slot64.

Thus it is to be understood that I have described an improved milling tool holder in which the cutting insert is clamped at the outer end of the tool holder. The two clamping components have a mating ridge and slot to prevent any lateral movement of one of the components with respect to the other. The insert is biased against V-shaped seat in the two clamping components. The V-shaped seat may take other configurations so long as the configuration prevents the insert from being rotated with respect to the tool holder.