CRYOGENIC MACHINING

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for cryogenically cooling a cutting tool which can be used for cutting a metal work piece. The apparatus comprises a cutting tool (14) having a rake face (16) and a flank face (28), a chip breaker (18) adjacent the rake face and a nozzle (12) for directing a cooland such as cryogenic fluid, onto the rake face and under chips (22) cut from the work piece (26). The fluide channel may feed into a plurality of chambers. The invention also includes the method of machining a metal work piece using the cryogenically cooled cutting apparatus described above and a chip breaking apparatus having a through hole for transmitting cryogenic fluid or refrigerated air to cool the chip breaking apparatus during machining.

Description: CRYOGENIC MACHINING Background of the Invention The invention relates to an apparatus and method for cryogenically cooling a cutting tool. More particularly, the invention relates to a cutting tool which provides cryogenic cooling to the point of the tool which experiences the highest temperature during cutting and a method thereof. Furthermore, the invention is drawn to a chip breaker which contains a channel for cooling the tool. Metal cutting or machining is a chip forming process. When the cutting tool engages a rotating workpiece with a fixed feed, a chip of material is formed by the tool penetrating into the workpiece. The chip formation involves two mechanisms referred to as primary deformation and secondary deformation. The process of primary deformation is actually a shearing process. The chip is fragmented from a ductile workpiece but rejoins itself, forming a continuous chip as in AISI 1008 low carbon steel. Then friction between the chip and tool face deforms the bottom side of the chip, a process referred to as secondary deformation in the friction zone. Heat build up, as a result of this •friction, increases the temperature of the tool drastically and concentrates the heat at the interface of the chip and the tool face. As the chip slides on the tool face, the temperature continues to increase until the contact pressure between the chip and tool drops. The highest temperature is experienced at a point along the tool face, also known as the rake face, but at a small distance from the cutting edge of the tool, as shown in the sample temperature distribution of Figure 1 for normal conventional machining. The highest temperature point usually coincides with the area where crater wear occurs, a distance from the tool corner. This distance is approximately equal to the undeformed chip thickness or feed, generally about .010 to 0.025 inches from the cutting edge. Because of this high temperature, the cutting tool could overheat decreasing the tool life, increasing the force required to cut the surface and decreasing cutting accuracy. When cutting ductile materials such as metals, the heat causes a "stickiness" which produces material build-up on the edge of the cutting tool also, known as "welding." Conventionally, this problem has been solved by applying cutting fluid or cutting oil in a flood or mist directly to the back-side of the chips, the side opposite the cutting tool. This served as both a coolant and a lubricant. These cutting fluids however, resulted in a bad odor, water penetration into the machine bearings, a residue surface left on the tools and sanitary problems. In addition, they are prone to damaging the environment and may even cause health hazards. The application of cryogenic fluid to cool the metal cutting process started as early as the 1950' s. The cryogenic fluids used were C0 2 , freon, or solvenlene. They were sprayed in the general cutting area or were applied to the workpiece before cutting in a prechill . This method, however consumed excessive amounts of cryogenic fluid and had no lubrication effect. It has been demonstrated that it is generally undesirable to cool the workpiece by the cooling power of the liquid gas. In general, the strength of the workpiece material increases as the temperature drops, and the material becomes harder. Therefore, the tool requires more force to cut the harder material and the material becomes more difficult to machine. Two known methods of using cryogenic fluids to cool the cutting tool are shown in patents to Philip and Dudley. As explained below, neither of these methods cool the face of the tool where the highest temperatures are encountered. Both cool the interior or backface of the tool. U.S. patent No. 3,077,802 to T.B.Philip discloses carbon dioxide in the form of a liquid, gas or snow to cool the interior of a cutting tool. The carbon dioxide is allowed to expand into the vicinity of the cutting edge. A hole is provided in the middle of the cutting tool and a capillary is used to transport the carbon dioxide. Smaller holes are drilled to the tool surface for escape of gases. However, the cryogenic fluid does not reach the point of highest temperature in the tool and this has been proven to be unsatisfactory for the much higher cutting speeds used today. U.S. Patent No. 3,971,114 to G.M. Dudley discloses a cryogenic fluid routed through the tool which is discharged in a stream between the cutting edge and the workpiece when cutting. However, in Dudley, the cryogenic gases are not injected to the point of highest temperature and therefore, the effectiveness of the coolant is reduced. Secondly, in Dudley, carbon dioxide is injected at the interface between the cutting edge and the workpiece (i.e. at the backside of the tool) . The coolant alone is used to cool the tool from the side surface, which is not the highest temperature area, thereby making the cooling comparatively ineffective. In addition, the workpiece cooling is not desirable and there is no lubrication effect provided by the methods as shown in Dudley or Philip. With the improvement of machining technology, the cutting speed is generally much higher than in the past, the heat build up is greater, and the cutting temperature is so high that cooling by the indirect cooling methods of the prior art is no longer effective to cool the high temperatures. The method and apparatus of the present invention provide a practical solution for the improved machining of materials including high speed steel alloys, aluminum, titanium, low carbon steels, and composites. Since the advent of carbide tools and the use of high cutting speeds, the continuous chips described above, produced in metal cutting have presented serious problems. At lower cutting speeds, these chips usually have a natural curl and tend to be brittle. However, cutting speeds have increased to such an extent that chip control is a necessity. In turning operations, where the tool is continuously removing metal for long periods, a continuous chip can become entangled with the tool, the workpiece, or the machine tool elements. This type of chip can be hazardous to the operator and, unless controlled properly, it can result in mechanical chipping of the cutting edge. In addition, the handling of long, continuous chips can present a major economic problem. For example, handling characteristic of chips can be expressed by their bulk ratio; namely, the total volume occupied by the chip divided by the volume of solid chip material. Unbroken, continuous chips have a bulk ratio of approximately 50. Tightly wound chips have a bulk ratio of approximately 15. Well-broken chips have a bulk ratio of approximately 3. The volume occupied by well-broken chips is, therefore, about one- seventeenth the volume of unbroken chips, a considerable advantage when it comes to handling and disposal . When the chips are formed they have long grain structures, traverse to the direction of cutting. However, as the chip rubs the surface of the workpiece, the grain structure on the lower surface bends to form a "long tail" due to secondary deformation and the heat build up, as shown in Fig. 10. This lower surface then recrystallizes due to the grain structure and intense heat. This recrystallized area has increased hardness which leads to increased strength. As disclosed above, this is highly undesirable since it is advantageous to have smaller, broken chips. This invention has a special advantage in improving the chip breaking. The method of improving chip breaking for ductile material is through the following mechanisms: a) increasing the brittleness of the chip material by the low temperature application of the cryogenic coolant, b) reducing the secondary deformation that occurs at the bottom surface of the chip which rubs on the tool face, c) reducing the long tail in the grain structure of the chips, which is a major cause of the difficulty in breaking ductile chips, d) avoiding the welding or recrystallizing of the bottom layer of the chip (to avoid the strong bonding of chip structure which adds to the difficulty in chip breaking) by the coldness and reduction of the secondary deformation, and e) bending and curling the chip for breaking by the use of both a mechanical chip breaker and the pressure from the cryogenic fluid. This may occur when the liquid expands into gas within the nozzle. Another problem encountered in conventional machining of soft, sticky, ductile materials, is the friction between the chip and the tool becomes so great that the chip material welds itself to the tool face. The presence of this welded material further increases the friction, and this friction leads to the build up of layer upon layer of chip material. The resulting pile of material is referred to as a build-up edge. The build-up edge often continues to grow and then breaks down when it becomes unstable, and the broken pieces are carried away by the underside of the chip and the new workpiece surface. The resulting workpiece surface is rough. Actually, build-up edge formation in metal cutting is the principal factor affecting surface finish and can have a considerable influence on premature failure of the cutting tool and cutting tool wear. This occurs because the build-up will accumulate on the tool face and pull the tool causing the tool to fall apart due to the two different thermal expansions of the two metals. In this invention, however, the build-up edge formation is automatically prevented by injecting the super cold cryogenic fluid to the cutting tip area. This reduces the adhesion of the chip material to the tool tip which lowers the temperature in the cutting zone and prevents the welding phenomenon. Also, this invention can clean and remove the possible build-up edge with the cryogenic jet. Because the build-up edge is the main cause of poor surface quality, the method of the present invention also indirectly improves the finish of the machined surface. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cutting tool which injects liquid nitrogen or other liquified gas as close as possible to the highest heat affected area of the cutting tool, not the workpiece, through a nozzle, between the chip and the tool face. This provides a fluid cushion which reduces the friction of the chip rubbing on the tool face, and reduces the cutting force involved, as well as the abrasive wear. Furthermore, a chip breaker is used to slightly lift up the chip so that coolant can penetrate to the highest temperature area and reduce the contact length of the chip on the tool face. This will improve the penetration of coolant to the cutting zone. Thus friction between the chip and the tool face is greatly reduced and therefore, heat due to the frictional deformation is greatly reduced. Summary In accordance with the present invention a cutting tool is provided for cutting a workpiece which comprises a cutting tool having a rake face and a flank face, a chip breaker adjacent to the rake face, and a nozzle for directing a coolant onto the rake face and under chips cut from the workpiece. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a method of cryogenically machining a metal work piece is provided which comprises the steps of providing a cutting tool having a rake face, a flank face and a chip breaker, contacting the work piece with the cutting tool, forming a chip by penetrating the cutting tool into the workpiece, lifting the chip formed from the step of cutting of the workpiece with the chip breaker; and directing a coolant through a nozzle between the chip breaker and the cutting face to cool the tool. In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a chip breaking apparatus is provided which comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, at least one angled side surface for bending a chip of machined work piece past its breaking point, a through hole formed from the top surface to an intersection of the bottom surface and the angled side surface for transmitting cryogenic fluid or refrigerated air to cool the chip breaking apparatus and injecting the cryogenic fluid or refrigerated air under the chip of machined work piece. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a temperature distribution during conventional metal cutting. Fig. 2 is the apparatus of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tool holder, the chip breaker and the cryogenic fluid line. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the present invention. Fig. 5 is an alternative nozzle of the present invention Fig. 6 is a further alternative nozzle of the present invention Fig. 7 is an alternative nozzle of the present invention Fig. 8 is an alternative embodiment showing a tool insert having a built-in chip breaker and nozzle formed near the cutting edge. Fig. 9 is a cryogenic delivery line in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 10 is a microstructure of a chip. Description of the Preferred Embodiment The present invention is directed to directing the coldest cryogenic liquified gas as close as possible to the highest heat affected area of the tool by means of a nozzle. Furthermore, a chip breaker is used which slightly lifts the chip so that the coolant can penetrate to the highest temperature area. The cryogenic fluid absorbs the heat, thus effectively cooling the cutting tool. In addition, gas pressure lifts the chip and reduces the heat build-up caused by friction between the chip and the tool or rake face. With this invention, the liquified gas is jetted through a nozzle, and injected directly to the cutting zone, between the chip and the tool face. The nozzle of the present invention is designed to provide liquified gas between the chip breaker and rake face of the tool insert, providing an effective way to supply liquified gas or other suitable coolants to the cutting zone at, or very close to, the highest temperature point along the tool face for the most efficient removal of the heat build-up incurred during the machining process. By directing liquified gas directly on the surface of the tool face, rather than the material to be cut, it reinforces the hardness of the tool, and the tool face becomes more wear resistant, resulting in longer tool life. As seen in Fig. 2, the main nozzle 12 is formed by a channel between the tool face 16 of the cutting tool 14 and the chip breaker 18. A liquid-gas conversion takes place in the nozzle. The liquified gas is jetted with natural pressure from the liquified gas supply source to the small area 20 of the cutting tool tip and the newly forming chip 22 through the nozzle. The gas is ejected at a high pressure. For example, normal tank pressure of liquid nitrogen is 340 psi as compared to atmospheric pressure of 14.7 psi. The gas pressure could also be increased from that of the normal tank pressure. In addition to liquified nitrogen, other liquified gases may be used. These include, but are not limited to, liquified carbon dioxide, liquified argon or refrigerated air. Absorbing tremendous heat, the high pressure, ultra cold gas jet appears to form a gas cushion between the forming chip and the tool face to reduce the friction between the two. Meanwhile, the cold temperature enhances the strength and hardness of the cutting tool and increases the brittleness of the chip for easy breaking. The cryogenic nature of the liquified gas effectively removes the heat in the cutting process due to the shortest heat exchange distance possible and the largest temperature difference obtainable. Since the heat generation in cutting and the cooling from cryogenic fluid only occur locally, and are balanced locally in a small region of the tool tip, the process maintains a constant workpiece temperature and has the advantages of avoiding thermal distortion of the workpiece and of maintaining accuracy of cutting. The high pressure jet helps to break and blow the chip away. If needed, a secondary cryogenic jet 24, as seen in Figure 2, can be formed between the tool flank surface 28 and the workpiece 26 for reducing the flank wear rate and pre- chilling the material for the next cutting pass. This is advantageous since both the rake face 16 and the flank face 28 wear quickly during cutting. The nozzle of the present invention is formed by several different methods. It may be formed in part by a hole formed in the chip breaker by using electrostatic discharge machining (EDM) so that three sides of the nozzle are defined by the chip breaker and the fourth side is defined by the tool or the nozzle may be premolded in the chip breaker adjacent the cutting edge 16 of the tool, where the metal cutting takes place, as seen in Fig. 2. The nozzle may also be formed by a channel left between the cutting tool and an adjacent tool piece, as seen in Fig. 8. As the cryogenic fluid is supplied only to the area where cutting actually occurs, there is no waste of cooling power to unnecessary or undesirable places. In most cases, the liquid nitrogen, or other cryogenic fluid, cools only the cutting tool. Therefore, the nitrogen consumption is very small and very economical. In addition, the cryogenic liquified gas is recycled naturally, since the gases used are derived from the atmosphere. This enables the cooling of the highest temperature point and prevents waste of the liquified gas. The chip breaker 18 may be an add-on type such as shown in Fig. 3-5 or an integral type on the tool insert as shown in Fig. 8. The integral chip breaker has a built-in ridge or groove to act as the chip breaker on the top and/or bottom surfaces of the cutting tool. The nozzle 12 may be formed on the tool insert, or on the chip breaker or on an additional attachment adjacent to the cutting edge as will be described herein. The flow rate of the gas through the nozzle may be controlled in three ways. The control valve of the gas line, the flow from the tank, and the size of the orifice of the nozzle. An adjustable nozzle may be used which is self- regulating. In this case, the material used for the nozzle is made of a temperature sensitive material . When the material is cold, the hole becomes smaller and less gas is released. When the nozzle is warmer the hole becomes larger due to thermal expansion and more gas may flow. From the heat exchange viewpoint, the majority of the heat acquired during machining is carried away by the chips. About 10%-15% of the power consumed in metal cutting is transmitted to the tool . The workpiece absorbs a minimal amount, about 2%. For a 30 horsepower turning center, the metal cutting power consumption varies from application to application based on temperature, friction and other concerns. In general, however, if the material is harder to cut, a greater amount of horsepower is required. Therefore, a greater amount of liquid nitrogen is required to absorb the increased heat generated during cutting. For a power consumption of roughly 5 to 15 HP, the inventor's calculations indicate that the cooling system should compensate for about 0.37-1.12 kJ/s of heat. The liquid nitrogen needed to effect this degree of cooling is theoretically about 0.9-2.7 grams per second, or about 0.01-0.06 gallons per minute. The typical nitrogen consumption of the present invention is about 0.125-0.275 gallons per minute. It was found that this flow rate is enough to double the tool life and increase the efficiency of chip breaking. This nitrogen consumption is currently equivalent to $2.09-$4.60 per hour, which is lower than conventional coolant costs. The liquid nitrogen can come from a central pipe line or a portable liquid container or dewar. The flow rate can be adjusted by regulating the tank or line pressure, by changing the nozzle dimension, or by adjusting a valve. For example, a nozzle with an orifice of 0.0005-0.0012 square inches, a delivery line length of 8 feet, and a liquid nitrogen source pressure of 200-340 psi, uses a typical flow rate of 0.120-0.375 gallons per minute. This will vary based upon the materials, cutting tool, cutting speed, cutting feed and depth of cut. The constant flow of liquid nitrogen is important, otherwise the thermostress due to the unsteady heat/cooling cycle may shorten the tool life. To supply the liquid nitrogen to the cutting point with the above-mentioned small flow rate, preferably less than 0.25 gallons per minute, a special vacuum-jacketed delivery line illustrated in Fig. 9 is used to keep the flow steady. This delivery line is incorporated with a lathe or a turning center. The delivery line 44 is constructed by an inner stainless tubing 92 for nitrogen flow, and placed concentrically inside a flexible stainless steel hose 94 spaced by teflon spacers 96. The spacers are designed so that there is minimal contact area with the tubing for heat transfer. The space between the inner tubing and the outer hose is evacuated to a pressure of about 10 "6 to 10 "4 torr to minimize the convection and conduction of heat transfer. The diameter of the line may be, for example, 3/16, 1/8, or 1/16 inch. The smaller the diameter of the tube, the less area is available for heat transfer. However, the resistance must not become too high such that it blocks the flow of the cryogenic fluid. Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrate a preferred cutting tool of the present invention. Carbide tool insert 30 rests on spacer 32 and tool holder 34 in the cutting machine. The attach-on mechanical chip breaker 36 is provided with a through hole 41 from the center of its top surface 29 to its bottom surface 31. Then, a channel 42 is formed at the foot of the through hole 41 at the bottom surface of chip breaker 36. When chip breaker 36 is clamped down by clamp 38, channel 42 and the top surface of insert 30 form a nozzle 12. This nozzle 12 is directed toward the cutting edge where chip 22 is formed. As shown in Fig. 4, the chip 22 is lifted up by the chip breaker 36, and liquid nitrogen, or other cryogenic fluid, can be injected between the chip and the tool face for effective cooling and lubrication. The nozzle may be in line with the chip flow if the workpiece material tends to generate curly chips, i.e. for titanium. Alternatively, the nozzle can be slightly offset, but still directed towards the cutting edge, as in Fig.7, so that the chip will be broken by the chip breaker but the forming chip will not block the nozzle and obstruct the flow of the cryogenic fluid. This occurs in softer, more ductile materials such as AISI 1008 in which the material will creep under the tool face and obstruct an in line nozzle. The liquid nitrogen is supplied from vacuum jacketed line 44, which joins clamp 38. The liquid nitrogen flows to hole 41 in chip breaker 36, through internal hole 51 in the clamp, and then flows to nozzle 12. Clamp 38 is held down by screw 46 to the tool holder 34. Preferably, the distance from the nozzle to the cutting edge is approximately 0.020-0.050 inches. The location of the chip breaker/nozzle is critical to the tool life. The arrangement and the design of the present invention may vary to adjust to different tools having different workpiece materials, and cutting conditions, and can still attain the same advantages. For example, Figure 5 illustrates that the nozzle 12 may fan out, such as in the 3- channel design shown. Also, the nozzle channels may be formed on the tool insert 30 instead of on the chip breaker 36 as shown in Figure 6. For machining highly ductile material, such as low carbon steel 1008, the nozzle 12 may be positioned to emit the cryogenic fluid from the side of the chip breaker 36 as shown in Figure 7. In such cases, the chip is still lifted up by an obstruction chip breaker to help the liquid nitrogen penetrate between the chip and the tool face. For an apparatus having a formed insert 48 with a built-in chip breaker 37, as in Fig. 8, the nozzle 12 can be formed from the top surface insert 50 and a nozzle piece 54. The fluid can then be directed to the sides of the chip as shown in Figure 8. Advantages of using the present invention include reduction in tool wear, reduction in tool cost, and increase in tool life as shown by the following Table 1. Table 1 shows percent increased tool life using the present invention as compared to conventional machining of the following steel and titanium alloys. Table 1 Material Feed Feed Increased Tool Machined (inches) (ft/min) Life (%) AISI 1070 .010 680 164% AISI 1070 .025 500 255% TITANIUM 6-4 .010 300 195% AISI 52100 .010 1050 117% AISI 1008 .015 2200 156% AISI 1008 .015 1800 128% Other advantages achieved using the present invention include an increase in cutting speed, reduction in manufacturing time, and reduction in manufacturing cost, as well as reduction in friction force, increase in cutting efficiency, and reduction in power consumption. Improvement in the work surface quality, elimination of burns and chemical damage from cutting oil, and the reduction of rough surfaces caused by the breakdown of the built-up edge are added advantages. In addition, the invention provides reduction in workpiece distortion, dimensional change for precision machine as well as improvement in chip breaking and removal, maintenance of a clean operation without environmental hazard, and no need to clean workpieces after cutting. In summary, the method of extending the cutting tool life is achieved through the combination of the following mechanisms: a) reducing the abrasion wear by using a lubrication film provided by the cryogenic fluid, b) reducing the abrasion wear by enhancing the hardness of the tool face due to the cryogenically cooled temperature, c) reducing the adhesion wear by reducing the build-up edge, and d) reducing the diffusion wear with the use of low temperatures since the chemical/atomic diffusion rate is an exponential function of temperature. Having described the invention in detail and by reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. What is claimed is:

Claims: 1. An apparatus for cutting a workpiece comprising: a cutting tool having a rake face and a flank face; a chip breaker adjacent to said rake face; and a nozzle for directing a coolant onto said rake face and under chips cut from said workpiece. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker lifts said chips formed upon cutting of said workpiece, bends said chips past their breaking point and reduces the contact length of said chips on said rake face of said cutting tool. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is formed integral with said cutting tool and said apparatus further includes a tool insert superposed on said cutting tool adjacent said rake face and said chip breaker. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel between said rake face of said cutting tool and said chip breaker. 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel at an interface of said chip breaker and said tool insert. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is independent of said cutting tool and said nozzle is formed at least in part, by a channel through said chip breaker and directs coolant between said chip breaker and said rake face of said cutting tool. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a nozzle piece such that said nozzle is formed between said nozzle piece and said chip breaker. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary nozzle formed by a channel between said workpiece and said flank face of said cutting tool for reducing flank wear rate and for pre-chilling said workpiece for a subsequent cutting pass. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is an attachment for said cutting tool. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is integral with said cutting tool. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant in the direction said chip is cut . 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant offset to the direction said chip is cut. 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle feeds a plurality of chambers. 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is positioned to emit said cryogenic fluid at the side of said chip. 15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is split into a plurality of nozzles positioned to emit said cryogenic fluid at several points on said rake face. 16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum-jacketed line for supplying said cryogenic fluid. 17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is made self-regulating by the use of material thermal expansion properties. 18. A method for machining a metal work piece comprising the steps of: providing a cutting tool having a rake face, a flank face and a chip breaker; contacting said work piece with said cutting tool; forming a chip by penetrating said cutting tool into said workpiece; lifting said chip formed from said step of cutting of said workpiece with said chip breaker; and directing a coolant through a nozzle between said chip breaker and said cutting face to cool said tool. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel between said rake face of said cutting tool and said chip breaker. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel at an interface of said chip breaker and said tool insert . 21. The method of claim 18 wherein said chip breaker is independent of said cutting tool and said nozzle is formed by a channel through said chip breaker and directs coolant between said chip breaker and said rake face of said cutting tool. 22. The method of claim 18 wherein said chip breaker is an attachment for said cutting tool. 23. The method of claim 18 wherein said chip breaker is integral with said cutting tool. 24. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant in a direction a said chip is cut when said workpiece is sufficiently hard that it forms curly chips. 25. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant offset to the direction said chip is cut such that said chip hits said chip breaker but does not obstruct flow of said cryogenic fluid when said workpiece is ductile. 26. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle feeds a plurality of chambers. 27. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of depositing cryogenic fluid emits said cryogenic fluid at the side of said chip. 28. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of depositing cryogenic fluid emits said cryogenic fluid at several points on said rake face from a plurality of nozzles split from said nozzle. 29. The method of claim 18 further comprising supplying said cryogenic fluid for said step of depositing said cryogenic fluid by a vacuum-jacketed line. 30. The method of claim 18 wherein said coolant is recycled naturally. 31. The method of claim 18 wherein said coolant is deposited with natural pressure from a liquified gas source. 32. A chip breaking apparatus comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; at least one angled side surface for bending a chip of machined work piece past its breaking point; a through hole formed from said top surface to an intersection of said bottom surface and said angled side surface for transmitting cryogenic fluid or refrigerated air to cool said chip breaking apparatus and injecting said cryogenic fluid or refrigerated air under said chip of machined work piece. AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 23 January 1996 (23.01.96); [original claims 8 and 18 amended; remaining claims unchanged (5 pages)] 1. An apparatus for cutting a workpiece comprising: a cutting tool having a rake face and a flank face; a chip breaker adjacent to said rake face; and a nozzle for directing a coolant onto said rake face and under chips cut from said workpiece. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker lifts said chips formed upon cutting of said workpiece, bends said chips past their breaking point and reduces the contact length of said chips on said rake face of said cutting tool. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is formed integral with said cutting tool and said apparatus further includes a tool insert superposed on said cutting tool adjacent said rake face and said chip breaker. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel between said rake face of said cutting tool and said chip breaker. 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel at an interface of said chip breaker and said tool insert. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is independent of said cutting tool and said nozzle is formed at least in part, by a channel through said chip breaker and directs coolant between said chip breaker and said rake face of said cutting tool. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a nozzle piece such that said nozzle is formed between said nozzle piece and said chip breaker. 8. The apparatus cf claim 1 further comprising a channel which opens on the flank face of said cutting tool for directing cryogenic coolant between said flank face and said workpiece reducing flank wear rate and for pre-chilling said workpiece * for a subsequent cutting pass. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is an attachment for said cutting tool. 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chip breaker is integral with said cutting tool. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant in the direction said chip is cut. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant offset to the direction said chip is cut. 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle feeds a plurality of chambers. 14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is positioned to emit said cryogenic fluid at the side of said chip. 15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is split into a plurality of nozzles positioned to emit said cryogenic fluid at several points on said rake face. 16. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum- jacketed line for supplying said cryogenic fluid. 17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is made self-regulating by the use of material thermal expansion properties. 18. A method for machining a metal work piece comprising the steps of : providing a cutting tool having a rake face, a flank face and a chip breaker; contacting said work piece with said cutting tool; forming a chip by penetrating said cutting tool into said workpiece; lifting said chip formed from said step of cutting of said workpiece with said chip breaker; and directing a coolant through a nozzle between said chip breaker and said rake face to cool said tool . 19. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel between said rake face of said cutting tool and said chip breaker. 20. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle is formed by a channel at an interface of said chip breaker and said tool insert. 21. The method of claim 18 wherein said chip breaker is independent of said cutting tool and said nozzle is formed by a channel through said chip breaker and directs coolant between said chip breaker and said rake face of said cutting tool. 22. The method of claim 18 wherein said chip breaker is an attachment for said cutting tool. 23. The method of claim 18 wherein said chip breaker is integral with said cutting tool. 24. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant in a direction a said chip is cut when said workpiece is sufficiently hard that it forms curly chips. 25. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle directs said coolant offset to the direction said chip is cut such that said chip hits said chip breaker but does not obstruct flow of said cryogenic fluid when said workpiece is ductile. 26. The method of claim 18 wherein said nozzle feeds a plurality of chambers. 27. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of depositing cryogenic fluid emits said cryogenic fluid at the side of said chip. 28. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of depositing cryogenic fluid emits said cryogenic fluid at several points on said rake face from a plurality of nozzles split from said nozzle. 29. The method of claim 18 further comprising supplying said cryogenic fluid for said step of depositing said cryogenic fluid by a vacuum-jacketed line. 30. The method of claim 18 wherein said coolant is recycled naturally. 31. The method of claim 18 wherein said coolant is deposited with natural pressure from a liquified gas source. 32. A chip breaking apparatus comprising: a top surface; a bottom surface; at least one angled side surface for bending a chip of machined work piece past its breaking point; a through hole formed from said top surface to an intersection of said bottom surface and said angled side surface for transmitting cryogenic fluid or refrigerated air to cool said chip breaking apparatus and injecting said cryogenic fluid or refrigerated air under said chip of machined work piece.

Inventors: HONG SHANE Y, HONG, SHANE, Y.
Applicants: EDISON MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY CE, THE EDISON MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY CENTER
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B23B11
IPC codes: B23B27, B23P25, B23Q11