Milling cutter for T-shaped groove

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide an economical milling cutter for T shaped groove. This invention is a milling cutter for T shaped groove comprising at least three cutting edge mounting seats (5,6,7) distributed peripherally on a body (1) one end flange of the milling cutter, on the first cutting edge mounting seat (5) a first cutting edge (2) for cutting remotest part from the cutting machine being mounted, on the second cutting edge mounting seat (6) a second cutting edge (3) for cutting nearest part from the cutting machine being mounted, on the third cutting edge mounting seat (7) located between the first and second seats a third round or polygonal cutting edge (4) being mounted, and the third cutting edge projecting radially outwardly from the rotation center line of the body between and from two portions cut by the first and second cutting edges.

Description: The present invention relates to a milling cutter for T shaped groove to cut a groove with a T shaped cross section. Prior milling cutter for T shaped groove provides with two cutting edges in case the diameter of hole to be cut is relatively small and four cutting edges are provided in case the diameter of hall to be cut is relatively large and the feed speed is increasd to reduce the load on each cutting edge ,the material of the cutting edge being enployed not easily broken cemented carbide. On the other hand ,in order to eliminate any place being not cut,cutting range of the two cutting edges 3,4 is overlapped in the length of C 2 and cutting portion 31 of cutting edge 3 and cutting portion 41 of cutting edge 4 are regulated to be aligned (in a line in Fig.8). When four cutting edges are employed,there are two cutting edges 3 and two cutting edges 4, the two pairs of cutting edges being able to cut the same place respectively. In the prior art,as shown in Fig.8 which is a schematic elevation observed by a stationary one at a certain part of the T shaped groove cutter holding portion 1a from the front side and the milling cutter is rotated by a certain angle to the same position and the two views are overlapped, and as explained before the cutting edges 3,4 cut with a overlapped length C 2 . Bisides, cutting portion 31 ( C 2 plus C 3 ) of cutting edge 3 and cutting portion 41 ( C 2 plus C 4 ) of cutting edge 4 form a differnce B 2 in level as shown in Fig.5 which is a schematic elevation observed by a stationary one at a certain part of the T shaped groove cutter holding portion 1a from the front side and the milling cutter is rotated by a certain angle to the same position and the two views are overlapped, one of the cutting edges( cutting edge 4 in Fig.5) touchs by its total length ( cutting portion 41 i.e.C 2 plus C 4 ) causing the cutting edge ( cutting edge 4 in Fig.5) a large amount of load and violent damage. Therefore, in fitting the milling cutter for T shaped groove and cutting edges, in order to eliminate the difference B 2 in level of Fig.5 which is a schematic elevation observed by a stationary one at a certain part of the T shaped groove cutter holding portion la from the front side and the milling cutter is rotated by a certain angle to the same position and the two views are overlapped, i.e. in order to put the cutting portions 31 and 41 in a line, severe accuracy is requested. But, the length C 2 is overlapped as shown in Fig. 8 and when the cutter is fed to the direction D, the length C 3 of work is cut by cutting edge 3, the length C 4 is cut by cutting edge 4 and the length C 2 is cut by both of the cutting edges 3 and 4 half-and-half, and since a cutting amount difference is caused between the length C 2 and C 3 in the cutting edge 3 and between the length C 2 and C 4 in the cutting edge 4, the partial force received on the length of the cutting edge becomes ununiform, thereby increase of feed speed is difficult, and the ununiform of force causes increase of damage and wear of the cutting edge and as it is defficult to predict when the damage occurs, the liability of the cutting edge is low and its stock control is also difficult. Up to now, cutting edges made of high rigidety cemented carbide have been used, but the cost per one cutting edge is quite high and the violent damage and wear have prevented the economical usage of expensive cutting edges. On the other hand, since cutting edge mounting seat is difficult to be adjusted after the hardening of the milling cutter ( there is no way to adjust ), the milling cutter for T shaped groove is hardened not sufficiently and adjasted the cutting portions 31 and 41 so as to be aligned in a line as shown in Fig. 8 whereby causing that the hardness of the milling cutter itself becomes low and there is a fear of deformation. It is an object of the invention to provide an economical milling cutter for T shaped groove. This and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. This invention is a milling cutter for T shaped groove comprising at least three cutting edge mounting seats distributed peripherally on a body one end flange of the milling cutter, on the first cutting edge mounting seat a first cutting edge for cutting remotest part from the cutting machine being mounted, on the second cutting edge mounting seat a second cutting edge for cutting nearest part from the cutting machine being mounted,on the third cutting edge mounting seat located between the first and second seats a third round or polygonal cutting edge being mounted, and the third cutting edge projecting radially outwardly from the rotation center line of the body between and from the two portions cut by the first and second cutting edges. Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a milling cutter for T shaped groove in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a plan view shouwing an arrangement of cutting edges employed in the milling cutter for T shaped groove in accordance with the invention; Fig. 3 illustrates an elevation of a cutting groove 51 of a work 50 prior to cutting a T shaped groove; Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic sectional elevation showing the T shaped groove cut by the milling cutter in accordance with the invention; Fig. 5 is a prior art schematic elevation showing a difference B 2 in level between a cutting portion 31 of the cutting edge 3 and a cutting portion 41 of the cutting edge 4; Fig. 6 is a schematic elevation showing fixed positions of each cutting edge in accordance with the invention; Fig. 7 is a schematic elevation employing triangle cutting edges 3a and 4a in place of diamond shaped cutting edges 3 and 4, and a polygonal cutting edge 2a in place of circular cutting edge 2 in accordance with the invention; Fig. 8 is a prior art schematic elevation showing two cutting edges with their cutting portion perfectly arranged in one line; Fig. 9 is a elevation of a work cut half way by the milling cutter in accordance with the invention; Fig. 10 is a view taken along in the direction of the arrows substantially along the line X-X of Fig.9; Fig. 11 is a view taken along in the direction of the arrows substantially along the line XI-XI of Fig. 10; Fig. 12 illustrates an elevation of a cutting groove 51a of the work prior to cutting a T shaped groove; Fig. 13 is a elevation of a cut groove formed by two diamond cutting edges 3 and 4 at both sides and two circular cutting edges 2 at theirbetween; Fig. 14 is a elevation of a cut groove in case that three circular cutting edges 2 are used: DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 illustrates an appearance of the milling cutter 100 for T shaped groove in accordance with the invention and shows a milling cutter body 1 ( generally used up side down ) which is fixed vertically on the lower milling machine M, a circular cutting edge 2 ( short columner cuttisng edge ), first and second diamond shaped cutting edges 3 and 4 ( cube shaped cutting edges ), and cutting edge mounting seats 5,6,7. Cutting edge mounting seats 5,6,7 are formed on the three T groove cutting portions 1a ( cutter holding portions) formed by cutting three portions of a one end radially outwardly projecting flange of the milling cutter body 1 at even intervals of 120 degrees,the cutting edge mounting seats 5,6,7 being provided with threaded holes 5a,6a,7a respectively for fixing a circular cutting edge 2 and first and second diamond shaped cutting edges 3,4 by bolts 8 with hexagonal wrench hole as shown in Figs.1 and 2. An arrow E in Fig. 1 shows the rotation direction of T groove milling cutter 100. Diamond shaped cutting edges 3,4 are deviated to an upper portion and lower portion in Fig. 1 as same as prior art milling cutter, each providing a cutting portion 3A for cutting an inner wall surface 21 and a cutting portion 4A for cutting a inner surface 23 both surfaces being at right angles to the center line 1b and cutting portions 3B,4B for cutting inner wall surface 22 parallel with the center line 1b the cutting portions projecting to axially and radially outwardly from the cutter holding portions la as shown in Fig. 4, The circular cutting edge 2 is disposed between the cutting portion 3B of the diamond shaped cutting edge 3 and the cutting portion 4B of the diamond shaped cutting edge 4 and projecting radially outwardly rather than the diamond shaped cutting edges 3, 4. C 5 and C6 in Fig.4 illustrate the length of overlapped cutting portion. The milling cutter for T shaped groove 100 explained above is mounted on the milling machine M so as to cut the work 50 ( so as to be upside down in Fig.1 ). The cutting edges 2, 3, 4 may be made of cemented carbide, hardend ceramic or cermet. Now its movement is explained. Fig. 3 illustrates the fixed work 50 that is not cut a T shaped groove.In the work 50, a groove 51 is previously provided with a width A ( the groove does not interfere with the milling cutter body 1 ) and a depth H 1 , and extending at right angles to the paper of Fig. 3. This is necessary not to be interfered the work 50 with the T milling cutter body 1 prior to cutting the T groove, and is same as prior art. The depth of the groove 51 may be the length H 2 which prevents interference with the T milling cutter 100 while cutting as shown in Fig.12. In this case, the scope shown by a dotted line with the length H 3 and length A is cut by the T milling cutter 100. Width A is necessary to be finished precisely according to the standard JIS which has no relation with this invention. Two dotted imagination line in Fig.3 illustrates a section of T shaped groove being cut by the T milling cutter in accordance with the invention. T milling cutter 100 ( fig. 1 ) mounted on the milling machine M cut axially extending length C 2 ,C 3 , C 4 on the inner wall 22 by the circular cutting edge 2, and diamond shaped cutting edges 3,4 respectively. Since the circular cutting edge 2 projects radially outwardly as far as B 1 than the diamond shaped cutting edges 3, 4, it starts cutting earlier than the diamond shaped cutting edges 3,4. Fig.9, Fig.10 and Fig.11 illustrate the work 50 in process of time of cutting. In Figs. 10,11, when T groove milling cutter moves to the direction along arrow D, the circular cutting edge 2 cuts the work little by little, then the diamond shaped cutting edges 3,4 start to touch and cut the work. There is an arcuate cut portion 9 formed by the circular cutting edge 2 which forms a distinct feature of the present invention. In Fig. 4, the circular cut portion 9 is cut more by the length B 1 than the inner wall surface 22, the length B 1 being sufficiently small compared with the length B between the both wall surfaces 22 and within the cutting tolerance according to the standard JIS. As explained before, Fig. 4 illustrates a temporary overlapped elevations of all cutting edges forming observed by a stationary one at a certain part of the T shaped groove cutter holding portion la from the front side and the milling cutter is rotated by a predetermined angle to the same position and another views are overlapped. In the Fig. 4, the attachment of the two diamond shaped cutting edges 3, 4 to the T groove milling cutter body is aligned within the width B as shown by the two dotted imagination line, but practically such attachment and adjastment are difficult and need labor and in general a radial difference in lebel is inevitable as shown in Fig. 5. The difference B 2 , according to the invention, is cut by the circular cutting edge 2 with radially projecting length B 1 ( B 1 > B 2 ) as shown in Fig. 6. In the embodiment, a circular cutting edge 2 and two diamond shaped cutting edges 3, 4 are employed, but any other shapes may be employed if it is easy to form corresponding cutting edge mounting seats. For example, a pentagonal cutting edge 2a may be used in place of the circular cutting edge 2 as shown in Fig.7 and triangular cutting edges 3a, 4a may be used in place of the diamond shaped cutting edges 3, 4. A polygonal ( more than 5 ) cutting edge and a triangular or foursided cutting edge may be used in place of the circular cutting edge 2, and four-sided cutting edges or circular cutting edges may be used in place of the diamond shaped cutting edges 3, 4. The number of cutting edges is not limitted to three, but four, five, six, seven, eight and more cutting edges may be used, and it is preferable to mount these cutting edges on the periphery around the center line 1b at even intervals so as to prevent vibration or noise from the T groove milling cutter 100 while cutting. When balance in the rotational direction is kept, the adjacent angles of the cutting edges may be 60 degrees and 120 degrees in case there are four cutting edges. In case that the depth length C is long and more than three cutting edges are used, more than two circular cutting edges are used remaining no cut portion as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, while non circular different shaped cutting edges may be used in place of the circular cutting edge 2. According to the present invention, since each cutting edge cuts uniformly, wear is not biased and the way of wearing is stable causing the easy control of cutter exchanging timing. This eases the stock control of the cutting edges and decreases the amount of cost for the cutting edges very much economically. Since circular cutting edge(s) increases the number of cutting edges into three or more, cutting by total length of the cutting portion of each cutting edge is prevented thereby increasing cutting speed (rotational speed of the milling cutter ) also increasing the feed speed more than two times compared with prior art, thus it is possible to shorten the cutting time. Since the load on the each cutting edge becomes stable, feed speed is able to increase. Cheap cermet cutting edge now being used in the lathe may be used so it is economical. Besides cheap cermet cutting edges may be used economically, cost for each cutting edge becomes low very much. The number of exchange the cutting edges decreases, the labor for exchange the cutting edges also decreases and thus working efficency increases. The circular cutting edge can be rotated by loosening the bolt 8 and rotating the cutting edge a bit when it wears, then it is used many times without exchanging with new one, so it is also economical. When three cutting edges are disposed circumferentially at even intervals, each cutting edge cut about one third i.e.C 2 , C 3 , C 4 in Fig.4, cutting resistance to the T groove milling cutter stables and no noise and vibration in cutting process occurs. When the T groove milling cutter 100 ( Fig.1 ) is mounted on the milling machine, attaching accuracy is not so strictly required compared with prior art, shorter time is required for attaching the cutting edges, thus wouking efficiency increases. Since the cutting edge mounting seat needs not so accurately be finished compared with prior art, hardening of the T groove milling cutter is able to be finished hard at a dash, thus the hardness of the milling cutter increases, it is hard to be deformed by the force from outside and the durability of the T groove milling cutter increases.

Claims: A milling cutter (100) for T shaped groove comprising at least three cutting edge mounting seats (5, 6, 7) distributed peripherally on a body (1) one end flange of the milling cutter, on the first cutting edge mounting seat (6) a first cutting edge (3) for cutting remotest part from the cutting machine being mounted, on the second cutting edge mounting seat (7) a second cutting edge (4) for cutting nearest part from the cutting machine being mounted,on the third cutting edge mounting seat located between the first and second seats a third round or polygonal cutting edge (2, 2a) being mounted, and the third cutting edge projecting radially outwardly from the rotation center line (1b) of the body between and from two portions cut by the first and second cutting edges. A milling cutter for T shaped groove as set forth in claim 1, first cutting edge and third cutting edge cut circumference slightly overlapped, and second cutting edge and third cutting edge cut circumference slightly overlapped. A milling cutter for T shaped groove as set forth in claim 1, first cutting edge and second cutting edge providing with cutting portions (3B, 4B) substancially pararell with the center line of the milling cutter and cutting portions substancially at right angles with the center line of the milling cutter respectively. A milling cutter for T shaped groove as set forth in claim 1, first, second and third cutting edges are made of any one of cemented carbide, hard ceramic and cermet.

Inventors: IZUMI MITSUO, IZUMI, MITSUO, Izumi, Mitsuo, c/o Izumi Industry K.K.
Applicants: IZUMI INDUSTRY KABUSHIKI KAISH, IZUMI INDUSTRY KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B23C5
IPC codes: B23C5