CUTTING INSERT FOR GROOVING OPERATIONS

Abstract: An insert for the radial turning of grooves composed of a shank portion (2) and a cutting head (3) wherein the cutting head (3) includes an upper side composed of two inward sloping surfaces (11, 12) and two corresponding surfaces (13, 14) constituting the bottom surface as well as flank side surfaces (15, 16, 17) which extend between them. The dividing line between the upper surface and the forward flank (17) constitutes the main cutting edge (18) and the dividing lines between the upper surface and the lateral flanks constitute the side cutting edges (19, 20). The upper surface features a number of grooves (21) on each side of the inserts centre line (CL) which are separate from each other and which form a non-continuous side cutting edge (19, 20). The groove (21) is preferably V-shaped. The top side of the insert features at its forward end two protrusions (24, 25) at a distance from each other situated symmetrically on each side of the centre line (CL), the extent of which is limited by an oblique upward sloping surface and a portion of an upper planar surface. Protrusions (24, 25) are oblong in shape and are, when seen from the front surface (17) of the insert, first converging towards each other and subsequently divergent relative to each other. This geometry has resulted in an insert which is extremely well suited for the radial turning of grooves.

Description: CUTTING INSERT FOR GROOVING OPERATIONS The present invention relates to a cutting insert for grooving operations in accordance with the requirements of the patent 1. The cutting insert is, according to the invention, particularly suitable for different radial groove cutting and groove turning operations as well as the profiling of grooves with small angles, for example, the production of grooves for piston rings. During such machining chip breaking and chip forming often have a decisive influence on the number of interruptions in production. Modern, high productive machines put very high demands on good chip removal. Long, uncontrollable chips can easily cause breakdowns in production and defective components which have to be scrapped. Close attention must therefore be paid to chip control and it must be allowed to have a major influence on the design of the tool. Cutting inserts intended for the turning of grooves and parting operations are generally clamped in holders, which are of the blade type, in order that they can be used in confined spaces. Such cutting inserts are, for example, known through US-A- 5,375,948 and US-A-5,423,639. It has been established that cutting inserts, known until now, for the radial turning of grooves have not always functioned satisfactorily. The chips are not broken adequately and chip control is sub¬ standard. The first purpose with the present invention is consequently to produce an insert which is well suited for the repeated, radial turning of grooves. The second purpose with the present invention is to produce an insert which can also be used for profiling and longitudinal turning, in particular the profiling of the sides of a groove with small angles. An additional purpose with the present invention is to produce an insert which can also, in a reliable manner, carry out the first cut, during which a long, unbroken chip is generally formed. These and other purposes have been achieved by developing an insert for the turning of grooves with the features indicated in part 1 of the patent claim. The invention is now described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings in order to better clarify but in no way limit the invention. The drawings are presented in brief herewith: Figure 1 shows an insert according to the invention in a view, as seen from above. Figure 2 shows an insert according to the invention in a side view. Figure 3 shows the same insert as in figure 2, straight from the front. Figure 4 shows the same insert as in figure 2, in an enlarged view seen straight from above. Figure 5 shows the section A-A in figure 4. Figure 6 shows the section B-B in figure 4. Figure 7 shows the section C-C in figure 4. With reference to Fig. 1 an insert (1) is shown which is made of a hard and wear resistance material such as cemented carbide, including a rear shank portion (2) and a forward cutting head (3) . The rear portion of the shank (2) comprises two substantially plane parallel side surfaces (4, 5) two upper, obliquely inward sloping edge surfaces, (6, 7) a bottom surface (8) formed in a corresponding manner, a rear end surface (9) forming a right angle with the side surfaces (4, 5) as well as a forward shoulder (10) which forms a transition between the shank portion (2) and the cutting head (3) whereby the crest of the shoulder (10) defines the highest point h of the insert above the neutral plane P. The bottom surface (8) constitutes a first support surface for the insert against a matching holder body, which is intended to be parallel with the neutral plane P of the matching machine tool. The insert is intended to be fixed in a holder body by an integrated clamping arm acting against the upper surfaces, whereby the insert becomes clamped in the working position through the spring force which the arm exerts on the insert. The clamping of the insert is described in our Swedish patent application number 9201324-2, which is hereby incorporated in the description. The distance t between the side surfaces (4, 5) form the largest width of the insert. The forward cutting head (3) is composed of two upper obliquely downwards and inwards sloping surfaces (11 and 12), two bottom surfaces (13, 14) which slope obliquely in a corresponding manner, two vertical flank side surfaces (15, 16) between the upper surfaces (11, 12) and the bottom surfaces (13, 14) which form an acute angle with the upper surfaces (11) respectively (12) as well as a forward end surface (17) . The transition line between the upper surfaces (11, 12) and the end surface (17) forms the major cutting edge (18) while the transition lines between the side faces (15, 16) and the respective upper surfaces (11, 12) form the side edges (19 and 20) respectively. Both the oblique surfaces (11, 12) connect at the rear to an upward sloping surface of the shoulder (10) which preferably has a half cylindrical form. Distinguishing for the insert are that the two side surfaces (15, 16) and the associated side edges (19, 20) extend forward to form an acute angle α between them, which amounts to 1,5-20°, and preferably 1,5-5 , and that a number of grooves (21) which are separate from each other are formed in the upper surfaces (11, 12) in such a manner that the cutting edge on each side of the lengthwise center line (CL) of the insert presents a non-continuous cutting edge. Each groove (21) extends inwards towards the cutting head in a direction essentially at right angles to the centre line (CL) . The width and depth of each groove (21) decrease progressively the further into the insert it goes. The maximum width of the groove (21) in the plane of the side surfaces (15, 16) is preferably less than the distance between two adjacent grooves. The groove (21) is mainly V- shaped, whereby the side-walls (22 and 23) of the groove enclose an angle of the order of 65-90° in size. The side-walls of the groove (21) are mainly plane and the bottom of the groove curved. At the forward end of the insert the upper surface is formed of two symmetrically positioned protrusions (24 and 25) on each side of the centre line (CL) and at a distance from each other. These protrusion have an oblong shape. The forward parts of these protrusion are first convergent, as seen from the major cutting edge (18) and subsequently divergent. The upper surface of each of the protrusions are mainly flat and everyone of them is limited by angled, downward sloping surfaces.The upper surface of each of the protrusions is situated at the same level or slightly under that of the plane which includes the main and the side cutting edges as is best seen in Figure 2. By providing such protrusions (24, 25) at a distance from each other the initial chip breaking will occur against them. When the cutting depth and the rate of feed increase the shear angle on the chip will change. The formation of the protrusions is such that the chip breaking function is not influenced negatively when the depths of cut increases. As the cutting depth increases the interaction between the insert and the workpiece occurs on three different sides, i.e. along the major cutting edge (18) and the two cutting edges at the side (19, 20) at which point the grooves (21) begin to play an active role and contribute to reducing the width of the chips. This helps to avoid the formation of chips which are too thin and difficult to handle. A surface (26) which slopes from the main cutting edge (18) inwards and obliquely downwards and which is situated between the nose part of the two protrusions (24, 25) also contributes to the "creasing" of the chip. This surface connects to an upwards sloping surface (27) situated between protrusions (24, 25) where the crest (28) of the surface (27) is situated on a level somewhat under that of the top surfaces of the upper planes of the protrusions (24, 25) . This geometry results in an insert which is excellently suited for radial turning of grooves as well as profiling and longitudinal turning.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. An insert primarily for the turning of grooves in metallic workpieces, comprising a rear shank portion (2) and a forward cutting head (3) , where the cutting head includes an upper surface (11, 12) , an underside (5) as well as flank side surfaces (15,16,17) which extend between these two sides and form acute angle with the upper surface, plus that the transition line between the upper surface and the forward flank (17) form the main cutting edge (18) and the upper surface transition line with the lateral flank side surfaces (15,16) form the side cutting edges (19,20) . The characteristic of this is that the two side cutting edges (19,20) and the associated flank side surfaces (15,16), extend forward to form an acute angle (α) between them, and that a number of grooves (21) which are separate from each other are formed in the upper face so that the insert features a non-continuous side cutting edge on each side of the forward cutting head's centre line (CL) . 2. Insert according to claim 1, characteristic for this insert is that grooves (21) extend inwards into the insert essentially at right angles to the centre line (CL) , that the width of the groove (21) decreases in the direction inwards into the insert and that the largest width of the groove (21) is smaller than the distance between two adjacent grooves. 3. Insert according to claim 1, characteristic for this insert is that each groove(21)) has its greatest depth in the plane of the flank side surfaces (15, 16) , and that the depth of the grooves decreases in the direction inwards into the insert. 4. Insert according to claim 1, characteristic for this insert is that the side cutting edges (19,20) extend in pairs towards the main cutting edge (9) forming an angle (α) between them of 1,5-20°. 5. Insert according to claim 4, characteristic for this insert is that two protrusion (24, 25) which are positioned at a distance from each other are arranged symmetrically relative to the centre line (CL) of the cutting head. 6. Insert according to claim 5, characteristic for this insert is that it features a crooked surface (26) , which slopes downwards from the main cutting edge (18) connecting with an upward sloping surface (27) between protrusions (24, 25) . 7. Insert according to anyone of the claims 1-6, characteristic for this insert is that the upper surface of the cutting head is composed of V-shaped plane surfaces (11) and (12) , two of which slope obliquely downwards from each side cutting edge and extend in the longitudinal direction of the cutting head. 8. Insert according to claim 7, characteristic for this insert is that both the downward sloping surfaces (11, 12) connect at the rear with an upwards sloping surface of a vertical shoulder (10) , which preferably has a half cylindrical form. 9. Insert according to anyone of the claims 1-8, characteristic for this insert is that, it features a bottom surface composed of two obliquely inward and upward sloping surfaces (13, 14), designed to form support surfaces with a matching tool holder. 10. Insert according to anyone of the claims 1-9, characteristic for this insert is that the groove (21) is substantially V-shaped, whereby the side- walls (22, 23) of the groove enclose an angle the size of which is of the order of 65-90°. 11. Insert according to anyone of the claims 1-10, characteristic for this insert is that the side- walls (22, 23) of the groove are substantially plane and the bottom of the groove curved. 12. Insert according to anyone of the claims 1-11, characteristic for this insert is that the insert features a downwards and inwards sloping surface (26) from the major cutting edge (18) , situated between the nose parts of two of the protrusions (24, 25),they are designed to actively contribute to the contraction of the chips during chip breaking. 13. Insert according to claim 12, characteristic for this insert is that the downwards sloping surface (26) from the major cutting edge (18) changes to a crooked upwards sloping surface (27), which changes to a crest (28) situated somewhat under the level of the plane, which includes the upper surfaces of both of the protrusions (24, 25)

Inventors: LUNDSTROEM JAN, TAEGTSTROEM PAER, LUNDSTROEM, JAN, TAEGTSTROEM, PAER
Applicants: LUNDSTROEM JAN, SANDVIK AB, TAEGTSTROEM PAER, LUNDSTROEM, JAN, SANDVIK AKTIEBOLAG (PUBL), TAEGTSTROEM, PAER
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B23B27
IPC codes: B23B27