Abstract:
A thermal energy method (TEM) machine for deburring and deflashing work pieces, the TEM machine having an explosion load bearing frame. The frame comprises spaced apart coparallel first and second frame walls and a lateral structural member spacing apart the first and second frame walls. The top portion of the TEM combustion chamber is supported by the lateral structural member. The first and second frame walls are adapted to support a vertical displacement means. The first and second frame walls, the lateral structural member, and the vertical displacement means cooperate to contain vertically-directed explosion forces exerted upon the combustion chamber during the operation of the combustion chamber. Methods for deburring and/or deflashing using such TEM machines are also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/115,566, which was filed on May 6, 2008, and is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to thermal energy method (TEM) machine for deburring and deflashing parts and having a novel explosion load-bearing frame. The present invention is also directed to methods of removing burrs and/or flashing from manufactured parts by using such TEM machines. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Thermal energy method (TEM) machines use short bursts of intense heat to simultaneously deburr and deflash internal and external surfaces of a work piece without affecting or compromising adjoining component surfaces. TEM machines can be used on a wide range of work pieces that have undergone the machining process or have undergone machining and shaping. Typically TEM machines are larger in size and utilize an assembly line type of part loading system. An example of the loader for TEM machine is a rotary table having parts aligned along the circumference of the table. The table rotates the pieces into a work area where the TEM process is carried out. Such machines are used for processing a high volume of parts, are quite large and take up significant amount of facility space. In short, these larger TEM machines and their loaders are not always practical for small run applications or facilities with limited space. Thus, there is a need for reducing the overall size of the TEM machine by developing new and improved loader assemblies. 
         [0004]    Although TEM machine technology is forty years old and is a commercially popular method of deburring and deflashing production parts, only a few basic TEM machine designs have been employed over the years. The earliest TEM machines, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,229 to Geen et al., were frameless and used self-contained pressure vessels as combustion chambers. Within a short time, however, explosion load-bearing frames were developed to help contain the vertically-directed, i.e., axially-directed with respect to the combustion chamber, forces needed to seal a bottom portion of the combustion chamber against a top portion of the combustion chamber during the TEM process. 
         [0005]    The development of the explosion load-bearing frame permitted rapid cycling of the TEM machines as a bottom portion of the combustion chamber carrying workpieces could be quickly brought into position against a corresponding top portion and then subsequently be removed after the combustion explosion and replaced by another bottom portion in rapid succession. Nonetheless, until now, only two basic explosion load-bearing frame designs have been developed to the present inventors&#39; knowledge. 
         [0006]    One is the C-frame design, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,252 to Rice and U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,868 to Bozhko et al. A typical C-frame design has an upright member or members secured to a base and a top laterally projecting element or elements. The top portion of the combustion chamber depends from the laterally projecting element(s) and the bottom portion of the combustion chamber is moveably supported upon a vertical displacement means, such as a mechanical knuckle-jointed linkage jack or a hydraulic cylinder, which rests upon the frame base. During the combustion explosion, the upwardly-directed axial forces from the explosion are transferred from the combustion chamber top portion to the laterally projecting element and therefrom to the upright member(s), and the downwardly-directed axial forces are transferred from the combustion chamber bottom portion to the frame base and therefrom to the upright member(s), thus applying a tensile load to the entire length of the upright member(s) between the attachment points of the laterally projecting element(s) and the frame base. 
         [0007]    The other basic explosion load-bearing frame design is the portal design, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,138 to Leisner and U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,173 to Hieber et al. In the portal form, a number of upright members, typically two or three, are connected together at or near their tops by one or more lateral elements, while at their bottoms, they are connected together by a base. As with the C-frame, the top portion of the combustion chamber is supported by the lateral element(s) and the bottom portion of the combustion chamber is moveably supported upon a vertical displacement means which rests upon the frame base. Also like the C-frame TEM machines, a tensile load is applied by the TEM process combustion explosion to the entire length of the upright member(s) between the attachment points of the laterally projecting element(s) and the frame base. 
         [0008]    Person skilled in the art will recognize that some TEM machines have been developed which may appear to unskilled persons to have an explosion load-bearing frame, but which are actually frameless. Like their framed counterparts, such TEM machines typically use a vertical displacement means to bring the bottom portion of a combustion chamber into position against a suspended corresponding top portion. However, in these TEM machines, some mechanism is provided to cause the top and bottom portions of the combustion chamber to interlock together to form a self-contained pressure vessel so that the interlocking prevents the axially-directed forces resulting from the TEM process explosion from blowing the top and bottom portions apart. Examples of such frameless TEM machines are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,062 to Johnstone et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,630 to Conrad et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,917 to Cherendin et al. Among the disadvantages of the frameless TEM machines are (1) the wear caused by the interlocking on both the seals and the interlocking mechanisms and (2) the longer times cycle times resulting from the time needed for the locking and unlocking of the interlocking mechanisms to occur. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Swing Arm Loader Assembly 
       [0009]    This aspect of the present invention relates to a loader assembly for a TEM machine having a retractable arm that is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position. A hoop portion of the retractable arm also moves between the retracted position and the extended position. A lower closure for holding a part to be processed in the TEM machine, i.e., the lower portion of the combustion chamber, is removably positioned in the hoop portion. A ram piston of the TEM machine is movable between a load position and a process position. When the ram piston moves from a load position to a process position the ram piston contacts the lower closure and extends through the hoop of the retractable arm to move the lower closure to the process position. A thermal chamber receives the lower closure when the ram piston moves to the process position. For ease of description, this aspect of the present invention is sometimes identified herein and in the appended claims as a “swing arm loader assembly.” 
       Explosion Load-Bearing Frame 
       [0010]    The inventors of the present invention also have developed a TEM machine having a novel economical, explosion load-bearing frame design that overcomes at least some of the drawbacks of prior art TEM machines. The term “explosion load-bearing frame” is used herein and in the appended claims to refer to a TEM machine frame that serves to contain the vertically-directed, i.e., axially-directed, explosive forces and thereby help to keep sealed a bottom portion of the combustion chamber (also sometimes referred to herein as a “lower closure”) of the TEM machine against a corresponding top portion during the TEM process. Sometimes, for ease of description, the term “explosion load-bearing frame” is shortened to “frame” herein and in the appended claims whenever from the context it is clear that an explosion load-bearing frame is being referred to. 
         [0011]    The novel frame design of this aspect of the present invention employs two coparallel frame walls as its upright members. The plates may be solid or hollow, apertureless or apertured, and may have stiffeners, reinforcements, and/or ribbings. The frame walls are spaced apart by and interconnected by a lateral structural member. The lateral structural member may be monolithic, e.g., a single beam or plate, or comprise subcomponents, e.g. multiple beams, rods, or plates or combinations thereof. The lateral structural member supports the top portion of the combustion chamber. The frame walls are adapted to carry the vertical displacement means of the TEM machine so that the frame walls, the lateral structural member, and the vertical displacement means cooperate to contain the vertically-directed explosion forces exerted upon the combustion chamber during the operation of the combustion chamber. Thus, in embodiments of the present invention, a substantially smaller proportion of the frame walls receive the full tensile load from the TEM process explosions than is the case with the upright members of the prior art TEM machine frame designs. This is because in the present invention, only the portions of the frame walls which are between their connections with the lateral structural member and their areas that are adapted to carry the vertical displacement means are subjected to the full tensile loads from the TEM process explosions. This provides the advantage that the portions of the frame which lie below the areas that are adapted to carry the vertical displacement means on the frame walls need not be as structurally robust as the higher portions of the frame. Thus, in contrast to the higher portions, these lower portions can be made thinner, and/or with less stiffeners, reinforcements, and/or ribbings, and/or be made of materials having lower tensile strength. 
         [0012]    Furthermore, unlike prior art designs, the frames of the present invention do not require a base or floor member to support the vertical displacement means of the TEM machines of which they are a part. Nonetheless, some embodiments of the present invention may include a base or floor member to aid in construction of the TEM machine or for other purposes, e.g. for providing closure or adding structural stability during the placement or replacement of the vertical displacement means. 
         [0013]    The present invention includes TEM machines having the aforementioned novel frame design in conjunction with any type of loader assembly known in the art for loading combustion chamber lower portions. For example, in some such TEM machines of the present invention, the loader assembly is a rotary table loader. In other such TEM machines of the present invention, the loader assembly comprises the swing arm assembly loader. However, it is to be understood, that TEM machines having the novel frames of the present invention do not necessarily include a loader assembly. 
         [0014]    The present invention also includes methods of removing burrs and/or flashing from manufactured parts by using TEM machines having such novel frames. 
         [0015]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the loader assembly as used in a TEM machine wherein the retractable arm is in the extended position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the loader assembly, wherein the retractable arm is in the retracted position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is an overhead plan view of an alternate embodiment of a loader assembly incorporating the use of two retractable arms which are synchronized to move between the retracted and extended positions; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an overhead plan view of the alternate embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3  with the two retractable arms in positions opposite those shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the pivot arm and lower closure. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is an isometric front view of a TEM machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is an isometric rear view of the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is an isometric front view of the explosion load-bearing frame of the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is an elevational front view of the frame of shown in  FIG. 8 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 10A  is a schematic front elevational view of a portion of a TEM machine according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 10B  is a schematic side elevational view, partially in cross-section, taken along line B-B in  FIG. 10A , showing the combustion chamber lower portion in both the exchange and engaged positions. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
       Swing Arm Loader Assembly 
       [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a thermal energy method (TEM) machine  10  is shown with a loader assembly  12  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The loader assembly  12  has a base  22  upon which the components of the loader assembly  12  are connected. The base  22  is not necessarily required for all embodiments of the invention; however, it provides a way of quickly installing the loader assembly  12  and ensuring alignment of all the components. The loader assembly  12  includes a retractable arm  14  that pivots between an extended position and a retracted position.  FIG. 1  shows the retractable arm  14  in the extended position, while  FIG. 2  shows the retractable arm  14  in the retracted position. 
         [0030]    The retractable arm  14  includes a pivot arm  16  and an actuator  18 . The pivot arm  16  pivots about a point which is located on an upper clevis  24  of the pivot arm  16 . The upper clevis  24  is rotatably connected to a stationary clevis  20 . Bearing members  26  are located between the lower stationary clevis  20  and upper clevis  24  to facilitate the rotation. While the pivot arm  16  is described herein as having an upper and lower clevis to facilitate the rotation of the pivot arm  16  between the extended and retracted position, it is within the scope of this invention to have a different type of rotation arrangement. For example, a hinge or shaft with pin can be used to rotate the pivot arm  16  between the extended position and the retracted position. 
         [0031]    The actuator  18  is connected to the upper clevis  24  at a connector joint  28 . The actuator  18  as shown is a telescopic hydraulic cylinder that extends and retracts and forces the pivot arm  16  to rotate. While the actuator  18  is shown as being hydraulic, it is possible for the actuator to be something other than a hydraulic actuator, for example, a mechanical worm drive, a mechanical lever driven by a motor, or an electromechanical device can be used in the place of an actuator. Essentially the actuator  18  can be any type of device that provides enough force to provide the push/pull type of force required to the pivot arm  16 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the actuator  18  is connected to a hinge  29  that is connected to a column  29 . The column  29  extends from the base  22  of the loader assembly  12 . 
         [0032]    The pivot arm  16  also has a hoop portion  30  that moves between the extended and retracted position. The hoop portion  30  is best shown in  FIG. 5  and is a frame or ring with an aperture through the center. The hoop portion  30  is configured to receive a lower closure  32 . The lower closure  32  has a portion that sets through the aperture of the hoop portion  30 . The lower closure  32  is used to hold a part in a part holder area  40 . A seal  38  at the lower closure  32  is also present around the part holder area  40 , and its function is described below. 
         [0033]    The hoop portion  30  has an alignment tab  34  with a pin shaft hole or alignment hole  36 . When the retractable arm moves from the extended position to the retracted position, the alignment tab  34  is configured to slide into a shot pin  42  which is connected to the base  22  of the loader assembly  12 . The shot pin  42  has an alignment hole  46  that aligns with the alignment hole  36  of the alignment tab  34 . A pin  44  contained in a small cylinder  48  extends through the alignment holes  36 ,  46  when the alignment tab  34  is aligned with the shot pin  42 . The extension of the alignment pin  44  holds the retractable arm  16  in place during the TEM process. Additionally, the shot pin  42  also has a stop  50 , which can be a metal stop to prevent the hoop portion  30  of the pivot arm  16  from banging against the shot pin  42  during rotation. The stop  50  acts as a pre-alignment stopper and does not necessarily have to be formed of metal but could also include a softer substance such as rubber. 
         [0034]    The TEM machine  10  also includes a ram piston  52  which extends from a load position upward vertically to a process position. A thermal chamber  54  is located above the ram piston  52 . The thermal chamber  54  is where parts or components are processed. When the hoop portion  30  of the pivot arm  16  moves from the extended position to the retracted position the alignment tab  34  moves into position with respect to the shot pin  42 . 
         [0035]    When the pin  44  from the small cylinder  48  extends through the alignment hole  36  of the alignment tab  34  and the alignment hole  46  of the shot pin  42 , the ram piston  52  is aligned with the aperture of the hoop portion  30 , lower closure  32 , and the thermal chamber  54 . At this point the ram piston  52  is in the load position below the hoop portion  30  and lower closure  32 . The ram piston  52  is then moved vertically upward to contact the bottom of the lower closure  32  and raise the lower closure  32  off of the hoop portion  30 , with the ram piston  52  extending through the aperture of the hoop portion  30 . The ram piston  52  continues to move vertically upward to a load position where the lower closure  32  presents a part located in the part holder area  40  to the thermal chamber  54 . The seal  38  on the lower closure aligns with the thermal chamber  54  to form a seal between the thermal chamber  54  and the lower closure  32  so that the part can be processed. At this point, the ram piston  52  is in the process position. Once the TEM process is carried out, the ram piston  52  lowers from the process position back to the load position and the lower closure  32  is set back into position on the hoop portion  30 . The pivot arm  16  moves from the retracted position to the extended position where a processed part is then unloaded from the part holder area and a new part to be processed is placed onto the holder area. 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an alternate embodiment of the invention is shown. This alternate embodiment of the invention has a TEM machine  10 ′ has two bases  22 ,  22 ′ each supporting a retractable arm  14 ,  14 ′ configured to move between a retracted position and an extended position in sequential fashion. It is within the scope of this invention to have a single base member with both retractable arms mounted thereon; however, it is not entirely necessary. This allows a user of the TEM machine  10 ′ to load parts onto one retractable arm while a part on the second retractable arm is being processed. This increases the overall production of the TEM machine  10 ′ since parts can be constantly loaded and unloaded. In this embodiment the retractable arm is a first retractable arm. The first retractable arm  14  and the second retractable  14 ′ operate in essentially the same manner with the primary difference being their position with respect to the ram piston  52 . The two arms can be arranged at opposite, adjacent, or vertically with respect to one another about the ram piston  52 . The second retractable arm  14 ′ has a pivot arm  16 ′ having a hoop portion  30 ′ with a lower closure  32 ′ placed thereon as well as an actuator  18 ′. A shot pin  42 ′ in this alternate embodiment of the invention is configured in a slightly different manner such that it is positioned to receive both the first retractable arm  14  and the second retractable arm  14 ′ and eliminate the need for a second shot pin. 
         [0037]    When the first retractable arm  14  is in the extended position, the second retractable arm  14 ′ can be moved to the retracted position and a part on the lower closure  32 ′ of the second retractable arm  14 ′ can be processed in the thermal chamber (not shown). After the part on the lower closure  32 ′ is processed in the same manner as described above with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the second retractable arm  14 ′ pivots from the retracted position to the extended position and the first retractable arm  14 , which has a fresh part loaded thereon, moves from the extended position to the retracted position in a sequential manner. The part on the first retractable arm  14  is then processed in the same manner as described above with respect to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , while the processed part on the second retractable arm  14 ′ is removed and a fresh part is loaded onto the lower closure  32 ′. 
         [0038]    In another aspect of the present invention, one or more sensors  56  can be incorporated into the various components of the TEM machine  10 . For example, a sensor  56  can be implemented on the actuator  18 , the alignment tab  34 , or near the shot pin  42 . The sensor can be any type of sensor suitable for determining the position of the pivot arm  14 . For example, the sensors  56  could be proximity sensors that determine the presence or absence of the pivot arm at a certain location, contact sensors that are activated when two components come into contact or any other suitable sensor device. Additionally, a sensor associated with the actuator  18  may determine the extension or retraction of the actuator. Thus, another aspect of the invention involves controlling the method of operation of the loader assembly  12  by coordinating with the sensors. 
       Explosion Load-Bearing Frame 
       [0039]    Some preferred embodiments of the present invention comprising a novel explosion load-bearing frame will now be described. Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , there are shown, respectively, isometric views of the front and rear of a TEM machine  100  having a novel frame  102  according to an embodiment of the present invention. In addition to the frame  102 , the TEM machine  100  also comprises: a two-part combustion chamber  105  comprising an upper portion  104  and a lower portion  106 ; a loader assembly  108 ; a vertical displacement means in the form of hydraulic cylinder  110  for lifting a combustion chamber lower portion  106  into sealing contact with combustion chamber upper portion  104 ; a hydraulic power unit  112  and associated hardware for supplying power to the hydraulic cylinder  110 ; a process gas delivery and venting system  114  for selectively supplying the process gases to the closed combustion chamber and expelling the combusted gases during the TEM process; a platform  115  for supporting, inter alia, the hydraulic power unit  112 ; a support plate  116  attached to the frame  102  for supporting the charging cylinder component  118  of the process delivery and venting system  114 ; and a protective enclosure (not shown) for safely and cleanly enclosing the TEM machine  100  during operation. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show, respectively, isometric and front elevational views of the frame  102  in its unadorned state. The frame  102  comprises coparallel first and second frame walls  120 ,  122  and lateral structural member  124  spacing apart said first and second frame walls  120 ,  122  near and at their top ends. As best seen in  FIG. 7 , the lateral structural member  124  in this embodiment consists of a horizontal plate  126 , cross beams  128 ,  130 , and stiffeners  132 ,  134 . Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the lateral support member  124  supports the combustion chamber top portion  104 . 
         [0041]    In this embodiment of the present invention, frame  102  also comprises bottom plate  136 . Note that the hydraulic cylinder  110  is primarily carried by the first and second frame walls  120 ,  122 , rather than the bottom plate  136 . In this embodiment, the bottom plate  136  acts as a bottom closure for the frame and aids in the construction of the frame as is described in the next paragraph. 
         [0042]    The first and second frame walls  120 ,  122  are adapted to support the hydraulic cylinder  110  by way of first and second shelves  138 ,  140  and spacers  142 ,  144  (best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ). First and second shelves  138 ,  140  include first and second horizontal members  146 ,  148 , respectively, and their associated sets of vertical stabilizers  150 ,  152  and  154 ,  156  (note that vertical stabilizer  156  is not visible in any of the FIGS.). During construction of the frame  102 , after the first and second frame walls  120 ,  122 , the lateral structural member  124 , and the base plate  136  have been joined together into a rectangular unit, first and second shelves  138 ,  140  are constructed by standing the four vertical stabilizers  150 ,  152 ,  154 ,  156  upright on the base plate  124  and then each is attached to one of the first and second frame walls  120 ,  122 . First horizontal member  146  may then be placed atop vertical stabilizers  150 ,  152  and attached to the first frame wall  120  to form the first shelf  138 . Likewise, second horizontal member  148  may then be placed atop vertical stabilizers  154 ,  156  and attached to second frame wall  122  to form the second shelf  140 . Subsequently, referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the first and second spacers  142 ,  144  are attached to first and second shelves  138 ,  140 , respectively, and the hydraulic cylinder  110  is placed upon and removably bolted to first and second spacers  142 ,  144 . Alternatively, the first and second horizontal members  146 ,  148  may be pre-drilled and tapped and bolted into a fixture that holds them in a spaced relationship and then welded to the side walls  120 ,  122 . 
         [0043]    Another embodiment of a TEM machine in accordance with the present invention is shown in part in  FIGS. 10A and 10B  to illustrate an alternative version of the novel explosion load-bearing frame design. The frame  202  of the TEM machine  200  comprises coparallel first and second frame walls  204 ,  206  and a lateral structural member  208 . Note that frame  200  has no bottom plate. The hydraulic cylinder  216 , which is the vertical displacement means for this embodiment, is directly supported by first and second shelves  218 ,  220  (which are attached to, respectively, first and second frame walls  204 ,  206 ) without the interposition of spacers. 
         [0044]    The lateral structural member  208  consists of horizontal plate  210  and first and second cross-plates  212 ,  214 . Unlike the lateral structural member  124  shown in the embodiment of the present invention described above in reference to  FIGS. 6-9 , the lateral structural member  208  has no stiffeners. 
         [0045]    TEM machine  200  uses a sliding table-style loader assembly  222 .  FIG. 10B  schematically shows the combustion chamber lower portion  224  in the engaged position and in the exchange position (as  224 ′). 
         [0046]    The components of the novel frame may have other configurations in other embodiments of the present invention. For instance, the lateral structural element may be one or more solid or hollow, unapertured or apertured plates, one or more solid, angle, channel, or I-beams, or other structural shapes, either alone or in combination with one another and may also have stiffeners and/or ribbings, so long as the lateral structural element is able to perform its function of supporting the upper combustion chamber in such a way as to transmit the upwardly-directed load from the TEM process explosion to the frame&#39;s frame walls. Similarly, the frame walls can be solid or hollow, unapertured or apertured. 
         [0047]    Likewise, the present invention contemplates many ways for adapting the first and second frame walls to support the vertical displacement means of the TEM machine. For example, one or more shelves of any suitable design may be used for this purpose, including those which span the entire width between the first and second frame walls. In some embodiments of the present invention, the vertical displacement means is either removably or permanently attached directly or indirectly to one or both of the first and second frame walls. An example of indirect attachment is shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  wherein the hydraulic cylinder  110  attached to first and second spacers  142 ,  144 , which in turn are bolted to first and second shelves  138 ,  140  which are welded to first and second frame walls  120 ,  122 . An example of direct attachment is an embodiment of the present invention wherein the vertical displacement means is directly bolted to the first and second frame walls. In other embodiments of the present invention, however, the vertical displacement means is not attached, either directly or indirectly, to either of the first and second frame walls. 
         [0048]    The present invention also contemplates that the lateral structural member may be adapted to support the combustion chamber upper portion in any way that is known to those skilled in the art, e.g., by bolting, jointing, pinning, etc. 
         [0049]    In the embodiment of the present invention shown in  FIGS. 6-9 , the components of the frame  102  are welded together. However, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to use any other means of attachment known to those skilled in the art and suitable for sustaining the expected service loads to interconnect the various components of the TEM frame, e.g., bolting, riveting, etc. Preferably, the frame is made from steel, e.g., hot rolled steel, although any suitable structural material may be used. Persons skilled in the art know how to size the frame and the components thereof in accordance with the service loads that are expected to be encountered during the TEM machine operation and to accommodate the size of the combustion chamber with which the frame is to be used. 
         [0050]    In accordance with the present invention, any suitable vertical displacement means known to those skilled in the art may be used the TEM machines having the novel frame design. To be suitable, a vertical displacement means needs to be able to reversibly raise and hold the combustion chamber bottom portion in closure with its corresponding upper portion during the TEM process. Thus, suitable vertical displacement means may include one or more of the following: hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, electric motor, and mechanical jack (including knuckle-jointed linkage jacks, worm gear jacks, and scissor jacks), either alone or in combination with one another. 
         [0051]    The TEM machines having frames in accordance with the present invention may be used to remove burrs and/or flashing from manufactured parts. To accomplish this, the parts are loaded into the combustion chamber, preferably by first loading them into the lower portion of the combustion chamber or a fixture therein or into or onto a fixture which depends from the upper portion of the combustion chamber. The vertical displacement means is operated to bring the bottom and top portions of the combustion chamber into closure with one another. An explosion is then ignited within the combustion chamber to burn away the burrs and/or flashing from the parts. The vertical displacement means is then operated to open the combustion chamber, and the parts are then removed therefrom. 
         [0052]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention. All U.S. patents identified herein are incorporated herein in full by reference.