Patent GB-927880-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for machining workpieces in machine tools
IPC: B23D1/00
Filed: 1961-01-10
Abstract: 927,880. Lathe details. H. J. FINDLEY. Jan. 10, 1961, No. 986/61. Class 83 (3). In a method of machining in a lathe, the tool is vibrated during cutting in a direction transverse to the tool axis in order to improve the cutting action and cause chip breaking. In a lathe 12, Fig. 1, the work 14 is machined by a tip tool 10 carried on a compound slide 29 by a tool-holder unit 11 comprising a tool-holder 16, which can be vibrated. Tool-holder 16 has resilient arms 33, 34, joined by a tool mount portion 32 the tool being held in a slot 35 by screws 37, 38. Toolholder 16 is supported on a base 17, Fig. 2, carried on slide 29, by a shim 44 and an adjustable pin 55, and is screwed thereto by screws 39, 40, the latter allowing lateral movement between members 16, 17 when member 16 is vibrated. A vibration generator 18, Fig. 1, is secured to arm 34 of tool-holder 16 and comprises a fluidpressure motor supplied with air from an inlet 70c through a valve 96, or by-pass valve 70b, a conduit 70, a manifold 69 and a conduit 72, the air being discharged from the generator through a conduit 74 and a nozzle 73 to cool tool 10. Generator 18 vibrates tool-holder 16 in the direction of arrow 13a, Fig. 1, and the vibration characteristics can be varied by varying the position of weights 65, 66 along arms 33, 34. The vibratory movement of the tool is out of phase with the rotational frequency of the work during successive cuts, so that the chips are broken up. To vary the vibration of the tool when cutting different parts of the work 14 the air supply to generator 18, and therefore the frequency and/or amplitude of the latter, is controlled by valve 96 actuated by a cam 95 fixed relative to slide 25 of the lathe. Cam 95 has a profile similar to that of work 14, faces 95c-95e corresponding to diameters 14c-14e on the works respectively and lobes 95a-95b corresponding to shoulders 14a-14b. Valve 96, Figs. 4, 5, mounted on carriage 25 has three ports 96c controlled by a spring-urged plunger 96b which has a roller for engagement with cam 95. When tool 10 arrives at shoulder 14a or 14b on the work, plunger 96b will close all the ports 96c, thus interrupting the air supply to generator 18, and the vibrations will stop. When plunger 96b is in engagement with face 95c only one port will be open, with face 95d, two ports, and face 95e, three ports, thus the fluid supply is controlled by valve 96. The tool vibration may be stopped by closing a shut-off valve 70a in conduit 70, or the vibrations may continue without the aid of cam 95, by using a by-pass valve 70b. Generator 18 may be replaced by an hydraulic piston secured to arm 33 of tool-holder 16, and slidable in a cylinder in arm 34, pulsating fluid being supplied to the cylinder. The generator may consist of an electromagnet with a core and coil in arm 34 and an armature in arm 33, variable frequency, alternating, or pulsating direct current being supplied to the coil. The vibrations may be generated by an electric motor 122, Fig. 13, mounted on base 17 which rotates a cam 124 to vibrate, a follow 126 fixed to a bar 128 carried by arm 34. In a modification, the electric motor is secured to arm 34 and an eccentric weight is secured to the motor spindle which on rotation of the latter rotates out of balance and vibrates arm 34. In a further modification, tool-holder 151, Figs. 20-22, is vibrated by an electro-hydraulic generator 152. Tool-holder 151 comprises resilient arms 195- 196 connected by a portion 199, the latter being rigidly attached to a portion 200 of base 154 secured to slide 29 by screw 202; a space 203 being left between members 151 and 154. The tool mount portion 198 of the tool-holder is flexibly supported on base 154 by flexible studs 205, which allow the tool-holder to be vibrated and tool 153 is attached to portion 198 by a clamp 218. The generator comprises a valve 157 actuated by an electromagnet 158, to control the flow of fluid to and from diaphragms 225, 226, which flex arms 195, 196, of the tool-holder by means of adjustable thrust members 230. Valve 157 comprises a housing 238, a ported sleeve 243 held in a bore 240 in the housing by covers 241, 242, and a slidable piston 244. Sleeve 243 has annular ports 245, 246, continually in communication with passages 235, 236, which lead to diaphragms 225, 226, respectively, and a chamber 250 supplies fluid from a conduit 159 to each diaphragm in turn as piston 244 is moved axially, the fluid from the other diaphragm being exhausted through one of exhaust chambers 251, 252, and thence to conduit 160. Piston 244 has a stem 255 screwed thereto and the armature 264 of the electromagnet 158 engages the stem to move the piston against a spring 253 when the coil 263 of the core 262 is energized, thus admitting pressure fluid to diaphragm 226 and exhausting fluid from diaphragm 225. When the coil is de-energized spring 253 will return the piston to reverse the flow. The current supplied to coil 263 may be alternating current, pulsating direct current or a variable frequency alternating, or direct current may be supplied through an amplifier by an oscillation generator. The vibratory movements of tool 153, Fig. 19, is controlled by signalling means connected to the electromagnet 158, such means comprising an indicator 178, a pick-up unit 177 and an amplifier 169. Indicator 178 is in the form of a rotabable drum having four patterns 178a-178d which are representative of different operating actions to be carried out on the work 150. The drum is fixed to a shaft 179 splined in a pulley 180a driven from the work spindle and secured to the shaft is a cam 181 having contours corresponding to those of the work; members 178, 179 and 181 being moved axially relative to pulley 180a, as the tool is fed along the work, by a follower 183 secured to base 154 of the toolholder. The pick-up unit 177 has a light source 186 which supplies light to the selected pattern, e.g. 178b through a lens 188. Light reflected from the pattern is supplied to a light-responsive cell 189 through a lens 190, and the output signals from unit 177 are supplied to electromagnet 158 through amplifier 169 to actuate the diaphragms in the tool-holder to vibrate the latter. Indicator 178 is moved into its required axial position, as the tool traverses the work and lobes 186a-185b on cam 181 will align pattern 178d with unit 177, no light will be reflected, and the tool vibration will stop. Indicator 178 will be moved axially to a less extent when follower 183 engages faces 181a-181c and unit 177 will pick-up the reflected light, thus vibrating the tool to a greater or lesser extent according to the pattern aligned with the unit.