Abstract: A plastic tool pocket mounts to tool storage chain in a machining center. The tools all have a hollow, tapered tool shank, which fits into tool pocket. The hollow tool shank has an internal relief and retention groove for securing the tool shank with a machine spindle. The tool pocket has central support shaft, having a circular spring ring loosely fitted into an annular clearance groove. When the tool shank slides over the support shaft, the circular ring first deflects radially into the clearance groove, then pops out into the retention groove, to hold the tool shank in position.

Abstract: A head is positionable close to a supported composite material. A compactor on the head is movable relative to the head by a fluid actuator. A programmable valve means ports air into the actuator at several different pressures to provide variable compaction force.

Abstract: A tombstone fixture for supporting workpieces has a stiffened tooling column.

Abstract: Grinding and regulating wheels are carried on opposed feed slides on a machine base. A workrest is fixed to the base between the opposed wheels. Wheel dressers are mounted to cross-slides on the base, behind the wheels, independent of the feed slides. CNC dressing occurs through combined transverse motions of feed slide (with wheel) and cross slide (with dresser).

Abstract: A head is positionable close to a supported composite material. A compactor on the head is movable relative to the head by a fluid actuator. A programmable valve means ports air into the actuator at several different pressures to provide variable compaction force.

Abstract: A machine tool spindle is supported at its spindle nose in a front, rolling element mechanical anti-friction thrust and radial support bearing means. The middle and rear end of the spindle is supported in a magnetic radial rear bearing and further supported at a generally mid-position of the spindle by magnetic radial mid bearing. The two magnetic radial bearings provide radial suspension of the spindle and permit the spindle to slide freely. A spindle flange is axially forced by a magnetic axial thrust bearing to vary the pre-load of the mechanical anti-friction thrust and radial support bearing.

Abstract: A machine guard has an opening with a detachable door; i.e., sliding tracks and hinges are not used for door support. When an outside loader arm and its part grippers move to the door, the door is unlatched from the guard and attached to the arm. The arm and grippers then move through the opening, taking the door away from the opening.

Abstract: A solid valve spool is split in two, by cutting through its center land diameter. A drill rod spacer is machined to length and inserted between the spool pieces to establish a spool assembly having a precise land width. The spool pieces and spacer are biased together in assembly so as to travel in unison, within a valve bushing, when shifted to control fluid flow, and the precisely-spaced land edges serve to pinch off fluid flow.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming composite tows of uniform width comprises a tow tensioner mechanism which carries a reel having a length of tow of non-uniform width, a tow sizing unit, a drive roller unit and a tow winding device. A single tow is fed from the tensioner mechanism to the tow sizing unit where the side-to-side or width dimension of the tow is sized, and then the sized tow is transmitted through the drive roller unit to the tow winding device which winds the sized tow onto a reel. The tow sizing unit includes a rotatable sizing wheel having a circumferential flanged groove, and a presser roller, which cooperate to confine the tow on all four sides, i.e., top, bottom and opposed side edges, as the tow is pressed therebetween to form a finished, sized tow having a substantially uniform width.

Abstract: A chuck body has an internal cam unit eccentrically mounted within antifriction bearings, and the cam unit includes a workpiece gripper. A radial pin extends through the chuck body into a peripheral slot of the cam unit. When rotating in a first rotary direction, the chuck body and cam unit rotate in unison and a first workpiece diameter may be machined. When the rotation of the chuck body is reversed, inertial forces acting on the cam unit prevent immediate reversal of the cam unit rotation, and the pin moves through the peripheral slot, contacting the opposite end and driving the cam unit in reverse rotation; this relative motion between the chuck body and cam unit causes the workpiece to become offset, displacing the first workpiece axis from the chuck body axis of rotation. Consequently, as the reverse rotation is continued, a second workpiece diameter may be is machined about the chuck axis of rotation; the second diameter will be eccentric to the first diameter.

Abstract: A screw and nut have intermeshed helical threads which may be of a form selected from a variety of shapes; for example, a buttress thread. A ball track is formed by cooperating grooves in opposing flanks of the screw and nut threads, and a circuit of balls are disposed within the ball track. The result is a screw system with improved thrust load-carrying capability.

Abstract: A workpiece is clamped to a machine table while being machined, but a cantilevered portion of the workpiece is subject to vibrations. The cap of a vibration damping unit is supported on the machine base and spring-loaded upwardly against the workpiece. A support spring acting on a seat forces a damping element against the cap which, in turn, is impressed against the cantilevered workpiece. Vibrations are suppressed by horizontal shearing motion of the ring damping element. The entire damping assembly comprising the cap, ring damping element, seat and spring are retracted from the workpiece by means of a central rod connected to a manually actuated toggle clamp.

Abstract: In a two-axis turning machine, the cutting tool unit machines a first diameter of a workpiece portion of barstock extending from a main spindle chuck. A special subspindle chuck rotating in the same direction advances axially, grasps the workpiece as it is cut off from the barstock, and retracts. The barstock is fed through the first chuck for subsequent first operation machining and located against a stop which is independent of the tool slides. The subspindle chuck rotation is reversed, displacing the first-generated workpiece axis from the subspindle axis, and a second diameter, eccentric to the first diameter, is formed by the cutting tool unit in a second operation.

Abstract: A segmented presser member for laying fiber tows and producing composite plastic articles has a plurality of presser element disks. The disks, stacked side-by-side, are independently movable and biased against a work surface such as a mandrel or mold. An elastic band is provided on the rotary outer periphery of each disk. Each band is unconnected to elastic bands on adjacent disks. The disks and their respective bands are radially movable during the laydown and compaction of the fiber tows over the changing contour of the workpiece surface. The elastic band has a low friction face, such as, for example, a (TEFLON) film, for engaging the fiber tows.

Abstract: A machine with a movable element, such as a machine tool and its spindle carrier, that is powered by a motive means to move the element is provided with a counterbalancing system having at least two counterforce means operably connected to the movable element for exerting a counterbalance force on the movable element in opposition to the first force and wherein a first one of the counterforce means has a controllable servomotor means. The control means controls the servomotor means so as to cause the counterbalancing system to exert a substantially constant counterbalance force on the movable element in opposition to the first force. The second one of the counterforce means may be a hydraulic means having a hydraulic cylinder operably connected to an accumulator and a hydraulic piston operably disposed in the cylinder and connected to the movable-element.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming composite tows of uniform width comprises a tow tensioner mechanism which carries a reel having a length of tow of non-uniform width, a tow sizing unit, a drive roller unit and a tow winding device. A single tow is fed from the tensioner mechanism to the tow sizing unit where the side-to-side or width dimension of the tow is sized, and then the sized tow is transmitted through the drive roller unit to the tow winding device which winds the sized tow onto a reel. The tow sizing unit includes a rotatable sizing wheel having a circumferential flanged groove, and a presser roller, which cooperate to confine the tow on all four sides, i.e., top, bottom and opposed side edges, as the tow is pressed therebetween to form a finished, sized tow having a substantially uniform width.

Abstract: Spaced headstock shafts are supported in common headstock walls such that their ends are inaccessible. The shafts are connected by an active timing belt. A spare timing belt is assembled around, but held out of contact with the shafts. At replacement time, the worn active belt is cut and removed and the spare belt is axially moved into its place. The drive may also include a belt tensioner.

Abstract: A moving slide has a pair of flexible curtains mounted to its front and rear surfaces, the curtains being attached at opposite ends to front and rear support posts mounted to a base. The support posts have upper and lower pulleys. A cable is connected to the front of the slide and runs in this fashion: first horizontally across the top pulley, thence to the lower pulley, thence to the other support post, thence upwardly and finally around to the horizontal portion which connects to the rear of the slide. The cable is tensioned to a predetermined load which remains constant throughout the slide travel as the front and rear horizontal portions of the cable move. The flexible curtains are suspended from, but are not rigidly attached to, the cable. Thus, as the curtains expand and contract, the moving horizontal portions of the tensioned cable ride smoothly through the curtains, maintaining curtain support.

Abstract: An improved tape laying machine, more particularly an improved tape laying head assembly is provided for laying plastic tape onto a work surface to produce a reinforced plastic structure. The improvement provides means for transferring the vertical movement of at least one segment of a stacked plate segmented shoe presser member, of the head assembly, as it engages the work surface to a non-terminal segment of the stacked plate segmented shoe and a sensor means, e.g. a linear variable differential transformer, sensing the movement of the non-terminal segment to produce a signal related to the movement of the non-terminal segment that can be employed to control and direct the movement of the head assembly and/or presser member. The improvement of the invention produces a smooth shimless transition of the presser member onto the work surface, from a work surface non-engaging position, in a tape laying operation.