Patents Examined by Erica Cadugan
  • Patent number: 7594882
    Abstract: A tool changer for a machine tool includes a disc magazine having a plate, and a number of retainers attached to the outer peripheral portion of the plate for detachably supporting tool members, the retainers each include a base portion attached to the outer peripheral portion of the plate, and a holding device disposed on the base portion and having two arms for resiliently holding and carrying and supporting the tool member. The retainers each include a coupling portion coupled between two legs, the arms of the holding devices may be extended from the legs and may be formed from a longitudinal wire or rod member for reducing the weight of the retainers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Inventor: Alan Xiao
  • Patent number: 7425109
    Abstract: A suction device for a power tool, in particular for a drilling and/or chipping tool, has at least one dust container and at least one suction head to be placed on a workpiece, wherein the dust container is integrated in the suction head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Simm, Jan Peter Houben, Ruben Jan Moerbeek
  • Patent number: 7402011
    Abstract: A device for centering a work piece with respect to a centerline of a tool includes a radially-stationary component rigidly secured with respect to the tool such that the radially-stationary component and the tool are concentric. A biasing mechanism is biased away from the radially-stationary component to apply substantially equally-distributed radial force at a periphery of the work piece to thereby center the work piece with respect to the tool. A method of broaching a work piece having an inner and an outer diameter includes machining the outer diameter and then applying circumferentially-distributed radial force to the inner diameter or the outer diameter to thereby center the work piece with respect to a broach tool. After the applying step, the method includes broaching the inner diameter of the work piece using the broach tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Travis M. Thompson, Jeffrey R. Lee, Stephen D. Doubler, Robert P. Giuliani, James W. McGregor
  • Patent number: 7384224
    Abstract: A multi-axis machine tool presents a gantry positioned over a bed equipped with a machining station in which to position a workpiece, a moving beam associated slidably with the gantry, aligned on a horizontal direction and translatable in a vertical direction, a carriage associated slidably with the moving beam and traversable in the horizontal direction, and a tool holder mounted to the carriage. The tool holder is mounted direct to the carriage, making no use of quills or telescopic arms, with freedom to rotate relative to the carriage about two positioning axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: JOBS S.p.A.
    Inventor: Maurizio Stefano Ferrari
  • Patent number: 7377022
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drill press lathe attachment designed for rotating a workpiece along a horizontal axis to remove material from the workpiece to form it into a desired shape. The drill press lathe attachment comprises a base and a power transfer box along with components commonly found on a lathe, but without a motor. The drill press lathe attachment, or “motorless” lathe, may be mounted directly to the bed of an existing drill press thereby providing an alternative means of achieving turning operations without needing a traditional motor driven lathe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Inventor: James W. Hall
  • Patent number: 7373710
    Abstract: A portable toolbox has a compartment closed by a lid, the lid being configured to mount a powered saw module to an inner face thereof such that the saw blade extends from an outer side of the lid which provides a flat sawbench. The toolbox is used with powered hand tools of the type having a power handle module incorporating rechargeable batteries and control switch for engaging a variety of multi-purpose tools having respective electric motors. A battery station receives the power handle module and an associated circuit controls and supplies power to the saw. An adaptor fixture may be employed in one configuration to provide a drill press and in another to provide a saw fence. The adaptor fixture includes a sliding carriage for mounting a powered hand drill and jaws for clamping engagement with the toolbox when used as a fence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: C Enterprise (HK) Limited
    Inventor: Christopher Thomas Elsworthy
  • Patent number: 7367097
    Abstract: There is provided an innovative tool mounting device for a turning center in which special manipulation is not required even with a simple configuration, and whereby when a cutting tool is clamped/fixed, the bearing unit is deformed by the retraction force of the drawbar because the cutting tool is supported by the ram, the tapered shank is automatically pressed to the mounting engagement unit in a state in which the cutting tool is supported by the ram, an automatic mechanical lock in a state of dual-surface restraint can be implemented, and the turning tool can be securely clamped/fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: O-M Ltd.
    Inventors: Takio Nakamura, Akihiro Goto, Tatsuo Shimizu, Takashi Ueda
  • Patent number: 7367929
    Abstract: A machine tool for the cutting machining of workpieces, in particular of metallic workpieces, has a first and a second tool spindle for receiving a first and a second machining tool, and it has a first and a second workpiece carrier for receiving a first workpiece and a second workpiece. The first tool spindle is movable relative to the first and to the second workpiece carrier in order to selectively machine the first or the second workpiece. Moreover, the first workpiece are movable relative to one another in order to transfer a workpiece from one workpiece carrier to the other workpiece carrier. The second tool spindle is movable relative to the second workpiece carrier in order to machine the second workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: STAMA Maschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Feinauer, Pavel Blazek
  • Patent number: 7367102
    Abstract: A spindle device to mount and rotate an object, including: a housing; a main shaft supported by the housing rotatably to the housing wherein the main shaft includes a through hole which goes through from an end to the other end thereof, and an opening of the through hole forms a mounting section to mount the object at the end, and an opening of the through hole forms a suction section at the other end; a connecter member disposed to cover-the outside of the other end and connected with the external negative-pressure source; and a bearing disposed between the circumference of the main shaft at other end and the connecter member covering the outside; wherein the object is suctioned onto the mounting section at the end with the external negative-pressure source through the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeru Hosoe, Hiroyuki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7367930
    Abstract: The invention provides a rotation-type changer of torches and nozzles for a laser beam machine having a movable table. The automatic tool changer 100 of a laser beam machine is equipped with a plurality of torch holders 160 and a nozzle changer 170 disposed on the magazine 150. The working head 40 moves in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the paper plane and in a Z-axis direction. The torch holder 160 storing the torch to be exchanged is rotated along the Y-axis path line and the working head 40 is lowered to exchange the torch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Yamazaki Mazak Corporation
    Inventors: Tsunehiko Yamazaki, Naoomi Miyakawa
  • Patent number: 7367761
    Abstract: A tool attachable to a spindle of a machine tool in the same way as an ordinary tool, capable of being driven without connecting with an external power supply etc., giving a higher rotational speed than that of the spindle of the machine tool without supplying electric power from the outside, and able to be changed automatically, provided with a machining tool for machining a workpiece, a motor for driving the machining tool, a generator for generating electric power to drive the motor by the rotation of the spindle, a rotational speed detecting device for detecting the rotational speed of the motor, and a rotational speed display for displaying the rotational speed detected by the rotational speed detecting device so as to be visually recognized from the outside of the attachable tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasunori Kato
  • Patent number: 7364391
    Abstract: A method and tool arrangement for producing straight bevel gears and the like on a multi-axis computer controlled machine wherein a single tool is utilized in the machining process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: The Gleason Works
    Inventors: Hermann J. Stadtfeld, Uwe Gaiser, Earl D. Ervay, Theodore J. Krenzer
  • Patent number: 7364392
    Abstract: A motor module (51) holding a plurality of motors as a unit. The motor module (51) is adapted for mounting to the main body (49) of a reinstatement cutting machine (20). The motor module (51) has a ram motor (134) and a rotate motor 136) fixed therein and connected to respective gear shafts (36) and (52) extending from the main body (49). A cross slide motor (74) and corresponding shaft (70) are fixed to the motor module (51) but allowed to rotate with rotating apparatus in the main body (49).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Inventor: Thomas W. Bowman
  • Patent number: 7363692
    Abstract: A tool for fine machining of work pieces involving metal removal is proposed having at least one cutter (13) for preliminary machining with a geometrically defined cutting edge (15) and having at least one cutter (21) for final machining with a geometrically defined cutting edge (23). The characteristic of the tool is that the cutter (13) for preliminary machining is part of a preliminary machining stage (3) and the cutter (23) for final machining is part of a final machining stage (5) and that an interface (9) located between the preliminary machining stage (3) and the final machining stage (5) is provided with a first flat surface (27) and a second flat surface (29) which are located on the preliminary machining stage (3) and the final machining stage (5) and which has a device (11) ensuring the coaxiality of the preliminary machining stage (3) and the final machining stage (5) to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Mapal Fabrik fur Prazisionswerkzeuge
    Inventors: Dieter Kress, Friedrich Häberle
  • Patent number: 7360976
    Abstract: A machining center including a machining head, a tool changer, an air driven tool and an air valve system. The air driven tool is connectable to the machine head by action of the tool changer. The air valve system has a first portion associated with the machining head and a second portion associated with the air driven tool. The first portion and the second portion include a connection therebetween having an airflow across the connection before the connection seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Inventor: Steve M. Bryan
  • Patent number: 7361129
    Abstract: A multi-axis automatic tool-changing system for an automatic machining center which is disposed with a plurality of machining principal axes and a tool magazine. The tool magazine is disposed with a plurality of tool-changing positions located correspondingly to the machining principal axes. Between each machining principal axis and each tool-changing positions is disposed a tool-changing arm. Each tool-changing arm utilizes the first end and the second end tool-taking grooves to grasp and exchange the tools of the machining principal axes and the tool-changing positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: DAI-ICHI Machine Service Co.
    Inventor: Su Fang Yang
  • Patent number: 7356896
    Abstract: A cable cup can be mounted in an optimal location on the wall of an otherwise inaccessible duct, so that, above all, inlets into the duct are not obstructed. A mounting device has a carriage that is movable in the longitudinal direction of the duct. A supporting unit for the cable cup is mounted on the carriage. A carrier is pivotally connected to the carriage via a longitudinal shaft. A directing unit supports the cable cup and is movable toward the wall of the duct. A drilling device and a screwdriver device are longitudinally movable on the shaft. By pivoting the support and thus the directing unit, the cable cup is fixed in the desired position on the wall, a hole is drilled through the cable cup and into the wall of the duct and a screw is screwed into the hole by the screwdriver device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Wien Kanal-Abwassertechnologien GesmbH
    Inventors: Johann Kübel, Helmut Kadrnoska, Gerhard Reiss
  • Patent number: 7353584
    Abstract: A tool that can be used to join adjacent deck sections along their side edges. The tool can include a handle portion that is used by the operator to maneuver the tool and a cutting and folding assembly that is at the base of the tool. The cutting and folding assembly can further include a driven punch that operates with a stationary die to simultaneously cut and shear the horizontal elements of a side lap, then folds those elements downward about 90 degrees from their original horizontal position, hemming the two individual side laps into a flattened vertical seam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Consolidated Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael DeFreese, Allan A. Abbata
  • Patent number: 7351017
    Abstract: A solid drill bit for machine tools has a drill bit body and two indexable inserts arranged at a radial distance from one another in respective insert seats. The inserts have an essentially quadratic contour. Their front-end main cutting edges project axially beyond the drill bit body and radially overlap one another. The outer insert has an outer insert corner and a secondary cutting edge perpendicular to the main cutting edge that projects radially beyond the circumference of the drill bit body. To permit burr-free through-drilling, the main cutting edge of the outer insert is subdivided in its longitudinal extent into a radially inner working section and a rectilinear peeling section adjoining the working section and extending to the outer insert corner. The sections enclose a setting angle of 95° to 120°. The peeling section is set at a positive setting angle of 720° to 87°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: KOMET GROUP Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Jacek Kruszynski, Alexander Krause, Henry Schutt
  • Patent number: 7347807
    Abstract: In the case of a machine tool which comprises at least one working spindle with a tool-holding fixture for tool holders carrying tools, and a tool changer with a gripper for the tool holders in order to transfer the tool holders between their magazine position, which is spaced apart from the tool-holding fixture, and their working position in the tool-holding fixture, a clamping system with a clamping apparatus by means of which a tool holder inserted into the tool-holding fixture is fixed is arranged in the working spindle, the clamping system additionally comprising a retaining apparatus for a tool holder situated in the tool-holding fixture. In the case of a method carried out on this machine tool, the clamping system carries out a retaining operation which temporally precedes the clamping operation in order to grasp the tool holder inserted into the tool-holding fixture before the clamping apparatus fixes the tool holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: CHIRON-WERKE GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Dirk Prust, Hans-Henning Winkler