Patents Examined by William Briggs
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Patent number: 6449846Abstract: A method for manufacturing a variable-diameter gear pair operable with a conjugate action therebetween includes the steps of providing a first workpiece and a second workpiece, each having a minor and a major diameter portion in spaced relation therefrom along a longitudinal axis. At least one gear tooth is formed within the first (second) workpiece for forming at least one first (second) gear body, wherein the at least one gear tooth within the first (second) at least one gear body curves outwardly in a radial and axial direction from the longitudinal axis, and wherein each of the at least one gear tooths includes a width dimension that changes in size between the minor and major diameter portions. Each of the first and second at least one gear bodies has the variable diameter and variable pitch for forming a gear pair operable with each other with a conjugate action therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2001Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Inventors: David B. Dooner, Ali A. Seireg
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Patent number: 6450740Abstract: A mechanical gear hob is equipped with an automatic stock divide device that enables the hob to cut or re-cut gear parts that already have teeth in them by automatically synchronizing the gear teeth to the hob cutter. The hob is equipped with a hob shift position sensor and a hob cutter rotary position sensor to input to a controller the lateral and rotary positions of the hob cutter. A stock divide sensor is mounted adjacent the worktable to determine the location of the gear teeth previously formed in the workpiece. A servomotor is mounted to the differential input shaft in the hob drive train and has a rotary position feedback to the controller as well. Stock divide is accomplished by an input to the differential, causing the workpiece to rotate relative to the hob cutter to bring the existing teeth on the workpiece into phase with the teeth of the hob cutter.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2000Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: David Dean Mundhenke, Steven Marc Klabunde
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Patent number: 6447224Abstract: A spindle head holder (5) is pivoted on a base member (1), a linear drive (21) is mounted to the base member (1), a linear guide (50) is mounted to the spindle head holder (5), and an engagement member (60) is engaged with both linear drive and linear guide at a substantially identical part (35, 37) thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2001Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventors: Masaaki Mitsuzono, Hideki Hayashi, Kazuo Nagashima
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Patent number: 6442815Abstract: A reconfigurable tool changer allows a tool cartridge to be easily attached to, or detached from, a standard machine-tool spindle head. The modular design, includes a revolving tool cartridge having a plurality of tool holders, a meshing gear for engaging a tool holder with the spindle of the machine tool, and an adapter block for positioning the revolving tool cartridge on any standard machine-tool spindle head. The adapter block allows the automatic tool changer to be easily coupled to a wide variety of commercial machine-tool spindles, making the invention a truly reconfigurable and portable tool changer. The revolving tool cartridge incorporates a novel three-dimensional cam structure mechanism, which allows tool indexing to be achieved by means of only one actuator.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2000Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Yong-Mo Moon, Sridhar Kota
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Patent number: 6438813Abstract: A rotary drive adapted to perform a speed of rotation switching of a tool holding device, comprising an output drive shaft bearing the tool holding device, said output drive shaft being able to be moved into first and second axial positions by means of a setting drive. The output drive shaft is coupled in the first axial position with a power driven first drive gear wheel and in the second axial position with a concentric tubular shaft, which is adapted to be driven by a power driven second drive gear wheel by way of a worm drive.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2001Date of Patent: August 27, 2002Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle AGInventor: Franz-Xaver Bernhard
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Patent number: 6436021Abstract: A lubricant supply apparatus 1 includes a tank holder portion 3 and a lubricant tank portion 2. In case where a tool holder clamp device 62 provided on a spindle shaft 61 pushes against an abutting member 35 disposed in the lubricant supply apparatus 1, lubricant filled in a pressure chamber 11 formed in the lubricant supply apparatus 1 can be jetted out from injection holes 39, —formed in the abutting member 35. The thus jetted-out lubricant is supplied to the tool holder clamp device 62.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2001Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Assignee: Nippei Toyama CorporationInventor: Mitsuru Nukui
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Patent number: 6435783Abstract: The present invention relates to a notching machine for forming a radial notch into a workpiece, such as the side or end of a tube, pipe or rod. The notching machine includes a workpiece positioning assembly, a hub and spindle assembly, an offset mechanism, a hub drive mechanism and a spindle drive mechanism. The workpiece positioning assembly includes a cross slide table and a vice for gripping and positioning the workpiece into a desired position. The hub and spindle assembly includes a hub that is rotatably mounted on a hub rotation assembly. The hub rotation assembly rotates about a central axis of rotation. The hub carries a spindle and its tool. The hub, spindle and tool share a common axis. This common axis is the axis of rotation of the spindle and tool. The hub, spindle and tool can be aligned in an in-line or offset manner with respect to the central axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2000Date of Patent: August 20, 2002Inventor: Christopher J. Rusch
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Patent number: 6428453Abstract: A machine tool for cutting workpieces, the machine tool having a tool slide shiftable on or along a machine tool table as support of a machining unit. The machining unit has at least one work spindle and a workpiece support for receiving the workpieces to be machined. For enabling fast machining including an accurate and rapid positioning of the machining unit with as few linear guidances as possible, the tool slide has a transverse support shiftably guided on or along the machine tool table and also has two cross slides shiftable in its longitudinal direction. The machining unit is jointedly arranged between the cross slides via a coupling mechanism having at least two dimensionally stable swivel arms for axially moving the work spindle.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2001Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Deckel Maho Pfronten GmbHInventors: Gerd Hoppe, Hans Gronbach
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Patent number: 6428251Abstract: A system that allows support of a work piece from the body of a vise, the vise being attached to the bed of a mill. The system an extender block that attaches to one of the jaws of the vise; and an angular surface plate attached to the extender block. The angular surface plate provides a surface that extends along a plane that extends next to and below the bed of the mill.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Inventor: John R. Steven
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Patent number: 6428253Abstract: The invention concerns a device for infinitely variable support of a tool on a drivable tool spindle of a machine tool. To provide such a device which allows exact adjustment of the tool within a range of one millimetre, at the same time avoiding centrifugal force-related imbalances, it is proposed that the tool is exchangeably attached to a tool carrier which is mounted in a housing so as to be pivotable about an axis of rotation of the tool carrier extending at an angle, preferably at a right angle, to the axis of rotation of the tool spindle.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Iprotec Maschinen-und Edelstahlprodukte GmbHInventor: Guido Kochsiek
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Patent number: 6428252Abstract: A method adapted to achieve a high rate of material removal when, for example, milling a cavity into a work piece. The method includes providing for a cutter path in which the angular engagement between the cutter and the work piece is maintained below a predetermined value to prevent premature wear of the tool, providing for a cutter path which permits a constant cutter feed rate including during directional changes in the path, and machining a series of nested pockets into the work piece utilizing cutter paths as provided for above.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 1997Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Inventor: Tino Oldani
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Patent number: 6428452Abstract: A method and a device for assembling an air-craft wing incorporating at least two of the operations drilling, riveting and fitting of anchor nuts (20), where a robot (7) is mobile relative to the wing in a plane parallel to the wing and where the robot (7) is equipped with an arm (9) designed to accommodate a tool holder (15), where the tool holder (15) is primarily equipped with tools for performing a single work operation, whereby the robot is moved so that the robot arm (9) is positioned at the first work position on the aircraft wing unit, where the robot (7) carries out the first work operation at the said first work position, where the robot arm (9) is manoeuvred in the correct order to new work positions on the wing unit within a work area (10) reachable by the robot arm (9), and carries out the first work operation at these new work positions.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2000Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: SAAB ABInventors: Per Dahlström, Håkan Andersson, Anders Högne, Ronnie Stensson, Roger Holmstedt, Johan Carlsson, Per Benkowski
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Patent number: 6421894Abstract: The present invention provides, in assembling an anti-vibration device having an inner cylinder, an outer cylinder, a rubber elastic member joining them and an intermediate cylinder fitted to the outer cylinder and internally forming a liquid chamber, an assembling apparatus for caulking an end of the outer cylinder while suppressing the occurrence of buckling without causing cracks, breakage or the like. This assembling device has a press-fit device to press-fit an internal unit joined with the inner cylinder and the intermediate cylinder through a rubber elastic member to the outer cylinder within a liquid tank, a caulking device to caulk an end of the outer cylinder of an assembly completed in press-fitting, and transporting means to transport the assembly from the press fit device to the caulking device. The caulking device can perform caulking in two stages of caulking.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., LtdInventors: Yoshikazu Tsujimoto, Tsuyoshi Inada
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Patent number: 6421893Abstract: A production line for assembling a pair of left and right car components, capable of assembling a pair of high quality car components by on line at high operating efficiency and productivity and capable of controlling jigs and molds with high dimensional accuracy. The production line of this invention related to a production line for assembling a pair of left and right front doors for supply to an assembly line of the white body of a car, is constructed by arranging various processes on one line, which comprises a work tack welding process A comprising a work input device 3 for alternately inputting the left right front door panels LDP and RDP, an incremental welding process B for welding either one of the works while transferring the other, a marriage process C, a door skin input and sealing process D, a hemming process E, a hemming delivery process F, and a front door delivery portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2000Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kou Katayama, Yukimitsu Awa
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Patent number: 6421895Abstract: A machine tool has a cam shaft and indexing drive mechanism which is driven by a servomotor and is therefore adapted for operation within a wide range of operational parameters. An encoder mechanism provides feedback to the servo drive mechanism to effect operational control. The machine tool further comprises a variable frequency drive motor which operates the spindles of the machine tool independently of the cam shaft and indexing drive. A servo-operated threading mechanism is operable at one or more workstations of the machine tool to provide threading of parts manufactured thereby. A computer control system controls and monitors the entire operation of the machine tool.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2001Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: Davenport Industries, L.L.C.Inventors: Patrick L. Muscarella, Steven K. Patridge
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Patent number: 6419428Abstract: A circular hole cutting device (1) for making a circular hole in an object comprises a bit holder (3) which can be attached to a drive shaft of an electric power tool in such a way that the bit holder (3) with a bit (2) attached to a far end of the bit holder (3) rotates together with the drive shaft on a common axis, a cover (4) which is fitted to the bit holder (3) relatively rotatably about its axis, and a radial rod (5) attached to the cover (4) such that the amount of projection of the radial rod (5) in a direction intersecting the bit (2) can be varied. The physical size of the cover (4) is determined such that the bit (2) projects from a far end of the cover (4). The radial rod (5) has a pivot shaft (52) having a pointed end formed by bending a terminal part of the radial rod (5) approximately at right angles.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2000Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Assignee: House B.M. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kunio Ajimi, Akihito Uemura
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Patent number: 6419614Abstract: A punching-bending machine is disclosed for manufacturing different workpieces which is outfitted with at least one exchangeable machining module provided with punching-bending tools which can be driven mechanically, hydraulically or pneumatically, wherein the machining module is received by a portal having at least one side wall and a transverse member which can be connected thereto, wherein bearing devices are provided for supporting the machining moduleType: GrantFiled: September 2, 1999Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Inventor: Heinz Finzer
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Patent number: 6416449Abstract: A grasping device for changing bending tools on tube bending machines which includes a frame mounted over the bending machine. The grasping device includes a rotary head having independent movements in rotation, vertical motion and horizontal motion. A tool magazine is also movably carried by the portal frame independently of the rotary head.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2001Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Inventors: Serge Cappello, Jean-Paul Bruyas, Jean-Paul Chastan
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Patent number: 6416262Abstract: A bevel gear is generated using an annular milling cutter having a blade material made of a high-speed tool steel mounted to a main body, the blade material being coated with at least one layer of a film of a composition substantially comprising (Ti(1−x)Alx)(NyC(1−y)) (where, 0.2≦x≦0.85, 0.2≦y≦1.0), and dry cutting is performed at a cutting speed in the range from 20 to 400m/min without using a cutting oil. With this method, teeth can be generated at a greatly improved cutting speed without using any expensive tool such as cemented carbide, thereby realizing efficient production of a bevel gear at a reduced cost.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 1999Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Toshiaki Ishimaru, Youzou Nakamura, Akihide Kakutani, Tsuneo Egawa
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Patent number: RE37794Abstract: A crankshaft is mounted in a fixture which rotates the crankshaft about its longitudinal axis and which tilts the cranksahft about a horizontal axis to allow matching of holes such as oil holes at various rotational positions and at various tilt angles to the longitudinal axis. Preferably, a cutting tool moves along a horizontal plunging axis Z to machine the depth of the hole and moves along a horizontal X axis to machine holes on or offset from the longitudinal axis. The cutting tool may also be shifted vertically along a Y-axis. Preferably, a pair of crankshafts are mounted side-by-side in the fixture to machine two crankshafts simultaneously. The fixture is mounted for tilting by trunnions. The pair of crankshafts are spun about the longitudinal axes by a motor carried on the tiltable fixture. An automatic tool changer and loading apparatus store cutting tools and associated guide bushings for the cutting tools.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2000Date of Patent: July 16, 2002Assignee: Ingersoll CM Systems, Inc.Inventor: James Egbert