Abstract: A machine for lapping or testing gears comprising a single machine column having a first side oriented perpendicular to a second side with the first side having a first workpiece spindle rotatable about a first axis and the second spindle having a second workpiece spindle rotatable about a second axis. The first workpiece spindle is movably secured to the first side and the second workpiece spindle is movably secured to the second side. The first and second workpiece spindles are movable with respect to one another along one or more of mutually perpendicular directions G, H and V. At least one, and preferably both, of the spindles are direct drive spindles. At any relative position of the spindles and their associated gear members along the G, H and V directions, the crossing points of their respective axes remains the same. For lapping, the machine further includes means to introduce lapping compound at the toe end of one of the members rotating in mesh at a location before the point of mesh.

Abstract: A cutter head including a cutter body portion having a first outer surface and a second outer surface located inward of the first outer surface. Both first and second outer surfaces are interrupted by a plurality of blade receiving slots which extend inward into the cutter body portion. The first and second outer surfaces are arranged such that an annular projection is formed protruding from the second outer surface and extending to the first outer surface. The annular projection is also interrupted by the plurality of cutting blade slots thus forming a plurality of individual projections. The cutter head additionally includes a clamping ring extending about the cutter body and secured to the annular projection.

Abstract: An apparatus for directing chips emanating from a workpiece being machined by a tool toward an outlet spaced from the workpiece. The apparatus comprises an enclosure surrounding the workpiece and tool for confining chips emanating from the workpiece to the enclosure for removal via an outlet. The enclosure includes spaced-apart first and second wall portions, a top portion, a bottom portion, a first end portion comprising separate tool and workpiece openings, a second end portion and the outlet located proximate the intersection of the bottom portion and the second end portion whereby a majority of chips emanating from the workpiece are projected toward and collide with the second end portion after which the majority of chips fall to the bottom portion and/or the outlet. Alternatively and preferably, the enclosure comprises a curved inner surface and the chips are directed toward and then travel along the inner surface into an outlet.

Abstract: A method of treating a cutting edge of a tool to reduce deterioration of the cutting edge during a subsequent machining operation. A brush having a plurality of bristles is rotated about an axis of rotation and positioned relative to the cutting edge whereby the brush axis is oriented perpendicular to the cutting edge or at an angle of up to about plus/minus 20 degrees with respect to the perpendicular orientation. The brush is then brought into contact with the cutting tool in the presence of an abrasive material. Preferably the cutting tool is a cutting blade for cutting toothed articles such as gears and the like wherein the cutting edge is formed by the intersection of a front face and a cutting side profile surface of the cutting blade. The rotating brush effectively polishes a portion of the front face and cutting side profile surface which is adjacent to the cutting edge while producing the rounding-off of the cutting edge.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the condition of a tool in a machining operation for producing a plurality of toothed workpieces. The process comprises measuring the temperature of at least a portion of the plurality of workpieces each at essentially a same predetermined amount of time after machining. The temperature of each measured workpiece is compared to at least one workpiece reference temperature value indicative of a wear condition of the tool. If the measured temperature is less than or equal to the workpiece reference temperature value, machining of subsequent parts continues, or, if the measured temperature is greater than the workpiece reference temperature, the machining operation is stopped.

Abstract: A method of bringing a gear member and a pinion member into mesh with one another without causing damage to either or both members. Each of the members of the gear pair has an axis of rotation and a plurality of teeth with respective topland surfaces with at least one of the members having teeth, and thus toplands, extending lengthwise at an angle with respect to the axis of rotation of said member. The method comprises moving one member of the gear pair from a pre-mesh position relatively toward the other member of the gear pair along a meshing path which includes relative movement along (1) a sliding path oriented in the direction of the angle of the toplands and (2) along an axial path in the direction of the gear member axis whereby upon contact between any topland surfaces of the members, rotation of at least one of the members will result thus enabling the teeth to be relatively positioned so that meshing occurs.

Abstract: A method for determining front-face indexing errors of like cutting blades mounted in a face hobbing cutter head. The cutter head is rotatable about a cutter axis and the like cutting blades (e.g. inside cutting blades or outside cutting blades) each having a cutting edge and are arranged in a plurality of blade groups in the cutter head. The method comprises determining the angular position of the front face of one or more of the like cutting blades about to the cutter axis by rotating the cutting edge of one or more of the like cutting blades relative to an angular detecting means, such as a non-contacting probe. The measured front face angular positions are compared with respective theoretical front face angular positions and an angular difference, .DELTA..phi..sub.c, is calculated. A cutting blade front face index error, F.sub.d, is then calculated and this error amount may be compared to acceptable limits and the blade may be replaced of the cutter scrapped if such limits are exceeded.

Abstract: A cutter head including a cutter body portion having a first outer surface and a second outer surface located inward of the first outer surface. Both first and second outer surfaces are interrupted by a plurality of blade receiving slots which extend inward into the cutter body portion. The first and second outer surfaces are arranged such that an annular projection is formed protruding from the second outer surface and extending to the first outer surface. The annular projection is also interrupted by the plurality of cutting blade slots thus forming a plurality of individual projections. The cutter head additionally includes a clamping ring extending about the cutter body and secured to the annular projection.

Abstract: A method of truing cutting tools of the type comprising a plurality of stick-type cutting blades releasably secured in a cutter head, the cutting blades having a cutting edge and a cutting side relief surface oriented at a predetermined relief angle. The method comprises mounting a cutting tool to the spindle of a truing apparatus having a cutting tool spindle and a measuring probe with the probe capable of being moved along a first direction defining probe offset travel and along a second direction defining in/out feed motion of the probe. The cutting side relief surface of the cutting blade is positioned with respect to the probe whereby the cutting side relief surface is substantially parallel to the direction of probe offset travel. The cutting side surface of the cutting blade is probed and the position reading is recorded.

Abstract: A method of machining one or more tooth slots in a bevel gear-shaped workpiece with a cup-shaped tool having one or more stock removing surfaces. The method comprises indexing the workpiece by rotation about a workpiece axis to bring one of the tooth slots to a final machining position. Simultaneously with at least a portion of the indexing, positioning the tool to contact the workpiece to commence machining the slot and infeeding the tool during the indexing while moving the tool with the indexing workpiece to maintain the tool positioned in the slot. The infeeding, movement of the tool, and indexing continuing at least until the final machining position is achieved.

Abstract: A method of feeding a tool to a predetermined depth in a workpiece in a machining process for producing at least one tooth surface on the workpiece. The workpiece being rotatable about a work axis and the tool being rotatable about a tool axis and includes at least one stock removing surface, The method comprises rotating the tool about the tool axis and contacting the rotating tool and the workpiece. The tool is fed relative to the workpiece along a feedpath to the predetermined depth wherein at least a portion of the feedpath is defined by a feed vector comprising at least first and second feed vector components. The first and second feed vector components are positioned in a plane defined by the work axis and the direction of the tool axis with the first feed vector component being substantially in the direction of the tool axis and the second feed vector component being substantially in the direction of the face width of the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of determining a contact pattern representative of the contact patterns on successive gear teeth. The method comprises providing a first digital image comprising actual drive side or coast side tooth surfaces comprising contact patterns of a plurality of successive gear teeth, and, providing a second digital image comprising one of respective drive side or coast side theoretically correct tooth surfaces of the same successive gear teeth. Each theoretically correct tooth surface is represented by a matrix grid comprising a plurality of grid elements. The theoretically correct tooth surfaces are superimposed on the respective actual tooth surfaces image to congruently match the actual tooth surfaces image to the respective theoretically correct tooth surfaces. The grid elements of each theoretically correct tooth surface which contain at least a portion of a contact pattern image are then identified.

Abstract: A method of producing flank surface modifications in gear teeth by controlled removal of stock material from a work gear with a tool. The method comprises providing a gear producing machine the tool and work gear being movable with respect to one another along and/or about a plurality of axes. A theoretical basic machine is provided comprising a plurality of machine settings for relatively positioning and moving said tool and work gear with respect to one another. Each of the machine settings is defined as an active setting with each active setting being represented by a function. A desired tooth flank surface modification is determined and defined by a set of coefficients for each of the active settings. The function for each active setting is then determined based upon the respective coefficients for each active setting and the functions are transformed from the theoretical machine to the axes arrangement of the gear producing machine.