Abstract: A dish-shaped wheel having an essentially slot-shaped conically extending cutting tip with the tip extending angularly from the wheel surface. The tip includes a super abrasive plating suitable for nondressable cutting such as cubic boron nitride. The wheel is of sufficient diameter to cut an ellipse approximating the arc to be formed as the wheel moves in an arc through the article. The apparatus further includes mechanism for orienting the wheel, mechanism for rotating the wheel and mechanism for translating the wheel or the article in a desired arc for producing a curved slot. The apparatus has particular application for producing narrow curved featherseal slots in turbine vane platforms, allowing increased complexity in vane design while enhancing seal integrity.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved electrode assembly and electrochemical drilling machine for drilling small diameter holes. The electrode assembly includes a metallic working electrode tube having an inlet end for electrolyte entry and an outlet end for drilling, the tube having preselected dimensions to provide the desired diameter and depth of hole. The assembly also includes a filter tube one end portion of which defines a plurality of individual access openings for electrolyte entry from an electrolyte source, each opening having a smaller cross section than the bore of the working electrode tube to filter out particles in the electrolyte which could clog the electrode tube and the other end of which is in fluid communication with the inlet end of the electrode tube for delivering filtered electrolyte thereto.

Abstract: An electochemical drilling device in which the plurality of electrode tubes are guided into hole drilling position by guide elements, one for each tube, which are resiliently moved into engagement with the workpiece, thereby compensating for irregularities in the workpiece. These guides move generally substantially at right angles to the tubes and may have notches for engagement with opposite surfaces of the workpiece adjacent to the position of the holes to be drilled therein.