Abstract: A centerless grinding machine comprises a stationary disk, a following disk, and a shoe, which cooperate to hold and rotate a workpiece. The following disk is mechanically loaded to the bias towards the stationary disk and the shoe so that the workpiece is secured between an outer circumference of the disks and the shoe. A diameter detector detects an outside diameter of the workpiece by detecting a displacement of the following disk by the workpiece. From this information, a controller controls an X-Z grinder to grind an inner surface of the workpiece. This grinding is in response to the outside detector detected by the diameter detector. As a result, the inner diameter can be machines to closer tolerances than are available in the outer diameter.

Abstract: The workstock may comprise a tailstock having a slide which releasably carries a workpart center and which includes a center ejector member independently movable in the slide. The slide is mounted in a housing for axial motion toward and away from a headstock center to load and unload a workpart therebetween. The axial position of the slide as well as the center ejector member is monitored by position sensors to provide status of the tailstock center and workpart. The workpart center is loosened by the ejector member in the slide when the ejector member is positioned from a retracted position relative to the pocket to a center eject position toward the pocket so that a robot may remove the center and substitute another center to hold a different workpart.

Abstract: The method involves moving a reference or dummy tool of known size on a toolhead slide from a known position to actuate a limit switch, moving a working tool of unknown size on the same toolhead slide from the same known position to again actuate the limit switch and comparing the toolhead slide position for actuating the limit switch for the working tool with the stored toolhead slide position for the reference tool to determine size of the former.

Abstract: A flexible grinding cell in-process gage system includes a pallet assembly and gage bench fixture assembly with means to preset the gage for subsequent use at a grinding station. The preset pallet and gage are operated at the grinding station to produce a signal to compensate for any pallet mis-alignment at the grinding station prior to an automatic machining sequence.

Abstract: A machine tool, such as an internal grinding machine, includes a tool quill with a hollow tool having a deformable hub releasably held thereon and a compound slide for moving the tool quill relative to a tool removal arm and a replacement tool storage chute. The tool removal arm includes a tool enter station and tool strip station and is rotatable between the workpart axis and a tool discharge chute. For removal of a worn tool, the arm is rotated to position the tool enter station for insertion of a worn wheel thereon by slide movement toward the arm and then rotated to capture the worn wheel at the tool strip station. The slide is then retracted away from the arm to pull the quill out of the hollow tool, leaving the captured tool on the arm. The arm is rotated to carry the worn tool to the discharge chute for disposal while the slide positions the quill at the tool storage chute.

Abstract: A workpart fixture for an unbalanced drill bit lug includes a support having a vee-shaped recess with an included angle substantially the same as vee-shaped intersecting surfaces on the drill bit lug to receive same and a fluid actuated clamp assembly carried on an arcuate slide which is movable in a circular arc path laterally relative to the drill bit lug generally about a centerline through the drill bit lug body to accommodate right or left linear or angular offset of the line of intersection of the vee-shaped lug surfaces and to optimize clamping force on the lug in the fixture. The clamp assembly includes a clamp lever which is pivotal toward and away from the drill bit lug by a fluid actuator and which carries swiveling clamp pads that seat against the drill bit lug when the clamp lever is actuated by the cylinder.

Abstract: A centerless grinding machine is provided with a ferris wheel arrangement having multiple, circumferential pockets in which an annular workpiece is received from a loading chute, is internally ground by a grinding wheel and is discharged into an unloading chute after grinding by indexed rotation of the ferris wheel. The grinding machine includes a stationary alignment shoe cooperating with an individual alignment shoe carried in each pocket of the ferris wheel. In the grinding position, the stationary shoe preferably is at the 3 o'clock position while the alignment shoe in the adjacent pocket is at the 6 o'clock position. The grinding wheel is positioned on one side of the ferris wheel and a workpiece driver means is positioned on the opposite side. With the inventive grinding machine, annular workpieces, such as bearing raceways, can be loaded, ground and unloaded in rapid succession with high accuracy maintained during grinding.

Abstract: An electromagnet is disposed between a pair of bearings rotatably mounting a spindle in the housing of a machine workhead, such as the workhead of a grinding machine. The magnetic flux from the electromagnet is guided by the spindle extending therethrough to its workpart driving end located outside the housing. Bearing shoes engaging the workpart are connected to the housing so as to complete the magnetic flux path to the electromagnet through the housing. Non-magnetic shields are disposed between the bearings and the electromagnet and housing to prevent wear debris accumulation and etching of the bearing components from magnetic flux effects.

Abstract: An interchangeable and stationary grinding wheel dressing structure mounted on a cantilevered base unit having the grinding wheel carried to it for dressing.