Self-centering Of Floating Patents (Class 279/16)
  • Patent number: 11602793
    Abstract: Disclosed is a deburring tool holder that may be used in combination with a computer controlled machine with a rotating spindle allowing for the provision of biasing forces on the deburring tool in both compression and tension, including a preset or predetermined amount of biasing force independent for compression versus tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: The Tapmatic Corporation
    Inventor: Mark F Johnson
  • Patent number: 11491554
    Abstract: A flexible bit holder may include a drive body having a receiving orifice formed therein, a drive body having a shank and a flexion assembly. The receiving orifice may be configured to receive a bit, and the shank may be configured to interface with a driver to receive rotational energy from the driver. The flexion assembly may be disposed between at least a portion of the drive body and the driven body to operably couple the drive body and driven body. The flexion assembly may be configured to transfer torque applied to the driven body by the driver to the drive body. The flexion assembly may be formed of flexible material such that the drive body is rotatable relative to the driven body about a common axis of the drive body and the driven body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: APEX BRANDS, INC.
    Inventor: Rolf Reitz de Swardt
  • Patent number: 11471954
    Abstract: A tool holder (1) includes a clamping member (4) for clamping and holding a tool (5), a holder body (2) having, at a leading end thereof, a receiving portion (25) for receiving the clamping member (4) along an axis (AX) and an operational member (N) for attaching the clamping member (4) to the holder body (2). The clamping member (4) clamps the tool (5) by an operation of the operational member (N). Vibration is applied to a contact portion (T) between the clamping member (4) and the holder body (2) when the clamping member (4) clamps the tool (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Big Daishowa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joji Nakatani, Yasuyuki Ishida, Hidemori Kawashita, Yasuhiro Ishimoto
  • Patent number: 11298147
    Abstract: A minimally invasive surgical device includes a main body, a buffer assembly and a cutter bit. The main body includes an inner tube and an outer tube, wherein the inner tube is disposed in the outer tube. An end of the buffer assembly is connected to the inner tube. The cutter bit is connected to another end of the buffer assembly, wherein the cutter bit has a cutting portion. When the cutting portion is in contact with an object, the buffer assembly is adapted to enable the cutter bit to move relatively to the inner tube to decrease a cutting force between the cutting portion and the object, and is adapted to enable the cutting portion to be tilted with a surface of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Ching-Chuan Jiang, Hsin-Hsin Shen, Ming-Chia Yang, Yun-Han Lin, Wei-Hong Chang
  • Patent number: 11047751
    Abstract: A method for checking the design of locking assemblies is provided. A pressure on each contact surface and a torque that can be transferred by a spindle and a bushing after locking assemblies are locked are calculated. The calculated torque is compared with the designed maximum transferable torque to calculate a torque safety coefficient. Based on a minimum fit clearance, a resultant stress of components is calculated and is compared with a yield strength of the material of the components to calculate a strength safety coefficient of the components. A pre-tightening force of the bolts is obtained according to a given pre-tightening moment of the bolts. A maximum equivalent stress of the bolts is calculated to obtain a safety coefficient of the bolts. This method is able to be applied to the manufacturing of the locking assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Taiyuan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jianmei Wang, Ke Ning, Dingbang Hou
  • Patent number: 10814407
    Abstract: An axially and radially compliant deburring tool holds a commercially available end tool holder, which in turn holds a variety of commercially available interchangeable deburring end tools, such as those commercially available for the hand deburring market. The axially and radially compliant deburring tool exhibits axial compliance in response to an external force by allowing a longitudinal sleeve holding the end tool holder to move longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the tool, against a bias force. The axially and radially compliant deburring tool exhibits radial compliance in response to an external force by interaction between a cam contact member and a concave cam surface, both under the bias force and hence operative to return the commercially available to a centered, extended position in the absence of external forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: ATI Industrial Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Tucker Sweet, Douglas K. Lawson
  • Patent number: 10792084
    Abstract: An apparatus to limit a seating depth of a fastener can include a cylindrical housing, a pin, a driver, and a biasing element. The cylindrical housing can include a proximal portion couplable to a tool, a distal portion engageable with a workpiece, and a bore extending from an opening on the distal portion towards the proximal portion along a longitudinal axis of the housing. The pin can be secured to the housing and can extend radially inward into the bore. The driver can be translatable within the bore of the housing and can extend beyond the opening on the distal portion to engage the fastener. The driver can include a slot that can be engageable with the pin to receive a torque from the pin and can rotate with the housing to transfer the torque to a fastener when the pin engages the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Zimmer Spine S.A.S.
    Inventors: Pierre Milor, Bruno Ichelmann, Kevin Flaquiere
  • Patent number: 10385690
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a shank chisel with a chisel head and a chisel shank, wherein the chisel shank has a securing element receptacle in which a securing element is arranged. In order to be able to make simple installation of the shank chisel in a chisel holder possible in a safe and maintenance-optimized manner of operation, it is provided according to the invention that a clamping element is adjustable relative to the chisel shank in such a manner that at least one part of the outer contour of the securing element is changed. The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding fixing assembly for a shank chisel in a chisel holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Betek GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Markus Roth
  • Patent number: 10337261
    Abstract: A universal joint assembled to a drill string transfers torque and axial force between two components along a longitudinal axis where the shafts of the components are not completely aligned. The universal joint includes axially spaced members joined by transversely spaced links. As the joint rotates the links move to accommodate misalignment between the drill string components and the connected members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.P.
    Inventors: Jason Maw, Beau J. St. Pierre, Nikolai Kummer
  • Patent number: 10314610
    Abstract: A surgical cutting tool adapted to be rotatably driven by a motor. The surgical cutting tool includes an elongated shaft defining intermediate and coupling portions. A shape of the intermediate portion defines a primary central axis of the shaft. The coupling portion includes a tang having a tapered cylindrical shape that defines a drive axis. The drive axis is slanted with respect to the primary central axis. When coupled to the motor of a powered handpiece, the tang transmits an input or drive force from the motor to the intermediate portion as a torque about the primary central axis. In some embodiments, the drive axis extends through a centroid of first and second spaced apart cross-sectional planes of the tang, the first and second planes each being perpendicular to the primary central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Medtronic PS Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: S. Shane Dexter, Zachary Heiliger
  • Patent number: 10137268
    Abstract: A system and method for supporting a patient gas delivery tube includes an elongated support member having first and second distal end and a living hinge biasing arcuate movement between the distal ends. A generally planar, rigid base configured to secures a lower distal end so that the support member extends from a surface of the base. A mount secured to the other distal end is adapted to secure an associated tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: CPAP Miracle LLC
    Inventor: Richard D. Reinberg
  • Patent number: 9982722
    Abstract: The present invention relates to transferring torque between a first unit, which is typically a mobile machine or a robot, and a second unit, which is typically a fixed or stationary machine. The units are arranged such that a drive coupler of the first unit designed for delivering torque about a drive axis can engage the driven coupler, which belongs to the second unit and has a driven axis, along an engagement direction that is nearly perpendicular to the direction of the driven axis. A lateral displacement mechanism in provided is the first unit to achieve a first-order coaxial alignment between the drive and driven axes. Additional measures such as compliance mechanisms are provided for improving engagement, coupling and reducing the level of axial misalignment in the apparatus and methods of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: SolarCity Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel I. Fukuba, Benjamin D. Sumers, Jeremy P. Dittmer, Merritt J. Jenkins, Kevin C. Chu, Vayardo L. Ruiz
  • Patent number: 9752434
    Abstract: In such fields as road milling, mining and trenching it is often desirable to engage and degrade tough materials such as asphalt, concrete and rock. To do so, degradation picks comprising hardened distal tips may be secured to an exterior of a movable support such as a rotatable drum or continuous chain so as to be repeatedly brought into contact with a material to be degraded. To secure such degradation picks to the movable support, a block comprising a body with a base surface rigidly attachable to a movable support is disclosed. A first receptacle with a first central axis may be disposed on an external surface of the body and formed to receive a first removable degradation pick. A second receptacle with a second central axis may also be disposed on the external surface and formed to receive a second removable degradation pick where the first and second central axes are nonparallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: NOVATEK IP, LLC
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Ronald B. Crockett, Dwain Norris
  • Patent number: 9446463
    Abstract: Provided is a tap holder configured so that compression-side elastic characteristics and tension-side elastic characteristics are different from each other with utilization of an elastic member for absorbing synchronization error in rotation and feeding of a spindle of a machine tool. The tap holder includes a chuck 20 for holding a tap P, and a holder body 10 for holding the chuck 20 so that the chuck 20 is movable along a rotational axis X and rotatable in synchronism with the chuck 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Daishowa Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Suruga, Hidemori Kawashita
  • Patent number: 9138811
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for orienting and rigidly clamping a cutting tool in alignment with a lathe's spindle axis in a manner to minimize the setup time required. The method and apparatus uses the lathe's spindle chuck for establishing and clamping the angular orientation and radial position of a cutting tool retainer in order to align the cutting tool with the lathe's spindle axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Inventor: Daniel S. Freilich
  • Patent number: 9103383
    Abstract: A first clutch link for a driving clutch is capable of engaging another clutch link through interaction of a receptacle chamber and a projection. The first clutch link includes a contact surface and a counter surface, which are located on parallel planes. A hole is implemented behind the counter surface and is connected via a gap to the receptacle chamber. This hole extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the driving clutch. A spring element is situated in the hole and has a contact area for contact on the other clutch link, which protrudes through the gap into the receptacle chamber. The hole has at least one opening, whose edge projects at least partially radially inward with respect to the hole in order to prevent the spring element from slipping through the opening of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: GKN Sinter Metals Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Hundrieser
  • Patent number: 8550755
    Abstract: Disclosed is a tap driver and tap driver system for rigid tapping, which includes a unique flexure system. In some embodiments, an integrated flexure component and housing configuration provides and may provide both a more economical and a universal configuration of the tap driver flexure component that allows the central body to be integrated with and into different types of tap drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Tapmatic Corporation
    Inventors: Mark F. Johnson, Allan S. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20120200048
    Abstract: A tool clamping system for clamping an insert tool in a machine tool having a housing, in particular an ultrasound-operated machine tool, the insert tool being capable of being placed into a tool mount of the machine tool and clamped there. The tool mount has a clamping element having an operating area that works together with a housing operating area of the housing at least for the clamping of the insert tool, and that, in the operating state of the insert tool, is separated from the housing operating area by a gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: Juergen Hilzinger, Andre Meyer, Jochen Roser, Heiner Storck
  • Patent number: 8226337
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a tap holder in which even when an error is brought about in synchronizing spindle feeding and rotation of a tapper body and a tap collet of a tap holder in correspondence with a machine tool spindle, the synchronization can be established by absorbing the error by a simple constitution. As means therefor, the tap holder is characterized in that a tapper body and a tap collet are inserted by a locking member at portions of the tapper body and the tap collet overlapping each other, and the tap collet is fixed to the tapper body by engaging the locking member with at least one of the tap collet and the tapper body in a state of being interposed with an elastic member on both sides thereof in an axial direction X.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Daishowa Seiki Co., Ltd., Big Alpha Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Komine, Hirokazu Suruga
  • Patent number: 7726919
    Abstract: A machine tool includes a driver, a tool holder, and a locking device in the form of, for example, an alignment collar. In use, the machine tool carries a tool, such as a surface refinishing bit, which may be lowered into a workpiece bore, such as a cylinder head valve seat, and subsequently rotated by a machine spindle for resurfacing the bore. The machine tool receives a pilot shaft placed in a reference bore associated with the workpiece bore. The pilot shaft functions to ensure general alignment of the machine tool cutting axis and the refinishing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Rottler Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Brooks Rottler, Anthony R C Usher, Ranjit (Robin) Chera, Andrew Rottler
  • Patent number: 7717653
    Abstract: A case is mounted to the outer portion of the bottom portion of the shank through a bearing and an absorption rod is situated in an axial hole provided in the axial direction on the bottom of the shank such that it is slidable in the axial direction. An absorption spring for urging the absorption rod in the axial direction is installed between the absorption rod and the shank and a tiltable case is situated on the bottom within the case such that it is capable of tilting with respect to the axial line. A holder is situated rotatably through a bearing within the tiltable case. A slidable holder provided with a chuck portion for a tool at a leading end thereof is situated slidably in the axial direction and the bottom end portion of the absorption rod and the top end portion of the holder are connected to each other through a universal joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Tsukasa Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Miyata, Makoto Mizumukai
  • Patent number: 7568705
    Abstract: A novel drill for the aerification of turf grasses is disclosed. The drill comprises a chuck and a fluted turf drill bit held by the chuck. The chuck includes a locking mechanism which permits the chuck to rotate freely about its longitudinal axis when loaded in compression (as when the drill is inserted into the ground) but which locks, preventing rotation, when the drill is loaded in tension (such as when the drill is withdrawn from the soil). The drill bit has a smooth upper section and a fluted lower section. The smooth section decreases the probability of entangling the turf in the drill bit with subsequent lifting of the turf when the drill is withdrawn. The tip of the drill bit is adapted to provide a torque to the drill bit during insertion into the ground. Thus, the bit spirals into the ground upon insertion, but locks upon removal, thereby permitting the flutes of the bit to cut a cylindrical hole in the ground while removing soil from the hole by retaining it in the space between the flutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Inventor: Daniel R. Faltysek
  • Patent number: 7513720
    Abstract: A device gaging, tapping and/or re-chasing threaded devices which automatically accommodates and corrects for both lateral offset and angular offset between the longitudinal axis of the threaded member of the device and the threaded member being tested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Inventor: John L. Wickham
  • Patent number: 7500811
    Abstract: A collet chuck for retaining a thread cutting tool with a sleeve is axially movable in the interior and has a mechanism for retaining the thread cutting tool. To shorten the tool changing times it is provided that the mechanism for retaining the tool is an axially movable quick-change sleeve guided in the collet chuck or in the sleeve, which quick-change sleeve is developed such that it is stayed via a spring, axially with respect to the sleeve and a clamping body for clamping a tool is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Zettl GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Pfob
  • Patent number: 6932548
    Abstract: A surface compensating shaving apparatus (24) has been provided for removing a plurality of pins (12) from a surface of a pinmat (14). The apparatus (24) includes a rotary member (28) and a surface compensating member (32) that is fixedly coupled to the rotary member (28) in a rotational direction and slidably coupled to the rotary member (28) in an axial direction. The surface compensating member (32) has a plurality of cutting members (34) extending therefrom for cutting the pins (12). The surface compensating member (32) and the cutting members (34) are intended to move in the axial direction in response to the contour of the surface (26) of the pinmat (14). In this regard, the cutting members (34) can shear the pins (12) at the surface (26) of the pinmat (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Kevin L. Obrachta
  • Patent number: 6634651
    Abstract: A tool holder for tapping spindles includes a coaxial body (5) composed of an upper hollow half-pin (6) and a lower hollow half-pin (9) which engage mutually and coaxially through a conic semielastic coupling (190) associated with a sequential threaded coupling (11). One (6) of the hollow half-pins includes a continuous conical part (19) capable of sliding in the axial direction, under the action produced by the threaded coupling (11) of the discontinuous conic part (17) of the other hollow half-pin (9). The discontinuous conic part deforms elastically, squeezing on a stem (13) of the tool to be tapped, tying the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Meccanica Arnes S.A.S. di Tralli Domenico & C.
    Inventor: Domenico Tralli
  • Patent number: 6575476
    Abstract: A chuck grips the housing of a hub assembly to hold it fast and further engages a hub spindle that is within the housing and rotates the spindle on a bearing that is between it and the housing so that a flange on the hub may be machined with precision. The chuck includes a fixed base that carries jaws which clamp down on the housing to firmly hold the housing. It also includes a rotatable base and an arbor carried by the rotatable base and engaged with the spindle of the hub to impart the rotation of the hub. The arbor can shift radially with respect to the rotating base to accommodate misalignment between the axes of rotation for the hub and the rotating base. A bearing lies between the arbor and rotating base to resist an axially directed force applied to the arbor to expand it in the hub spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventor: Daniel E. McFadden
  • Patent number: 6537000
    Abstract: A tool fixing device for clamping a tool in a tool holder, wherein the tool holder has a receptacle configured to clamp a shaft of the tool, has at least one static flexible element inserted into a force flow between the tool and the tool holder. The static flexible element is designed to damp tilting and bending vibrations of the tool in cooperation with a damping element provided in the receptacle at the free end of the shaft of the tool. This prevents chattering of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Inventor: Manfred Weck
  • Patent number: 6497765
    Abstract: An improved chuck for supporting elongated work pieces having conical end portions, such as single crystal ingots used to fabricate semiconductor wafers, while such. The chuck is typically used in a lathe for positioning and allowing rotation of the work piece during a grinding procedure that results in optimal work piece diameter. The chuck comprises a ring-shaped base, or socket, having a cavity defining a central axis therethrough and a series of fastener holes for securing the base to a headstock or tailstock of a lathe. The base receives within the cavity a portion of a chuck insert. The chuck insert defines a work piece support surface that is coaxial with the central axis when the chuck insert is disposed in a nominal position within the cavity of the base. The work piece support surface will typically define a continuous, arcuate, convex surface capable of supporting work pieces having conical end portions of varying diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: SEH America, Inc.
    Inventor: Travis S. Nice
  • Patent number: 6352394
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a readily exchangeable flex tool for machining a workpiece. The flex tool includes a driver and an tool carrying body. The driver is coupled to the tool carrying body in a manner which allows the tool carrying body to have at least two degrees of freedom with respect to the driver. The tool carrying body includes an elongate pilot shaft, the elongate pilot shaft and tool carrying body having a longitudinal axis. The at least two rotational degrees of freedom allowing the longitudinal axis of the tool carrying body and elongate pilot shaft to be aligned with a longitudinal axis of a reference bore contained in the workpiece and slidably inserted therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: DCM, Tech
    Inventors: Gerald P. Lawson, David H. Arnold
  • Patent number: 5915892
    Abstract: A thread-cutting chuck for CNC machine technology of rigid tapping, with a clamping means held in a chuck shaft, particularly a collet chuck, for the tap, an accommodating part, which is held in the chuck shaft without clearance in the direction of rotation and, in the axial direction in the tension and compression directions, has a slight axial clearance cushioned by elastomeric connections disposed between the clamping means and the shaft of the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Emuge-Werk Richard Glimpel Fabrik fuer Praezisionswerkzeuge vormals Moschkau & Glimpel
    Inventors: Helmut Glimpel, Ruediger Watzke
  • Patent number: 5882015
    Abstract: A tool holder that allows floating to accommodate radial displacement including: a shank, having a bore at one end, the bore being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shank; a mounting head, with cavities at both ends at least one bore extending radially to each cavity from the outside surface of the mounting head, wherein the shank extends into the cavity at one end of the mounting head; a tool mounts in the other cavity of the mounting head; a pin connecting the shank and the mounting head, with a sliding fit through the bore of mounting head, and a clearance fit through the shank, wherein the clearance fit and clearance between the shank and the cavity member allows a floating freedom of slightly greater than twice the anticipated eccentricity between the centerline of the shank and the centerline of a workpiece hole; and a device for securely engaging the tool in the cavity at the first end of the mounting head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: John B. Packard
    Inventor: Ronald L. McPherson
  • Patent number: 5836728
    Abstract: A floating reamer holder includes a tool holder coupled to a mounting shank which is receivable in the chuck of the turret of a machine tool. The coupling between the tool holder and shank includes both a fine adjustment which adjusts the float in order to prevent enlargement of the hole being reamed as well, as to reduce chatter and a coarse adjustment, which compensates for misalignment between the turret and axis of the reamer. The coarse adjustment is accomplished by attaching the mounting shank to an adaptor with a pair of threaded bolts, each of which pass through oversized holes through the base of the mounting shank and are threaded into threaded bores in the adaptor. Since the holes are oversized, the mounting shank is radially shiftable with respect to the adaptor to compensate for machine misalignment. Lubricating bores extend completely through the mounting shank and completely through the adaptor so that the float assembly can be lubricated without disassembling the floating reamer holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Larry L. Zuber
  • Patent number: 5752706
    Abstract: A tool holder for machine tools which provides for both angular and radial alignment of the tool with respect to the working axis of the machine. A tool chuck is part of a ball and socket unit, with the ball being pivotable within the socket for angular alignment of the tool chuck and tool carried therein. The base of the socket member is movably carried within a cup-shaped housing of a base member which allows for adjustment in the vertical plane and radial alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Inventor: Lyndon W. Hodges
  • Patent number: 5704738
    Abstract: A tool attachment assembly having a housing with a central axis, a toolholder with a tool carrying portion and a mounting portion spaced axially from the tool carrying portion, a projection on one of the housing and mounting portion of the tool holder, and a receptacle on the other of the housing and mounting portion of the tool holder for receiving the projection so that the housing and the tool holder reside at least partially, one within the other, with the tool holder in an operative state on the housing. There are axially facing first and second surfaces, one each on the housing and the mounting portion of the tool holder, that extend at least partially around the central axis and are abuttable to each other to limit movement of the tool holder axially towards the housing with the tool holder in the operative state. At least one of the first and second surfaces is other than parallel to a plane that is orthogonal to the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Inventors: Shigeru Sugino, Kazuyuki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 5458445
    Abstract: A tool holder, particularly a fast exchange chuck preferably for thread cutting, thread shaping and the like has a receptacle having one end receivable in a machine spindle, a machine tool receptacle and the like, and another opposite end provided with a head having a coaxial cylindrical head opening, a housing received and guided in the cylindrical head opening non-rotatably but displaceably in a longitudinal direction and provided with a coaxial cylindrical housing opening, a fast exchange insert insertable in the housing opening a torque-transmitting unit for transmitting torque between the head and the housing and including a head longitudinal groove provided in the head, a housing longitudinal groove provided in the housing, and at least one drive body partially received in each of the longitudinal grooves so as to transmit torque between the head and the housing and to roll during a relative displacement between said head and said housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1995
    Assignee: Otto Bilz, Werkzeugfabrik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Siegfried Bader, Lothar Hofle, Gerhard Babel
  • Patent number: 5342069
    Abstract: The tool holder has a mounting portion (1,2) on the machine side and on the tool side and is provided with a coupling device (3) which rotationally fixedly connects the mounting portions together with a radial clearance. The coupling device includes a radially movable coupling disc (4) with two pairs of radial slots extending perpendicular to one another, axial carriers (7) on the mounting portion (1) on the machine side engaging in the one pair and axial carriers (8) on the mounting portion on the tool side engaging in the other pair. The coupling disc (4) bears on both sides on rollers which are arranged in roller cages (9) and are orientated in accordance with the perspective direction of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Inventor: Adolf Wellach
  • Patent number: 5236289
    Abstract: A shielded universal joint having a pivot head defining a primary axis. The pivot head has a ball and a neck. The ball has a longitudinal slot. The slot has a throat at the center of the ball. The imperfect socket head is provided having a socket and a pin. The socket defines a secondary axis. The socket has a cavity concentric with the secondary axis. The cavity closely receives the ball. The socket has a continuous margin. The pin is joined to the socket in spaced relation to the margin. The pin extends through the passage. The pin defines a first pivot axis extending longitudinally through the pin. The pin and the throat define a second pivot axis extending through the throat and the pin perpendicularly to the first pivot axis. The socket head is simultaneously pivotal relative to the ball about both of the pivot axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Othy, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul E. Salyer
  • Patent number: 5071101
    Abstract: A casting mold for use in the manufacture of intraocular/contact lenses. The casting mold comprises a base and a cup-like feature attached to the base. The base has a frusto-conical configuration defined by a first planar circular cross-sectional area taken adjacent to the cup-like feature and a second planar circular cross-sectional area taken at a distance remote from the cup-like feature. The circumferences of the first and second cross-sectional areas respectively form lips. The first cross-sectional area is substantially less than the second cross-sectional area, and the portion of the base defining its side walls extends between the respective lips of the first and second cross-sectional areas and lies substantially within the generatrix of a line connecting the respective lips of the first and second cross-sectional areas rotated about the axis connecting the centers of the first and second cross-sectional areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Inventor: Kenneth E. Wood
  • Patent number: 5013054
    Abstract: A floating chuck having a bush movably mounted on a body is disclosed. The chuck includes a plate having four holes staggered pairwise 90 degrees apart in the periphery of the plate and serving to accommodate four axial fingers, two of the fingers being 180 degrees apart and integral with the body, and the other two fingers being integral with the bush. Each hole has a depth greater than the diameter of the fingers, to allow displacement of the plate in two intersecting directions.The plate includes openings which are regularly distributed and serve to accommodate bearings. The bearings abut two opposed bearing surfaces, one located on the body and other on the bush. The difference between the diameter of bearings and the thickness of the plate is less than the elastic deformation limit value of bearings and the bearing surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: SMP2 SA
    Inventor: Jacques Burnet
  • Patent number: 4991274
    Abstract: A flexible tool holder for a burnishing cutter has a main body attachable to a rotatable member of an engraving machine, a tool holding element which is axially floatingly movable relative to the main body in an axial direction, and a spring which forces the tool holding element downwardly, so that during burnishing the tool holding element with the cutting tool connecting therewith moves up and down in response to surface irregularities of an engraving material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Inventors: Ray Fortier, Joseph V. Roebuck
  • Patent number: 4984942
    Abstract: A tap wrench comprising a handle portion and a chuck is provided with a joint arrangement that allows for axial misalignment of the handle portion and the chuck. The joint comprises a stem that extends from the chuck and provides four planar pins equidistantly spaced thereabout which slidably engage four slots equidistantly spaced about a central opening defined in the handle portion. The stem is retained within the central opening by the engagement of each pin in a respective slot. Oscillation of the stem within the central opening provides for the above-noted axial misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1991
    Inventor: Leonard Holtz
  • Patent number: 4971486
    Abstract: An undercutting drill for obtaining a drill hole with a conical undercut. A drill shaft is provided connected in an articulated manner through a housing and containing a universal joint to a clamping shank. The face of the housing facing the joint. The drill shaft is provided with a plate having a stopping face, the vertical centerline of which is tilted in relation to the longitudinal axis of the drill shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Upat GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Manfred Rinklake, Paul Steurer, Albert Frischmann
  • Patent number: 4964764
    Abstract: A floating chuck incorporating a fluid path for irrigation fluid is disclosed. Fluid passages in the body and bush are connected by a rigid tube floatingly mounted by O-rings at each end. The O-rings are in fluid-sealing relationship with opposed, enlarged end sections of the fluid passages. The tube is shorter than the distance between the inner ends of the enlarged sections. Axial displacement and angular displacement of the bush relative to the body are accomplished without compromise to the fluid supply. The arrangement provides smoothness of movement between the bush and body and has low maintenance costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: S M P 2 (Societe Anonyme de Droit Francais)
    Inventor: Andre Perrotto
  • Patent number: 4923344
    Abstract: To permit easy coupling and uncoupling of a concrete or rock circular boring or milling tool element (14, 17), two coupling parts (1, 2) are provided, a first coupling part (1) being formed with a recess (7) of non-circular cross-sectional shape, for example of approximate four-leaf clover shape, extending inwardly from an end face (11) of the first part; the second part (2) has a projection (20) of non-circular cross-sectional shape, matching the cross-sectional shape of the recess, and fitting therein, while being axially separable therefrom. The engagement surfaces (a, 22) of the respective first and second parts extend axially of the coupling elements. A retaining nut (3) retains the parts against each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Hydrostress AG
    Inventor: Hans Bieri
  • Patent number: 4813911
    Abstract: A self-normalizing compliant drive coupling (10) having a constant-velocity joint (12) attached to a unidirectional clutch (14) to accommodate axial misalignment of a drive shaft attached to the body (16) of the joint (12) and a driven shaft grasped by the clutch (14). A housing (26) has a cylindrical top portion (28) with a top axial bore (30) for receiving a stem (18) of the joint (12) and a bottom axial bore (34) for receiving the clutch (14). A resilient sleeve (42) encloses the joint (12) and rests on a shoulder (40) on the housing (26). A collar (44) slides over the joint body (16) to bear against the top surface (43) of the sleeve (42) to place the sleeve (42) under a compressive load that urges the clutch housing (26) into axial alignment with the body (16) of the joint (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Mark F. Gabriel, Walter D. Sykes, Jeffrey C. Bye
  • Patent number: 4800802
    Abstract: The device has primary and secondary frame members interconnected by extensible and retractable positioning members connected by fluid circuits that cause extension of the member at either end of a circuit in response to retraction of the member at the other end of the circuit. Relative movements of the positioning members occur in response to the imposition of forces and moments at the projected center of compliance upon a pin or the like supported by the secondary frame member, and so adjust the position of the secondary frame member as to cause translatory and rotative movement of the supported pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: Lord Corporation
    Inventor: Jack Rebman
  • Patent number: 4740116
    Abstract: The invention provides a holding device for a reamer tool in a machine tool, which comprises a tool holder adapted to be secured to the machine tool for rotation about a longitudinal axis, a tool receiving bushing radially displaceably guided in the tool holder, and a coupling providing a non-rotational connection between the tool holder and the tool receiving bushing. The coupling comprises a coupling disc having two radial end faces, a first one of the coupling disc end faces cooperating with a radical end face of the tool holder, a second one of the coupling disc end faces cooperating with a radial end face of the tool receiving bushing, at least a part of the coupling disc end faces and of the tool holder and tool receiving bushing end faces being configurated as planar gliding surfaces, and pairs of the gliding surfaces facing and contacting each other for transmitting axial pushing forces to the reamer tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Inventor: Adolf Wellach
  • Patent number: 4645387
    Abstract: A chuck has a rear chuck part centered on a rear axis and adapted to be secured to the spindle of a drill for rotation about the rear axis, a front chuck part centered on a front axis, and a universal joint interconnecting the two parts for joint rotation about the rear axis with the front axis movable between a position on the rear axis and a position with the front axis intersecting and skew, that is nonparallel, to the rear axis. Jaws on the front chuck part can be radially displaced thereon relative to the front axis to clamp a tool--a tap or drill bit--at the front axis in the front part. A locking element carried on one of the parts is engageable with the other part for holding the parts with the axes coaxial and nondisplaceable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Inventor: Gunter H. Rohm
  • Patent number: 4596168
    Abstract: A bar puller adapted for mounting on a machine tool, such as a turret lathe, for engaging and pullingly advancing a workpiece bar. The bar puller has a compact cup-shaped housing provided with a stub shaft which mounts in the turret. The cup-shaped housing has a bore opening outwardly through the free end thereof, and an elastomeric grippping sleeve unit is closely fitted and seated within the bore, which sleeve unit projects axially beyond the free end of the housing. A nut threadably engages the housing and has an abutment wall which radially overlaps and axially engages the exposed axial end of the gripping sleeve. Rotation of the nut relative to the housing causes axial compression of the sleeve unit, whereby the latter elastically deforms radially inwardly so as to grippingly engage the workpiece bar as inserted into the central opening thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1986
    Inventor: James R. Buck