Abstract: A round cutting insert includes a bottom surface, a clearance side surface and a top surface. The top surface includes a chip control feature in the form of a continuous, circumferential depression formed by a substantially planar bottom surface and a pair of upward sloping substantially planar side walls that form an angle with respect to the top surface. The chip control feature may also include a plurality of radially offset bumps located in the depression. The bumps may have the same size and shape, or may have a different size and shape. The top surface also includes an elevated island having one or more indexing marks for easy indexing of the cutting insert.

Abstract: A clamp pin tool holder for clamping an insert in a tool holder includes a bore for receiving a clamp pin and a bore for receiving a lock screw. The clamp pin includes a cam portion with angled surfaces. The lock screw is rotatably mounted to the bore of the tool holder and includes angled surfaces for engaging the angled surfaces of the clamp pin. When the lock screw is rotated in one direction, one angled surface on the lock screw and one angled surface on the clamp pin engage each other an acts as a conical wedge to cause the clamp pin to move relative to the lock screw. When the lock screw is rotated in the opposite direction, another angled surface on the lock screw engages a different angled surface on the clamp pin in a similar manner to cause the clamp pin to move in an opposite direction.

Abstract: A center or non-center cutting end mill for orbital drilling of fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) materials includes a shank, a neck, a cutting head and two or more flutes. The end mill has a tool geometry with the following features: a dish angle between about 2 degrees to about 6 degrees; a helix angle between about 5 degrees to about 18 degrees; an end teeth radial rake angle between about 0 degrees and about 15 degrees; a peripheral teeth radial rake angle between about 8 degrees and about 16 degrees; a gashing axial rake angle between about 3 degrees to about 10 degrees; and a primary clearance angle between about 10 degrees to about 18 degrees. The end mill is made from a tungsten carbide substrate with cemented cobalt in a range between about 3 to 10 wt. % and a diamond coating having a thickness in a range between about 8 to 20 ?m.

Abstract: A tool holder includes a shank portion, a head portion that includes an insert pocket defined by a seat surface, a first or radial support sidewall and a second or axial support sidewall, and a spherical contact point protruding from one of the first and second support sidewalls. The spherical contact point minimizes a contact area between a cutting insert mounted in the insert pocket and one of the first and second support sidewalls of the insert pocket. In one embodiment, the radial support sidewall includes two spherical contact points, and the axial support sidewall includes one spherical contact point. The spherical contact point may be formed by inserting a rivet-like structure into an aperture formed in the support sidewalls of the pocket.

Abstract: A toolholder (50) with a controllable critical angle, such as a lead, trailing, rake or clearance angles, includes a tool spindle (42a) for retaining the toolholder in a tool rest (42) of a machine tool. The machine tool (10) includes at least one linear axis, for example, three mutually perpendicular axes, a rotary axis and a rotation axis. The rotary axis and/or rotation axis is controllable to move to a specified position in synchronization with a movement of one of the linear axes. An adaptor (54) supports a cutting tool (56) that is retained in the adaptor by a clamp (58). The cutting tool (56) defines a critical angle, such as a lead angle, a trailing angle, a rake angle and a flank clearance angle, wherein the critical angle is corrected as a vector of movement of at least one of the linear axis is changed. In addition, the cutting tool (56) can be positioned on opposite side of a centerline of rotation of the workpiece to effectively double the life of the cutting tool.

Abstract: A rotary cutting tool such as a helical end mill, having pockets arranged to overcome harmonic vibrations. The tool has at least two and in one embodiment all three of three spacing irregularities. In the first irregularity, columns of pockets, typically associated with flutes, are staggered circumferentially out of even spacing. In a preferred embodiment having three flutes, the flutes are mostly not centered on one hundred twenty degree intervals. In the second irregularity, at least some pockets are arranged at different radial rake angles. In the third irregularity, at least some pockets are arranged at different axial rake angles.

Abstract: An indexable, helical cutting insert includes at least one axial clearance slash extending from a bottom surface to one of said side walls forming a wiper on an edge of the axial clearance slash. In another embodiment, the cutting insert includes at least one inside cutting edge that extends outwardly a distance from the side wall. In another embodiment, the helical cutting insert includes at least one progressive cutting edge. In another embodiment, the cutting insert includes at least one helical cutting edge that is curved inwardly to enable the cutting insert to perform machining operations on cutters having different diameters.

Abstract: A rotary multi-tooth milling cutter, each tooth having a tooth face is provided. The tooth face has at least two sections, a first section nearest the cutting edge having a convex form as viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the cutter axis and a second section in a concave form.

Abstract: A shrink fit tool holder includes a shank or body that includes a tool holder portion, a flange member, a tapered outer surface that generally corresponds to a tapered bore of a spindle, and a central bore or aperture for accommodating a cutting tool. The central bore includes a plurality of grooves formed in a predetermined pattern that decrease a surface contact area between the tool holder portion and the cutting tool, thereby reducing an amount of conductive heat transfer between the tool holder portion and the cutting tool. As a result, there is less expansion in the tool shank relative to the tool holder.

Abstract: A toolholder at least one cutting insert mounted within a pocket about the peripheral wall of the cutter body. The body includes a pocket having an angled retention ledge which provides acts, in conjunction with a fastener, to securely retain an insert mounted therein. The insert has an angled edge which conforms with and works in conjunction with the toolholder pocket.

Abstract: An indexable cutting insert includes a first component with an outer or top surface and side surfaces. A third component is mirror symmetric with respect to the first component about a vertical or y-axis of the cutting insert. A second component is disposed between the first and third components. Multiple cutting edges are defined at an intersection between the side surfaces and the top surface, wherein the cutting edges define a positive axial rake angle. In one embodiment, the first and third components are in the shape of a polygonal with a star appearance, and the second component is in the shape of a square. The first and third components are offset from one another by a first offset angle, while the second component is offset from the first and third components by a second offset angle to allow the cutting insert to be indexable.

Abstract: A rotary tapered tool holder includes a shank including a front mounting portion and an aperture. An expansion sleeve is disposed about a portion of the shank. The expansion sleeve includes a front mounting portion adjacent the front mounting portion of the shank. An expansion rod is disposed within the shank and includes a pocket or cam surface. An expansion pin is at least partially received in the aperture of the shank. The expansion pin has a first end or cam surface for engaging the pocket of the expansion rod, and a second end for engaging the front mounting portion of the expansion sleeve. A force applied to the expansion rod in a first direction causes the expansion pin to move in a second direction and into positive engagement with the front mounting portion of the expansion sleeve, thereby forcing the expansion sleeve into positive contact with a tapered bore of a spindle of the tool holder.

Abstract: A tool coupler for connecting tool heads, such as drills, reamers, millers, turn-cutters, dies, and rams, to a tool holder. The tool coupler has a hollow shaft, a ring-shaped collar, and a gripper groove, in which gripper groove are disposed two diametrically opposite blind bore holes with varying bore hole contours.

Abstract: A toolholder and cutting insert for a toolholder assembly wherein the cutting insert has a tapered shank which provides a resilient interference fit with a tapered section of a bore extending within the toolholder. Additionally, a rearwardly facing face on the cutting insert abuts with a forwardly facing surface on the toolholder to properly locate the cutting insert within the toolholder.

Abstract: A tool holder (20) comprises a body portion (32), a support member assembly (33) mounted to the body portion and an insert-receiving cartridge (36) removably received in the support member. The insert-receiving cartridge (36) includes a pocket (38) for mounting a cutting insert (40) thereon. The support member assembly (33) includes a bore and the insert-receiving cartridge (36) includes a shank capable of being received in the bore. The combination of the insert-receiving cartridge (36) and the cutting insert (40) forms a cutting tool for a particular cutting operation. In one embodiment, the cutting tools are radially mounted to a side periphery of the body portion (32) such that the vertical axis of the cutting tool is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (L) of the toolholder (20).

Abstract: A drill having a replaceable cutting head, modified to eliminate forces which would distort the pocket of the drill shank and otherwise concentrate stresses which would cause failure of the drill. The cutting head has a frustoconical depending connecting member received in a receptacle formed in the shank. In different embodiments, contact between the pocket formed in the shank and the cutting head connecting member is limited. In one embodiment, angle of drive surfaces is modified from prior art practice. In another embodiment, transition of at curved joints between vertical and horizontal surfaces is made more gradual. The drill preferably has flutes formed collectively by the shank and cutting head when assembled.