Abstract: The single point machining head includes a probe that is removably mounted on a carriage that moves radially relative to a central axis of the machining head. A system controller moves the carriage in a radial direction while the machining head is fed in a vertical direction so that the probe contacts the surface of a workpiece. Each point of contact on the workpiece becomes a datapoint including the radial position and the vertical position when contact occurred. The surface of the workpiece is scanned with the probe and a profile is generated using the points of contact. A system controller calculates a difference between the measured profile and a desired profile to be machined to determine the amount of material to remove.

Abstract: A line transfer system with a contour machining head. The system includes a transmission arbor, a housing, a contour machining head, a driving system, and a system controller. The transmission arbor mounts within the housing, with the transmission arbor and housing sharing a common central axis. At least one contour machining head mounts to the housing. The contour machining head includes a bit tool, a slidable carriage, a linkage, a counterweight, and a pilot. The bit tool is configured for machining the workpiece, and mounts to the slidable carriage. The linkage connects to the carriage and transfers a force from the transmission arbor to the slidable carriage resulting in an independent radial movement of the bit tool with respect to the central axis. The counterweight links to the transmission arbor to dynamically counterbalance the radial movement of the slidable carriage and bit tool. Finally, the pilot connects to the contour machining head and aligns the contour machining head with the workpiece.

Abstract: The machining head for machining valve seats comprises a driving system, a housing, a carriage feed assembly, a cutting tip mounted on the carriage, and a counterweight assembly. The driving system rotates a machining head on a spindle axis, and further provides independent vertical translation of each of a driving arbor and a spindle, both of which are independent of the rotation of the spindle. The carriage has both forward and backward feed capability for moving the cutting tip radially inward or outward as it cuts. Vertical movement of the arbor is converted into force for moving the carriage by a cantilever pivoting around a fixed point. The counterweight assembly, linked to the arbor by a second cantilever, counterbalances the shift in weight caused by the movement of the carriage in order to maintain dynamic balancing as the machining head rotates.

Abstract: The cutting tool for machining valve seats comprises a driving system, a spindle assembly, and a system controller. The driving system provides rotational movement and vertical movement for the spindle assembly which is controlled by the system controller. The spindle assembly further comprises a spherical sheath providing capability to align a spindle to any valve seat orientation, the spindle for rotating a universal cutting blade, a machining head attachable to the spindle, a tool holder carriage for holding the universal cutting blade, and a pinion feed driving assembly or set of connecting rods for controlling the cutting radius of the universal cutting blade. The pinion feed driving assembly is driven by a servo motor which moves the spindle vertically and independent from the vertical movement of the spindle assembly and the rotational movement of the spindle. The system controller includes memory and programming for controlling the operation of the universal cutting blade.

Abstract: The cutting tool for machining valve seats comprises a driving system, a machining head, a pilot, a depth gauge, and a system controller. The driving system provides rotational movement and vertical movement for the machining head which is controlled by the system controller. The machining head further comprises a pinion feed driving assembly and a universal cutting blade. The pinion feed driving assembly causes the cutting radius of the cutting tool to decrease as the machining head rotates. The pilot is attached to the bottom of the machining head to provide a means for centering the cutting tool. The depth gauge is disposed on the driving system and is electrically connected to the system controller. The depth gauge measures the distance between a valve seat and the cutting blade. The system controller includes memory and programming for controlling the operation of the cutting tool. An operator can input the parameters that define the geometry of the valve seat profile.

Abstract: A universal roll-over cylinder head clamping fixture utilizes columns to support a first and a second pillow block. Each pillow block has a spherical recess that accepts a spherical joint. Spherical joints are positioned on extensions of a device that fastens to and/or supports a first end and a second end of a cylinder head. Each column of the fixture is free to move up or down independently form any other column of the clamping system. The spherical joint and independently operated columns provide a cylinder head clamping fixture that provides rotation and tilting of a cylinder head to any desired position.

Abstract: The cutting tool for machining valve seats comprises a driving system, a machining head, a pilot, a depth gauge, and a system controller. The driving system provides rotational movement and vertical movement for the machining head which is controlled by the system controller. The machining head further comprises a pinion feed driving assembly and a universal cutting blade. The pinion feed driving assembly causes the cutting radius of the cutting tool to decrease as the machining head rotates. The pilot is attached to the bottom of the machining head to provide a means for centering the cutting tool. The depth gauge is disposed on the driving system and is electrically connected to the system controller. The depth gauge measures the distance between a valve seat and the cutting blade. The system controller includes memory and programming for controlling the operation of the cutting tool. An operator can input the parameters that define the geometry of the valve seat profile.

Abstract: A method and machine for repairing overhead cam engine cylinder heads and the like. The method includes the steps of removing the caps from the bases of the bearing towers or housings, removing material from the legs of the caps to reduce their height, replacing the caps on the bases, and boring the resulting bearings to produce bearings of the proper diameter. The machine includes a device for machining a bearing cap and a device for boring the bearings. The device for boring the bearings has a boring bar that is supported only at opposite ends of the cylinder head. The bar does not sag or chatter because it is made of an extremely hard and dense material such as a dense tungsten alloy or a ceramic-coated metal.

Abstract: The valve seat and guide machine comprises a base structure which supports a pantograph having a major arm and minor arm which moves slidably with respect to the major arm. A spherical head is supported by a number of sphere seats attached to the pantograph arm so that the spherical head can pivot around its centerpoint. A stepper motor provides small z-axis translation of the spindle which is contained in the spherical head and has a cutting bit and a pilot which extend from the bottom of the spherical head. A drive motor rotates a transmission linkage which is coupled to the spindle which rotates the cutting bit to cut the valve seat. Small x,y displacements are enabled by moving the entire spherical housing and its supporting sphere seats with respect to the support frame. The pantograph provides large z-axis displacement to remove the spindle from the cutting position and to provide clearance for movement to another machine site.

Abstract: The pulling tool has a pulling head for gripping an insert, such as an ene valve seat or a pre-combustion chamber, and for pulling it out of a recess. A gripping mechanism for an annular insert, such as a valve seat, may grip the insert by its inner edges. Such a gripping mechanism includes a shaft that slides freely through a bore in the body in a direction parallel to the body. At the end of the shaft is a cone, which cooperates with at least two toothed claws. The toothed claws may be pivotally mounted on a lower extension of the body or may be integrally formed with one another as a collet and flex radially outwardly. The body may have a lever that, when depressed, lifts the shaft, pulling up on the cone, causing the claws to move outward, and causing teeth to penetrate the metal of the insert on its inner diameter to lock into the insert. A gripping mechanism for an insert having a central or eccentric opening, such as a pre-combustion chamber, may have a pivoting claw arm with a tooth on one end.

Abstract: A method and machine for repairing overhead cam engine cylinder heads and the like. The method includes the steps of removing the caps from the bases of the bearing towers or housings, removing material from the legs of the caps to reduce their height, replacing the caps on the bases, and boring the resulting bearings to produce bearings of the proper diameter. The machine includes a device for machining a bearing cap and a device for boring the bearings. The device for boring the bearings has a boring bar that is supported only at opposite ends of the cylinder head. The bar does not sag or chatter because it is made of an extremely hard and dense material such as a dense tungsten alloy or a ceramic-coated metal.

Abstract: The valve seat and guide machine comprises a base structure on which is pivotally supported a pantograph having a major arm on which is mounted a drive motor and minor arm which moves slidably with respect to the major arm. Pivotally attached to each arm of the pantograph is a head portion with a support frame which retains a spherical head and a plurality of sphere seats for supporting the spherical head so that it can pivot around its centerpoint at the center of the sphere. A stepper motor is disposed at the top of the spherical head and a spindle disposed with the spherical head retains a cutting bit and a pilot which extend from the bottom of the spherical head. Small z-axis displacement and spindle feed/retraction along the z-(vertical) axis is provided by the stepper motor. The drive motor rotates a transmission linkage which, in turn, rotates the spindle using cone-shaped pinions to cause the cutting bit, typically carbide, to cut the valve seat.