Patents Assigned to Kearney & Trecker Corporation
  • Patent number: 4109309
    Abstract: An analog signal which occurs in a computer controlled machine tool is converted to digital form at the machine tool site and is stored in a memory portion of the machine tool computer. The digitized analog signal is subsequently read out of the memory and is transmitted to a remote diagnostic unit via a conventional digital transmission link. The digitized analog signal received by the diagnostic unit is stored in a memory portion of the diagnostic computer and is subsequently read out and converted back to analog form for display on an oscilloscope in the diagnostic unit to aid in the diagnosis of existing or incipient faults in the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Johnstone, Lyle D. Ostby
  • Patent number: 4090287
    Abstract: A machine tool has a worktable slidably mounted on a bed for movement along a horizontal X axis opposite a spindle which is journalled for rotation about a horizontal Z axis perpendicular to the X axis, the spindle being slidably mounted on the bed for movement along the Z axis toward and away from the worktable and for movement along a vertical Y axis perpendicular to both the X and Z axes. A workpiece storage support is rotatably mounted on a frame adjacent to the worktable on the side thereof opposite the spindle. The worktable and workpiece storage support have guideways thereon for slidably receiving a pallet carrying a workpiece, the guideways being positioned so that they can be aligned to permit a pallet to be slid from the workpiece storage support to the worktable and vice versa along the Z axis. A pallet transfer bar is provided which is dimensioned on one end to fit in the spindle and is dimensioned on the other end to engage a pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1978
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas S. Selander
  • Patent number: 4091294
    Abstract: In apparatus for controlling the speed and torque of a multiphase a.c. motor in accordance with digital control signals, a first regulation circuit regulates the frequency of the a.c. electrical signal applied to the motor and another regulation circuit regulates the voltage of the a.c. signal. Both regulation circuits are controlled by digital control signals in a series of discrete steps over a range of control values and the control signals are supplied periodically to the regulation circuits. The speed and torque are controlled in accordance with an algorithm relating speed and torque to the frequency and voltage of the source of electric power which is applied to the motor, calculated by computing apparatus on a periodic basis. In one embodiment the position of the magnetic flux of the stator is controlled directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1978
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Zankl, Edward E. Kirkham, Richard E. Stobbe, John J. Schachte
  • Patent number: 4087901
    Abstract: The tool change mechanism includes a tool storage magazine having a plurality of tool storage sockets disposed in two concentric circles. A tool transfer arm is mounted within the inner circle of sockets. The transfer arm may be rotated and extended or retracted and moved toward and away from the magazine for extracting a previously used tool from a ready socket and inserting such tool into a designated socket of the magazine. In like manner, the transfer arm will operate to extract a selected tool from any one of the sockets in the magazine and transfer it to the ready socket. The latter is mounted on a carrier which also supports a tool change arm. The carrier is pivotable between a loading position and a tool change position. When the carrier is in the loading position, the ready socket is located at the magazine where it is accessible to the tool transfer arm for extracting previously used tools from the ready socket and inserting new tools into it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1978
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Earl R. Lohneis, Frank Zankl
  • Patent number: 4077736
    Abstract: An electric motor driven drill and a battery therefor are mounted within a toolholder for a machine tool. The battery is coupled to the motor through a centrifugal switch which closes when the toolholder is rotated about its axis above a predetermined speed and opens when the rotary speed of the toolholder falls below the predetermined speed. The toolholder is mounted in the spindle of a machine tool and the drill turns on when the spindle is rotated and turns off when the spindle stops, the rotary speed of the spindle being added to the rotary speed of the drill in one direction of spindle rotation and subtracted from the rotary speed of the drill in the opposite direction of spindle rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1978
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventor: Morris L. Hutchens
  • Patent number: 4065988
    Abstract: This invention relates to a greatly simplified workpiece changer mechanism in combination with a simplified tool storage and changing mechanism for a machine tool. To accomplish this, a rotatable work carrying spindle is adapted to support a workpiece for selective rectilinear movement relative to an associated rotary cutting tool, and to support the same workpiece for selective rotational movement relative to a rectilinearly movable cutting tool carried by the same spindle. The work receiving spindle is mounted in spaced apart relationship to a storage support adapted to releasably carry a workpiece for selective interchange with a workpiece carried by the work spindle. To effect a selective interchange of workpieces between the work spindle and the storage support, a work transfer arm is pivotally supported between the work spindle and the work support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1978
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Earl R. Lohneis, John J. Schachte
  • Patent number: 4028599
    Abstract: In apparatus for controlling the speed and torque of a multiphase a.c. motor in accordance with digital control signals, a first regulation circuit regulates the frequency of the a.c. electrical signal applied to the motor and another regulation circuit regulates the voltage of the a.c. signal. Both regulation circuits are controlled by digital control signals in a series of discrete steps over a range of control values and the control signals are supplied periodically to the regulation circuits. The speed and torque are controlled in accordance with an algorithm relating speed and torque to the frequency and voltage of the source of electric power which is applied to the motor, calculated by computing apparatus on a periodic basis. In one embodiment the position of the magnetic flux of the stator is controlled directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1977
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Zankl, Edward E. Kirkham, Richard E. Stobbe, John J. Schachte
  • Patent number: 4013176
    Abstract: This invention relates to a greatly simplified workpiece changer mechanism in combination with a simplified tool storage and changing mechanism for a machine tool. To accomplish this, a rotatable work carrying spindle is adapted to support a workpiece for selective rectilinear movement relative to an associated rotary cutting tool, and to support the same workpiece for selective rotational movement relative to a rectilinearly movable cutting tool carried by the same spindle. The work receiving spindle is mounted in spaced apart relationship to a storage support adapted to releasably carry a workpiece for selective interchange with a workpiece carried by the work spindle. To effect a selective interchange of workpieces between the work spindle and the storage support, a work transfer arm is pivotally supported between the work spindle and the work support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1972
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1977
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Earl R. Lohneis, John J. Schachte
  • Patent number: 3986087
    Abstract: In apparatus for controlling the speed and torque of a multiphase a.c. motor in accordance with digital control signals, a first regulation circuit regulates the frequency of the a.c. electrical signal applied to the motor and another regulation circuit regulates the voltage of the a.c. signal. Both regulation circuits are controlled by digital control signals in a series of discrete steps over a range of control values and the control signals are supplied periodically to the regulation circuits. The speed and torque are controlled in accordance with an algorithm relating speed and torque to the frequency and voltage of the source of electric power which is applied to the motor, calculated by computing apparatus on a periodic basis. In one embodiment the position of the magnetic flux of the stator is controlled directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1976
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Zankl, Edward E. Kirkham, Richard E. Stobbe, John J. Schachte
  • Patent number: 3986088
    Abstract: In apparatus for controlling the speed and torque of a multiphase a. c. motor in accordance with digital control signals, a first regulation circuit regulates the frequency of the a. c. electrical signal applied to the motor and another regulation circuit regulates the voltage of the a.c. signal. Both regulation circuits are controlled by digital control signals in a series of discrete steps over a range of control values and the control signals are supplied periodically to the regulation circuits. The speed and torque are controlled in accordance with an algorithm relating speed and torque to the frequency and voltage of the source of electric power which is applied to the motor, calculated by computing apparatus on a periodic basis. In one embodiment the position of the magnetic flux of the stator is controlled directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1976
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Zankl, Edward E. Kirkham, Richard E. Stobbe, John J. Schachte
  • Patent number: RE28814
    Abstract: A single drive and control means is selectively engageable to provide either rectilinear movement to the table base or rotary movement of an index table carried by the table base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1973
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Earl R. Lohneis, Richard E. Stobbe
  • Patent number: D244445
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Assignee: Kearney & Trecker Corporation
    Inventors: Earl R. Lohneis, Frank Zankl, Clifford Brooks Stevens, Thomas J. Green