Patents Examined by Christopher Kirkman
  • Patent number: 6089800
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a protective cover for the sliding guides of a mobile machine tool part and comprises a set of rigid panels which overlap and are guided in such a way that they slide parallel with the machine tool guides, and panel pulling means, designed so that, when a first, driven panel is moved, they allow the subsequent panels in the set to be pulled. The pulling means comprise a pulling element, attached to the first panel, parallel with a direction transversal to the set of planes upon which the subsequent panels in the set lie; and contact faces, on the subsequent panels, opposite the pulling element. The contact faces are positioned in the path of the pulling element at different positions, longitudinal to the guides, so that each is intercepted by the pulling element at a different time as the element moves, thus allowing all of the subsequent panels in the set to be pulled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: P.E.I. Protezioni Elaborazioni Industriali S.r.l.
    Inventor: Giorgio Tabellini
  • Patent number: 6073324
    Abstract: An apparatus for cutting sheet metal discs (31) from and welding sheet metal discs (31), or other smooth-contoured sheet metal pieces, to a sheet metal strip (20) or other workpiece, particularly an endless sheet metal strip, e.g., in a double-strip press. The apparatus has guide for securing a cutting apparatus (34), welding apparatus, and a machining apparatus. The guide can be positioned on or against the sheet metal workpiece (20). The apparatus has a backing (32) positioned to support the disc about a weld seam to be produced. The guide (8) are held against the sheet metal strip by at least one electromagnet (2), preferably a plurality of electromagnets (2), and/or at least one vacuum element (35a, 35b, 35b, 35c), preferably a plurality of vacuum elements. Holding elements (12, 13, 14) are provided to secure the cutting and/or welding apparatuses (34, 34), which are moveable along the guide (8) by action of a motor (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Berndorf Band Ges,, m.b.H.
    Inventor: Karl Narbeshuber
  • Patent number: 6074141
    Abstract: A scroll member has a scroll wall having an axial end having a transverse surface on which a groove 20 is cut along the spiral direction of the scroll wall, to which groove a seal member contacting a facing scroll member is received. The scroll wall has a radially inner portion having a width larger than the width of the remaining part of the scroll wall. At the radially inner portion, the groove is also widened. When molding the scroll member, a recess deeper than the depth of the groove to be machined is created. The groove is obtained by machining the scroll member as molded by a milling tool. The widened portion of the groove is formed by moving a milling tool along a closed trajectory, so that the recess is left un-machined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kimihiro Ishikawa, Takashi Miyakawa, Yasushi Watanabe, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Shinya Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6062779
    Abstract: Upper-and-lower cutouts (25a) and right-and-left cutouts are formed in a flange portion (23) of a holder main body (12). In a fore portion of the outer circumference of the flange portion (23), is provided a first operation ring (41), which is urged rearward by a compression spring (42). A taper portion (44) inwardly slanted as viewed toward the rear as well as a straight portion (45) are formed in the operation ring (41), and a drive key portion to be fitted to the key way of the spindle through the right-and-left cutouts are provided on both right and left sides of a rear face (45a) of the straight portion (45). In the rear of the operation ring (41), is provided a second operation ring (51) via two spacers (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Kuroda Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuo Sugimura
  • Patent number: 6053081
    Abstract: A method for machining a variable displacement compressor piston. The piston is connected to a swash plate by a pair of semi-spherical shoes. One end of the piston has a slot for receiving the swash plate. The slot includes a pair of opposed walls. Each wall has a concave spherical recess for supporting one of the shoes. When forming the recesses, a tool having an asymmetrical spherical cutter is placed between the slot walls in the piston. Then, the piston is rotated about a machining axis that is perpendicular to the axis of the piston and intersects the midpoint between the walls. Then, the tool is moved such that the center of the cutter is located on the rotation axis of the piston. This forms the recesses on the walls such that the recesses conform to a single sphere, the center of which is located on the axis of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kazuya Kimura, Hiroaki Kayukawa, Masaki Ota
  • Patent number: 6026549
    Abstract: A crankshaft phase indexing apparatus of this invention is provided with a pair of spindles arranged in alignment with a first axis. The Spindles are rotated respectively by a pair of spindle driving motors, which are controlled to rotate at the same speed. Chucks are mounted to the respective spindles. The chucks hold ends of a crankshaft in alignment with a second axis, which is displaced from and parallel to the first axis. A phase conversion shaft is rotatably arranged in at least one of the chucks in alignment with the second axis. The phase conversion shaft is connected to the crankshaft for rotating the crankshaft to permit phase indexing of crankpins of the crankshaft into axial alignment with the first axis. A phase indexing shaft, which is coupled to the phase conversion shaft, is located concentrically with the spindles and is rotated by a phase indexing motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Toyama Corporation
    Inventors: Kunio Makino, Takashi Imai, Hiroyuki Uchida, Yukio Kokaji
  • Patent number: 6010440
    Abstract: An automated machine tool is provided and includes a frame having a first workpiece transfer station at a first location on the frame; at least two self-contained processing units, each of the units including structure for holding the workpiece for processing and structure for performing a process on the workpiece; structure for sequentially indexing the processing units to the first workpiece transfer station for transferring workpieces to and from each of the processing units; a shared tool storing device; a first cutting tool transfer device for transferring cutting tools to and from the processing units; and a second cutting tool transfer device for transferring cutting tools between the first transfer device and the storing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventor: Toshiharu Tom Miyano
  • Patent number: 5988961
    Abstract: A machine tool includes a spindle to which a tool is detachably attached to be clamped, an unclamping lever provided for rocking motion and having two ends, rocking means for rocking the unclamping lever, a releasing section provided in the spindle so as to be pressed by the unclamping lever when the unclamping lever is rocked by the rocking means with a tool being clamped by the spindle, thereby releasing the tool from a clamped state, and a support shaft for rockably supporting the unclamping lever, the support shaft being movable axially with respect to the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumio Kameyama
  • Patent number: 5988960
    Abstract: A CNC machine tool has a plurality of collet chucks in a fixture that requires loading workpieces in these collets by hand. The workpieces are first assembled on a loading bar or holder so they can be collectively loaded in the ganged collet chuck for machining in the CNC machine. The holder has spaced stations, and each station includes a standard base adapter and an individualized parts adapter that fits onto the base adapter. Each parts adapter will be configured to accept a part to be machined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Inventor: James J. Hasler
  • Patent number: 5980172
    Abstract: A double cutting spindle unit comprising a main spindle unit and a sub-spindle unit mounted on the main spindle unit and vertically slidable relative to the main spindle unit. The chucking member is normally biased toward its fastening direction by a fastening spring formed by a plurality of spiral belleville springs arranged around the chuck actuating shaft. A two-stage hydraulic cylinder comprising two coaxially arranged cylinders is mounted on a supporting frame arranged on the top cover, and the actuating rod of the hydraulic cylinder is arranged with its free end being opposite to the end of the chuck actuating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Shoda Iron Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Shoda
  • Patent number: 5975882
    Abstract: A molded optical component which is comprised of a lens portion, an annular outer rim integrally formed around the circumference of the lens portion, an annular reference surface formed on the circumference of the outer rim in a predetermined width along one end thereof, and an obliquely cut surface formed across the circumference of the outer rim by stripping a gate stub therefrom. The obliquely cut surface is extended from the other end of the outer rim up to a position falling short of near boundaries of the reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Nomura, Youhei Shinozawa, Masaaki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5975816
    Abstract: A tool holder for use in a rotating spindle of a milling machine. The tool holder comprises a conically tapered shank portion for insertion into the spindle and a cutting tool mounting portion. Disposed between the shank and mounting portions is a flange portion. Additionally, extending about the shank portion is a dampening member. The dampening member is compressible between the flange portion and the spindle when the tool holder is inserted into the spindle, and is adapted to eliminate harmonic resonance attributable to the use of the tool holder with an extended shank cutting tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Inventor: Harold D. Cook
  • Patent number: 5971681
    Abstract: A guard ring having a center bore mounts on a face of a spindle of a machine tool having a taper socket drive, and a bore for receiving and driving a tool holder. A drive between the guard ring and the tool holder engages before a power drawbar of the machine tool spindle engages the tool holder. The guard ring is of an axial length such that the tool holder is within the center bore of the guard ring before the tool holder is driven by the power drawbar of the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Kurt Manufacturing Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Ingo E. Wolfe, Roger J. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 5964016
    Abstract: In the case where a product having a free-curved surface is obtained, a machining work is performed by separate machine tools. Therefore, works of attaching and removing a half-machined product are necessary. Consequently, a lot of working time and labor are required. Also in an automatic production system, productivity is lowered if the system is stopped by failure in gripping during the attaching and removing works and an enormous equipment cost is required. A machining apparatus M comprises a main chuck head 1 having a control axis for holding and rotating a long bar member W, a head stock assembly 3 having three or more control axes, and a bar member feeder 5 for feeding the long bar member W to the head stock assembly 3. These four axes are simultaneously controlled to manufacture a plurality of products V having free-curved surfaces from the long bar member W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaru Ito, Goro Yamazaki, Toshiro Yamasaki, Masahiro Awai
  • Patent number: 5960531
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a drill press including a vertical support post, a pivot assembly supported upon the support post, the pivot assembly being pivotable about a vertical axis defined by the post, a table supported on the pivot assembly, a head supported by the post at a location above the table, a rotatable chuck supported by the head, an induction motor driving the chuck; and a detent mechanism disposed between the pivot assembly and the post for identifying when the table is in a central location under the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Ludwin Mora, Michael L. O'Banion, Richard K. Pallo, Robert P. Welsh
  • Patent number: 5957639
    Abstract: A hollow cone device for gripping attachments, essentially constituted by a bit-carrying socket (1) for blocking the member (2) to be fixed, prolonged by a securement element (3) in a support (4), such as a spindle or the like. The securement element is in the form of a screw-threaded element connected to the socket (1) and screwed into the support (4). The bit-carrying socket (1) comprises two radial recesses extending perpendicularly to its axis and in which are mounted two gripping bits (5) actuated simultaneously, to slide radially in a symmetrical manner, by a screw (6) maintained in translation by a stud screw (7) co-acting with a circular throat provided in the central region of the screw (6). An ejector (12) is guided in translation in a bore in the bit-carrying socket (1) and actuated by symmetrical pressure of the bits (5). The device also includes an element (15) for relative angular displacement between the bit-carrying socket (1) and the screw-threaded element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: E.P.B. Emile Pfalzgraf (Societe Anonyme)
    Inventors: Alain Freyermuth, Raymond Tugend
  • Patent number: 5947664
    Abstract: A stop device that can be readily interconnected with a variety of commercially available vertical milling machines to precisely control the vertical travel of the quill mechanism of the milling machine. The bolt-on stop device of the invention includes three vertically adjustable stop mechanisms, each of which includes adjustable slide elements that can be horizontally extended or retracted relative to the quill mehanism of the milling machine. When extended the slide element moves directly into the path of vertical travel of a follower member, or depth indicator, provided on the quill mechanism of the machine. When retracted, the slide will clear the follower member of the quill mechanism so as to enable its engagement with the next adjacent stop or slide element of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Inventor: Gil Espinosa
  • Patent number: 5947877
    Abstract: A tool-shifting device includes a disk having a groove defined therein and a ring member is rotatably mounted to a first side of the disk. A plurality of sockets are pivotally connected to the ring member and each have a part received in the groove. The disk has a cutout communicating with the groove and a carrier movably disposed to a second side thereof, the carrier having a protrusion movably retained in a curved recess of a board which is pivotally disposed to the second end of the disk and actuated by a hydraulic cylinder. The socket removed to the cutout will be engaged with the carrier which is then moved along the curved recess of the board which is pivoted by the hydraulic cylinder. The part of the socket engaged with the carrier is then moved upwardly about a position where the socket is pivotally connected to the ring member so that an orientation of a tool received in the socket is changed with respect to the ring member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Inventor: Sun Ho Wei
  • Patent number: 5946790
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing a sequence of machine operations on connecting rod blanks to convert the blanks from an original casting to a finished product includes loading parts at a beginning of a process stream for performing various machining operations on the parts as the parts travel along the process stream. The process stream is defined at least in part by a first path portion extending between opposing work stations for partially machining the parts, and recirculating the partially machined parts along the process stream into a second path portion. The second path portion extends parallel with the first path portion of the process stream in order to provide generally symmetrically opposing machining operations at the opposing work stations along a portion of the process stream. Lift and carry devices engage and move the raw parts and recirculating parts simultaneously between adjacent opposing work stations in step fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Ex-Cell-O Machine Tools, Inc.
    Inventors: John Graham, Johann S. Klimach, Samuel O. Pelto
  • Patent number: 5947662
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of thin-walled workpieces is held for machining in a machine in a respective rigid holder. Ends of unmachined workpieces are each first imbedded in a molten body of a metal alloy having a melting point between 45.degree. C. and 140.degree. C. contained in a respective one of the rigid holders in a cooling station and having a negative expansion coefficient. The holder and the alloy body are cooled in the cooling station to solidify the body around the imbedded end of the unmachined workpiece and the cooled holder is displaced with the unmachined workpiece from the cooling station into the machine. After machining of the workpiece in the holder, the holder is displaced from the machine into a heating station where it is heated to melt the alloy body. Then the machined workpiece is lifted out of the molten body in the heating station and the holder with the molten alloy body is recirculated from the heating station to the cooling station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Ernst Thielenhaus KG
    Inventors: Manfred G. Becker, Peter C. Dinardi, Kenneth J. Sprenger, Timothy S. Guitar