Abstract: A pivoting ball mount provides four essentially equal and (generally) evenly spaced constraints on the ball, creating a ball and socket joint in which the “socket” is composed of four small constraining pads of equal size and equally spaced around the surface of the ball or sphere. If a sphere is constrained by four equidistant points, each point will exert the same amount of force on the sphere. If additional pressure is applied to one point, the pressure exerted by the other points will rise to match this increased pressure. The effect of constraining a smooth ball by four equidistant points is to create the equivalent of a ball and socket joint in which the force required to rotate the ball at a particular rate is about the same in any direction. The ball is constrained by four equidistant points such that the relative movement between the ball and housing is smooth and predictable in any direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides four essentially equal and (generally) evenly spaced constraints on the ball. It is the equivalent of a ball and socket joint in which the “socket” is composed of four small constraining pads of equal size and equally spaced around the surface of the ball or sphere. If a sphere is constrained by four equidistant points, each point will exert the same amount of force on the sphere. If additional pressure is applied to one point, the pressure exerted by the other points will rise to match this increased pressure. The effect of constraining a smooth ball by four equidistant points is to create the equivalent of a ball and socket joint in which the force required to rotate the ball at a particular rate is about the same in any direction. The ball is constrained by four equidistant points such that the relative movement between the ball and housing is smooth and predictable in any direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides four essentially equal and (generally) evenly spaced constraints on the ball. It is the equivalent of a ball and socket joint in which the “socket” is composed of four small constraining pads of equal size and equally spaced around the surface of the ball or sphere. If a sphere is constrained by four equidistant points, each point will exert the same amount of force on the sphere. If additional pressure is applied to one point, the pressure exerted by the other points will rise to match this increased pressure. The effect of constraining a smooth ball by four equidistant points is to create the equivalent of a ball and socket joint in which the force required to rotate the ball at a particular rate is about the same in any direction. The ball is constrained by four equidistant points such that the relative movement between the ball and housing is smooth and predictable in any direction.

Abstract: A holder for a cutting bit of metal-cutting material, typically employed in a metal-cutting lathe, incorporates fixed side rake and fixed back rake. The invention makes use of straight tool bits of uniform cross-section that are much longer than they are wide. This invention allows for substantially simplified sharpening of the bit, and in one embodiment substantially simplified adjustment of the height of the cutting tip of the bit. The sharpening procedure allows for much more efficient use of the tool bit material as compared to conventional toolholders and sharpening procedures. Preferred embodiments of the present invention allow for easily producing a bit geometry that will both turn and face without adjusting the position of the toolholder. One embodiment places the tool bit in a highly unorthodox “nearly axial” orientation such that the axis of the bit is fairly close to parallel to the axis of the lathe.

Abstract: The shaft clamping mechanism clamps a cylindrical shaft such that it will not rotate in a housing. Using ordinary machine tools or the like, portions of the housing that surround the shaft are removed, leaving thin areas that act as hinges. The housing may not be cut all the way through so that the hinged or moving portion of the housing that exerts the clamping force is contiguous with the rest of the housing. Applying force in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, toward the shaft, in the middle of this hinged portion allows that part of the housing to move very slightly. The housing and shaft may be a close fit so that only a slight amount of movement of the moving part of the housing will be required to clamp the shaft. In order for this mechanism to work, the housing material has to flex slightly at the “hinges”. The stationary portions of the housing must also deflect very slightly.

Abstract: The shaft clamping mechanism clamps a cylindrical shaft such that it will not rotate in a housing. Using ordinary machine tools or the like, portions of the housing that surround the shaft are removed, leaving thin areas that act as hinges. The housing may not be cut all the way through so that the hinged or moving portion of the housing that exerts the clamping force is contiguous with the rest of the housing. Applying force in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, toward the shaft, in the middle of this hinged portion allows that part of the housing to move very slightly. The housing and shaft may be a close fit so that only a slight amount of movement of the moving part of the housing will be required to clamp the shaft. In order for this mechanism to work, the housing material has to flex slightly at the “hinges”. The stationary portions of the housing must also deflect very slightly.

Abstract: The shaft clamping mechanism clamps a cylindrical shaft such that it will not rotate in a housing. Using ordinary machine tools or the like, portions of the housing that surround the shaft are removed, leaving thin areas that act as hinges. The housing may not be cut all the way through so that the hinged or moving portion of the housing that exerts the clamping force is contiguous with the rest of the housing. Applying force in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, toward the shaft, in the middle of this hinged portion allows that part of the housing to move very slightly. The housing and shaft may be a close fit so that only a slight amount of movement of the moving part of the housing will be required to clamp the shaft. In order for this mechanism to work, the housing material has to flex slightly at the “hinges”. The stationary portions of the housing must also deflect very slightly.

Abstract: The Tetraball™ provides four essentially equal and (generally) evenly spaced constraints on the ball. It is the equivalent of a ball and socket joint in which the “socket” is composed of four small constraining pads of equal size and equally spaced around the surface of the ball or sphere. If a sphere is constrained by four equidistant points, each point will exert the same amount of force on the sphere. If additional pressure is applied to one point, the pressure exerted by the other points will rise to match this increased pressure. The effect of constraining a smooth ball by four equidistant points is to create the equivalent of a ball and socket joint in which the force required to rotate the ball at a particular rate is substantially the same in any direction. The ball is constrained by four equidistant points such that the relative movement between the ball and housing is smooth and predictable in any direction.

Abstract: One primary application of this device is to clamp a cylindrical shaft such that it will not rotate in a housing. This technology may also be used to clamp shafts of various cross sectional shapes to keep them from moving axially. The basic idea is to remove, using ordinary machine tools or the like, portions of the housing that surround the shaft leaving thin areas that act as hinges. The housing may not be cut all the way through so that the hinged or moving portion of the housing that exerts the clamping force is contiguous with the rest of the housing. In most of these examples, a series of three or four hinges lie upon a straight line. Applying force in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the shaft, toward the shaft, in the middle of this hinged portion allows that part of the housing to move very slightly. It is assumed that the housing and shaft will be a close fit so that only a slight amount of movement of the moving part of the housing will be required to clamp the shaft.