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 cutting insert rotated about its axis may be utilized during a metalworking operation and applied against the rotating workpiece to enhance tool performance. A method, including an assembly with a rotatable insert mounted to a toolholder may be utilized to achieve this result.

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 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 rotary tool holder includes a shank having a flange, a tapered outer surface, and front and rear contact portions. The tapered outer surface corresponds to the tapered bore of a spindle, and flexible circular cantilevers are provided at one or both contact portions such that a free end of the cantilevers expands radially due to centrifugal force to maintain contact with the tapered bore. The shank can be formed from an inner member and a sleeve disposed thereover, in which portions of the sleeve form the circular cantilevers. The circular cantilevers can also be formed by a cavity created in the shank. Alternatively, instead of circular cantilevers, the shank of the tool holder can have a taper which is optimized for a certain speed, wherein the taper of the shank has a first taper at rest and a different, optimized taper at a desired speed.

Abstract: A cutting insert rotated about its axis may be utilized during a metalworking operation and applied against the rotating workpiece to enhance tool performance. A method, including an assembly with a rotatable insert mounted to a toolholder may be utilized to achieve this result.