Abstract: A wheel fixture is disclosed. A main shaft drives a first positioning pull rod on a chuck body to extend and contract in the radial direction via a tightening screw, a clamping jaw is at a position within the travel range of extension and contraction, a wheel is positioned and clamped by the fixture, airtight support blocks are pressed down by the wheel and flush with the support plane of the clamping jaw, at this time, airtight ejector rods press second O rings to prevent air from flowing out of the airtight detection position, a detection system of a machine tool detects a preset air pressure value which indicate that the wheel has been placed correctly, and if the wheel is not placed correctly on the fixture, the machine tool will alarm through the detected pressure feedback.

Abstract: The invention relates to a workholder (10) for holding a workpiece to be processed in a machine tool, which workholder (10) is in the form of a annular body (12) having a central through hole (14), said annular body (12) having at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) obtained by material removal, as well as at least one pressure chamber (22; 42, 44; 58, 60) assigned to said at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) that can be charged with a pressurized fluid. Said at least one weakened area (18, 20; 34, 36, 38, 40; 50, 52, 54, 56) is dimensioned and arranged so as to cause said annular body (12) to be elastically deformable in an axial and/or a radial direction (a, r). As a result, with pressure acting on said pressure chamber (22; 42, 44; 58, 60), said annular body (12) can then be deformed elastically in a well-defined manner in an axial and/or a radial direction (a, r).

Abstract: A workholding apparatus includes a body, and a workholding sleeve composed of metal and carried by the body. A fluid chamber receives a fluid between the body and the workholding sleeve. Under fluid pressure, the sleeve is radially displaceable and recoverable to a high degree. For example, when displaced under fluid pressure, the sleeve experiences substantially complete and repeatable strain recovery of at least about 2% of its overall cross-sectional area. Preferably, the sleeve is composed of Nitinol.

Abstract: A clamping sleeve is of generally cylindrical shape with a hollow interior and comprises an upper crown, a lower crown, and a tubular sidewall. The upper crown is positioned at an upper end of the clamping sleeve. The lower crown is positioned at a lower end of the clamping sleeve. The tubular sidewall is positioned between the upper and lower crown and includes one or more corrugations that utilize spring like principles such that pressure applied to the external surface of the tubular sidewall circumferentially flexes the clamping sleeve in order to reduce the diameter of the clamping sleeve and apply a clamping force to an object within the clamping sleeve. The clamping sleeve may be utilized in a work support that includes a plunger positioned within the clamping sleeve, wherein a pressurized flowable medium provides pressure to the exterior of the tubular sidewall thereby causing the clamping sleeve to apply a clamping force to the plunger.

Abstract: A hydraulic chuck assembly for a tool machine includes first and second valve units disposed to control flow of pressurized fluids into a cylindrical chamber so as to move an annular piston to thereby move a taper socket along a spindle axis. Each valve unit includes a ball movable along a valve axis radial to the spindle axis such that the ball can be further forced to abut firmly against a valve seat during a high-speed rotation. Oil leakage can be prevented to ensure firm engagement of a workpiece with a collet head.

Abstract: A workholding apparatus includes a body, and a workholding sleeve composed of metal and carried by the body. A fluid chamber receives a fluid between the body and the workholding sleeve. Under fluid pressure, the sleeve is radially displaceable and recoverable to a high degree. For example, the sleeve is radially displaceable to at least one percent in diameter with runout within about 0.03% of its diameter, and after release of fluid pressure repeatably recovers to within about 0.01% of its original relaxed diameter. In another example, when displaced under fluid pressure, the sleeve experiences substantially complete and repeatable strain recovery of at least about 2% of its overall cross-sectional area. Preferably, the sleeve is composed of Nitinol.

Abstract: A hydraulic expansion chuck for chucking a tool such as a boring tool, a milling cutter, or other cutting tool. The hydraulic expansion chuck has an expansion bushing which can be deformed radially under the action of a pressure fluid contained in a pressure chamber to chuck a tool. Pressure is transmitted to the pressure chamber from a pressure generating unit via an annular gap positioned about the chuck axis.

Abstract: A method of dialing a workpiece having an axis into a chuck includes providing a chuck assembly having a plurality of independent hydraulically controlled jaws distributed about a central axis, each jaw having first and second hydraulic chambers. The method further includes the steps of inserting a portion of the workpiece into the chuck assembly, pumping hydraulic fluid uniformly into each of the first chambers until the jaws are substantially touching the perimeter of the workpiece, and adjusting one or more of the jaws to align the axis of the workpiece with the central axis of the chuck assembly by pumping hydraulic fluid into at least one of the chambers of at least one of the jaws. The method also includes the step of pumping hydraulic fluid uniformly into each of the first chambers until the jaws are clamped around the perimeter of the workpiece at a predetermined pressure.

Abstract: A work holder assembly for use in clamping a workpiece being machined. A chuck includes a fixed sleeve about which is mounted a rotatable collet. A plurality of individual clamps extend from circumferential spaced locations associated with the collet. The clamps each include a first spring biased and linear traveling component actuating a second radially traveling and adjustable component into engagement with annular disposed locations of the workpiece. Each the clamps exhibits a wedge shape at an interface between the linear and radial components, both in order to minimize clamping forces and to prevent backdriving of the clamps by the tooling. A fluid pressure extends through a location in the chuck, the collet further having a fluid delivery component in communication with the fluid supply and which is in contact with workpiece engaging locations, to overcome the spring bias of said pin in a fluid actuated release condition.

Abstract: The present invention is a unique motor comprising a containment chamber having thick walls surrounding a thin wall, is created when a plug is fusible joined. An inlet port and preferably a purging port are located in the thick walls. A motion is created when said expansion wall expands as said containment chamber is pressurized.

Abstract: Cylinder mechanisms are provided for driving three jaw members each of which includes a cylinder hole having a long circular cross section, a piston which slides in the cylinder hole and has a long circular cross section, and a piston rod extending from the piston. The cylinder mechanisms are disposed at a position in the chuck body which is adjacent to corresponding jaw member in a state in which an axis of the cylinder hole in a direction parallel to a moving direction of the jaw member and a shorter diameter of the cylinder hole is directed in an axial direction of the chuck body.

Abstract: A graduated rotation control chuck assembly includes a base, a holding-down rod axially slidably mounted in the base, and a graduated rotation control unit, the graduation unit including a rotary shaft, mounted in the base and axially aimed at the holding-down rod to hold with the holding-down rod the workpiece to be processed, the rotary shaft having a first contact portion and a second contact portion, a first piston rod, and a second piston rod axially inserted through the first piston rod and mounted with the first piston rod in the base and being alternatively reciprocated against the first contact portion and second contact portion of the rotary shaft to rotate the rotary shaft step by step at a fixed angle per step.

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool comprising at least one machining unit having at least one work spindle which can be driven. The machine tool also comprises at least one tool magazine arranged in the working area, and has actuating devices for automatically shifting the tools between the tool holding fixture situated on the spindle and the tool holding fixture situated on the tool magazine. The tool holding fixture situated on the spindle is provided with a hydraulic expansion chuck which, with the aid of the spindle, can automatically press against the tool shaft of a tool.

Abstract: A plurality of clamping motion elements with clamping jaws are moved out of an initial position towards a workpiece under a low operating pressure and caused to bear thereagainst. When all the clamping jaws bear uniformly against the workpiece, a full clamping pressure is applied to clamp the workpiece fast in position.