Abstract: Apparatus for machining the annular valve seats of a gate valve has a cradle which slides on and wedges outward against the confronting gate guide rails in the valve chamber to lock the cradle in place between the valve seats. A large gear is mounted on one side of the cradle for rotation by a hydraulic motor about an axis generally aligned with the axis of the facing valve seat through adjustment of a pair of leveling screws. A carriage is driven axially on guide rods projecting from the gear adjacent the periphery thereof by a servo motor mounted in the plane of the gear. A tool carrier is reciprocated radially on slides on the carriage by a lead screw motor mounted on the carriage. When machining of one valve face is completed, the cradle is unlocked, lifted off the guide rails, rotated 180.degree. about a vertical axis and reinstalled on the guide rails for machining of the other valve seat.

Abstract: A drill assembly (44) for penetrating a wall (85) of a container (14) is provided. The container (14) is supported by a platform (30) within a recovery vessel (12). The drilling assembly (44) allows removal of a fluid from the container (14). The drilling assembly (44) includes a tube (88) for lining a first opening (42) into the recovery vessel (12), as well as a first housing (90) having an interior (80). A first adapter (94) couples the housing (90) to a first end (89) of the tube (88) to partially define a longitudinal bore (82). A shaft (102) is rotatably disposed within the longitudinal bore (82). The shaft (102) has one end for engagement with a drill bit (84) with the other end for engagement with a motor (46). The drill bit (84) is engaged to the shaft (102) to penetrate the container wall (85 ), while the motor (46) is engaged to the other end of the shaft (102). A first seal assembly (98) forms a first fluid barrier between the interior (80) and the longitudinal bore (82).

Abstract: A tool provided with a head tapering stepwise toward a front side. Each step of the head has a cylindrical area for calibrating a pipe end and, joining it, a conical area for deburring the pipe end. Each step of the head corresponds to a usual pipe size. When the head is pushed into a pipe end to be processed, the pipe end is first calibrated and subsequently deburred in one operation. The pipe end is centered in relation to the longitudinal axis of the head due to the calibration at the cylindrical area, which guarantees accurate deburring at the conical area. Each conical area has a plurality of cutting edges, which are formed by chip grooves. The tool is especially suitable for preparing pressed connections on composite pipes.

Abstract: A method and a device for preventing a drilling chip from winding around a drill bit and for removing the drilling chip deposited in flutes of the drill bit comprising a drill bit acting as a driving member and a driven gear having at least one tooth engageable with flutes of the drill bit. As the drill bit is turned to drill a hole, the driven gear is actuated to turn such that the tooth of the driven gear engages the flute of the drill bit so as to scrape off any drilling chip deposited in the flute of the drill bit and to prevent the drilling chip from winding around the drill bit in action. The driven gear is rotatably and movably fastened to a support rod which is in turn fastened to a drill press.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an engine block assembly which includes a one-piece cylinder block and cylinder head member including a cylinder block portion having a cylindrical bore with an inner end, and a cylinder head portion including a cylinder head surface at the inner end of the cylindrical bore, and a sleeve in the cylindrical bore and including an inner cylindrical surface engaging the cylinder head surface at the inner end of the cylindrical bore, the method includes the steps of fabricating a one piece cylinder head and cylinder block member including a cylindrical bore having, at the inner end thereof, a cylinder head surface, fabricating a sleeve with an inner cylindrical surface and an inner end, partially inserting the sleeve into the cylindrical bore such that the inner end of the sleeve is spaced from the cylinder head surface, boring the inner cylindrical surface of the sleeve, honing the inner cylindrical surface of the sleeve, and fully inserting the sleeve into the cylindrical bore such that

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming cleanly defined holes through reinforced metal matrix material includes a drill bit with a shank portion and flutes on said shank portion, the drill bit capable of withstanding a chip load of at least about 0.008 inch/rev/flute, and preferably in the range of from about 0.008 inch/rev/flute to about 0.012 inch/rev/flute, achieved through turning the bit at a speed within the range of about 18 surface feet per minute ("sfpm") to about 20 sfpm, and advancing the bit at an aggressive rate through the metal matrix material at a rate of from about 3 inches per minute to about 6 inches per minute.

Abstract: A double arbor has a shaft with a slideable first arbor at one end and a fixed second arbor at the other. A first hole saw of the already-cut, incorrect diameter is mounted on the first arbor. A second hole saw which is the size of the desired diameter hole is mounted on the second arbor. The assembly is attached to a drill or other rotating driving means and the first hole saw is placed into the existing opening where it acts as a pilot bit for the second hole saw. Use of the first hole saw as a pilot can also be applied to rabbeting, bevelling, grooving or sanding the existing hole by attaching different blades in place of the second hole saw.

Abstract: A vacuum vice for holding a bowling ball when drilling holes or engraving the ball includes inner and outer o-rings seals which form two vacuum chambers that work together to form a seal with a bowling ball having surface imperfections or engraving. The inner vacuum chamber holds the ball to a buoyant cup. The outer vacuum chamber seats the ball against a contoured, hard rim surface and is connected by a leakage path around the inner seal to a piston chamber which pulls on the buoyant cup to further seat the ball. The outer seal is mounted on a movable housing that automatically adjusts to the size of the ball.

Abstract: An apparatus for drilling lock wire holes in lock wire nuts includes a variable speed drill press mounted on a work bench and having a vertically movable drill quill supporting a rotating drill spindle on one end of which is mounted a drill chuck for holding and driving a drill bit for drilling a hole in the lock wire nuts. An N/C microprocessor is coupled to the drill press for controlling the vertical motion of the drill quill in a peck drill cycle. A nut holder, including a collet chuck having three jaw inserts is mounted in a chuck indexer for positioning the chuck in any of three 120.degree. angularly spaced positions about a central longitudinal axis through the chuck. A drill guide in each of said jaw inserts guides the drill bit at an angle against said faces of said nuts to drill lock wire holes through the nut lobes.

Abstract: A system is provided for drilling through contiguous first and second plate members so as to avoid the formation of burrs at their interface. Using a jig, the plate members are held together at distant locations while assuming a desired mutual orientation in a longitudinally extending upright plane. Loosely suspended from a frame manually movable along the length of the jig, a horseshoe shaped yoke is positioned in a laterally extending upright plane and has a pair of depending legs straddling and adjacent to their associated plate members to be drilled. A hole finding pin on a first leg is manually inserted into a pilot bore provided in the first plate member. Thereupon, opposed clamps on the depending legs firmly engage the plate members in the region of the pilot bore. From the side of the second plate member, enlarged sized bores are drilled through the plate members axially aligned with the pilot bore.

Abstract: In a cutting machine having an octahedral framework, a cutting tool is carried by a servostrut support having a platform mounted on extendable and retractable struts. In order to reduce deflections and to limit transfer of bending moments, from the servostrut support to the other connected support sections of the framework, the six struts are mounted at pivot mounts such as ball joints in a triangular support. Three of the pivotal mounts are positioned in a first triangle and in corners of the triangle support, and the other three struts are positioned in a second larger triangle in the triangular support. The nominal axis of rotation of spindle drive for the cutting tool may be either about nominal horizontal axis, a nominal vertical axis or a nominal 45.degree. axis. Several frameworks may be arranged to define a hollow tunnel with platforms projecting their cutting tools from opposite sides of the transfer tunnel.

Abstract: A device for securely clamping a drill motor to a drill plate in order to drill precisely positioned holes in a workpiece includes an annular mandrel and annular collet concentrically disposed about the cutting element. A first end of the collet includes a plurality of longitudinally extending fingers while the mandrel has a tapered end portion having a larger external diameter than the center cylindrical portion of the mandrel. A pneumatically-actuated piston is also coaxially disposed about the cutting element to extend and retract the mandrel and the collet. Once extended, the longitudinally extending fingers of the collet overlie the center cylindrical portion of the mandrel. Thus, the clamping device may be inserted through an aperture defined in a drill plate. Following its retraction, the longitudinally extending fingers of the collet overlie the tapered end of the mandrel and are correspondingly expanded.

Abstract: A manually positioned computer controlled drilling machine (10) is disclosed for drilling a hole (12) through a surface (14). The machine includes a base (16) which is supported on a counterbalanced suspension so that an operator can manually move and shift the machine on the surface to be drilled. Automatic adjustable legs (20-26) are biased outwardly from the base by low pressure air cylinders which allows the operator to tilt and move the base (16) relative to the surface (14). This allows the operator to position the drill bit (18) over the position where the hole is to be drilled and orient the drill bit perpendicular to the surface. Caliper brakes (38) are then activated to lock the legs in place. A number of suction cup assemblies (42-52) are then sequentially moved outward into contact with the surface. A suction foot (56) on each of the suction cup assemblies is adhered to the surface by a vacuum.

Abstract: A method of machining simultaneously a sequence of surfaces on each of multiple sides of a workpiece, comprising: (a) supporting a plurality of rotary-driven spindles, each carrying a cutting tool, each spindle being supported by a plurality of relatively movable elements that provide for movement into and out of a predetermined sized, cubed machining space, such support providing for spindle movement having vectors along at least mutually perpendicular axes; (b) placing the workpiece in the machining space at a predetermined location; (c) actuating relative movement of the elements by use of linear motors to accurately position each spindle for simultaneous machining of first surfaces on separate sides of the workpiece; and (d) actuating the elements by use of said linear motors to reposition the plurality of spindles for simultaneous machining of other surfaces on each of the separate sides of the workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus machines a workpiece by a rotating cutting tool having at least one coolant channel extended toward the free end thereof with high-pressure coolant jetting onto the free end of the cutting tool. The coolant has sufficient pressure and flow rate to remove the heat and the chips generated during the machining. The cutting tool is fed in a path suitable for each machining operation with the cutting edges being advanced into the workpiece in a reverse direction to the feed direction. The apparatus can machine a workpiece of a material having high hardness and high toughness.

Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for forming the S-video record enable I.D. hole in VHS, 8 mm and VHS-C videocassettes. Three specially adapted hole forming implements and their method of use are described. These implements are adapted to avoid forming loose debris from the hole forming process and to prevent such debris which is created from entering the cassette mechanism. The invention provides for automatic positioning of the hole forming implements and for control of their movement by use of positioning plates which are specially adapted to fit on the videocassettes in a singular and specific manner. The invention further provides for controlling the operation and movement of the hole forming implements by use of guide bushings which are integral to the positioning plates. The methods used for forming the hole include cutting, piercing and melting through the plastic cassette shell.

Abstract: A process for removing chips jammed in a cavity of a workpiece produced during machining work by means of a jet of compressed air, wherein for quick, simple and complete removal of these chips a hot jet of compressed air is used at such a temperature and directed onto the chips for such a time that their rigidity is diminished until the chips can be removed from the cavity as a result of the jet of compressed air.

Abstract: A machining system that has (i) plural machining cells spaced along a path, each having a single-point-tool and a rapid-positioning assembly for positioning the tool for multiple insertions into a workpiece as well as rapid tool exchange at speed rates that approach or exceed one G; (ii) table means for presenting a table surface in a selected plane for each cell; (iii) workpiece means for each table surface having keying surfaces for lockingly mating with a reference point of such table surface; (iv) transfer means for rapidly replacing a machined workpiece with an unmachined workpiece on a table surface, the just-machined workpiece being transferred to the next table surface while the substituted workpiece is undergoing machining; and (v) programmed electrical control means for activating the positioning assemblies and transfer means.

Abstract: The method, apparatus and system utilize the saddle on which the stationary head of an automatic screw machine is normally mounted, for supporting a cylindrical boring bar. Rotation and advancement of the bar on the saddle surface enables reboring of the cylindrical opening through the rotary head-mounting section of the machine, which rebored opening will be precisely coaxial with the surface of the saddle.

Abstract: A method for repairing boiler tube walls by cutting out and replacing a worn or damaged section thereof involves the use of a power tool having a rotary milling head specially adapted to remove membrane material from between tube ends which are exposed when the damaged section is removed. The method and apparatus of the invention allows for the rapid and precise removal of membrane material from between the exposed tube ends to facilitate subsequent bevelling and welding operations, while substantially reducing the risk of weakening or damaging the tube wall by avoiding excess removal of material therefrom.

Abstract: On a drilling machine for drilling packs of printed circuit boards, the packs are loaded and unloaded between a support and the work table by engaging a pin on the pack via a pair of jaws and by moving the table longitudinally. The pack is retained by a bar for enabling two bars to engage and locate a further pin on the pack; further retaining elements provide for sliding the pack in relation to the table; and a member is activated for aligning the pack against a fixed locator. The support forms part of a rack operated vertically in steps by a lifter located behind the drilling machine.

Abstract: An improved numerically controlled machine tool is provided by resiliently coupling an independent drive mechanism to a toolholder which in turn is fitted to the numerically controlled machine. The drive mechanism in turn is coupled to a working tool used for drilling, tapping, milling or other machine functions. The drive mechanism and the toolholder are resiliently coupled together so that they may be relatively displaced one with respect to each other depending upon the amount of vertical force being through the working tool applied to the drive mechanism tending to urge the drive mechanism either toward or away from the toolholder. The torque, power and/or rate of rotation of the working tool is controlled as a function of the relative displacement of the working tool with respect to the toolholder along a predetermined axis of coupling between them.

Abstract: Disclosed is a portable electric power drill having a rotatable cylindrical magazine within the drill housing for storing a tool bit element in each of its plural bores, the magazine being rotatable to bring a selected magazine bore in alignment with the central bore of a chuck assembly at the front of the drill. A flexible cable is slidable by hand between forward and rearward positions to eject a tool bit element from the magazine to the chuck and to return a tool bit from the chuck to the magazine, and the drill includes mechanism to allow the chuck to be tightened and loosened without the use of a chuck key, or without having to otherwise manually grasp the chuck or associated rotatable parts.

Abstract: A method for forming working fluid passages in a base of a hydraulic jack includes the steps of: (1) forming a supporting rod seat passage by drilling from a lower portion of a check valve seat on the base to communicate with the chamber defined in a lower portion of a supporting rod seat on the base; (2) forming a first connecting passage by drilling from a side surface of a pressure relieve seat on the base to communicate with the supporting rod seat passage; (3) forming a pressure relieve passage by drilling from the side surface of the relieve seat to communicate with the supporting rod seat passage, the pressure relieve passage is substantially parallel to the first connecting passage and disposed between the first connecting passage and the chamber; (4) forming a second connecting passage by drilling from a second side of the pressure relieve seat to communicate with the pressure relieve passage, the first connecting passage transversely communicates with the second connecting passage; (5) forming a mai

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting threads in holes of fabricated parts including a vertical support shaft supporting at least one arm extended out over the part with a tap coupled to a motor on the end of each of the at least one arm. The arm is supported on the vertical shaft by a joint support which can be rotated around the vertical shaft and slide vertically on the shaft. A spring on the shaft is biased to return the joint support to a rest position. The vertical shaft can also be positioned vertically by virtue of a manually operated friction drive located in the base. These several degrees of freedom enable a user to position a tap in any one of a multiplicity of holes located over a large area of the part. A means and method for securing the tap in the tap chuck is provided.

Abstract: A device and method for cutting and grinding a hard but brittle material (such as glass plate, etc.) for producing a doughnut-shaped substrate are provided. The device of the present invention comprises a tubular core rod and shank extending therefrom and coaxial therewith. A plate is attached to the rod and shank and extends therefrom. A skirt is attached to the plate and surrounds the rod. Both the rod and skirt include at least one circumferential cavity. A core drill and a skirt drill are integral with the core rod and skirt, respectively. The cavities, skirt, and drills include diamond whetstone parts.

Abstract: The formation of intermittent chips or chip breakage is assured while machining holes using a rotating tool means by causing the undeformed chip thickness to vary periodically and be reduced to zero in each period of its variation. To obtain the periodic reduction of the undeformed chip thickness to zero, a cutting tool is made to oscillate along its axis of rotation. Tool oscillation is controlled so that the position of the tool along the feed advance path depends on the angular displacement of the tool. The number of oscillation cycles per revolution of the tool may be freely chosen depending on the required length of chip segments. The oscillation amplitude needed to form intermittent chip depends on this number, feed advance per revolution, and number of major cutting edges of the tool means. The oscillatory movement of the tool may be enforced in many ways.

Abstract: A drill support having a base, and a body secured to and supported by the base. A saddle member is movably disposed on the body and a drill is removably disposed or secured to the saddle member in order to move up and down therewith.

Abstract: In a precision drilling method for drilling a straight hole in a work with a drill, a drill unit for rotating the drill is supported to a housing in suspension by an electromagnetic force consisting of separately controllable restoring and damping elements. The drill unit is supported by first restoring and damping elements such that a positional displacement of the drill unit is permitted to relieve a contacting pressure applied to the drill unit when the drill comes into contact with the work. The positional displacement of the drill unit is monitored by sensors. When a force applied to the drill unit, which is determined according to thus monitored displacement, is greater than a critical value, the first restoring element is increased to give a relatively strong support capable of rapidly restoring the position of the drill unit, and preferably the first damping element is also increased to rapidly damp a vibration of the drill unit induced by the positional displacement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the speed and efficiency of a drilling machine during the drilling of holes in printed circuit boards includes automatically setting a dwell time according to one or more predefined drilling parameters. A plurality of dwell times which vary in accordance with the predefined parameters are stored in a computer memory device. A drilling machine controller automatically selects an optimal dwell time from the memory device according to the drilling conditions of a particular drilling operation so that the shortest feasible dwell time is used for obtaining a desired degree of hole placement accuracy and hole quality for the drilling operation. The apparatus is a drilling machine system that includes a controller which contains dwell times that vary in accordance with the diameter of a drill tool.

Abstract: A tube end preparing apparatus for precisely preparing the ends of tubes, including bent tubes. The apparatus includes a reference mechanism, a tube clamping mechanism, a cutting mechanism, and cutting head control mechanisms. The reference mechanism and tube clamping mechanism combine to precisely locate a flow tube with respect to defined reference indicia. The entire locating and clamping process not only provides accuracy and symmetry in aligning and clamping the flow tube relative to the desired reference indicia but can be accurately repeated with speed. The cutting mechanism includes a rotating cutting head mounted for longitudinal movement on a carriage. A control system controls the feeding movement of the carriage as the cutting head nears the end of the flow tube. A first stop mechanism causes a plunger to contact a micro-switch to stop the longitudinal movement of the carriage. A second stop uses a hard stop to prevent the carriage from overtravel due to momentum.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hose termination apparatus for sizing an nner diameter and an outer diameter towed-sonar-array-strength-reinforced-flexible-tubing to prepare a tubing termination end face to mate with a precision formed tubing termination piece and a method for using the apparatus. The apparatus includes a first inner diameter sizing jig and material removal tool pair comprising an inner diameter sizing jig and a first material removal tool assembly and a second outer diameter sizing jig and material removal tool pair comprising a second material removal tool assembly and a mandrel.

Abstract: A plunge cutting device for plastic pipe, pipe couplings, plastic flanges and other planar members includes a cylindrical body including slots formed therein, a pilot for guiding the cylindrical body, and cutters adjustably mounted in the slots. A canted relief is formed in the cylindrical body adjoining the leading wall of each slot to facilitate ejection of cut shavings. The pilot may comprise a main pilot and an auxiliary pilot detachably connected to the main pilot. The auxiliary pilot can be replaced with one of a different diameter in accordance with the dimensions of a pipe being processed with the device.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a method of rapidly drilling holes in a workpiece on a drilling machine having first and second spindles holding first and second drill tools, a first and second pressure foot mounted on the first and second spindles and a work table mounted beneath the spindles on which workpieces can be mounted.

Abstract: A universal plunge cutter for plastic pipe, pipe couplings, plastic flanges and other planar members, is provided. The plunge cutter has a cylindrical body supporting cutters, a drive shaft, a pilot mandrel for guiding the cylindrical body. The cutters are adjustably mounted in cutter slots formed in the cylindrical body so that the cutters present forwardly facing cutting edges which lie skewed relative to a radius of the cylindrical body. A method for the use of the plunge cutter is also provided.

Abstract: The method centers a guide rod, which is inserted in a valve guide of a valve seat to be machined and which serves as a guide rod for a shaping tool. By hand, or with a mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or electro-mechanical device, the guide rod is centered in the valve guide by means of a pivoting ball which is mounted in a manner such that it can pivot in all directions between two clamping plates and which is held with the possibility of translation between the clamping ring and the bottom of a housing. For this purpose, the pivoting ball is displaced circularly such that the guide rod sweeps all around the valve guide. By means of the follower levers, the shape of the valve guide is determined and, by means of a precise mechanical device, the pivoting ball is placed at the center of the swept shape, where it can be fixed by means of plates and of the clamping ring.

Abstract: An end effector adapted for attachment to and accurate positioning by a robot is provided for positioning a channel-shaped workpiece at a desired position and drilling an accurately located positioning hole in the workpiece. The end effector includes a conventional speeder unit with a Morris taper that can be grasped by the robot and rotated for transfer of torque to the speeder unit. A top plate is attached to the speeder unit and has a central opening to receive a drill collet extending downward from said speeder unit for drilling the holes in the workpiece. A base plate is connected to the top plate by guide rods which are pressed into bores in the base plate and extend through linear bearings in the top plate for self-parallel movement relative to the top plate. A pair of nuts mounted on the top plate is threadedly engaged with a pair of lead screws connected to the base plate so that vertical movement of the base plate will push the lead screws through the nuts and rotate the lead screws.

Abstract: A rethreading tool (10) for reconditioning and rethreading the threads (62) of a stud (60) is described. The tool includes a moveable jaw (26) having an extension (26A) pivotably mounted into a slot 24 of a fixed jaw (16). The extension and a first portion (16A) of the fixed jaw form a cam surface (40) which is activated by a cam nut (56) to move the moveable jaw toward the fixed jaw after positioning of the tool around the stud. Upon closing, the jaws form a complete circular opening (42) which contains a complete circular thread die (48) formed from a first thread die (22) in the fixed jaw and a second thread die (46) in the moveable jaw. In use, the tool is placed over the threads of the stud and the jaws are moved into the closed position such that the complete thread die is adjacent the threads of the stud. The tool is then rotated off of the stud.

Abstract: A rotating diamond core drill is contacted with a hard but brittle material, and by keeping contact relation with the material, drilling operation is continued to drill a hole to the material. Further, when a hole is bored, relative eccentrical motion is given between the diamond core drill and the material so that the whole inner circumferential surface of the hole can be contacted with the rotating diamond core drill, and drilling speed of the diamond core drill is reduced. Accordingly, drilling and cutting pressure applied to the material is reduced and no breaking-offs is generated.

Abstract: An indexing coupling for a drill includes a hollow inner race, a hollow outer race, and a sleeve member. The hollow inner race and hollow outer race are affixed to one another by a plurality of ball members which are positioned by a plurality of detents in the hollow inner race. The balls also extend into holes in the hollow outer race. When the balls are positioned within the holes in the hollow outer race and within the detents in the hollow inner race by the sleeve member, the hollow inner race and the hollow outer race are rigidly connected one with respect to the other. When the sleeve member is moved the ball members become disengaged from the hollow inner race thus allowing indexing of the outer race with respect to the hollow inner race. This indexing of the hollow outer race with respect to the hollow inner race allows selective rotatable indexing of the drill housing with respect to the nose piece.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing universal movement of a machine tool is provided in which there are parallelogram linkages, one of which has a link which maintains parallelism with a worktable and is movable in any direction in a plane. A machine tool is carried by this link to perform an operation on a workpiece on the worktable. Two linear actuators converge from pivotal mountings on the worktable to the link. Selective extension and retraction of the actuators causes appropriate planar movement of the machine tool. A limit switch arrangement is provided by marking the movement of a portion of the mechanism on a plate as the mechanism is extended to its limits, cutting out the plate along the line marked, and positioning the actuating arm of a limit switch in the opening. Movement to the limits of the mechanism's travel will trip the switch and interrupt power to the actuators.

Abstract: A threading tool for repairing, in situ, threads within a bore of a head of an internal combustion engine without the danger of particulate waste falling into the engine housing. The threading tool can be used separately or in combination with a reaming tool for deburring, in situ, rough edges generally at the crest of threads within a bore of a head of an internal combustion engine without the danger of particulate waste falling into the engine housing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixture and method for positioning and holding a gear to be machined, as for example in a ring and pinion gear set for vehicle axles. The fixture includes a base, a clamp and a locator. The base has a surface against which the gear is to be held and a bore which extends into the base from the surface of the base. The clamp is connected to the base. The locator is movably disposed in the bore of the base such that the locator is moveable between a first position wherein an end of the locator extends above the surface of the base for positioning the ring gear by aligning with a surface which defines a bore of the gear so that the clamp can be positioned to hold the ring gear and a second position to which the locator is retracted below the surface of the base so that the ring gear can be machined without interference by the locator.

Abstract: A method of precisely calibrating a spindle position with respect to a drilling apparatus worktable. The drilling apparatus includes a control device, which calculates an expected relative position of the spindle and the worktable based upon predetermined information, and the controlled movement of the spindle relative to the worktable. The method includes positioning the spindle in a first position, empirically determining the position of the spindle with respect to the worktable in both a first and a second direction, and determining a "correction factor" between the expected spindle position relative to the worktable at the first position and the empirically determined spindle position relative to the worktable in the first and second directions.

Abstract: A method, machine tool and boring bar for machining bores in a series of concentric journals for a camshaft in a cylinder head or block of an engine. The boring bar has an elongate and cylindrical body with a single cutting insert at one end for machining all of the journals one at a time and a plurality of circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending bearing pads on the body which, when the insert is machining one journal, are received in the previously machined journals to radially constrain and support the boring bar. The other end of the bar is received in a chuck or drive spindle of the machine tool which rotates and advances the boring bar through the journals to machine them. Each workpiece is located and clamped in the machine tool with its series of journals to be machined substantially concentric with the axis of rotation of the insert of the boring bar.

Abstract: An template positioning jig. In a preferred embodiment, a deformable member is used which is deformed inwardly along a first axis such that it bulges or otherwise deforms outwardly along a second axis, until contacting the sides of a cavity, whereupon it tends to center itself within the cavity. An operably associated template is likewise centered or otherwise positioned as desired relative to the cavity.

Abstract: A mechanical pecking method and device is provided wherein a spindle adapted to hold a tool such as a drill bit is mechanically reciprocated in a workpiece. Also provided is a control system and method for controlling the mechanical reciprocation of the spindle and a sensor for remembering the last point of advancement of the spindle during each peck cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the hydraulic removal and collection of cuttings from machine tool systems. The present invention provides a cutting removal and collection system comprising a housing at least partially enclosing a machine tool and a plurality of trays at the bottom of the housing for collecting the cuttings as they fall from the machine tool. Jets of fluid, such as a liquid coolant, are used to direct the cuttings along the trays and into a rotating drum. The drum has a hollow annular structure with fins disposed in an axial direction along its interior. The drum also has a perforated surface for allowing drainage of the fluid off of said cuttings and back into a tank positioned below the rotating drum. As the drum rotates, the fins carry the cuttings in the circumferential direction of rotation. Once the cuttings are carried to a certain height, gravity causes the cuttings to fall onto a drop tray positioned along a horizontal chord of the rotating drum.

Abstract: A method of mist lubrication of a drill, suctioning chips cut by the drill, and cooling the coil of an electromagnetic riveter includes aligning the open top of a drill/suction cavity of a movable shuttle body with a drill which descends through the cavity and through a tapered opening at the bottom of the cavity to drill a hole in a workpiece clamped by a pressure foot attached to a carrier in which the shuttle body slides. As the drill descends through the cavity, mist lubrication is blown on the drill bit through a nozzel aligned with a port opening in the side of the cavity. Drill chips cut by the drill bit are suctioned away from the workpiece as they are made through a second port opening in the side of the cavity which is connected to a vacuum hose. Air is blown into the cavity through the same nozzel to swirl the chips as they are being cut by the drill to facilitate their removal through the vacuum port.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for drilling holes, each having a substantially similar and desired depth. Apparatus 10 includes a limit switch 42 which deactivates motors 20 and 33 and light 34 when the drill motor's travel has reached a predetermined point and correspondingly the drill bit has reached a desired depth.