Hobbing Patents (Class 409/11)
  • Patent number: 11628528
    Abstract: A machining unit for machining, in particular turning and/or milling, workpieces, in particular elongate workpieces, in particular shafts, includes a machining tool. The machining tool can be moved along at least two different, in particular combined, motion paths in a motion plane. The machining until also includes at least one drive unit, which is designed for moving the machining tool along a first motion path and along a second motion path, which is different from the first motion path, possibly in a combined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: AFW Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Dominik Weingaertner
  • Patent number: 11292100
    Abstract: A machine tool comprises a structure in which at least one component (12) of this structure is thermally insulated from the external environment and in which this component (12) is sealed so as to prevent fluid communication between the inside (18) and the outside of the component (12) of the structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: BRETON SPA
    Inventors: Luca Toncelli, Claudio Saurin, Riccardo Trojetto
  • Patent number: 10500657
    Abstract: One or more workpieces having a desired gear geometry may be produced by means of a suitably dressed tool which is respectively dressed by a dresser after the carrying out of one or more machining steps before further machining steps are carried out at the same workpiece or at further workpieces. A relative position between the dresser and the tool may be changed by a corresponding additional adjustment of the axes of movement of the dressing machine in a later dressing process with respect to an earlier dressing process in addition to the smaller center distance resulting from the smaller tool diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Robert Wuerfel
  • Patent number: 8931984
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a processing head for processing machines, preferably tooth milling and tooth grinding machines, comprising a direct drive which is arranged in a processing head bed of a processing machine, wherein the direct drive comprises at least two motors actuatable in synchronism with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Zeller
  • Patent number: 8647033
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool for machining a work piece having a main spindle unit with a preferably vertical spindle axis, and a machining spindle unit, particularly a hobbing spindle unit that is arranged next to the spindle axis in a direction crosswise to the spindle axis to accommodate a machining tool, with said machining spindle unit being displaceable along a first guiding direction, in particular vertically (Z) by means of a first guide and crosswise, preferably perpendicularly (X) or approximately perpendicularly displaceable to the first guiding direction, particularly the vertical, by means of a second guide, can advance to a work piece clamped in the main spindle unit, and can swivel around a swivel axis (B), preferably perpendicularly to the spindle axis (A) of the machining spindle unit, and with the machining tool having an arbitrary number of helically arranged machining elements, in particular a single- or multi-threaded generating means, adapted to execute generating teeth manufa
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: Gleanson-Pfauter Maschinenfabrik GmbH, Schuster Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Moser, Claus Kobialka, Matthias Schmidt, Helmut Schuster
  • Publication number: 20130061704
    Abstract: A gear assembly includes a single piece gear body having a first axis of rotation and including opposing first and second surfaces each having spiroid gear teeth formed therein. The gear teeth radially extend outward from the first axis of rotation. The gear teeth on the first surface also extend from the first surface toward the second surface and the gear teeth on the second surface also extend from the second surface toward the first surface. The gear teeth on the first surface and the gear teeth on the second surface are configured to concurrently engage teeth of a pinion such that rotation of the pinion is translated to rotation of the gear body around the first axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Shawn M. Green, DuWayne R. Cookman, James H. Pospisil
  • Publication number: 20120148360
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for generating teeth of workpieces (3) by hob peeling, having a workpiece spindle (1) that can be rotatably driven for accommodating the work wheel (3) to be geared, particularly internally, and having a tool spindle (2) that can be rotatably driven, said tool spindle (2) carrying a peeling wheel (4), which has a regular tooth pitch determined by the tooth spacing of the gearing of the workpiece (3). In order to improve the performance of the generic device and/or generic method, and to provide the peeling wheel suited therefor, it is proposed that the distance between at least some of the teeth of the peeling wheel (4) that are of identical shape corresponds to a multiple of the regular tooth pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: PROFILATOR GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Heinemann, Marcel Sobczyk
  • Patent number: 8186032
    Abstract: Tool arrangement for the production of helical teeth in gear wheels, wherein a roughing hob (20), at least one deburring cutter (16, 18) and a finishing hob (12) can be fastened on a common mandrel (14) in a predetermined rotational position relative to one another, and the teeth of the finishing hob, which are situated along a helical line, each have a different cross section such that the engagement angle of the right or left flanks decreases continuously starting from a maximum value of the first tooth up to the last tooth, and the maximum engagement angle of the right flanks of the first or last tooth coincides with the minimum engagement angle of the left flanks, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignees: Liebherr-Verzahntechnik GmbH, Fette GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Carmincke, Oliver Winkel
  • Patent number: 8096734
    Abstract: A milling cutter tool including a basic body and a replaceable cutting body. The cutting body includes a set of teeth which are situated with a uniform partition along one of a pair of opposite sides of the cutting body. The cutting body is fixed in a pocket having a support surface against which the underside of the cutting body is mounted. The support surface of the pocket, and the underside of the cutting body, are tipped at a negative axial angle ? of at least 0.5° in relation to a center axis (C1) of the basic body such that the teeth of the cutting body are located along a common, phantom helical line (X), which is concentric with the center axis (C1) of the basic body and has an even pitch which corresponds to the partition between the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sandvik Intellectual Property AB
    Inventor: Sture Sjöö
  • Patent number: 8006359
    Abstract: A machine tool for processing tooth formations of workpieces, includes a rotary holder which can be rotated about a main axis A, two workpiece spindles which are arranged on the rotary holder, with the workpiece spindles having spindle axes (Sa, Sb) which are orientated parallel with the main axis A, in particular with the workpiece spindles being arranged symmetrically about the main axis A, and a tool holder for a tool for processing a workpiece on one of the workpiece spindles, is characterized in that the main axis A of the rotary holder extends horizontally. With this machine tool, contamination of the rotary holder and tool spindles by removed chips can be reduced and the structural complexity for a relative feed movement of the tool with respect to the workpiece parallel with the spindle axes can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Felsomat GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Helmut Jaeger
  • Publication number: 20100278605
    Abstract: A method and a device for machining the tooth edges (23, 25) developed between each end face (22, 24) and the tooth flanks (26, 27) of end-cut work wheels (2). The axis of rotation (20) of the spindle that carries the machining tool (21) is displaced around an orthogonal swivel axis (16) relative to the tool axis of rotation so that the cutting directions are opposite to each other with respect to the work wheel (2) in the machining of the lower tooth edges (23) and the upper tooth edges (25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: GLEASON-PFAUTER MASCHINENFABRIK GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Philippin, Juergen Pastow
  • Publication number: 20100221080
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, a method and a machine tool for machining a workpiece clamped in the machine tool, the device comprising a hobbing tool for removing material of the workpiece for shaping a rollable profile, in particular a gearing, on the workpiece by hob milling, and a hobbing tool receiving means for receiving the hobbing tool, the device particularly comprising a milling head fixing means which is suitable to fix the device in a receiving means of the milling head of the machine tool, the machine tool comprising at least 5 axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: DECKEL MAHO PFRONTEN GMBH
    Inventors: Josef NEUMAIER, Thomas LOCHBIHLER, Uwe-Carsten HANSEN
  • Publication number: 20100202847
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool for machining a work piece having a main spindle unit with a preferably vertical spindle axis, and a machining spindle unit, particularly a hobbing spindle unit that is arranged next to the spindle axis in a direction crosswise to the spindle axis to accommodate a machining tool, with said machining spindle unit being displaceable along a first guiding direction, in particular vertically (z) by means of a first guide and crosswise, preferably perpendicularly (x) or approximately perpendicularly displaceable to the first guiding direction, particularly the vertical, by means of a second guide, can advance to a work piece clamped in the main spindle unit, and can swivel around a swivel axis (B), preferably perpendicularly to the spindle axis (A) of the machining spindle unit, and with the machining tool having an arbitrary number of helically arranged machining elements, in particular a single- or multi threaded generating means, adapted to execute generating teeth manufa
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Rudolf Moser, Kobialka Claus, Schmidt Matthias, Schuster Helmut
  • Publication number: 20090311063
    Abstract: Tool arrangement for the production of helical teeth in gear wheels, wherein a roughing hob (20), at least one deburring cutter (16, 18) and a finishing hob (12) can be fastened on a common mandrel (14) in a predetermined rotational position relative to one another, and the teeth of the finishing hob, which are situated along a helical line, each have a different cross section such that the engagement angle of the right or left flanks decreases continuously starting from a maximum value of the first tooth up to the last tooth, and the maximum engagement angle of the right flanks of the first or last tooth coincides with the minimum engagement angle of the left flanks, and vice versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicants: FETTE GMBH, LIEBHERR-VERZAHNTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Carmincke, Oliver Winkel
  • Patent number: 7377731
    Abstract: A work piece having edges comprising teeth, slots, dovetail, keyway or other irregularly shaped artifacts, can be provided with a uniform chamfer around the periphery of the work piece by bringing a grinding wheel or cutter in one single down feed at indexed intervals. The shape or profile of the grinding wheel or cutter is formed from an algorithm depending on the shape and dimensions of the work piece artifacts, such as gear teeth, etc., to provide the uniform chamfer at each slot of, for example, an internal or external gear wheel. A method of providing such a chamfer on irregularly shaped artifacts comprises forming a gear grinding wheel from the dimensions of the desired chamfer, and providing a chamfering tool or grinding wheel in accordance with an algorithm desired for the required chamfer, then bringing the gear chamfering tool in proximity to, and in contact with the edges of the work piece so as to produce a uniform chamfer on the sides and back edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2008
    Inventor: Joseph L. Arvin
  • Patent number: 7310863
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hobbing machine. The hobbing machine includes a clamp fixture adapted to retain a gear blank. A motor is operatively connected to the clamp fixture and is configured to rotate the clamp fixture and the gear blank together at a predetermined speed. A rotatable cutter is translatable into engagement with the gear blank and is configured to cut the gear blank and thereby produce a plurality of gear teeth. A de-burring tool is translatable into engagement with the gear blank and is configured to remove burrs from the gear blank as the gear teeth are being cut. A motorized spindle is operatively connected to the de-burring tool, and is configured to power and rotate the de-burring tool at a predefined speed to optimize the removal of the burrs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Lee, Frank H. Kays, Travis M. Thompson, Stephen D. Doubler
  • Publication number: 20070186398
    Abstract: The present invention provides a hobbing machine. The hobbing machine includes a clamp fixture adapted to retain a gear blank. A motor is operatively connected to the clamp fixture and is configured to rotate the clamp fixture and the gear blank together at a predetermined speed. A rotatable cutter is translatable into engagement with the gear blank and is configured to cut the gear blank and thereby produce a plurality of gear teeth. A de-burring tool is translatable into engagement with the gear blank and is configured to remove burrs from the gear blank as the gear teeth are being cut. A motorized spindle is operatively connected to the de-burring tool, and is configured to power and rotate the de-burring tool at a predefined speed to optimize the removal of the burrs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Lee, Frank H. Kays, Travis M. Thompson, Stephen D. Doubler
  • Patent number: 6939093
    Abstract: A chamfer hob for and a method of providing a chamfered end and having an identical chamfer angle at both a front face and a back face of a gear including a shaft, a plurality of helical cutting vanes extending radially outwardly from the shaft, such that the radially outward surface of the cutting vanes defines a hob diameter, and a hob radius, a predetermined radial width of the desired chamfer and a depth of chamfer, such that the chamfering is done on both faces of the gear teeth ends resulting in a uniform chamfer around the periphery of the complete gear tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Inventors: Joseph L. Arvin, Herbert A. Grubel
  • Patent number: 6839953
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for manufacturing a gear component. The apparatus includes a plurality of tooling stocks movable relative to a base. The tooling stocks function to retain a component, as well as operably driving a combination hob/shaver tool and a combination chamfer/debut tool. The apparatus reduces the number of machines required to complete the gear component as well as reducing the cycle time for complete component manufacture. In this way, a more efficient manufacturing system is provided, whereby capital investment and operational costs are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Magna Drivetrain of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Fitzgerald, Jeffrey A. Rynders
  • Patent number: 6757949
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for manufacturing a gear component. The apparatus includes a plurality of tooling stocks movable relative to a base. The tooling stocks function to retain a component, as well as operably driving a combination hob/shaver tool and a combination chamfer/debur tool. The apparatus reduces the number of machines required to complete the gear component as well as reducing the cycle time for complete component manufacture. In this way, a more efficient manufacturing system is provided, whereby capital investment and operational costs are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian M. Fitzgerald, Jeffrey A. Rynders
  • Publication number: 20030210964
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for manufacturing a gear component. The apparatus includes a plurality of tooling stocks movable relative to a base. The tooling stocks function to retain a component, as well as operably driving a combination hob/shaver tool and a combination chamfer/debur tool. The apparatus reduces the number of machines required to complete the gear component as well as reducing the cycle time for complete component manufacture. In this way, a more efficient manufacturing system is provided, whereby capital investment and operational costs are reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventors: Brian M. Fitzgerald, Jeffrey A. Rynders
  • Patent number: 6618917
    Abstract: A headstock 10 having a chuck 12 and a tailstock 20 having a shaft 21 are mounted on a bed 1 and can move with respect to each other in the direction of the Z-axis, A carriage 50 is slidably mounted on the bad 1 and can move in the Z-axis direction with respect to the rotational axis of a spindle 11. A turning device (lathe tool) 30 is provided to perform a turning operation on a workpiece and a gear cutting device 40 is provided to perform a gear cutting on the workpiece. The turning device 30 and the gear cutting device are preferably slidably mounted on the carriage 50 in a side-by-side relationship. The turning device 30 and the gear cutting device 40 may have respective traverse slide bases 31 and 41. The traverse slide bases 31 and 41 are mounted on the carriage 50 and can move independently in the direction of the X-axis perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 11, i.e. in a traverse sliding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Dainichi Kinzoku Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Sugiura, Yoshinobu Yasuda, Masami Funamoto, Kaoru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6450740
    Abstract: A mechanical gear hob is equipped with an automatic stock divide device that enables the hob to cut or re-cut gear parts that already have teeth in them by automatically synchronizing the gear teeth to the hob cutter. The hob is equipped with a hob shift position sensor and a hob cutter rotary position sensor to input to a controller the lateral and rotary positions of the hob cutter. A stock divide sensor is mounted adjacent the worktable to determine the location of the gear teeth previously formed in the workpiece. A servomotor is mounted to the differential input shaft in the hob drive train and has a rotary position feedback to the controller as well. Stock divide is accomplished by an input to the differential, causing the workpiece to rotate relative to the hob cutter to bring the existing teeth on the workpiece into phase with the teeth of the hob cutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: David Dean Mundhenke, Steven Marc Klabunde
  • Patent number: 6116828
    Abstract: Gear cutting is to be effected in high efficiency and at low cost. To this end, using a hob 16 coated with at least one layer of a film of a composition comprising:(Ti.sub.(1-x) Al.sub.x)(N.sub.y C.sub.(1-y))0.2.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.850.25.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.1.0,dry cutting is performed at a cutting speed in the range of 80 to 400 m/min without using a cutting oil. Teeth can be generated at a greatly improved cutting speed without using any expensive tool such as a tool made of cemented carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuneo Egawa, Yozo Nakamura, Satoshi Morimoto, Hirofumi Kage, Yukihisa Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6079090
    Abstract: A numeric-control machine tool for turning and hobbing mechanical parts, comprising: a main mandrel, which is provided with grip means for a mechanical part and can be rotated about its own axis; a first carriage, which supports a turret tool post for turning and/or milling and/or drilling; and a second carriage, which supports a gear hobbing tool head. The first and second carriages can move on command, in a controlled manner, with respect to the main mandrel in order to selectively move the tools installed on the turret tool post and the hobbing tools so that they machine the part supported by the main mandrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Nuova Trasmissione S.r.l.
    Inventor: Stefano Ongaro
  • Patent number: 6056487
    Abstract: A compact high through-put gear cutting machine collects stress transmitting structure adjacent to the work piece significantly reducing the weight and cost of the machine while providing a high degree of rigidity. This structure is positioned so as not to collect hot metal chips resulting from the cutting process which are cleared through an opening in the structure to a tubular frame isolated in stress and heat from the stress structure. DC synchronous servo motors drive five of the axis slaved to the cutter axis which is an AC induction motor driven by a vector drive. A lightweight tubular frame replaces a cast iron frame traditional in such machines. A compact axis structure is obtained by eliminating a y-axis or cutter feed motor and synthesizing that motion through a relatively shallow z, y axis table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Inventors: James D. Brehmer, Daniel P. Bird
  • Patent number: 6053676
    Abstract: Machine tool for machining of a rotating workpiece, comprising a tool drive, a workpiece drive for rotatably driving the workpiece, a tool rotationally driven by the tool drive in synchronization with the workpiece for producing a toothing on the workpiece, rotation transmitters for determining rotational condition of the tool and the workpiece, respectively, an electronic control for keeping the workpiece drive and the tool drive in synchronization by respectively associated ones of the rotation transmitters. A positioning motor is associated with one of the two drives for influencing the position of the phases of the two drives, and a sensor element provided in association with one of the two rotation transmitters is rotatably adjustable with respect to a stator of a corresponding one of the drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Inventors: Friedrich Albert Garschagen, Hans-Udo Heym
  • Patent number: 5947663
    Abstract: A horizontal hobbing machine comprises a bed, a cutting section provided on the bed and including at least a horizontal rotary shaft and a hob. The cutting section generates a tooth form on a work piece supported around the rotary shaft by means of the hob. A conveyor is provided in a lower part of the cutting section below the bed to remove chips of the work piece resulting from the cutting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuneo Egawa, Yozo Nakamura, Toshikazu Kominami, Yoshiharu Tonohara
  • Patent number: 5813806
    Abstract: The hobbing machine has a tool assembly with a tool spindle and a workpiece holding assembly with a workpiece spindle. A first drive unit for driving the tool spindle is provided. A second drive unit for driving the workpiece spindle is provided. The tool spindle and/or the workpiece spindle is a rotor of the first and second drive unit so that the tool spindle and/or workpiece spindle can be directly driven by the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Hermann-Pfauter GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Wolfgang Muller
  • Patent number: 5634250
    Abstract: A hobbing accessory is disclosed for a vertical milling machine of a type comprising a column, a knee mounted to the column so as to be vertically positionable with respect to the column, a saddle mounted to the knee so as to be horizontally positionable with respect to the knee, toward and away from the column, a table mounted to the saddle so as to be horizontally positionable with respect to the saddle, in opposite directions across the column, a head projecting from the column, an arbor mounted operatively to the head and rotatable about a generally vertical axis, and a motor for rotating the arbor about the generally vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: 2 M Tool Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Vladan Mihailovic
  • Patent number: 5622459
    Abstract: A tool for manufacturing crown wheels by means of a machining hobbing process, which consists of a disc which can rotate about its axis and on the circumference of which machining elements are disposed whose cutting edges lie in the surface of a profile which mainly extends over the circumference of the disc as helical ribs. In each cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the screw direction of the ribs, the profile has the shape of a number of profile teeth situated next to one another. The profile shape is based on the base geometry of a pinion which is characteristic for the crown wheel to be manufactured and has involute toothing. The profile has such a shape that a part thereof lies outside the surface of revolution which is formed by rotation of the addendum circle of the characteristic pinion about the rotational axis of the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Crown Gear B.V.
    Inventors: Augustinus F. H. Basstein, Gustaaf A. Uittenbogaart, Anne L. Sijtstra
  • Patent number: 5312210
    Abstract: A multi-tool apparatus is useable for hobbing cylindrical blanks using a tool that has an axis of rotation that extends parallel to a line perpendicular to an axis extending through the center of the blank. The tool and the blank are both rotated during the cutting operation. The tool is spaced from the axis of rotation of the blank and linear movement of the tool is only in a direction parallel to the axis of the blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Terri L. Lovekamp
  • Patent number: 5205806
    Abstract: In a composite-machining machine tool for carrying out a turning operation and a machining center operation, a B-axis shaft 13, having a tool spindle head 14 mounted on its front end, is rotatably supported by a Y-axis slide 10, and the B-axis shaft 13 can be indexingly rotated by a B-axis servomotor 22. Clamp pistons 26 are provided in opposed relation to a flange portion 25 of a front end portion 13A of the B-axis shaft, and the clamp pistons 26 are pressed against the flange portion 25 to thereby fix the B-axis shaft at an arbitrary rotational angle position. By doing so, a hobbing tool 29 can be fixed in such a manner that the axis of this hobbing tool can be precisely indexed at a desired angular position with respect to a workpiece W, thereby enabling a hobbing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Tsugami Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Ishida, Shinichi Yamazaki, Masaki Yoshioka
  • Patent number: 5205679
    Abstract: A rotary tool for generating bevel gears, characterized in that a module m at a plane of rotation which is away from a reference point on a central axis by a distance .xi. in the axial direction is shown by an equation;m=m.sub.0 (1+.kappa..xi.)where, m.sub.0 denotes a module at the reference point and .kappa. is a constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1993
    Assignee: Kyoiku Haguroma Kogyo Kabushiki-kaisha
    Inventor: Shigeyoshi Nagata
  • Patent number: 5192172
    Abstract: In a hobbing machine of the type with a pair of coaxial heads driving a hob supported between them, one of which capable of movement toward and away from the other and one affording a key positioned to engage a slot associated with the hob, the slot is incorporated directly into the hob, and each head carries an axially hollow alignment spigot with a stop collar, matched to and insertable in the axial bore of the hob to a depth determined by interaction of the relative collar with the end of the hob; equipping one of the heads with a coaxial tension rod insertable through the bore of the hob, and the other head with a clamping mechanism capable of gripping and tensioning the rod, the necessary rigidity is obtained without the use of an arbor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Mikron S.p.A. Bologna
    Inventor: Alessandro Lunazzi
  • Patent number: 4961289
    Abstract: A tool for fine machining the tooth flanks of pretoothed gearwheels is described. The flanks of the gearwheel are subjected to a worm-shaped tool by the hobbing method. The tool is made of an elastic synthetic material with embedded granular grinding material. It is advantageous for the worm-shaped tool to be lined up with a conventional grinding worm on a tool spindle. The microfinish of the gearwheel, i.e. the polishing, can then take place on one and the same machine directly following the grinding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1990
    Assignee: Liebherr-Verzahntecknik GmbH
    Inventor: Gerd Sulzer
  • Patent number: 4822217
    Abstract: Problems connected with control of the worktable in automatic gear cutting machinery are overcome by adoption of a drive system incorporating two speed reductions, the first of which a worm and wheel, the second consisting in a cylindrical gear pair with parallel shafts, one of the two members of which is backlash-compensating and split into two coaxial sections; the larger of the two cylindrical gears turns as one with the worktable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: C.I.M.A. Costruzioni Italiane Macchine Attrezzi S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alessandro Lunazzi
  • Patent number: 4759113
    Abstract: A tensioner having screw threads tightened by rotation of a hob drive (15) is used for applying clamping pressure to a hob (10) in a working position in a hobbing machine. The tensioner extends through the hob between the end supports (11 and 12) of the hobbing machine and has threads arranged so that a wrench system can hold part of the tensioner against rotation while the hob drive tightens the threads to a predetermined clamping torque. The tensioner can be a single draw rod (20) extending from driving end support (11), through hob (10), and into threaded engagement with idler end support (12); and the tensioner can include a hob mounting arbor (45) having threaded ends into which a pair of opposed tensioner rods (20 and 46) are threaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1988
    Assignee: The Gleason Works
    Inventor: Ernst J. Hunkeler
  • Patent number: 4708544
    Abstract: The method is used for measuring and/or controlling the position of a rotating reference element of a machine tool as a function of the position of a rotating main guide element. The two elements execute a basic movement with a transmission ratio which is constant in the ideal case. From the elements executing the basic movements pulse sequences are derived and their frequencies are made equal. The reference element executes an additional movement which, compared with the basic movement, occurs slowly and is predetermined as a function of the position of another moving element. To superimpose the additional movement, at least one of the signals describing the basic movement is shifted in phase relative to the reference element and a phase comparison is executed between the signals obtained, in such a manner that the resolution of the phase shift is distinctly finer than the distance between adjacent pulses of the signals derived from the main guide element and from the reference element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1987
    Assignee: Hermann Pfauter GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Ingo Faulstich, Dieter Ulbrich
  • Patent number: 4590661
    Abstract: Equipment and method for automatically changing tools on hobbing machines. The machines are of the type equipped with a bedplate to which are connected a pair of uprights, the first of which for supporting a work head and the second of which for supporting a cutter head. The cutter head is rotatable around a horizontal axis and supports horizontally a hob at the extremities thereof. The equipment includes guide means provided in the cutter head, parallel to the axis of the hob, and a support for at least one extremity of the hob is slidable inside the cutter head along the guide means. The support is also displaceable, without being withdrawn from the cutter head, by an amount sufficient to free the two extremities of the hob from the cutter head. The equipment includes also an independent frame fixable to either one of the pair of uprights, and supporting grasping means located above the cutter head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Assignee: CIMA S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alessandro Lunazzi
  • Patent number: 4588336
    Abstract: A rack and pinion gear having helical teeth. A conical hob is employed for cutting recessed rack teeth in the work piece by continuously engaging the hob and work piece as the work piece moves longitudinally beneath (or with respect to) the rotating hob. To mate with the helical teeth in the rack, a helical gear having rounded or arcuate teeth is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1986
    Inventor: Bernard J. Navarro
  • Patent number: 4536110
    Abstract: A tool mounting assembly for a gear hobbing machine is disclosed as being mounted between a drive spindle and an outboard bearing support in axial alignment with said drive spindle. The tool mounting assembly comprises a first coupling unit for detachably connecting one end of a hob in driving engagement with said drive spindle, and a second coupling unit for detachably connecting the other end of said hob to said outboard bearing support. The outboard support unit includes a plunger rotatably mounted in the bearing support and axially movable between a hob coupling position and an unload position, and has a drive means for selectively moving the plunger between said hob coupling and unload positions. The second coupling unit includes a first portion secured to the other end of said hob and a second portion secured to said plunger, and includes axial nesting means for self centering the other end of the hob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1985
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: W. James Farrell, Werner K. Diehl
  • Patent number: 4479405
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a saw blade or saw band by forming saw teeth in a solid stock moving continuously in a longitudinal direction includes a grinding wheel mounted for rotation about an axis which is inclined at an acute angle to and which diverges from the direction of movement of the stock. The grinding wheel has a generally frusto-conical configuration and an outer periphery defined by first and second axially distinct helical grinding ribs having different contours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1984
    Inventor: Erwin Junker
  • Patent number: 4449869
    Abstract: A gear cutting machine is provided with gearing providing additional inaccuracies to superimpose the additional inaccuracies over the normal or residual gear cutting inaccuracies of the machine. The resultant errors cut into the gears provide gears having desired noise characteristics. The additional inaccuracies are of a higher frequency than the residual errors so that noise above the audible frequency range is provided by the gears so cut. The gear cutting machine has gearing for driving the hobbing spindle and for indexing a rotary table through worm gearing. The spindle drive gear and the worm drive gear are provided with eccentric sockets for introducing the additional inaccuracies. The drive gears also are provided with deformable portions providing the drive gear teeth so that the drive gears may be deformed into polygons. The eccentric sockets and polygonal drive gears are retained in position on the shafts that they drive by a nut and intermediary element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Assignee: BHS-Dr. Ing. Hofler Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Kurt Maier
  • Patent number: 4435110
    Abstract: A gear hobbing machine is provided with a hypoid gear set and a spur gear set for reducing the final drive to its work spindle. As a result of this arrangement, a wide range of machine speeds are available and reverse hand hobbing can be carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1984
    Assignee: The Gleason Works
    Inventor: Ernst J. Hunkeler
  • Patent number: 4318648
    Abstract: In a machine of the type in which cutting tools are arranged on successive links of an endless chain, each tool being in offset rotation to the preceding tool, at right angles to the direction of travel, means are provided for periodically shifting the workhead and work spindle parallel with the plane in which the tools travel when cutting. The means for shifting are operatively independent of the means for driving the chain and the work spindle in generation, and are operated when the tools and workpieces are disengaged, and normally after a predetermined number of stacks of workpieces has been cut, in order to equalize wear on the blades carried by the chain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1982
    Assignee: The Gleason Works
    Inventors: Thomas A. Deprez, Philip F. White
  • Patent number: 4287659
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for effecting an automated exchange of a tool in hobbing machines. At least a pair of gripping devices are mounted on a shaft for relative sliding movement therealong and for selective locking engagement with the shaft so that a rotation of the shaft will effect a rotary movement of a selected one of the gripping devices. The rotary movement of the selected gripping device is between a storage position and a working position. The gripping device is capable of holding a tool which is to be exchanged for a worn out tool. The other gripping device is generally empty and is first moved into the working position to extract the worn out tool from the milling spindle. Thereafter, the gripping devices are shifted to bring the appropriate device having a new tool therein into a position so that it can be rotated with the shaft to bring the new tool into the working position and inserted onto the milling spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1981
    Assignee: Carl Hurth Maschinen- und Zahnradfabrik GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Manfred Erhardt, Werner Fendt, Manfred Huber
  • Patent number: 4215959
    Abstract: A gear manufacturing machine which includes an endless chain for carrying a series of stock removing tools is provided with a versatile drive train system which can be adjusted for different methods of gear manufacture. The drive train system includes coupling components which can be engaged and disengaged for connecting or disconnecting certain portions of the drive train from parts of the machine. With this arrangement, a single machine can be utilized for carrying out roll generating or hobbing operations with one or more workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: The Gleason Works
    Inventor: Thomas A. Deprez
  • Patent number: 4205834
    Abstract: A device for facilitating the alignment of heavy workpieces at a machine table or the like, comprising a housing capable of being arranged below the workpiece at the machine table. A pendulum support is arranged in the housing so as to have a limited tilting movement to all sides and equally can be moved between a rest position and support position where it supports the workpiece. The pendulum support is arranged so that it can be selectively raised and lowered. Further, there is provided a mechanically adjustable support which is guided so that it can be raised and lowered. The mechanically adjustable support is guided in the housing between a rest position and a support position where it supports the workpiece instead of the pendulum support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1980
    Assignee: Maag Gear-Wheel & Machine Company Limited
    Inventors: Walter Demuth, Erhard Ruesch
  • Patent number: 4203258
    Abstract: In a gear finishing or other machine having a base, a table support mounting a reciprocal table having a head stock and a tail stock for supporting a workpiece gear or spline to be finished, a pedestal on the base mounting a motor-operated transmission and a depending machine head mounting a power-driven abrasive honing, or other type finishing gear rotatable upon a horizontal or vertical axis, the table support or head being relatively adjustable with respect to the other to bring the workpiece teeth into operative position with respect to the teeth of the finishing gear. The improvement which comprises a first gear train connecting said transmission to said finishing gear for rotation thereof at a predetermined speed. A drive spindle is journalled through said head stock adapted for axial drive engagement with the workpiece gear to be finished. A second gear train interconnects said transmission with said drive spindle for rotation at a predetermined speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Inventor: Gerhard R. Held