Plural Cutters Patents (Class 409/192)
  • Patent number: 9011051
    Abstract: A milling apparatus is provided for cutting desired contours into a workpiece. The apparatus comprises a head that moves relative to a workpiece in a direction of cut. Spindles are supported on the head for rotation about parallel spaced-apart spindle z axes and comprise respective rotary cutters adapted for use in machining operations. A rotary head positioner is configured to be operatively connected between the head and a milling machine and to rotate the head about a head axis. A stagger controller is connected to the rotary head positioner and is configured to provide a desired swath of a cut to be formed in a workpiece by rotating the head to set a corresponding spindle stagger angle value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventor: Steve L. Bichsel
  • Patent number: 8800124
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing workpieces to form parts. Tools associated with a multi-spindle machine may be positioned with respect to a plurality of workpieces on a fixture comprising a plurality of platforms and an adjustment system. Each platform may be individually moveable with respect to others in the plurality of platforms about a number of axes. The plurality of platforms may be configured to hold the plurality of workpieces in which each platform may be configured to hold a workpiece in the plurality of workpieces during operations performed by the multi-spindle machine. The adjustment system may be configured to move each of the plurality of platforms about the number of axes independently from the others in the plurality of platforms. The operations may be performed on the plurality of workpieces using the multi-spindle machine and the fixture to form a plurality of parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ryan L. Hanks, Kevin G. Waymack, David P. Heck
  • Patent number: 8721237
    Abstract: A machining device for a workpiece wherein a first feed axis extends through a workpiece holder, a first machining tool is disposed on a first side of the feed axis, and a second machining tool is disposed on a side of the feed axis opposing the first side. Between a first feed axis and perpendicular to a second feed axis, at least one machining tools has a predetermined fixed angular offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH
    Inventor: Franz Basler
  • Patent number: 8672820
    Abstract: A tool stocker includes main stockers for holding a plurality of tools detachably mounted on a main spindle for machining a workpiece, an auxiliary stocker for holding and transferring tools to and from the main stockers, and a tool transfer mechanism for transferring tools between the main stockers and the auxiliary stocker. The auxiliary stocker includes a plurality of tool pods for removably supporting the tools therein, a rail in sliding engagement with outer surfaces of the tool pods, a chain for moving the tool pods in sliding engagement with the rail, and a motor for actuating the chain. The rail has a recess defined therein in alignment with the tool transfer mechanism, such that the tools transferred by the tool transfer mechanism pass through the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoki Uchikawa, Shoji Shibata, Takeshi Shibata, Shugo Arakawa, Masakazu Kubo, Tatsuhiko Tanaka, Kenichi Masuda
  • Patent number: 8529420
    Abstract: A machine tool for achieving a high degree of flexibility during workpiece processing comprises a machine bed with side walls arranged thereon, which respectively comprise a basic body with a front overhanging projection arranged thereon. On the side walls a tool spindle is arranged to be linearly movable by means of slides. Underneath the front overhanging projections a processing space is formed for the workpiece processing, in which a workpiece positioning unit is arranged. The processing space underneath the front overhanging projections is freely accessible, whereby depending on the processing task different workpiece positioning units can be arranged therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: MAG IAS GmbH
    Inventors: Moshe Israel Meidar, Wolfgang Horn, Bernhard Pause, Waldemar Haus, Joachim Krischke, Heiner Lang
  • Patent number: 8523634
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the grinding of a profile (1) of a workpiece (2) with a gear or profile grinding machine (3), wherein the profile (1) which has to be ground is successively at first ground during a roughing operation with a roughing grinding tool (4) and is afterwards ground during a finishing operation with a finishing grinding tool (5), wherein a stock of the profile (1) which has to be removed is ground by the roughing and the finishing operation, wherein the roughing grinding tool (4) and the finishing grinding tool (5) are arranged coaxially on a common tool spindle (6) or on two separate tool spindles and wherein a translational movement is created between the grinding tools (4, 5) and the workpiece (2) in a direction of a first axis (x) for carrying out a grinding stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignees: Kapp GmbH, Niles Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH
    Inventor: Friedrich Woelfel
  • Patent number: 8409062
    Abstract: A machine tool has, on a machine bed, two stands which can be moved in the horizontal x- and z-direction, on which y-slides carrying tool spindles can be vertically moved. Arranged on one of the stands directly above a bridge projecting over its upper side is at least one tool magazine, with which a tool changer is associated for each stand. The drives for the y-slides are attached below the upper side of the stands to the stands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Licon MT GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Winfried Benz, Stefan Niethammer, Bernd Schröter, Gerald Stengele, Thomas Weinbuch
  • Patent number: 8332997
    Abstract: A dental prosthesis manufacturing machine is disclosed. The machine includes two spindles each having a roughing tool and a finishing tool, a workpiece holder for holding a workpiece which forms the dental prosthesis, and a base supporting the two spindles and the workpiece holder. The machine is capable of simply alternating the roughing tool with the finishing tool according to the accuracy required when the workpiece is machined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Vatech Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jae Doc Kim, Yeong Kyun Kim, Sung Kuk Kim, Heon Joo Kim, Jae Yun Park
  • Patent number: 8206276
    Abstract: A machine tool includes a headstock provided with a main spindle and movable in a direction different from a direction of axis of the main spindle, a tool post mounted on the headstock so as to be movable in the direction of axis of the main spindle, and a tool change unit configured to change a tool attached to the main spindle with another tool after an extremity of the main spindle has been moved to a predetermined tool change position. In this machine tool, when an extremity of the tool post is positioned in the tool change position by the movement of the headstock and also by the movement of the tool post, the tool change unit performs change of a tool attached to the tool post with another tool by the same tool change operation as that for the main spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Okuma Corporation
    Inventor: Makoto Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8132305
    Abstract: A package cutting apparatus includes at least two spindles installed at a sawing robot and cutting a frame including a plurality of packages into packages using cutting bits; a frame loading jig loading the frame so that the frame is cut; and a frame-and-unit picker installed at an orthogonal robot to load and unload the frame on and from the frame loading jig, wherein a state of the cutting bit installed at the spindle is checked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tai-Kew Choi, Yong-Kyun Sun, Hee-Sang Yang, Yo-Se Eum, Ho-Soo Jang
  • Patent number: 7811034
    Abstract: A mobile device for simultaneously cutting, chamfering and grooving a pipe. The device having a frame, at least one pipe collet-clamp attached to the frame and defining a principal axis, a split carriage rotatably mounted with respect to the frame about the axis and adjacent to the clamp(s), a router affixed to the split carriage and having a cutting-chamfering bit, a grooving router and a drive motor for rotating the carriage. The routers orbit around the pipe and simultaneously cuts the pipe into two chamfered pipes with grooves. A method is also provided for cutting through a pipe, chamfering the cut ends thereof and grooving the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Inventor: Philip Karow
  • Patent number: 7784161
    Abstract: This invention relates to a device for machining the corner area (1) of frames welded together out of profiled pieces (2, 3) such as, for instance, window or door frames, comprising at least one machining tool (4, 5, 6) that can be moved by means of a tool carrier (7) into the appropriate machining position at the corner area (1) of the frame along an axis (y) extending diagonally to the frame corner (3) and along an axis (z) perpendicular thereto. In order to allow machining of the corner area of a window or door frame as well as machining of the profile section itself, it is proposed according to the invention that the tool carrier (7) can move another tool carrier (8) arranged laterally thereto for at least one machining tool (9) configured for machining the profile section (2, 3), whereby the second tool carrier can be moved at least along an axis (x) extending at an angle ? relative to the axis (y) in the diagonal direction of the frame corner (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: ROTOX GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Eisenbach, Peter Zimmer
  • Patent number: 7665212
    Abstract: Endodontic instruments having a desired cutting edge are formed, at least in part, using a cold forming process. The method of forming the endodontic instrument includes providing a blank metal thread or wire and at least one die that has a negative impression of a cutting edge. The die is pressed against the blank with sufficient force in order for the die to form an at least partially formed cutting edge in the blank. Any desired shape can be formed into the blank by selecting a die with the proper corresponding negative impression. Cold forming techniques suitable for forming endodontic instruments include roll forming, flat rolling, radial forming, cold drawing, and similar techniques. The files can be sharpened or otherwise modified before or after cold-forming using techniques such as cutting, grinding, and chemical milling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Ultradent Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Lewis, John Nielsen
  • Patent number: 7621029
    Abstract: A multi-spindle machining center for the chip forming processing of workpieces comprises a spindle group having at least two spindles arranged in a spindle row adjacent to each other to mount a chip forming tool, and a workpiece support, on which at least two workpiece holders, correlated with the geometrical arrangement of the spindles, for holding workpieces for a simultaneous processing by means of the spindles, are arranged, the workpiece support having a beam-like longitudinal support member bearing the workpiece supports, and the spindles are guided for a movement toward the workpiece support in a first axial direction on a spindle linear guide arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Alfing Kessler Sondermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Lombacher, Stefan Hansch
  • Patent number: 7621030
    Abstract: A multi-spindle machining center for the chip forming processing of workpieces comprises a spindle group having at least two spindles arranged in a spindle row to mount a chip forming tool, and a workpiece support, on which at least two workpiece holders, correlated with the geometrical arrangement of the spindles, for holding workpieces for a simultaneous processing by means of the spindles, are arranged, the workpiece support having a beam-like longitudinal support member, bearing the workpiece supports, which at its longitudinal terminal regions is movably held on a respective workpiece support bearing structure and the spindles are guided for a movement toward the workpiece support in a first axial direction on a spindle linear guide arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Alfing Kessler Sondermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Tobias Lombacher, Stefan Hansch
  • Patent number: 7523535
    Abstract: A railcar truck bolster side bearing mounting pad milling machine and method. A milling machine of the present invention includes a pair of milling heads and associated cutters suspended from an overhead frame member. A sliding saddle unit is provided for transporting the bolster into and out of a work envelope of the milling machine. At least one fixturing assembly is attached to the sliding saddle unit to support and fix the position of the bolster in three directions. The bolster is rigidly supported from its underside, thereby eliminating the risk that the bolster may move downward during machining. Since the vertical position of the bolster when presented to the cutters is fixed, thereby the need to raise the bolster into a working position is also eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Columbus Steel Castings Company
    Inventors: Ronald Coleman, Bruce Milligan
  • Patent number: 7506422
    Abstract: A method for processing a lens barrel includes the steps of: (a) providing a processing device including a processing shaft and a cutting tool; (b) moving the lens barrel and the processing shaft relative to each other so that an image of the cutting tool projected on a plane that intersects a tubular wall of the lens barrel is orthogonal to the tubular wall; (c) moving the processing shaft relative to the lens barrel so that the cutting tool is close to the tubular wall; (d) moving the processing shaft relative to the lens barrel so that the cutting tool is in touch with the tubular wall; (e) moving the processing shaft and the lens barrel relative to each other so that the lens barrel is formed with a continuous groove on the tubular wall; and (f) moving the cutting tool away from the lens barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Asia Optical Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Sheng-Jui Chao, Cheng-Hsin Chen
  • Patent number: 7472464
    Abstract: A milling head for a milling device, particularly a rotary milling device, wherein the milling head is capable of imparting a desired finish on a tube, preferably of a heat exchanger tube. The milling head includes one or more milling elements capable of cutting and/or removing heat dissipating elements connected to an outer surface of the tube. The heat dissipating elements are removed from the tube in a longitudinal direction along the tube length. In one embodiment, the milling head also includes a bevel milling element. Methods for milling a tube having heat dissipating elements are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: H&S Tool, Inc.
    Inventor: J. Randall Hall
  • Publication number: 20090003953
    Abstract: A rotary router for routing at a smaller and a larger diameter, alternatively, and of shifting between the two modes semi or fully automatically. A mandrel carries a first cutter cutting at smaller diameter and a carriage mounted on the mandrel rotates around the same axis and carries a cutter cutting at a wider diameter. The carriage is moveable long the mandrel between a rearward position where the second cutter is inactive and the first cutter is exposed for cutting and a forward position where the second cutter is at an exposed cutting position adjacent and outside the first cutter and the first cutter is inactive for lateral cutting. An interlock device is provided for the mandrel and carriage that stops axial movement of the carriage beyond the forward position and stops rotational movement between the mandrel and the carriage while the carriage is at the forward position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventor: Andrew M. Kvalheim
  • Patent number: 7442154
    Abstract: In a machine tool comprising at least one tool carrier and at least one moveable workpiece carrier with which one or more workpieces are positionable for machining, a tool can be changed in a simple manner by providing a tool holding device connected to the at least one workpiece carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Ex-Cell-O GmbH
    Inventors: Harald Boehler, Stefan Bergmann, Markus Stanik
  • Patent number: 7416473
    Abstract: A numeric-control work-centre for machining plates of glass, marble and natural or synthetic stones comprises: a bench, defining a work surface, designed to receive the plates to be machined; two fixed side members, set at the two sides of the work surface; an overhead cross-member, guided over the two side members like an overhead-travelling crane, in a horizontal direction Y orthogonal to the horizontal direction X of the cross-member; and a carriage, which is mobile in the aforesaid horizontal direction X on the cross-member, present in which are two work heads carried by a slide, mounted on the carriage so that, during machining of the edge of a plate, consecutive passing of the first tool and of the second tool in any order is obtained with one and the same movement of the carriage and/or of the cross-member of the work-centre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Biesse S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Belli, Marco Frongia, Filippo Bindelli
  • Patent number: 7363692
    Abstract: A tool for fine machining of work pieces involving metal removal is proposed having at least one cutter (13) for preliminary machining with a geometrically defined cutting edge (15) and having at least one cutter (21) for final machining with a geometrically defined cutting edge (23). The characteristic of the tool is that the cutter (13) for preliminary machining is part of a preliminary machining stage (3) and the cutter (23) for final machining is part of a final machining stage (5) and that an interface (9) located between the preliminary machining stage (3) and the final machining stage (5) is provided with a first flat surface (27) and a second flat surface (29) which are located on the preliminary machining stage (3) and the final machining stage (5) and which has a device (11) ensuring the coaxiality of the preliminary machining stage (3) and the final machining stage (5) to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Mapal Fabrik fur Prazisionswerkzeuge
    Inventors: Dieter Kress, Friedrich Häberle
  • Patent number: 7318693
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for machining workpieces, especially for chip removing machining. The device includes a spindle which is mounted on a first end of a pivoting arm in such a way that it can be linearly displaced in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the spindle, and a console on which the pivoting arm is mounted by its second end in such a way that it can rotate about an axis parallel to the rotation axis of the spindle. The console can be displaced in a direction which is perpendicular to the displacement direction of the spindle in all of the pivoting positions of the pivoting arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Alfing Kessler Sondermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Hansch, Peter Bielitza
  • Patent number: 7305746
    Abstract: A system is disclosed to use a first rotary milling head to break or cut the bond of a heat transfer fin base to a boiler tube, thereby removing the heat transfer fins from the boiler tube, and a second rotary milling head to bevel the exposed end of the boiler tube, thereby facilitating the more efficient repair of the boiler tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Esco Tool
    Inventor: James Moruzzi
  • Patent number: 7213315
    Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool, in particular to cutting machine tools. The inventive machine tool comprises at least two machining modules provided with at least one spindle with a horizontally oriented axis and at least one clamping module having a tooling surface for at least one part which is horizontally oriented and rotatable around a vertical axis. The clamping module includes structure for a rigid coupling thereof to the machining module. One or several clamping modules and/or machining modules are provided with at least one fictive midplane which is parallel with respect to the spindle axis. The machine tool also includes at least one pallet changing module which is connected to the clamping module asymmetrically with respect to the midplane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Alfing Kessler Sondermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Hansch, Peter Bielitza
  • Patent number: 7179026
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rim and to a method for its production, in particular for bicycles, using a machining device for the working a welding burr of the rim. The machining device comprises a machining means working the outer contour of the rim and a another machining means working the inner contour of the rim, that has an outer diameter being less than the width of the rim well. The main steps of the method include movement of the first means along the outer contour of the rim to work the welding burr on the outer contour and movement of the second means along the inner contour of the rim to work the welding burr on the inner contour. During machining the inner contour the rim is pivoted around an axis by a predefined angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: DT Swiss Inc.
    Inventor: Gerrit Jäger
  • Patent number: 7179030
    Abstract: A machine tool for machining workpieces includes a spindle group with at least two spindle arrangements placed alongside each other, each spindle arrangement possessing a spindle to receive a machining tool. Each spindle arrangement is guided on a guide arrangement in the direction of the axis of the respective spindle in a longitudinally sliding manner on a holding device or frame for the spindle group, each guide arrangement possesses an external clearance which is larger than the width of the respective spindle and that the guide arrangements of two directly adjacent spindle arrangements of the spindle group are arranged on mutually different sides of the holding device or frame so that the spindle axes are arranged closer together than in the case of an arrangement of the guide arrangements on the same side of the holding device or frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Alfing Kessler Sondermaschinen GmbH
    Inventors: Carsten Krosta, Ralf Müllner, Stefan Hansch
  • Patent number: 7131473
    Abstract: A coping bit capable of being easily modified to cut profiles having tenons of varying lengths is provided. The coping bit includes an axially extending primary drive shaft and a first cutting member fixed on the primary drive shaft. An axially extending secondary drive shaft having an upper and a lower portion is removably mounted on the primary drive shaft for rotation therewith, and a second cutting member is mounted on the secondary drive shaft in spaced relation to the first cutting member when the secondary drive shaft is mounted to the primary drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Freud America, Inc.
    Inventor: James M. Brewer
  • Patent number: 7114894
    Abstract: A key cutting machine for cutting a notch pattern on a key blank is disclosed. The key cutting machine comprises a pair of cutting heads and a clamp mechanism. Each cutting head includes a cutting wheel having an edge and an alignment structure mounted behind the cutting wheel. Each alignment structure has a key guide portion aligned tangent to the edge of a corresponding cutting wheel to engage and position a key blank laterally. The clamp mechanism is positioned between the cutting heads and is configured to hold the key blank stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: The Hillman Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A. Mueller, Warren W. Stansberry
  • Patent number: 6955509
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rim and to a method for its production, in particular for bicycles, using a machining device for the working a welding burr of the rim. The machining device comprises a machining means working the outer contour of the rim and a another machining means working the inner contour of the rim, that has an outer diameter being less than the width of the rim well. The main steps of the method include movement of the first means along the outer contour of the rim to work the welding burr on the outer contour and movement of the second means along the inner contour of the rim to work the welding burr on the inner contour. During machining the inner contour the rim is pivoted around an axis by a predefined angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: DT Swiss Inc.
    Inventor: Gerrit Jäger
  • Patent number: 6865788
    Abstract: A numerical-control milling machine having a supporting frame; a worktable fitted to the supporting frame so as to oscillate about a substantially horizontal first axis of rotation, and in turn having two rotary platforms, each for accommodating a workpiece; and two independent work units, each of which is fitted movably to the supporting frame, alongside the worktable, is positioned facing a corresponding platform, and provides for machining the workpiece on the platform; the two work units selectively operating either asynchronously, to machine the workpieces fixed to the two platforms independently of each other, or synchronously to perform the same machining operations simultaneously on the workpieces fixed to the two platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: O.M.V. Officine Meccaniche Venete S.r.l.
    Inventor: Franco Pasquetto
  • Patent number: 6827530
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for in-situ milling includes a support and a pair of spaced apart rails attached to the support. The support and rails are mounted between a pair of opposed mill housing wear plate surfaces. A milling assembly is reversibly mounted on the rails in either of a first orientation and a second orientation. In the first orientation, the milling assembly mills one of the wear plate surfaces. The milling assembly is reverse mounted on the rails to the second orientation for milling the other of the wear plate surfaces. This permits the support and the rails to remain in one position between the wear plate surfaces requiring only the milling assembly to be moved to accomplish milling of each of the wear plate surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Self Leveling Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Brown, Tony Backhouse
  • Patent number: 6821063
    Abstract: The tool comprises firstly a cutter support for being driven in rotation about a first axis of rotation that is to coincide with the axis of the orifice, and a cutter rotatably mounted on the cutter support to rotate about a second axis of rotation parallel to the first axis of rotation and spaced apart therefrom by a non-zero offset distance. A front segment of the cutter support has maximum radial extent relative to the first axis of rotation that is less than or equal to the radius of the orifice to enable the front segment to penetrate into the orifice during drilling. The tool is particularly applicable to drilling machines used in the aviation industry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Recoules S.A.
    Inventors: Claude Debat, Michel Bureller
  • Patent number: 6764434
    Abstract: A machining center comprising at least two workstations. A first workstation is adapted to receive a first workpiece, and a second workstation is adapted to receive a second workpiece. The first workstation may be a vacuum table, and the second workstation may be comprised of a plurality of hold-down bars. A carriage is adapted to travel between the two workstations in one machine cycle. The carriage may have a single tool or a plurality of tools. During the machine cycle, the carriage is adapted to perform a machining operation (e.g., routing, drilling, sawing, and/or sanding) on the workpiece at each workstation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Inventor: Wilhelm Volk
  • Publication number: 20040115016
    Abstract: A scuffing device (30) arranged to impart texture to a plastic pallet surface (12) having a plurality of cutting members (34) axially aligned and mounted adjacent each other, the cutting members (34) having radial toothed edges for cutting into and imparting texture to the plastic pallet surface upon rotating engagement therewith. The device further having a shaft upon which the cutting members are mounted for providing rotational movement to the cutting members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Jeff Hentges, Philip King, William J. Rehrig
  • Publication number: 20040115015
    Abstract: An apparatus (1) for making dental inlays or the like by copy milling a blank (7) based on an original (4) comprises a first spindle (3), which is adpated to hold the original (4) and a second spindle (5), which is aligned with the first spindle (2) and adapted to hold the blank (7). A first sensing unit (8) is adapted to scan the original (4) with a probe (9), and a first milling unit (10) is adapted to mill the blank (7) by means of a shank-end mill (11) to form a dental inlay or the like whose shape corresponds to that of the orignal (4) scanned by the probe (9). A second sensing unit (13) is adapted to carry out a rough scan of the original (4) before the first sensing unit (8) by means of a rotatable disc (14), and a second milling unit (15) is adapted to machine the blank (7), while the disc (14) scans the original (4), by means of a milling disc (16) whose size corresponds to that of the disc (14) to create a shape which roughly corresponds to that of the original (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Lennart Sjostedt, Andreas Dahr
  • Publication number: 20040105732
    Abstract: For producing forked roots of turbine blades, the turbine blades are, in a first step, roughed-in and smoothed (finished) on their outer faces in a single operation with two rigidly coupled disk milling cutters that are provided hard metal cutter inserts. In a second step, the forked root is formed with fingers by a set of rigidly coupled disk milling cutters that are provided with hard metal cutter inserts. The disk milling cutters form slots in the forked root. All of the slots are simultaneously opened (roughed-in) and smoothed (finished), the slots having parallel walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Applicant: WALTER AG
    Inventor: Markus Wetli
  • Patent number: 6711804
    Abstract: A machine tool in which a plurality of machining positions is orbited by a work spindle unit carrying a workpiece and capable of radial displacement relative to the central axis of rotation. The work spindle unit may be one of one or more such units mounted upon a bridge element angularly displaceable about that axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: EMAG Maschinenfabrik GmbH
    Inventor: Gerrit Eicher
  • Patent number: 6666632
    Abstract: A high speed machining machine tool (M) of the type that allows the independent setting into motion along at least three axis of two tool carrying slide (100 and 100′). This machine tool implements said motions of each slide by linear motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Renault Automation Comau
    Inventor: Claude Fioroni
  • Patent number: 6568885
    Abstract: A machining cell capable of providing tool movement along at least one axis is provided with at least one, but preferably a pair of articulated debris shields mounted to a tool carriage that translates along an axis of motion. Each articulated debris shield occludes space vacated by the tool carriage as it translates along the axis of motion. In a preferred embodiment, the machining cell provides tool movements along x-, y-, and z-axes and has a stationary housing that supports a z-axis carrier frame slidably mounted thereto for translation along the z-axis. An x-axis carriage is slidably mounted to the z-axis carrier frame for translation along the x-axis. A y-axis spindle frame is slidably mounted to the x-axis carrier frame for vertical translation along the y-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Ann Arbor Machine Company
    Inventor: Lanny Green
  • Publication number: 20030053875
    Abstract: A numerical-control milling machine having a supporting frame; a worktable fitted to the supporting frame so as to oscillate about a substantially horizontal first axis of rotation, and in turn having two rotary platforms, each for accommodating a workpiece; and two independent work units, each of which is fitted movably to the supporting frame, alongside the worktable, is positioned facing a corresponding platform, and provides for machining the workpiece on the platform; the two work units selectively operating either asynchronously, to machine the workpieces fixed to the two platforms independently of each other, or synchronously to perform the same machining operations simultaneously on the workpieces fixed to the two platforms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventor: Franco Pasquetto
  • Patent number: 6457919
    Abstract: A multi-purpose machine tool is provides for high volume secondary operations. Multiple machining heads and eight degrees of freedom provide for maximum versatility and adaptability for convenient set-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Inventor: William D. Sangster
  • Publication number: 20020127073
    Abstract: A method and system for machining a cylinder head include loading a cylinder head into a first five axis computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine. A first fixture of the first CNC machine is then located against a top surface of the cylinder head such that the cylinder head is in a horizontal position. The first CNC machine then machines the cylinder head in the horizontal position. A second fixture of the first CNC machine is then located against a bottom surface of the cylinder head such that the cylinder head is in a vertical position. The first CNC machine then machines the cylinder head in the vertical position. The cylinder head is then moved into a second five axis CNC machine. A fixture of the second CNC machine is then located against a bottom surface of the cylinder head. The second CNC machine then machines the cylinder head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John Edward Chancey
  • Patent number: 6447225
    Abstract: A spindle assembly, with improved belt drive, is suitable for a multi-axis machining cell providing tool movements along predetermined axes of motion, such as the X-, Y- and Z-axes. Plural machining spindles, each provided with a driven pulley, are mounted to a headstock of a machining cell. A spindle, drive motor is also mounted to the headstock and is provided with a drive pulley. A drive belt is trained, preferably by serpentine wrap, over the drive pulley and subsets of driven pulleys, and transmits rotational motion from the drive pulley to the driven pulleys. Preferably, at least one set of drive pulley and driven pulleys is constituted by herringbone sprockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Ann Arbor Machine Company
    Inventor: Lanny Green
  • Patent number: 6212773
    Abstract: A method for forming shaped members by drilling, milling or pushing. The positions of tools are preset with respect to at least one reference surface of the machine. A reference surface of each of the members to be machined is placed on the machine reference surface. The tools are moved in union relative to the member on the machine so that at least one tool in the set can carry out a machining step on at least one side wall of the member. The tools are preset and the member is shaped in such a way that members of various cross sections may be suitably machined from the same set of tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventor: Daniel Colombo
  • Patent number: 6081980
    Abstract: A drive apparatus for a simultaneous operation machine includes a plurality of pulleys and drive belts in a unique orientation to simultaneously drive a plurality of spindles. A first outer spindle is driven about a first axis of rotation to perform a first operation such as machining. An inner spindle is disposed within the outer spindle and is driven about a second axis which is offset from and parallel to the first axis to simultaneously perform a second operation, such as grinding. Additionally, the drive apparatus is capable of rotating the second spindle about the second axis while orbiting about the first axis, and simultaneously rotating of the first spindle about the first axis. Preferably, a single motor is provided for driving both of the outer and inner spindles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Cobra Machine Tool
    Inventor: Garfield R. Lunn
  • Patent number: 6033165
    Abstract: A numerical controlled router having a housing mounted on a support structure wherein an opening of the housing is formed in front of a head structure and a table support member is provided outside of the housing, a suction table is rotatably supported by the table support member, and a table rotating cylinder for rotating the suction table extends through a cut-out portion of the table support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Heian Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 5980172
    Abstract: A double cutting spindle unit comprising a main spindle unit and a sub-spindle unit mounted on the main spindle unit and vertically slidable relative to the main spindle unit. The chucking member is normally biased toward its fastening direction by a fastening spring formed by a plurality of spiral belleville springs arranged around the chuck actuating shaft. A two-stage hydraulic cylinder comprising two coaxially arranged cylinders is mounted on a supporting frame arranged on the top cover, and the actuating rod of the hydraulic cylinder is arranged with its free end being opposite to the end of the chuck actuating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Shoda Iron Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Shoda
  • Patent number: 5971680
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic printed circuit board two-bevel forming machine which includes a conveyer, a first cutter assembly which is disposed above the conveyer, and a second cutter assembly which is disposed below the conveyer. The first cutter assembly includes a first rough and a first fine bevel cutter. The second cutter assembly includes a second rough and second fine bevel cutter. The rough and fine bevel cutters of the first and second cutter assemblies incline at a suitable angle toward the upper and lower edges of the PCBs being conveyed. The rough and fine cutters stretch or shrink to a suitable position controlled by a pneumatic driving device. When the PCBs pass through the first and second cutter assemblies sequentially by means of the conveyer, the rough and fine bevel cutters of the first cutter assembly cut and grind the upper edge to form an upper fine bevel, and the rough and fine bevel cutters of the second cutter assembly cut and grind the lower edge to form a lower fine bevel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Der Lih Fuh Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsien-Li Kuo
  • Patent number: 5655859
    Abstract: A machine tool comprises a spindle head displaceable in two orthogonal directions. The spindle head supports a plurality of main spindles and at least one common central driving gear. The spindle head is suspended by means of three flexible rods and a stationary main drive motor is coupled to the driving gear via a flexible shaft.To be used for milling recesses into plastic cards, the recesses being dimensioned to receive electronic chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Melzer maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Melzer, Roland Melzer