Abstract: An adjustable pipe center; the lathe-center may be useful for supporting the end of a rotating workpiece having a hollow along an axis upon which the workpiece is rotating. The adjustable pipe center includes a shaft, a center-head having keyways, a plurality of bearing-fins, and a plurality of power-screws. The center-head is fixed to the shaft and is able to fit within the hollow of the workpiece. The plurality of bearing-fins is able to fit and slide within the keyways, with each having a bearing-surface for contacting the workpiece. The bearing-surface is disposed at an angle to the shaft-axis between zero and ninety degrees. The bearing-fins may be translated, functioning as an inclined plane to displace a workpiece resting against it. When the bearing-fins are collectively translated as desired, it may laterally adjust the position of the workpiece-axis relative to the shaft-axis.

Abstract: A spindle apparatus includes a rotatable first spindle (5, 32) to which a tool can be attached. The first spindle is supported in a base with high precision using an air hydrostatic bearing. The spindle apparatus further includes a second spindle (6, 33) capable of rotation about an axis substantially aligned with the axis of the first spindle, first connection means for electrically connecting a base side and the second spindle, and second connection means for electrically connecting the first spindle and the second spindle. Electrical connection between the base side and the first spindle is carried out via the first and second connection means. The first connection means is, for example, a brush (15, 36). The second connection means has a degree of mechanical freedom and is, for example, a flexible electrical wire (17, 39) or a helical spring (51).

Abstract: The present invention provides a lathe chuck having a hollow arbor and a cylindrical turning shaft which slides within the hollow arbor. Such an arrangement accommodates a turning shaft of considerably greater length than would ordinarily be possible. For one embodiment of the invention, the chuck is hand-tightenable, the arbor is an integral part of the chuck assembly, and is equipped with a standard Morse taper. The tapered arbor installs in the end of a lathe output shaft or spindle. The turning shaft is equipped with at least one pair of work-securing collets, at least one threaded end and a nut which engages the threaded end and secures one or more work pieces between the collets and to the turning shaft.

Abstract: A machinable datum for use in a vacuum fixture is disclosed.

Abstract: A seal assembly is provided for use in a hydraulic actuator of the type including a cylinder, a piston movably disposed in the cylinder, and a piston rod connected to the piston and extending from an end of the cylinder. The seal assembly comprises a seal member formed of a material impervious to hydraulic fluid and having an inner edge and an outer peripheral edge. The inner edge of the seal member defines a central opening which is larger than the outside diameter of the piston rod for receiving the rod. The outer edges of the seal member are attached adjacent the end of the cylinder so that the inner edge of the seal member is radially spaced from the outside diameter of the piston rod and the seal member forms a fluid impervious wall for preventing hydraulic fluid from contacting the elastomeric portion of the bearing assembly.

Abstract: A part clamping fixture assembly for locating and holding a wheel hub assembly for final finishing a flange face of the wheel hub includes a top portion having a bore formed therethrough. The fixture assembly includes a puller member having an upper end for communicating with a drive mechanism and a lower end opposite the upper end. The puller member has an encasing disposed therearound. The encasing has a lower portion for engaging a bearing of the wheel hub assembly and an upper portion in communication with the top portion. The fixture assembly also includes a lift mechanism for lifting the wheel hub assembly generally upward such that a surface of the bearing engages the lower end of the puller member. The lift mechanism is engageable with the lower end of the puller member such that the drive mechanism will rotate the puller member and the lift mechanism together to accomplish the final finishing of the flange face.

Abstract: A self-aligning arbor nut system is disclosed. The self-aligning arbor nut system, according to the present invention, includes a body formed with a duct substantially coincident with the longitudinal axis of the body. A substantially circular ring known as a swivel also is provided. The ring is engageable with either end of the duct. An o-ring is included. The o-ring is engageable with a groove in the wall of the ring, and with a slot formed on the inner surface of the duct at both ends of the duct to reverse engagement of the nut with an arbor. The swivel is engageable with at least one end of the body, and in fact is engageable with both ends of the body. When mounted on an arbor, the swivel aligns and helps prevent a bent or distorted arbor. A circumferential depression may be formed around the outside surface of the body. One or more bores is formed in the circumferential depression for manipulation with a key.

Abstract: A brake rotor refinishing system provides simultaneously refinishing of two workpieces that are clamped at opposite ends of a duplex chuck, when the chuck is installed on a machine spindel. The duplex chuck has respectives sets of jaws that are independently driven by separate pinion elements. In the case of disk brake rotors, opposite sides of both workpieces are finished simultaneously. The system also includes a refinishing machine that incorporates the spindle and a machining mechanism having cutting elements for simultaneously refinishing opposite sides of a pair of disk rotors.

Abstract: A brake rotor refinishing system provides simultaneously refinishing of two workpieces that are clamped at opposite ends of a duplex chuck, when the chuck is installed on a machine spindel. The duplex chuck has respectives sets of jaws that are independently driven by separate pinion elements. In the case of disk brake rotors, opposite pinion both workpieces are finished simultaneously. The system also includes a refinishing machine that incorporates the spindle and a machining mechanism having cutting elements for simultaneously refinishing opposite sides of a repair of disk rotors.

Abstract: A self-aligning mandrel assembly is provided. The assembly includes a cylindrical inner core and a fulcrum disposed on an outer surface of the cylindrical inner core. A mandrel shell surrounds the cylindrical inner core. The mandrel shell has a wafer preparation material affixed to an outer surface thereof, and the mandrel shell is pivotably supported by the fulcrum such that the mandrel shell aligns with a surface of a substrate when the wafer preparation material contacts the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An arbor 1 having an axis of rotation 2 comprises a body member 3 having end 4 with flats so that it may be drivably secured in a spindle or chuck of a machine or machine tool. The body member 3 has a co-axial socket 5 provided at its opposite, cutting end 6 to receive a shank of a rotary cutter (not shown), the shank having, in the conventional manner, at least one flat. The arbor 1, further comprises a collar 7 carried at the cutting end 6, which collar 7 is biassed by a torsion spring 8 to an active position and is manually rotatable, within limits, against the spring bias, to an inactive position.

Abstract: A holder for the detachable assembly of cutting tools includes a clamping mechanism, which has a piston axially movable by applying oil pressure on either of two opposite sides thereof. A projection of the piston includes a cone surface with a moderate cone angle arranged to co-operate with a wedge body which is self-locking in relation to the cone surface to keep the cutting tool clamped, even when oil pressure is relieved. In order to guarantee such self-locking, transverse grooves are provided in the cone surface enabling friction-reducing oil to be evacuated from the interface between the cone surface and an inner, partially cone-shaped surface on the wedge body.

Abstract: An air actuated finger pull back chuck device having a locating portion and a clamping portion. Locator slides and locator cams are air actuated to position the workpiece. The workpiece is located to the device with locator slides and air actuated clamp arms operate clamp fingers to pull back and hold a workpiece to the chuck device for the operation. The locator cams have a single connector to the locator actuator plate and the locator cams can be quickly reversed for locating on an inside diameter or an outside diameter. Various fingers can be attached to the clamp arm to fit various workpiece sizes. The quick change over times for different sized and shaped workpieces are facilitated by the simplicity of the invention.

Abstract: A tool holder which uses a collet for holding a stationary tool on a turret of a turret lathe. The turret being of the type having a plurality of flat surfaces adapted for receiving a tool holder. The tool holder includes a body with a flat surface adapted for mounting against at least one of the flat surfaces of the turret, and a fixed aperture of a fixed size having an axis, a first end centered on the axis and a second end centered on the axis and a constriction starting near the first end and gradually reducing the size of the aperture in the direction of the second end. At least two locations for fixedly mounting the body against the turret are positioned next to the aperture, and allow for mounting of the body against the turret in a fixed position.

Abstract: A method of drive decoupling, and a drive decoupling device, utilized in connecting a driving member to a driven members that is attachable to a workpiece to be rotated about a drive axis, includes a laminated plurality of flexible sheet material, attached to the driving member by at least one off axis connection and to the driven member by at least one other off axis connection circumferentially spaced from the one off axis connection, and which is torsionally rigid in a plane perpendicular to the drive axis so as to accommodate any eccentricity developed through misalignment of the driving member and driven member. The coupling device is centrally apertured so that a headstock can extend therethrough. A pair of drive decoupling devices are also provided in series by connecting the driven member of one to the driving member of another.

Abstract: A power chuck system is disclosed featuring a motor, a harmonic drive and a chuck. The harmonic drive is arranged with an input member driven by direct connection with the motor rotor, and an output member directly connected to a long stroke jaw actuation device, providing an integral unit which rotates together with the spindle during machining. During jaw adjustment, an electromagnetic brake releasably connects the motor stator with the spindle and chuck body. Gripping force adjustment is achieved by adjusting the motor torque. The inertial forces of the rotating components are overcome by controlling the motor torque and velocity as gripping ensues, and therefore both high and low gripping forces may be accurately achieved with high speed jaw adjustment. Jaw position and workpiece diameter measurement with a feedback capability are made by use of a rotary encoder.

Abstract: A hollow shaft is manufactured by defining a through hole axially in a shaft blank to produce a cylindrical hollow shaft blank, inserting a mandrel in the through hole of the hollow shaft blank, holding opposite ends of the mandrel concentrically with the through hole, and rotating the hollow shaft blank about its own axis while cutting an outer circumferential surface of at least one end of the hollow shaft blank concentrically with the through hole to form a reference outer circumferential surface on the at least one end of the hollow shaft blank. After the reference outer circumferential surface is formed, it is held in position, and the hollow shaft blank is rotated about its own axis while cutting a predetermined thickness of an outer circumferential surface of the hollow shaft blank over a substantially entire length thereof for thereby finishing the hollow shaft blank into a hollow shaft.

Abstract: A workpiece spindle device for a machine tool having a drivable workpiece spindle in a spindle housing and including a hydraulic oil supply device with a non-rotating housing portion connected to the spindle housing. An oil control device is connected to the non-rotating housing and communicated to the oil supply device without an oil line therebetween. An oil flow path is provided between the oil control device and a cylinder chamber of a workpiece clamping cylinder of the spindle with the oil path being free of any valve and thus substantially unrestricted to oil flow.

Abstract: A work spindle for a machine tool. The work spindle has a spindle guard tube, a clamping arrangement, a clamping force generator, which is arranged on the spindle guard tube and operates the clamping arrangement, and which has at least one first cylinder chamber enclosed by a first cylinder housing and a first piston, in such a way that a large band width of different clamping forces may be generated simply. The clamping force generator has a second cylinder chamber enclosed by a second cylinder housing and a second piston. Additionally, for operation of the clamping arrangement, both cylinder chambers are always subjected to a pressurized medium. Furthermore, to generate different clamping forces, the clamping force generator is switchable over from a first working mode, in which at least the first piston operates the clamping arrangement, into a second working mode, in which at least the second piston operates the clamping arrangement.

Abstract: An improved carving blank and mandrel for mounting the blank in a carving machine enables accurate carving of prosthetic and orthotic positive shapes. The blanks are simple to mount and dismount and means are provided enabling a repeatable mounting position in one angular orientation only to be achieved. The blanks are firmly fixed in place on the mandrel during the carving operation, and they are simple and inexpensive to manufacture thus reducing manufacturing costs while achieving high shape accuracy.

Abstract: A monocentric, multivision contact lens having a single optical axis and an anterior side. A first spherical vision surface is disposed on a first portion of the anterior side and has a first radius of curvature and a first center of curvature disposed along the single optical axis. A second spherical vision surface is disposed on a second portion of the anterior side and has a second radius of curvature and a second center of curvature disposed along the single optical axis. A transition surface is disposed intermediate the first portion and the second portion and has a plurality of centers of curvature disposed along the single optical axis. A method of making a monocentric contact lens and a mandrel for mounting a lens on a lathe for producing a monocentric contact lens are disclosed.

Abstract: A two piece mandrel having two co-operating interfitting parts (similar to a bayonet type assembly) which may be twisted apart, or twisted together by means of a series of interlocking projections having complimentary ramping surfaces. The co-operating parts have a pair of reference surfaces that assure concentricity of the two mating parts.

Abstract: A support device for a drum (1) which is provided with two journals (57, 59) projecting from the drum on either side of the drum, whose centerlines (25, 27) substantially coincide with the centerline (9) of the drum. Each of the two journals (57, 59) is journalled around an axis of rotation (61) in a bearing bush (63, 65) which is attached to a frame (67) by a ring-shaped membrane (69) positioned in a plane transverse to the axis of rotation (61). Each of the two journals (57, 59) forms part of a shaft (17, 19) projecting into the drum (1), and attached to a shell (7) of the drum by a ring-shaped plate (11). An end of a portion of each shaft (17, 19) projecting into the drum (1) bears on adjustment devices (41, 43, 49) by which the relevant shaft (17, 19) with journal (57, 59) can be swivelled relative to the centerline (9) of the drum (1).

Abstract: A method of producing a finely structured body comprised of a plurality of stacked, cut sections of foil at least one of which is provided with grooves. A machinable foil is wrapped around a cylindrical mandrel of a lathe to overlap opposing edges. The overlapped edges are clamped into an axial recess of the cylindrical mandrel by means of a clamping means and a plurality of grooves cut into the surface of the foil by means of at least one shaping diamond positioned in a feed which is finely adjustable. The plurality of grooves each have a groove length, a groove width, and a cross-sectional shape that is constant over the groove length and is freely selectable. Then, the grooved machinable foil is cut into cut sectoins and the cut sections are stacked. The plurality of grooves have a form precision such that, for groove lengths of more than 1000 .mu.m, the groove width has an accuracy of about .+-.1 .mu.m for land widths which equal or exceed about 15 .mu.m.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing a drum blank for machining includes inserting a cylindrical mandrel within a bore of a drum blank, introducing a liquid support material into a space between the outer diameter of the mandrel and the inner diameter of the drum blank, and solidifying the support material. Once the support material is solidified, the drum blank is securely held to the mandrel. Machining operations can be performed by mounting the assembly in a lathe. After machining is completed, the support material may be treated so that the mandrel can be removed from the drum blank. The mandrel may then be recycled.

Abstract: A machine tool has a pair of rotary spindles which support opposite ends of workpiece to be machined. At least one of the spindles is driven and a ring having a plurality of arms is coaxially secured to this spindle for rotation therewith. The arms entrain an annular member which is essentially coaxial with the spindles and is provided with threads. An annular guide plate which is again essentially coaxial with the spindles supports a plurality of clamping jaws for movement radially of the spindles. The clamping jaws are provided with threads which mesh with the threads of the annular member so that rotation of the latter can cause movement of the clamping jaws. A plurality of rocker arms is mounted on the machine tool for pivotal movement between an inoperative position and an operative position in which the rocker arms engage the periphery of the guide plate to prevent rotation thereof.