Kennametal Inc.

John P Ashley

Kenneth L Niebauer

A metal cutting tool assembly (1) having an automatically adjustable chipbreaker (23) is provided that comprises a cutting insert (11) for cutting a relatively rotating workpiece, a holder (3) for holding the insert (11), an insert driver (5) for applying a cutting force between the insert (11) and the workpiece, a chipbreaker (23) having a surface (27) that is effective in breaking chips (55, 56) of different thicknesses when positioned at different distances from the cutting edge (19) of the insert (11), and a mounting mechanism (30) for movably mounting the chipbreaker (23) onto the holder (3). The mounting mechanism (30) includes a spring (50) for automatically adjusting the distance between the chipbreaking surface (27) of the chipbreaker (23) and the cutting edge (19) of the insert (11) in response to the forces applied to the chipbreaker (23) by the metal chips (55, 56) that result from the cutting operation. The mounting mechanism (30) may allow the chipbreaker (23) to either slidably reciprocate on the holder (3) toward and away from the cutting edge (19), or to pivotally move with respect to the cutting edge (19). In both cases, the deflection of the spring (50) is proportional to the thickness of the metal chips (55, 56) engaging the chipbreaking surface (27), which in turn automatically provides the appropriate chipbreaking geometry. The inventive tool assembly allows the same chipbreaker (23) to effectively break chips (55, 56) of widely varying thicknesses which are created when the cutting insert (11) is used to make a variety of different types of cuts in a machining operation.

Metal cutting tool assembly having and automatically adjustable

A metal cutting tool assembly (1) having an automatically adjustable chipbreaker (23) is provided that comprises a cutting insert (11) for cutting a relatively rotating workpiece, a holder (3) for holding the insert (11), an insert driver (5) for applying a cutting force between the insert (11) and the workpiece, a chipbreaker (23) having a surface (27) that is effective in breaking chips (55, 56) of different thicknesses when positioned at different distances from the cutting edge (19) of the insert (11), and a mounting mechanism (30) for movably mounting the chipbreaker (23) onto the holder (3). The mounting mechanism (30) includes a spring (50) for automatically adjusting the distance between the chipbreaking surface (27) of the chipbreaker (23) and the cutting edge (19) of the insert (11) in response to the forces applied to the chipbreaker (23) by the metal chips (55, 56) that result from the cutting operation. The inventive tool assembly allows the same chipbreaker (23) to effectively break chips (55, 56) of widely varying thicknesses which are created when the cutting insert (11) is used to make a variety of different types of cuts in a machining operation.

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Kinver, United Kingdom

John P Ashley