Kennametal Inc.

Kennematel, Inc.

Robert N Mitchell

Ernest J Friedline

Linn R Andras

Ronald Louis Dudzinsky

Glenn W Sheffler

Douglas E Torgent

James L Hunt

Both a device and method for adjusting the position of a cutting insert relative to the body of a cutting tool such as a milling cutter are provided. The device includes a cantilevered wall integrally connected to the tool body, that forms a portion of the pocket in the tool body that supports a side of the insert, and a wedge mechanism for elastically flexing the cantilevered wall to adjust the position of a cutting edge of the insert relative to the tool body. The wedge mechanism may take the form of a screw threadedly engaged to the tool body that has a conical head engaged against the cantilevered wall such that when the screw is turned, the conical wedge formed by the screw head flexes the cantilevered wall a small distance. The device advantageously allows fine adjustments to be made in the position of the cutting edge of an insert by the simple turning of a single screw. The method of the invention advantageously allows the adjusting device to be easily installed in conventional cutting tools having preexisting, insert-receiving pockets.

Device and method for adjusting the position of cutting inserts mounted

A milling cutter for performing plunge and face cutting operations on a workpiece with cutting inserts having different shapes is provided that comprises a plurality of cutting inserts having side and transverse cutting edges, the transverse cutting edges being of different shapes for different inserts, a cutter body having a plurality of recessed insert seats for securably receiving the inserts, including a top shoulder spaced apart from the transverse cutting edges of the inserts for allowing the insert seat to receive inserts having transverse edges of different shapes, and a support structure for preventing relative movement between the cutting inserts and their respective seats along the side and transverse insert edges. In the preferred embodiment, the support structure includes a rail-like projection extending out of the back face of the cutting inserts that is substantially parallel to the side cutting edges of the insert, and a complementarily-shaped slot in the bottom wall of the seat, in combination with a shoulder formed in the insert seat near but spaced apart from the top shoulder of the seat, and a complementary recess in the insert substantially parallel to its transverse cutting edges.

Plunge and face milling cutter with universal insert seats

The present invention relates to a milling cutter having a cutter body and a plurality of replaceable tool cartridges circumferentially spaced about the outer periphery of the cutter body. An adjustment mechanism permits adjustment of the tool cartridges in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutter body. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment screw threaded into a corresponding bore in the cutter body. The head of the adjustment screw projects into an inclined throughbore in the tool cartridge. When the adjustment screw is turned, the head of the screw bears against the inner surface of the throughbore causing the tool cartridge to be axially displaced. A locking screw is tightened to secure the tool cartridge in place after it has been adjusted.

Fine adjustment mechanism for a toolholder

A method of efficiently removing material from a workpiece of difficult-to-machine materials. The Z axis machining includes the steps of using a center cutting end mill and forming multiple cylindrical holes having tangent diameters and predetermined depths. Said holes, when formed, leave posts that, when viewed in plan, form stars and cusps. Said stars are then removed by reciprocal movement of said end mill along its Z axis and cusps removed by Z axis machining and/or conventional end milling.

Machining method

Disclosed is a sprocket cutter in which there is a cutter body having a plurality of pockets along its periphery and a plurality of wedge recesses facing the periphery within each pocket. There is an array of inserts disposed within each of the pockets, each of the inserts having a cutting portion and a plurality of wedges equal in number to the number of inserts and wedge recesses. Each of the wedges is interposed between each of the inserts and each of the wedge recesses so that, as each of the wedges is moved inwardly into its corresponding wedge recess, each of the inserts is securely clamped between its corresponding wedge and the pocket. Each of the inserts is positioned so that the cutting portion of each insert extends beyond the periphery of the cutter body. Each of the inserts cuts a segment of the sprocket contour as the cutter body rotates with adjacent segments of the sprocket contour being cut by inserts located in different pockets. There is also a method of assembling the sprocket cutter.

Sprocket cutter and method of assembling

A clamping device for disposition in a blind hole or slot of a support body for locating and securing members such as hardened metal cutting inserts and the like. The clamping device of the present invention has an expandable plug member loosely receivable in a blind hole or slot and a rotatable member disposed centrally in the plug member such that upon rotation the plug member expands in the blind hole or slot to firmly clamp an insert between a wall of the blind hole and the expandable plug.

Clamping device

A slotting cutter in which a disc is provided with insert pockets on opposite sides thereof with replaceable cutting inserts of hard wear resistant material mounted in the pockets. The inserts are clamped in the pockets by a wedge which forces the inserts against the rearward and bottom walls of the pockets thereby providing extremely firm support for the inserts. When the disc is viewed in the circumferential direction, the inserts are in overlapping relation and thereby cooperate to cut slots in a work member.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Robert N Mitchell