The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 18, 1988
Filed:
Oct. 31, 1986
William C Roberts, Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A simple, strong and fast acting tool retention subsystem is intended for both original equipment and retrofit applications in machining centers with automatic tool changer systems. A machining center incorporating the invention is described. The invention is compatible with ANSI standards for spindles, tapered tool shanks and knobs, and is configured to eliminate the tool chatter and tool shank taper unseating and release commonly occurring in conventional spring actuated tool retention subsystems when spiral fluted cutters are used. The tool shank is positively jam locked by a rotary bolt actuator means that generates a very high value of axial pre-load tension, comparable to that which was furnished by the very successful historic manual draw-in bolt retention subsystem used in milling machines. A bi-directional free wheeling impact motor drives the rotary bolt actuator means between open and closed positions of a maximally strong collet. Positive seating of the tool shank in the spindle nose taper is assured by the extremely high pre-load tension applied to the knob, which is supplied by the mechanical strain of the steel of the jam locked mechanism and the supporting spindle structure. Thus the tool retention is limited only by the yield strength of the materials and not by the bias of any coil or belleville spring, as is the current practice in the machining center industry.