Lathe tool mounting expander

• US 10,046,399 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James J. Youngers
• Original Assignee: James J. Youngers
• Inventors: Youngers, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rufo, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US14/887,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20160039011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 279 41, 279 411, 279 412, 279 207, 279 209, 269 25, 269 26, 269 32
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2270/025 Hydraulics
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2270/08 Clamping mechanisms; Provisions for clamping B23B2210/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 29/242 Turrets, without description of the angular positioning device turret lathes for turning individually-chucked workpieces B23B3/16; turrets with manually operated angular positioning devices B23B29/282; turrets with power operated angular positioning devices B23B29/323
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/1172 using fluid-pressure means to actuate the gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/03 Stationary work or tool supports B23Q1/70 takes precedence; auxiliary tables B23Q1/74; tailstocks B23B23/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/035 with an array of longitudinally movable rods defining a reconfigurable support surface
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/00 Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine work-tables or other parts, e.g. faceplates, normally not incorporating means for securing work B23Q1/00; automatic position control B23Q15/00 ; food cutting boards A47J47/00; workpiece support for dies B21D37/02; rotary tool heads for turning-machines B23B3/24, B23B3/26; non-driven tool holders B23B29/00; general features of turrets B23B29/24 ; drawbars in spindles B23B31/261; for electrical discharge machining B23H11/003; for welding B23K37/04; means for securing grinding wheels B24B45/00; mountings for abrasive wheels B24D5/16; tools or bench devices for fastening, connecting, disengaging or holding B25B ; chucks for percussive tools B25D17/084; work benches for manual work B25H1/00; devices for securing circular saw blades B27B5/32; for assembling or manufacturing aircrafts B64F5/10; for holding semiconductors or wafers H01L21/67; devices for holding circuit boards H05K13/0061
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/06 Work-clamping means
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/082 hydraulically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 1/00 Vices specially adapted for tying flies for angling A01K97/28; specially adapted for machine tools B23Q3/00 ; rope or cable splicing vices D07B7/162
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 1/24 Details, e.g. jaws of special shape, slideways

Abstract

A hydraulic fluid actuated lathe tool mounting expander assembly incorporating a block having a base, an inner end, an outer end, a compression end, and a compression face; a first cylindrical void extending into the block, the first cylindrical void having a floor and opening at the block'"'"'s compression face; a second cylindrical void extending into the block, the second cylindrical void having a floor and opening at the block'"'"'s outer end; first and second pistons respectively slidably mounted within the first and second cylindrical voids; a conduit extending between the first and second cylindrical voids, the conduit being adapted for conveying the hydraulic fluid from the second cylindrical void to the first cylindrical void; and a jack screw actuator connected operatively to the block for driving the second piston against the hydraulic fluid for upwardly driving the first piston.

Claims

1. A lathe tool mounting expander assembly, said assembly being actuated by hydraulic fluid, said assembly comprising:

(a) a block having a base, an inner end, an outer end, a compression end, and a compression face;

(b) a first cylindrical void extending into the block, the first cylindrical void having a planar floor, said void opening at the block'"'"'s compression end;

(c) a second cylindrical void extending into the block, the second cylindrical void having a wall and a floor, said void opening at the block'"'"'s outer end;

(d) first and second pistons respectively slidably mounted within the first cylindrical void and the second cylindrical void;

(e) a conduit extending between the first cylindrical void and the second cylindrical void, the conduit being adapted for conveying the hydraulic fluid from the second cylindrical void to the first cylindrical void;

(f) a jack screw actuator connected operatively to the block, the jack screw actuator being adapted for driving the second piston against the hydraulic fluid, the hydraulic fluid, upon such piston driving, flowing through the conduit and moving the first piston; and

(g) a plurality of third cylindrical voids and a plurality of third pistons, each void among the plurality of third cylindrical voids opening at the block'"'"'s compression end and having a planar floor wherein the third pistons are respectively slidably received within the third cylindrical voids, wherein the conduit is adapted for further conveying the hydraulic fluid to the third cylindrical voids, wherein each cylindrical void among the first cylindrical void and the plurality of third cylindrical voids has a base end, wherein the conduit comprises a plurality of shunts having planar floors, wherein each shunt is hourglass shaped, wherein each shunt opens at the base ends of an adjacent pair of voids among the first cylindrical void and the plurality of third cylindrical voids, and wherein each planar floor among the first cylindrical void'"'"'s planar floor, the third cylindrical voids'"'"' planar floors, and the shunts'"'"' planar floors is coplanar with each other planar floor among said planar floors.

2. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 1 wherein the second cylindrical void is positioned between the block'"'"'s base and at least one floor among the first and third cylindrical voids'"'"' floors.

3. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 2 wherein the block'"'"'s compression end comprises a removable debris shield.

4. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 3 wherein the block'"'"'s removable debris shield has an undersurface positioned oppositely from the block'"'"'s compression face, and wherein each piston among the first piston and the plurality of third pistons comprises a slide stop, each piston'"'"'s slide stop being positioned for, upon a movement of said each piston away from the block'"'"'s base, engaging said undersurface.

5. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 4 wherein each slide stop comprises a shoulder extending annularly about one of the pistons among the first piston and the plurality of third pistons.

6. The lathe tool mounting expander of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of O-rings, each O-ring being disposed between the removable debris shield and one of the pistons among the first piston and the plurality of third pistons.

7. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 3 wherein the jack screw actuator comprises a shaft fixedly attached to and extending outwardly from the second piston, the jack screw actuator further comprising a male and female helical threads combination whose threads respectively extend from said shaft and from the second cylindrical void'"'"'s wall.

8. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 7 wherein the jack screw actuator'"'"'s outwardly extending shaft has an outer end exposed at the block'"'"'s outer end, and further comprising turning means connected operatively to said shaft outer end.

9. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 8 wherein the turning means comprise an outwardly opening non-circular void or comprise an outwardly extending non-circular protuberance.

10. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 1 wherein the second cylindrical void further opens at said inner end, and wherein the second cylindrical void'"'"'s floor comprises a helically threaded plug.

11. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of pressure seals, each seal among the plurality of pressure seals extending annularly about one of the pistons among the first piston, the second piston, and the plurality of third pistons.

12. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 1 wherein the conduit has a fluid injection end, said end opening at an innermost void among the first cylindrical void and the plurality of third cylindrical voids.

13. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 1 further comprising a tool and joint combination, said combination'"'"'s tool comprising a machining implement selected from rotary lathe tool selector turrets and stick tools.

14. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 13 wherein the block has a height extending from its base to its compression face, and wherein the machining implement comprises one of the rotary lathe tool selector turrets, said one of the turrets having a plurality of tool mount channels, each tool mount channel among said plurality of channels having a width greater than the block'"'"'s height.

15. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 14 further comprising a lathe stick tool having a height, the combined heights of the lathe stick tool and the block being less than said each tool mount channel'"'"'s width.

16. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 15 wherein each piston among the first piston and the plurality of third pistons is adapted for alternatively telescoping and retracting respectively toward tool compressing and tool releasing positions, each such piston having a height extension upon movement toward its tool compressing position, the combined heights of the lathe stick tool, the block, and one of the pistons'"'"' height extensions being, upon movement of the one of the pistons to its tool compressing position within said each tool mount channel, equal to a width of a respective tool mount channel which nestingly receives the lathe stick tool and the block.

17. The lathe tool mounting expander assembly of claim 16 wherein said each tool mount channel has a depth, wherein the block has a depth, and wherein said depths are substantially equal to each other.