TURRET TOOL POST AND HANDLE ASSEMBLY

• US 3,589,213 A
• Filed: 08/16/1968
• Issued: 06/29/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eugene F. Gourley
• Original Assignee: Eugene F. Gourley
• Inventors: Gourley, Eugene F.
• Application Number:
  US04/753,235
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• US Class Current: 74/826
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 16/10 Rotary indexing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5152 with turret mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5165 including rotating and/or locking means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5166 Frictional and positive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1476 with means to axially shift shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/2587 Turret type holder [e.g., multiple tools, etc.]

Abstract

A manually indexable turret tool post assembly mounted on a lathe or analogous machine compound by means of a rugged supporting column on which is rotatably mounted a turret body supporting a plurality of tools for selective operation on a workpiece in the lathe. The turret is clamped in one of a plurality of predetermined indexed positions by a rotary clamping head cooperating with a coupling member, each provided with circumferentially spaced projections alternating with recesses. The coupling member, with alternating bearing segments and indentations, is seated within the upper portion of said turret body for relative rotation therewith and is mounted nonrotatably on said column, although it is adapted for incremental radial adjustment thereon. Gradually sloping faces on camming lugs on the rotary clamping head cooperate with similar faces between said indentations and bearing segments to effect a downward movement of the coupling member and turret against the base of the column, and to clamp it in its indexed position by the final rotation of the clamping head on the upper end of the column, which is provided with relatively coarse threads having a fast lead. The turret is released from its clamped position by a reverse rotation of the clamping head for a limited extent, which effects the disengagement of the camming lugs from the bearing segments to permit a lifting of the turret body by spring action. An adjustable plunger in the clamping head cooperating with a milled keyway in the coupling member restricts the relative rotary movement between these units within proper limits.

Claims

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a. a support for an indexable multiple tool holder of the turret type comprising a cylindrical column with an outwardly extending annular base at the bottom and external threads at the top thereof, b. a turret body surrounding said column above said base, with interengaging means on said base and the bottom of said turret body for locking said body against rotary movement, c. spring means within said turret body and cooperating with said base, normally biased to move said turret body from said base to free said interengaging means and to permit manual rotary movement of said turret body relative to said column, d. a manually operated clamping head having a handle lever extending laterally therefrom and provided with internal threads engaging said external threads to effect both rotary movement as well as a translating movement of said head along the axis of said column;

e. a clutch assEmbly between said clamping head and turret body comprising f. an annular coupling member on said clamping head provided with a plurality of radially displaced camming lugs projecting from the bottom face of said coupling member, g. a second annular coupling member mounted on said cylindrical column at the top of said turret body and provided with a plurality of radially displaced bearing segments on the upper surface thereof, with indentations formed therebetween for the accommodation of said camming lugs, h. said camming lugs disposed in superposed relation to said bearing segments in the locked position of the turret body on said base, and adapted to be rotated by said clamping head in one direction in overlying relation to said indentations, to effect a seating of the camming lugs within the latter by the effect of said spring means and a consequent lifting of said turret body from said interengaging means, to permit a manual rotation of said turret body to a newly indexed position, i. said camming lugs each provided with a substantially vertical face at its leading edge upon rotation in said one direction with a gradually sloping face at its trailing edge, and said indentations each having a gradually sloping face at one end thereof to permit a rotation of said clamping head in the reverse direction and the relative movement of said camming lugs in superposed relation to said bearing segments, thereby to force said turret body downwardly into interengaging relation with said base in said newly indexed position, and j. one of said bearing segments of said second annular coupling member having an arcuate milled groove therein with a continuation thereof in the next adjacent indentation which first receives said vertical face of the overlying camming lug, a fixed plunger extending downwardly through said lastmentioned camming lug with the bottom end thereof rounded in conformity with the cross-sectional contour of said arcuate milled groove, said groove in said one bearing segment terminating short of the edge thereof remote from said continuation to prevent overtravel of said first annular coupling member in said reverse direction.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom end of said plunger is contoured semispherically and the upper end is threaded for mounting at an adjustable level in a threaded bore of said overlying camming lug.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a lockscrew in said threaded bore above said last-mentioned upper end adapted to be tightened thereagainst to fix said adjustable level.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said spring means comprises a plurality of circumferentially displaced vertically disposed spring-pressed plungers within said turret body acting against the upper surface of said annular base.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a. a support for an indexable multiple tool holder of the turret type comprising a cylindrical column with an outwardly extending annular base at the bottom and external threads at the top thereof, b. a turret body surrounding said column above said base, with interengaging means on said base and the bottom of said turret body for locking said body against rotary movement, c. spring means within said turret body and cooperating with said base, normally biased to move said turret body from said base to free said interengaging means and to permit manual rotary movement of said turret body relative to said column, d. a manually operated clamping head having a handle lever extending laterally therefrom and provided with internal threads engaging said external threads to effect both rotary movement as well as a translating movement of said head along the axis of said column;

e. a clutch assembly between said clamping head and turret body comprising f. an annular coupling member on said clamping head provided with a plurality of radially displaced camming lugs projecting from the bottom face of said couplinG member, g. a second annular coupling member mounted on said cylindrical column at the top of said turret body and provided with a plurality of radially displaced bearing segments on the upper surface thereof, with indentations formed therebetween for the accommodation of said camming lugs, h. said camming lugs disposed in superposed relation to said bearing segments in the locked position of the turret body on said base, and adapted to be rotated by said clamping head in one direction in overlying relation to said indentations, to effect a seating of the camming lugs within the latter by the effect of said spring means and a consequent lifting of said turret body from said interengaging means, to permit a manual rotation of said turret body to a newly indexed position, i. said camming lugs and indentations each having a gradually sloping face at one end thereof to permit a rotation of said clamping head in the reverse direction and the relative movement of said camming lugs in superposed relation to said bearing segments, thereby to force said turret body downwardly into interengaging relation with said base in said newly indexed position, j. means for varying the radial position of said second annular coupling member relative to said supporting column comprising k. a plurality of vertical splines on said cylindrical column adjacent to the upper portion of said turret body and within a central cylindrical bore formed in the latter, l. said second annular coupling member seated in said last-mentioned bore of the turret body with vertical splines around its whole internal periphery which are complementary to the vertical splines on said cylindrical column, m. said last-mentioned member adapted to be shifted in increments of a spline width, to adjust the relative angular displacement between said coupling members.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a. a support for an indexable multiple tool holder of the turret type comprising a cylindrical column with an outwardly extending annular base at the bottom and external threads at the top thereof, b. a turret body surrounding said column above said base, with interengaging means on said base and the bottom of said turret body for locking said body against rotary movement, c. spring means within said turret body and cooperating with said base, normally biased to move said turret body from said base to free said interengaging means and to permit manual rotary movement of said turret body relative to said column, d. a manually operated clamping head having a handle lever extending laterally therefrom and provided with internal threads engaging said external threads to effect both rotary movement as well as a translating movement of said head along the axis of said column;

e. a clutch assembly between said clamping head and turret body comprising f. an annular coupling member on said clamping head provided with a plurality of radially displaced camming lugs projecting from the bottom face of said coupling member, g. a second annular coupling member mounted on said cylindrical column at the top of said turret body and provided with a plurality of radially displaced bearing segments on the upper surface thereof, with indentations formed therebetween for the accommodation of said camming lugs, h. said camming lugs disposed in superposed relation to said bearing segments in the locked position of the turret body on said base, and adapted to be rotated by said clamping head in one direction in overlying relation to said indentations, to effect a seating of the camming lugs within the latter by the effect of said spring means and a consequent lifting of said turret body from said interengaging means, to permit a manual rotation of said turret body to a newly indexed position, i. said camming lugs and indentations each having a gradually sloping face at one end thereof to permit a rotation of said clamping head in the reverse direction and the relative movemeNt of said camming lugs in superposed relation to said bearing segments, thereby to force said turret body downwardly into interengaging relation with said base in said newly indexed position, j. an annular shoulder mounted on the top of said turret body and projecting from the top face thereof in surrounding relation to said second annular coupling member, and said clamping head having an annular groove on the bottom face thereof in overlying relation to said shoulder for the accommodation of the latter in the course of the translating movements of said head and turret body to prevent the entry of foreign matter to said coupling members, k. said annular shoulder being detachably connected to said turret body through the intermediary of cooperating screw threads and provided with a dust collar flaring from the external surface of said annular shoulder for seating on the top of said turret body.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a. a support for an indexable multiple tool holder of the turret type comprising a cylindrical column with an outwardly extending annular base at the bottom and external threads at the top thereof, b. a turret body surrounding said column above said base, with interengaging means on said base and the bottom of said turret body for locking said body against rotary movement, c. spring means within said turret body and cooperating with said base, normally biased to move said turret body from said base to free said interengaging means and to permit manual rotary movement of said turret body relative to said column, d. a manually operated clamping head having a handle lever extending laterally therefrom and provided with internal threads engaging said external threads to effect both rotary movement as well as a translating movement of said head along the axis of said column, e. a clutch assembly between said clamping head and turret body comprising f. an annular coupling member on said clamping head provided with a plurality of radially displaced camming lugs projecting from the bottom face of said coupling member, g. a second annular coupling member mounted on said cylindrical column at the top of said turret body and provided with a plurality of radially displaced bearing segments on the upper surface thereof, with indentations formed therebetween for the accommodation of said camming lugs, h. means for adjusting incrementally the radial position of said second annular coupling member relative to said supporting column, i. said camming lugs disposed in superposed relation to said bearing segments in the locked position of the turret body on said base, and adapted to be rotated by said clamping head in one direction in overlying relation to said indentations, to effect a seating of the camming lugs within the latter by the effect of said spring means and a consequent lifting of said turret body from said interengaging means, to permit a manual rotation of said turret body to a newly indexed position, j. said camming lugs each provided with a substantially vertical face at its leading edge upon rotation in said one direction with a gradually sloping face at its trailing edge, and said indentations each having a gradually sloping face at one end thereof to permit a rotation of said clamping head in the reverse direction and the relative movement of said camming lugs in superposed relation to said bearing segments, thereby to force said turret body downwardly into interengaging relation with said base in said newly indexed position, and k. said camming lugs being of lesser arcuate length than said indentations.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including an annular shoulder mounted on the top of said turret body at the periphery of said cylindrical bore and projecting from the top face thereof in surrounding relation to said second annular coupling member, and said clamping head having an annular groove on the bottom face thereof in overlying relation to said shoulder for tHe accommodation of the latter in the course of the translating movements of said head and tool post to prevent the entry of foreign matter to said coupling members.