Profiling and deburring of workpieces

• US 5,146,670 A
• Filed: 06/26/1990
• Issued: 09/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Jones, Everett E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIGGS, WILLIAM R
• Application Number:
  US07/543,406
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 29/561, 29/33 A, 29/566, 29/560, 364/474.16, 364/474.01, 364/474.29, 409/138, 409/291, 409/300, 409/131, 409/132, 144/134 C, 144/134 A, 144/139, 51/165 TP, 51/DIG. 14, 51/101 R, 51/129
• US Class Current: 29/561
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4097 characterised by using design data to control NC machines, e.g. CAD/CAM G05B19/4093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41815 characterised by the cooperation between machine tools, manipulators and conveyor or other workpiece supply system, workcell
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41835 characterised by programme execution
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5122 with means to feed work during tool contact
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303752 Process
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/304144 Means to trim edge

Abstract

The invention is directed to a device and method for profiling and deburring a workpiece. The device includes a profiler having a cutting edge for profiling a workpiece, a deburrer having a cutting edge for deburring profiled edges of a workpiece, and a yoke for supporting the profiler and the deburrer in opposed relation on opposite sides of a planar work position, the yoke being movable along a z-axis perpendicular to the work position to alternately move the cutting edges of the profiler and the deburrer toward and away from a workpiece in the work position. The yoke is also movable so that the cutting edges can be maneuvered in a working plane transverse to the z-axis. The method of the present invention includes the steps of positioning a workpiece in a working plane between a profiler and a deburrer, moving the yoke in a first direction to cause a cutting edge of the profiler to move into the working plane, moving the profiling cutting edge in a first predetermined pattern about at least a first portion of the workpiece, moving a cutting edge of the deburrer device into the working plane, and moving the deburring cutting edge about the first portion of the workpiece in a second predetermined pattern corresponding to the first predetermined pattern.

Claims

1. A device for profiling and deburring a workpiece, the device comprising:

profiling means including a cutting edge for profiling a workpiece;

deburring means including a cutting edge for deburring profiled edges of a workpiece;

yoke means for supporting said profiling means and said deburring means in opposed relation on opposite sides of a planar work position, said yoke means being movable along a z-axis perpendicular to said work position to alternately move the cutting edges of said profiling means and said deburring means toward and away from a workpiece in said work position;

means for selectively moving the cutting edges of said profiling means and said deburring means in the plane of said work position; and

means for controlling the movement of said yoke means and said moving means to profile and deburr a workpiece in said work position in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

2. The device of claim 1 further including positioning means for orienting and holding a workpiece in the work position, and wherein said controlling means also controls said positioning means.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said profiling means includes a first motor for rotating said profiling cutting edge, and said deburring means includes a second motor for rotating said deburring cutting edge.

4. The device of claim 3 further including an anti-backlashing gear operatively disposed between said deburring cutting edge and said second motor.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said yoke means comprises a pair of support plates and a yoke connecting said support plates in spaced relation, each support plate supporting a respective one of said profiling means and deburring means to align said profiling and deburring cutting edges in spaced, opposed relation on said Z axis.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said yoke means further includes a housing slidably supporting said support plates for movement together and first drive means carried by said housing and operatively engaging said yoke for selectively moving said support plates together parallel to said Z axis.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said moving means comprises a base structure supporting said housing for independent movement along two orthogonal axes parallel to the plane of said work position and second and third drive means operatively engaging said base structure for selectively moving said housing along said two orthogonal axes.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said controlling means is operatively connected to said first drive means to selectively dispose one of said profiling and deburring cutting edges in functional engagement with a workpiece in said work position and is operatively connected to said second and third drive means to move said housing and cutting edges through said predetermined pattern.

9. The device as in claim 2 wherein said positioning means comprises means for introducing a first predetermined portion of a workpiece into said work position, means for releasably clamping said workpiece to secure said predetermined portion in said work position for profiling and deburring, and means for rotating said workpiece in the plane of said work position to dispose a second predetermined portion of the workpiece in said work position.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said rotating means comprises a driven pad disposed on one side of a workpiece clamped in said positioning means, a rotatable support pad in axial opposition with said driven pad and selectively moveable into engagement with the other side of the workpiece, means for axially moving said support pad to engage and displace said workpiece into frictional engagement with said driven pad, and means operable on release of said clamping means for rotating said driven pad to move said first portion of the workpiece out of said work position and to place said second portion into said work position.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein said introducing means comprises a plurality of jaw assemblies each having opposed moveable and stationary jaw elements and being disposed to receive a workpiece between the elements thereof, means for moving said jaw assemblies on an axis perpendicular to the Z axis to move a predetermined portion of a workpiece received therein into the work position, and means in communication with said controlling means for sensing the position of said jaw elements relative to said Z axis.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said clamping means comprises means for selectively releasably biasing the moveable jaw element against the stationary jaw element of each jaw assembly to clamp a workpiece therebetween.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein said deburring cutting edge is shaped to simultaneously form opposing camfer surfaces along a profiled edge of a workpiece.

14. A device for profiling and deburring a workpiece, the device comprising:

profiling means including a cutting edge for profiling a workpiece;

deburring means including a cutting edge for deburring profiled edges of a workpiece;

yoke means for supporting said profiling means and said deburring means in opposed, coaxial relation on opposite sides of a planar work position, said yoke means being movable along a z-axis perpendicular to said work position to alternately move the cutting edges of said profiling means and said deburring means toward and away from a workpiece in said work position;

means for selectively moving the cutting edges of said profiling means and said deburring means in the plane of said work position;

positioning means for orienting and holding a workpiece in the work position; and

means for controlling the movement of said yoke means, said moving means, and said positioning means to profile and deburr a workpiece in the work position in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

15. A method for profiling and deburring a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

positioning a workpiece in a working plane between a profiling device and a deburring device, the profiling device and the deburring device being movable together on a yoke;

moving the yoke in a first direction to cause a cutting edge of the profiling device to move into the working plane;

moving the profiling cutting edge in a first predetermined pattern about at least a first portion of the workpiece;

moving the yoke in a second direction to cause a cutting edge of the deburring device to move into the working plane; and

moving the deburring cutting edge about at least the first portion of the workpiece in a second predetermined pattern corresponding to said first predetermined pattern.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

rotating the workpiece by a predetermined angular amount after the first portion of the workpiece has been profiled and deburred;

moving the yoke to position the cutting edge of the profiling device in the working plane;

moving the profiling cutting edge in a third predetermined pattern about at least a second portion of the workpiece;

moving the yoke to position a cutting edge of the deburring device in the working plane; and

moving the deburring cutting edge about the second portion of the workpiece in a fourth predetermined pattern corresponding to said third predetermined pattern.