Tail stock for a long vertically suspended workpiece that will experience heat expansion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11766723-B2
Application number	US-202117474490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2021
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Sep 26, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023

Abstract

A method of processing a workpiece includes supporting the workpiece on a tailstock extending along an axis, thermally processing the workpiece with a processing device, and displacing a portion of the tailstock assembly in response to thermal expansion of the workpiece as a result of processing with the thermal processing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of processing a workpiece comprising:
supporting the workpiece on a tailstock extending along a vertical axis;
thermally processing the workpiece with a processing device; and
displacing a portion of the tailstock assembly in response to thermal expansion of the workpiece as a result of processing with the thermal processing device, the portion of the tailstock assembly being displaced by an amount corresponding to an amount of the thermal expansion of the workpiece resulting from processing with the thermal processing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein supporting the workpiece includes mounting the workpiece on a rotating member coupled to a workpiece support.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein displacing the portion of the workpiece includes shifting the workpiece support.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: measuring, while thermally processing, an amount of displacement of the workpiece along the longitudinal axis with a displacement sensor.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein measuring the amount of displacement of the workpiece with the displacement sensor includes detecting a change in relative position between a stationery portion of the displacement sensor and a moveable portion of the displacement sensor.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein detecting a change in relative position includes directing a laser displacement sensor mounted to the housing at a target mounted to the workpiece support.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: displacing the processing device an amount corresponding to an amount of thermal expansion of the workpiece.

Assignees

• Luce David K
• Parrott Crystal A
• Wiedmann Stephen L
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Luce David K
• Parrott Crystal A
• Wiedmann Stephen L

Classifications

• B23B23/00 Primary

  Tailstocks; Centres {(for grinding machines B24B41/062)} · CPC title

• B05B3/001

  incorporating means for heating or cooling, e.g. the material to be sprayed · CPC title

• B05B7/16

  incorporating means for heating {or cooling} the material to be sprayed {(spraying by means of explosions B05B7/0006)} · CPC title

• B05B12/124

  responsive to distance between spray apparatus and target · CPC title

• B05B13/02

  Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work (B05B13/06 takes precedence) · CPC title