Method and apparatus for loading and positioning a workpiece on a gear manufacturing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11904396-B2
Application number	US-201917273096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Feb 20, 2024
Grant date	Feb 20, 2024

Abstract

A method wherein a first workpiece (2, 40) is loaded to a spindle (30) of a workpiece processing machine with the first toothed workpiece having a predetermined design and being in a predetermined rotational load position. The first toothed workpiece is stock-divided and a machining position is determined based on the stock-dividing. The first toothed workpiece is rotationally adjusted to the machining position. The teeth (3, 42) of the first toothed workpiece are then machined and the first workpiece is removed from the spindle. A second toothed workpiece is loaded to the spindle of the workpiece processing machine. The second toothed workpiece has the same predetermined design and is in the same predetermined rotational load position as the first toothed workpiece. The second toothed workpiece is rotationally adjusted from the predetermined rotational load position to the machining position by the same adjustment amount as the first toothed workpiece. The second toothed workpiece is machined and then removed from the machine spindle. The process as performed for the second toothed workpiece can be repeated for subsequent workpieces having the same design and being in the same rotational load position as the first and second workpieces. For the second and subsequent toothed workpieces, the step of determining the rotary position of the teeth is not carried out.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of machining rotatable toothed workpieces comprising a plurality of teeth and a plurality of tooth slots, said method comprising:
(a) loading a first workpiece to a spindle of a workpiece processing machine, said first toothed workpiece having a predetermined design and being in a predetermined rotational load position,
(b) stock-dividing said first toothed workpiece and determining a machining position for said first workpiece based on said stock-dividing,
(c) rotationally adjusting said first toothed workpiece by an adjustment amount from said predetermined rotational load position to said machining position,
(d) machining the teeth of said first toothed workpiece,
(e) removing said first toothed workpiece from said spindle,
(f) loading a second toothed workpiece to said spindle of said workpiece processing machine, said second toothed workpiece having said predetermined design and being in said predetermined rotational load position,
(g) rotationally adjusting said second toothed workpiece by said adjustment amount from said predetermined rotational load position to said machining position,
(h) machining the teeth of said second toothed workpiece,
(i) removing said second toothed workpiece from said spindle,
(j) repeating steps (f)-(i) for any subsequent toothed workpieces having said predetermined design and being in said predetermined rotational load position,
(k) whereby for said second and subsequent toothed workpieces having said predetermined design, the step of said stock-dividing is not carried out.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to loading said first, second and any subsequent workpieces having said predetermined design, each of the workpieces are transported from a pallet to said workpiece spindle for loading, wherein on said pallet, a workpiece is rotationally positioned in said predetermined rotational load position.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pallet comprises a locating element to fix the rotational position of a workpiece in said predetermined rotational load position.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said locating element comprises a pin and ball arrangement wherein said ball is insertable into a tooth slot of a workpiece.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein for the transporting of a workpiece from the pallet to the workpiece spindle, the workpiece is gripped by a workholding mechanism whereby the rotational position of the workpiece is maintained in said predetermined rotational load position.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said workholding mechanism comprises a chuck.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said workholding mechanism comprises a plurality of locating elements to fix the rotational position of a workpiece in said predetermined rotational load position when gripped by said workholding mechanism.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said locating elements comprise pin and ball arrangements wherein the balls are insertable into respective tooth slots of a workpiece.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said plurality of locating elements are arranged on and spaced about an adapter plate removably secured to a front face of the workholding mechanism.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said removing of the first workpiece, the second workpiece and any subsequent workpieces having said predetermined design is carried out with the workpieces being rotationally positioned in said predetermined rotational load position.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the workpieces are transported via a robot.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one chuck is located on and positionable on said robot.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said toothed workpieces comprise bevel pinion gears.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said toothed workpieces comprise bevel ring gears.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said workpiece processing machine comprises a gear grinding machine.

Assignees

• The Gleason Works

Inventors

• Ronald Craig R
• Gaiser Uwe
• Schwab Daniel J
• Mcnall Matthew J
• Patterson Bryan L
• Blakely Kevin H
• Mcglasson William D

Classifications

• B23F23/04 Primary

  Loading {or unloading} arrangements · CPC title

• B23F19/05

  Honing gear teeth · CPC title

• B23F19/12

  by grinding · CPC title

• B23F23/1218

  Checking devices for controlling workpieces in machines for manufacturing gear teeth · CPC title

• B23F23/1293

  Workpiece heads · CPC title