Method and apparatus for turning pens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022152863-A1
Application number	US-202016952693-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2020
Priority date	Nov 19, 2020
Publication date	May 19, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A complete pen mandrel turning assembly that may allow for simple, accurate, and repeatable centering of a pen mandrel shaft. The presently disclosed system may further include a tail stock assembly that is adjustable to allow the tail stock to be positioned right next to the pen blank to eliminate any chance of runout and other associated problems. Further, the present disclosure may provide a series of precision bushings for use with the pen turning assembly to securely hold a pen blank in the turning assembly while providing an accurate and precise turning reference for the pen turner.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A pen turning assembly comprising:
a head stock assembly having a longitudinal through opening defined therethrough; a tail stock assembly having a longitudinal through opening defined therethrough; a mandrel shaft extending between the head stock assembly and the tail stock assembly wherein at least a portion of the mandrel shaft extends into the longitudinal through opening defined through the head stock assembly and into the longitudinal through opening defined through the tail stock assembly; and at least one bushing slidably engaged with the mandrel shaft between the head stock assembly and the tail stock assembly having a body and at least one wear indicator groove defined therein.

2 . The turning assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
at least one turning blank operably engaged with the at least one bushing and secured in a longitudinal position on the mandrel shaft by the head stock assembly and the tail stock assembly.

3 . The turning assembly of claim 2 wherein the at least one bushing further comprises:
a first bushing operably engaged with the at least one turning blank between the turning blank and the head stock assembly; and
a second bushing operably engaged with the at least one turning blank between the turning blank and the tail stock assembly.

4 . The turning assembly of claim 1 wherein the head stock assembly further comprises:
a body having a tapered portion for operable engagement with a head stock of a lathe; and
a cap threadably engaged with a front portion of the body.

5 . The turning assembly of claim 4 wherein the front portion of the body and the cap further define a collet operable to secure the mandrel shaft in place within the head stock assembly.

6 . The turning assembly of claim 4 wherein the tapered portion of the body is a #2 Morse taper.

7 . The turning assembly of claim 1 wherein the tail stock assembly further comprises:
a body having a tapered portion for operable engagement with a tail stock of a lathe;
a bearing assembly; and
a nose cone engaged with a front portion of the bearing assembly.

8 . The turning assembly of claim 7 wherein the front portion of the bearing assembly and the nose cone further define a collet operable to secure the mandrel shaft in place within the tail stock assembly.

9 . The turning assembly of claim 7 wherein the bearing assembly further comprises:
a bearing housing with at least one channel defined therein, the at least one channel operable to direct airflow towards a lathe tool when the turning assembly is in operation.

10 . The turning assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a first collet defined by a front portion of a body and a cap of the head stock assembly; and
a second collet defined by a front portion of a bearing assembly and a nose cone of the tail stock assembly, wherein the first and second collets are operable to secure the mandrel shaft in place within the turning assembly.

11 . The turning assembly of claim 1 wherein the tail stock assembly is longitudinally slidable along the mandrel shaft.

12 . A method of turning a blank comprising:
inserting a body of a head stock assembly into a head stock of a lathe; inserting at least a portion of a mandrel shaft into a through opening defined in the head stock assembly; securing the portion of the mandrel shaft within the head stock assembly in place with a collet formed from a front portion of the head stock assembly body and a cap threadably engaged therewith; positioning a first bushing on the mandrel shaft with a head thereof abutting the cap of the head stock assembly; engaging a blank with a body of the first bushing; positioning a second bushing on the mandrel shaft with a body thereof engaged with the blank opposite the first bushing; moving a tail stock assembly engaged with a tail stock of the lathe from a first position wherein the mandrel shaft is exterior of a through opening defined in the tail stock assembly to a second position wherein at least a portion of the mandrel shaft is inserted within the through opening defined in the tail stock assembly and a nose cone of the tail stock assembly is abutting a body of the second bushing; securing the portion of the mandrel shaft within the tail stock assembly in place with a collet formed from a front portion of a bearing assembly of the tail stock assembly and the nose cone of the tail stock assembly; rotating the turning assembly with the lathe; and turning the blank with at least one lathe tool.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the mandrel shaft is centered within the head stock assembly, tail stock assembly, and blank.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the mandrel shaft defines a longitudinal axis of rotation of the turning assembly.

15 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
positioning a third bushing on the mandrel shaft adjacent the body of the second bushing;
engaging a second blank with a body of the third bushing; and
positioning a fourth bushing on the mandrel shaft with a body thereof engaged with the second blank opposite the third bushing; and
moving the tail stock assembly from the first position to a third position wherein the at least a portion of the mandrel shaft is inserted within the through opening defined in the tail stock assembly and the nose cone of the tail stock assembly is abutting a body of the fourth bushing, prior to securing the portion of the mandrel shaft within the tail stock assembly in place.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the first bushing and second bushing are substantially identical in diameter and are larger in diameter than the third bushing.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the fourth bushing is smaller in diameter than the third bushing.

18 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
turning the blank until an outer diameter thereof is substantially level with a wear ring of one or both of the first bushing and the second bushing.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising:
replacing the first bushing when the wear ring thereof is reduced in diameter to be level with a wear indicator groove defined in the body of the first bushing; and
replacing the second bushing when the wear ring thereof is reduced in diameter to be level with a wear indicator groove defined in the body of the second bushing.

20 . The method of claim 12 further comprising:
directing air flow from a housing of bearing assembly of the tail stock assembly towards the at least one lathe tool via one or more angled channels defined in an exterior surface of the bearing housing.

Assignees

• Woodpeckers Llc

Inventors

• Myers Matthew A
• Farris Jeffery E

Classifications

• B27C7/00

  Wood-turning machines; Equipment therefor (B23B, B23G, B23Q, take precedence; features of copying devices B23Q35/00) · CPC title

• B27C7/04

  Devices for centering or chucking work · CPC title

• B27C7/005 Primary

  by means of a rotating tool · CPC title

• B23B23/02

  Dead centres · CPC title