Patent classifications
B23B45/14
Systems and methods for control of foreign object debris
In an example, a clamp foot for a clamp assembly includes a housing having a distal end for engaging a workpiece, an aperture in the distal end of the housing, and a cavity in the housing extending proximally from the aperture. The clamp foot also includes a flapper in the cavity and adjacent to the distal end. The clamp foot further includes a pneumatic port in the cavity configured to direct a pneumatic force from a pneumatic source to the flapper, and a vacuum port in the cavity for coupling the cavity to a vacuum source. Responsive to the pneumatic force, the flapper is movable within the cavity to separate debris from the workpiece. The vacuum port is configured to remove from the cavity, via a vacuum force from the vacuum source, the debris separated from the workpiece by the flapper.
Rail shoe assembly
A rail shoe assembly for mounting a drilling machine to a rail of a railway track, with the drilling machine including a drill, a cutter, and a support frame with the support frame mounted to the rail, includes a base adapted to be positioned with respect to the rail and adapted to be coupled to the support frame. The rail shoe assembly also includes an adjustable bar coupled to and slideable relative to the base. The adjustable bar has a bottom edge for engagement with the rail. The adjustable bar defines a plurality of position indicators and the base defines a plurality of mounting chambers. At least one of the plurality of position indicators and at least one of the plurality of mounting chambers are alignable at a predetermined position for positioning said base relative to the rail such that the drill and cutter are positioned relative to the rail.
Counterbalance system for upper horizontal surface drilling operations
A counterbalance system employs one or more springs to support a large motor drill on an upper horizontal work surface, for example on the tops of drill jigs or bushings. The counterbalance system supports the drill above the work surface where the counterbalance system can slide across the work surface to selectively position the drill over a drill bushing through which a drilling operation is to be performed. A user of the drill supported on the counterbalance system can then push downwardly on the drill to compress the spring and perform a drilling operation. On removal of the downward directed force exerted by the user of the drill, the spring pushes the drill upwardly to disengage the drill from the work surface. The user of the counterbalance system can then slide the counterbalance system and the drill across the top of the work surface.
Magnetic drill system
An auto-feeding permanent magnet drill comprising a first permanent magnet capable of being removeably coupled to a magnetic material. A coupler plate couples to the first permanent magnet. A drill frame couples to the coupler plate, the coupler plate providing an interface to couple the first permanent magnet to the frame. User interfaces are provided to enable control for powering the drill, enabling a drill or cutter bit auto-feed feature, enabling a lubrication system and enabling a mechanical adjustment system. An electric drill is coupled to the frame, the electric drill coupled to the auto-feed feature and electronically coupled to the user interfaces. A lubrication reservoir couples to a second permanent magnet capable of coupling the lubrication reservoir to a magnetic material or work surface. A flexible distribution tube delivers lubricant from the lubrication reservoir to a nozzle, the nozzle oriented towards the cutting surface and capable of distributing lubricating fluid to the cutting surface or rotating drill bit components during a drilling operation.