METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CENTER HEIGHT ALIGNMENT OF A BORING BAR

Abstract

A method and apparatus for center height alignment of a boring bar is disclosed. The apparatus includes a seat member with a bottom and a back, and a digital angle gauge mounted to the seat member. The method includes the steps of: assembling an apparatus comprising a seat member and a digital angle gauge; calibrating the apparatus such that a Display of the digital angle gauge reads zero degrees; and aligning the center height of the boring bar by rotating the boring bar such that the Display of the digital angle gauge reads zero degrees when the apparatus is mounted onto the boring bar.

Claims

1. A method for center height alignment of a boring bar, comprising: assembling an apparatus comprising a seat member and a digital angle gauge; calibrating the apparatus such that a Display of the digital angle gauge reads zero degrees; and aligning a center height of the boring bar by rotating the boring bar such that the Display of the digital angle gauge reads zero degrees when the apparatus is mounted onto the boring bar.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is calibrated to an X-axis way of a lathe.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is mounted onto the boring bar such that the apparatus is oriented parallel to an x-axis of the X-axis way of the lathe.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is mounted on a flat located on a collar of the boring bar.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is assembled by mounting the digital angle gauge onto the seat member.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising clamping the boring bar in a toolholder of the lathe after the alignment step.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising verifying that the digital angle gauge reads zero degrees in the Display after clamping the boring bar in the toolholder.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is mounted onto the boring bar such that the apparatus is oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the boring bar.

9. An apparatus for center height alignment of a boring bar, comprising: a seat member including a bottom and a back; and a digital angle gauge mounted to the seat member.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the seat member further comprises a magnet disposed in the bottom of the seat member to securely attach the seat member to the boring bar.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the seat member has an L-shaped cross section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] While various embodiments of the invention are illustrated, the particular embodiments shown should not be construed to limit the claims. It is anticipated that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus for center height alignment of a boring bar according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a partial view of the apparatus mounted on an X-axis way of a lathe in order to calibrate the apparatus according to a method of the invention;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a partial side view of a boring bar when mounted in a toolholder of the lathe;

[0015] FIG. 4 is an end view of the apparatus mounted on the boring bar when the boring bar is mounted in the toolholder of the lathe in order to align the center height of the cutting insert mounted in the boring bar according to the method of the invention; and

[0016] FIG. 5 is a partial side perspective view of the center height alignment of the boring bar with respect to a workpiece using the method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Referring now to FIG. 1, an apparatus 10 for center height alignment of a boring bar with a workpiece comprises two basic components: 1) a seat member 12, and 2) a digital angle gauge 14.

[0018] In one embodiment, the seat member 12 is made of a metallic material, such as tool steel, and the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the seat member 12 is substantially L-shaped in cross-section and includes a bottom 16 and a back 18. A magnet 20 is disposed in the bottom 16 of the seat member 12 to securely attach the seat member 12 to a metallic shank 34 of a boring bar 30 (FIG. 3), as described in more detail below.

[0019] The digital angle gauge 14 is of the type that is well-known in the art. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the digital angle gauge 14 is commercially available from Wixey as Part No. WR300 Type 2 (www.wixey.com/anglegauge/index.html). The digital angle gauge 14 includes an On/Off button 22, a Zero Button 24, a Display 26 and a magnet 27 disposed in the bottom of the digital angle gauge 14 to securely attach the digital angle gauge 14 to the seat member 12, which is made of metallic material.

[0020] The method of the invention comprises three basic steps: 1) assembly of the apparatus 10; 2) calibration of the apparatus 10; and 3) alignment of the center height of the boring bar 30.

[0021] Assembly of Apparatus

[0022] First, the user should clean the mounting surfaces of the digital angle gauge 14 and/or the corresponding surfaces of the seat member 12 to ensure to remove any dirt, chips, debris, and the like. Then, the apparatus 10 is assembled by mounting the digital angle gauge 14 onto the seat member 12 such that the magnet 27 of the digital angle gauge 14 is securely attached to the bottom 16 of the seat member 12. It is noted that the backside of the digital angle gauge 14 should be flush against the back 18 of the seat member 12 when the digital angle gauge 14 is properly mounted onto the seat member 12.

[0023] Calibration of Apparatus

[0024] Next, the apparatus 10 is calibrated with respect to a reference surface 102 of a toolholder 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the reference surface is an X-axis way 102 of a lathe 100. It is noted that the user should clean an area on the X-axis way 102 of the lathe 100 and the bottom 16 of the seat member 12 to remove any dirt, chips, debris, and the like. Then, the assembly apparatus 10 is mounted onto the X-axis way 102 of the lathe 100 such that the apparatus 10 is substantially parallel to an x-axis 28 of the X-axis way 102 of the lathe 100. It is noted that it may be helpful to butt the end of the apparatus 10 up against the turret housing 104 to help keep the apparatus 10 parallel to the x-axis 28, as shown in FIG. 2. Because the X-axis way 102 is made of metallic material, the magnet 20 disposed in the bottom 16 of the seat member 12 securely mounts the apparatus 10 to the X-way 102 of the lathe 100. Next, the digital angle gauge 14 is turned ON by pressing the ON/OFF button 22. Then, the digital angle gauge 14 is zeroed (i.e., calibrated to zero degrees) by pressing the Zero Button 24. At this point, the digital angle gauge 14 is calibrated to the X-axis way 102 (i.e., reference surface) of the lathe 100 and will measure relative angles corresponding to the X-axis way 102 of the lathe 100.

[0025] Alignment of Center Height of Boring Bar

[0026] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first step is to clean any dirt, chips, debris, etc. from the small flat 32 on the collar 31 of the boring bar 30 with the boring bar 30 already placed in the toolholder 106 and set to the correct overhang. It should be noted that there are two small flats 32 on the collar 31 that are 180 apart from each other. Thus, the second small flat 32 is not visible in FIGS. 3 and 4. The second small flat 32 (not shown) allows the boring bar 30 to be placed upside down for some applications. Next, the assembled apparatus 10 is mounted onto the boring bar 30 by aligning the magnet 20 on the bottom 16 of the apparatus 10 with the small flat 32 on the collar 31 of the boring bar 30. Because the boring bar 30 is made of metallic material, the magnet 20 disposed in the bottom 16 of the seat member 12 securely mounts the apparatus 10 to the small flat 32 on the collar 31 of the boring bar 30. It is noted that the user should be sure the apparatus 10 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 36 of the boring bar 30, and that the apparatus 10 is oriented in the same direction as when the apparatus 10 was calibrated to the X-axis way 102 of the lathe 100. That is, the apparatus 10 is mounted onto the boring bar 30 such that the apparatus 10 is oriented parallel to an x-axis 28 of the X-axis way 102 of the lathe 100.

[0027] Then, the boring bar 30 is rotated until the digital angle gauge 14 reads zero degrees in the Display 26. Next, the boring bar 30 is clamped in the toolholder 106 to lock the position of the boring bar 30. It is noted that the user should verify that the digital angle gauge 14 still reads zero degrees in the Display 26 after clamping the boring bar 30 in the toolholder 106. At this point, the cutting edge of the boring bar 30 is aligned on center. That is, a tip 44 of a cutting edge 42 of a cutting insert 40 mounted in the boring bar 30 is aligned with the plane 202 passing through the center of the workpiece 200, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0028] The patents and publications referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0029] Having described presently preferred embodiments the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the appended claims.