초록 ▼

A method and apparatus are provided for effecting high production rate grinding of a plurality of workpieces on a grinding wheel rotating about an axis with reduced power consumption. Each workpiece is mounted in a holding fixture adjacent the grinding wheel to expose a face of the workpiece to be g

A method and apparatus are provided for effecting high production rate grinding of a plurality of workpieces on a grinding wheel rotating about an axis with reduced power consumption. Each workpiece is mounted in a holding fixture adjacent the grinding wheel to expose a face of the workpiece to be ground. The fixtures are positioned at spaced locations around the periphery of the grinding wheel whereby a grinding station is defined at each location. In one embodiment of the invention, one workpiece at a time is ground, but the grinding of a workpiece begins substantially simultaneously with the termination of the grinding of the preceding workpiece. The apparatus includes a vertically disposed grinding spindle with a grinding wheel mounted on the spindle driven by a motor which, along with the spindle, has a fixed location within the grinding machine housing. A removable upper spindle support member may be removably mounted to the housing above the grinding wheel.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for high production rate grinding of a plurality of workpieces on a grinding wheel rotating about an axis with reduced power consumption, said method comprising the steps of: (A) mounting each said workpiece in a holding fixture adjacent said grinding wheel to expose a face of each workpiec

A method for high production rate grinding of a plurality of workpieces on a grinding wheel rotating about an axis with reduced power consumption, said method comprising the steps of: (A) mounting each said workpiece in a holding fixture adjacent said grinding wheel to expose a face of each workpiece to be ground at spaced locations around the periphery of said grinding wheel whereby a grinding station is defined at each said location, each said grinding station defining a workpiece feed path generally tangent to the grinding surface of said grinding wheel said feed path having (1) a first portion wherein said workpiece face is out of contact with said grinding wheel, (2) a second portion wherein said workpiece face is in contact with said grinding wheel, and (3) a third portion wherein said workpiece face is out of contact with said grinding wheel, said second portion of said feed path being located between said first and third portions of said feed path, said mounting step including mounting each said workpiece in its fixture while the fixture is initially positioned at said first portion of said feed path; (B) moving only one of said workpieces in its fixture from the associated feed path first portion into said feed path second portion against said grinding wheel at the corresponding grinding station to grind a face of said one workpiece; (C) after step (B), moving said one workpiece in its fixture from the associated feed path second portion into said feed path third portion to a position out of contact with said grinding wheel; and (D) sequentially repeating steps (B) and (C) for each of the remaining said workpieces seriatim.