DE-BURRING APPARATUS FOR A HOBBING MACHINE

Abstract

The present invention provides a hobbing machine. The hobbing machine includes a clamp fixture adapted to retain a gear blank. A motor is operatively connected to the clamp fixture and is configured to rotate the clamp fixture and the gear blank together at a predetermined speed. A rotatable cutter is translatable into engagement with the gear blank and is configured to cut the gear blank and thereby produce a plurality of gear teeth. A de-burring tool is translatable into engagement with the gear blank and is configured to remove burrs from the gear blank as the gear teeth are being cut. A motorized spindle is operatively connected to the de-burring tool, and is configured to power and rotate the de-burring tool at a predefined speed to optimize the removal of the burrs.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side illustration of a hobbing machine in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a gear blank engaged with a de-burring tool;

FIG. 3A is a schematic sectional view of a gear tooth just prior to engagement with a de-burring tool;

FIG. 3B is a schematic sectional view of a gear tooth as it is engaged by a de-burring tool;

FIG. 3C is a schematic sectional view of a gear tooth after it is engaged by a de-burring tool; and

FIG. 4 is a method of de-burring a gear blank on a hobbing machine while cutting gear teeth into the gear blank in accordance with this invention.

Claims

1. A hobbing machine comprising: a rotable clamp fixture adapted to retain a gear blank;a rotatable cutter translatable into engagement with the gear blank, said cutter configured to cut the gear blank and thereby produce a plurality of gear teeth and potentially burrs;a first rotatable de-burring tool translatable into engagement with a first end surface of the gear blank, said de-burring tool configured to remove said burrs from the first end surface of the gear blank as the gear teeth are being cut; anda powered spindle driveably connected to said de-burring tool and operable to rotate said de-burring tool at a predefined speed and direction, the speed and direction selected to optimize the removal of the burrs.

2. The hobbing machine of claim 1, wherein the de-burring tool includes a peripheral edge sharpened to shear off and thereby remove some of said burrs.

3. The hobbing machine of claim 1, wherein the de-burring tool includes a contact surface configured to grind off and thereby remove others of said burrs.

4. The hobbing machine of claim 3, wherein the contact surface may include compositions of high speed steel, carbide, or abrasive compositions such as aluminum oxide or cubic boron nitride.

5. The hobbing machine of claim 1, further comprising a motor to power said powered spindle.

6. The hobbing machine of claim 1, including: a first motor operatively connected to the clamp fixture to rotate the clamp fixture and the gear blank at a predetermined speed; anda second motor to power said de-burring tool spindle.

7. The hobbing machine of claim 6 further including a controller controlling output of said second motor, wherein the predefined speed and direction of said de-burring tool spindle is programmable through said controller.

8. The hobbing machine of claim 7, wherein said first de-burring tool spindle is translatable between two or more positions including a first disengaged position with respect to said end surface and a second engaged position with respect to said end surface and wherein position translation is programmable through the controller.

9. The hobbing machine of claim 8 further comprising: a second de-burring tool translatable into engagement with a second end surface of the gear blank, said second de-burring tool configured to remove burrs from the second end surface of the gear blank as the gear teeth are being cut; anda spacer adapted to position said second de-burring tool at a predetermined distance from the first de-burring tool, said spacer secured at one end to said powered spindle, said spacer secured at an opposing second end to said second de-burring tool so as to rotate said second de-burring tool in unison with said first de-burring tool, the predetermined distance of said spacer selected such that said second de-burring tool engages the second end surface of the gear blank while said first de-burring tool engages the first end surface to remove burrs from the first end surface and the second end surface of the gear blank.

10. The hobbing machine of claim 8 further comprising: a second de-burring tool translatable into engagement with a second end surface of the gear blank, said second de-burring tool configured to remove burrs from the second end surface of the gear blank; anda second powered spindle operatively connected to said second de-burring tool, said second powered spindle configured to rotate said second de-burring tool at a predefined speed and direction, the speed and direction selected to optimize removal of burrs, wherein said predefined rotary speed of said second de-burring tool spindle is programmable through said controller.

11. A hobbing machine for cutting gear teeth into a gear blank, comprising: a rotable clamp fixture adapted to retain the gear blank;a first motor operatively connected to the clamp fixture to rotate the clamp fixture and the gear blank at a predetermined speed;a rotatable cutter translatable into engagement with the gear blank, said cutter configured to cut the gear blank and thereby produce plurality of gear teeth and potentially burrs;a first rotatable de-burring tool translatable into engagement with a first end surface of the gear blank, said de-burring tool configured to remove said burrs from the first end surface of the gear blank as the gear teeth are being cut;a powered spindle driveably connected to said de-burring tool and operable to rotate said de-burring tool at a predefined speed and direction, the speed and direction selected to optimize removal of the burrs;a second motor to power said de-burring tool spindle; anda controller controlling output of said second motor, wherein the predefined speed of said de-burring tool spindle is programmable through said controller, wherein said first de-burring tool spindle is translatable between two or more positions including a first disengaged position with respect to said end surface and a second engaged position with respect to said end surface and wherein position translation is programmable through the controller.

12. The hobbing machine for cutting gear teeth into a gear blank of claim 11, further comprising: a second de-burring tool translatable into engagement with a second end surface of the gear blank, said second de-burring tool configured to remove burrs from the second end surface of the gear blank as the gear teeth are being cut; anda spacer adapted to position said second de-burring tool at a predetermined distance from the first de-burring tool, said spacer secured at one end to said powered spindle, said spacer secured at an opposing second end to said second de-burring tool so as to rotate said second de-burring tool in unison with said first de-burring tool, the predetermined distance of said spacer selected such that said second de-burring tool engages the second end surface of the gear blank while said first de-burring tool engages the first end surface to remove burrs from the first end surface and the second end surface of the gear blank.

13. A method of de-burring a gear blank on a hobbing machine while cutting gear teeth into the gear blank, comprising: retracting a tailstock away from a clamp fixture;loading a gear blank into the clamp fixture;extending the tailstock to clamp the gear blank onto the clamp fixture;rotably driving the gear blank at a predetermined speed;translating a rotable cutter into engagement with the gear blank to cut gear teeth into the blank, wherein cutting the gear teeth produces burrs on at least one end surface of the gear blank;selecting a de-burring tool rotation speed and direction to optimize burr removal; andpowering at least one rotationally driven de-burring tool into engagement with the gear blank, wherein the de-burring tool is operable to remove burrs from the gear blank, wherein the de-burring tool is rotably driven by a motor at a selected speed and direction, the speed and direction selected to optimize burr removal.