GB2150057A

GB2150057A - Adjusting device

Info

Publication number: GB2150057A
Application number: GB08429197A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Donald Barlow
Original assignee: Hahn and Kolb GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Hahn and Kolb GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1983-11-19
Filing date: 1984-11-19
Publication date: 1985-06-26
Also published as: GB8429197D0; GB8330926D0; GB2150057B

Abstract

An adjusting device for adjusting the relative position of a pair of members 10, 11 which are subsequently clamped together comprises a threaded member 17 carried by the member 10 and having its axis extending in the direction of relative movement of the members. The member 17 is restrained against axial movement relative to the member 10 and extends through a recess 18 in the member. The member 11 carries a further member 26 which is in screw thread engagement with the member 17 and is slidable in a recess 27 in the member 11. Resilient means 29 acting on the further member 26 acts through the threaded member to urge the contacting surfaces of the members into engagement with each other. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Adjusting device This invention relates to an adjusting device for use when adjusting the position of one member relative to another, the two members subsequently being clamped together.

One application of the adjusting device occurs in the field of cutting tools where for example it is often necessary to adjustably mount a member carrying a cutting tool insert, upon a support member for example a boring bar. Once the adjustment of the two members has been carried out it is necessary to clamp the two members together and this can be achieved by clamping screws. It is often the case however that as the clamping screws are tightened relative movement of the two members takes place and it is necessary to slacken the clamping screws and readjust.

The process of adjustment therefore becomes one of trial and error which takes considerable time.

The object of the present invention is to provide an adjusting device for the purpose specified in a simple and convenient form.

According to the invention an adjusting device for the purpose specified comprises a screw threaded member carried by one of the members, the axis of said threaded member extending in the direction of relative movement between the members, said threaded member being located against axial movement relative to said one member, means carried by the other member and engaging with said threaded member whereby as the threaded member is moved angularly about its axis, relative movement of said one and said other members will take place in said direction, and a resilient element or elements acting between said means and said other member, said element or elements acting through said means and said screw threaded member to maintain the contacting surfaces of said one and other members in engagement with each other while adjustment is carried out and acting to prevent relative movement of said one and said other members during the subsequent clamping thereof.

An example of an adjustment device in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rig constructed to test the adjusting device, Figure 2 is a plan view of the adjusting device shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an end elevation of a double turning tool incorporating adjusting devices in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the rig comprises a pair of members 10, 11 which have contacting flat surfaces 12. 13 respectively. The two members are guided for movement in one direction by the provision in the surface 13 of an elongated slot 14 in which are engaged projections 15 extending proud of the surface 12.

The two members can be clamped together in any convenient manner, the particular arrangement being shown in Figure 2, comprising a pair of set screws 16 engaged with the member 11 and extending within elongated apertures formed in the member 10.

The adjusting device comprises a screw threaded member 17 which extends through a recess 18 formed in the member 10. The axis of the member 17 extends in the direction of relative movement of the members 10 and 11 and also substantially parallel to the contacting surfaces of the two members. The member 17 is conveniently formed in two parts, the first including the screw threaded portion of the member, a cylindrical portion 19 of reduced diameter at one end of the screw threaded portion, a bush portion 20 at the opposite end of the screw threaded portion and an enlarged head 21. The bush 20 has a working clearance within a bore 22 formed in the body 10 and which continues on the opposite side of the recess 18. The screw threaded member also includes a second portion which comprises a bush 23 in which is defined a bore to receive the portion 19.The bush 23 also has a head 24 which is complementary to the head 21 and the two parts are secured together by means of a pin which can be inserted through a suitable aperture indicated at 25 in Figure 1. The head portions 21 and 24 are carefully dimensioned so that the screw threaded member can be considered as being axially captive relative to the member 10.

Engaging with the screw threaded portion of the member 17 is a further member 26 in which is formed a screw threaded bore in which the screw threaded member 17 is located. Conveniently and as shown in Figure 2.

the further member 26 is of cylindrical form and it extends into and is slidable in a complementary cylindrical recess 27 formed in the member 11. The clearance between the wall of the recess and the member is kept as small as possible. The member 26 is retained in the recess 27 by means of a screw 28 which is located within a stepped aperture formed in the member 11. Between the head of the screw 28 and a step in the aperture is located a resilient element 29 in the form of a stack of Bellville washers. The Bellville washers act to urge the surfaces 12. 13 of the members into engagement with each other the force being transmitted through the further member 26 to the screw threaded member 17 and hence to the member 10.

When it is required to effect relative adjustment of the members, the clamping screws 16 are slackened and the screw threaded member 17 is moved angularly conveniently by means of a tool engaged with non-circular recesses formed in one or both of the heads 21, 24. The force exerted by the Belville washers is not sufficient to prevent relative movement of the members 10. 11 as the screw threaded member is adjusted but it is nevertheless sufficient to hold the members 10 and 11 against relative movement when the screws 16 are tightened following adjustment. Moreover, the retention of the members 10 and 11 against movement while the screws 16 are being tightened is enhanced by the fact that the screw threaded member 17 is unable to move axially relative to the member 10 and the further member 26 is a close fit in the bore 27.Moreover, because of the force exerted by the Bellville washers, the normal backlash which would be experienced between two threaded components is eliminated.

The rig shown in the drawings includes a support 30 secured to the member 11 and which forms a mounting for a clock gauge 31 the input member 32 of which engages the member 10. With the rig described it was possible to adjust the relative position of the two members 10, 11 to within a micron by rotating the screw threaded member 17 and to tighten the screws 16 without upsetting the adjustment. The screw thread on the member 17 is a fine thread to obtain fine adjustment of the members and if desired graduations may be provided on the heads 21, 24.

Figure 3 shows a practical application for the adjusting device and illustrates in end elevation, a machine tool for use when turning a component from bar stock. The tool includes a face plate 33 in which is formed a central aperture 34 through which the component can pass as machining takes place. The face plate 33 forms the equivalent of the member 11 and carries a pair of movable members 36, 37. The members are located in .opposite quadrants and are slidable along slots 38, 39 respectively which are disposed parallel to each other. One edge of each member is aligned with a diameter of the aperture on opposite sides thereof. The members mount respective tool boxes 40, 41 each of which carries one or more cutting inserts.

The members are each provided with a pair of set screws whereby they can be clamped to the face plate and each incorporates an adjusting device of the kind described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

The aperture 34 can be used to mount a centre drill or some other form of drill these being retained in position by means of a set screw 42.

Claims

1. An adjusting device for use when adjusting the position of one member relative to another, the two members susequently being clamped together the device comprising a screw threaded member carried by one of the members, the axis of said threaded member extending in the direction of relative movement between the members, said threaded member being located against axial movement relative to said one member, means carried by the other member and engaging with said threaded member whereby as the threaded member is moved angularly about its axis, relative movement of said one and said other members will take place in said direction, and a resilient element or elements acting between said means and said other member, said element or elements acting through said means and said screw threaded member to maintain the contacting surfaces of said one and other members in engagement with each other while adjustment is carried out and acting to prevent relative movement of said one and said other members during the subsequent clamping thereof.

2. An device according to Claim 1 in which said means comprises a further member having a screw threaded bore formed therein, said threaded member being engaged in said bore, said further member being slidably mounted in a complementary recess formed in said other member.

3. A device according to Claim 2 including a stepped aperture formed in the other member and opening into said recess, a retaining screw in said aperture and engaging said further member, and said resilient means acting between the head of the retaining screw and a step in said aperture.

4. A device according to Claim 3 in which said resilient means comprises a plurality of Bellville washers.

5. A device according to Claim 1 including an elongated slot in one of said members and a projection defined on the other of said members, said slot and projection guiding the relative movement of the members.

6. A device according to Claim 1 including a recess defined in said one member, said threaded member extending across said recess and a further member defining said means being located in said recess.

7. A device according to Claim 6 in which said threaded member is formed in two parts the first of which includes a threaded portion, a bush portion at one end of the threaded portion and an enlarged head at the end of the bush portion remote from the threaded portion, the second part including a bush portion and a head the bush portion of the second part being hollow and receiving a cylindrical portion of the first part, the two parts being assembled'through bores respectively opening into thjé recess and secured together against relative movement.

8. A device according to Claim 7 in which said parts of the threaded member are secured together by means of a transverse pin.

9. A machine tool including an adjusting device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

10. An adjusting device for use when adjusting the position of one member relative to another, the two members subsequently being clamped together comprising the combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.