GB993439A - Improvements in or relating to cutting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

993,439. Severing by grinding. COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE. March 12, 1962 [March 10, 1961], No. 9469/62. Heading B3D. A cutting machine, more particularly for cutting radio-active elements, comprises a rotary tool and means for driving said tool at a cutting speed of the order of 1À2 metres per second, said wheel being lubricated and cooled by dipping in the liquid of a bath, whereby in operation the projection of both metallic particles and of the liquid is minimized, thus reducing contamination risk to a minimum while requiring only a very small quantity of liquid. The machine is located in a hermetic enclosure. A workpiece P is gripped by the jaws 1, 2 of a vice supported by a rotatable plate 3 mounted on a structure 4. The vice jaws may have interlocking fingers so as to grip workpieces of different sections. Adjustment and operation of the vice are effected by remote manipulators engageable with members 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 9 1 . A grinding wheel M is mounted on a shaft 24 carried by a slide 11 movable on a base 45. The shaft 24 is driven, through a torque limiter 47 and gearing 48, 49, by an electric motor 46 mounted on the slide 11. A feed screw 54 mounted in the base 45 is engaged by the threaded portion 56 of a hollow shaft 55 rotatably mounted in bearings secured to the slide. The grinding wheel shaft 24 drives, through gearing 50, 51, and an eccentric device 52, a cam 53 which operates a pawl 61 cooperating with a ratchet wheel 62 secured on the hollow shaft 55. A pawl lifter 63 is carried on a member 64 adjustable, through gearing, by a member 67 engageable by a remote manipulator. An indicator 74 is provided. Rapid return of the slide 11 is effected by a splined shaft 75 engaging in the hollow shaft 55 and operated by a member 76 engageable by a remote manipulator. A guide 12 integral with the slide 11 has pivoted thereto a guide 13 and the bath 10 has brackets 14 engageable with the guides. During cutting the guide 13 is in the position shown in Fig. 3, in which it prevents removal of the bath. Subsequently it is moved into alignment with the guide 12 whereupon the bath can be drawn along by the guides by a remote manipulator engaging a member 15. The bath has slots 16 engageable by an arm 17 which moves it out of the enclosure. Pieces cut from the workpiece fall on to a perforated tray 19 having a slot 22 for the grinding wheel. The tray is pivoted on a shaft 20 and has a member 21 engageable by a remote manipulator. A pivotal arm 23 carries a magnetic chuck 30 which holds the hub 26 of the grinding wheel M. The tray 19 having been raised the arm 23 is swung, through gearing 36, 37, 38 and a member 35 engageable by a remote manipulator, to bring the grinding wheel into alignment with the shaft 24. Passing through the shaft 24 is a rod 27 having at one end a member 28 engageable by a remote manipulator and at the other end a threaded portion 42 which on rotation of the rod 27 engages a threaded part 29 of the wheel hub. This withdraws the hub axially from the magnetic chuck, the hub finally contacting a tapered surface 41 on the head 25 of the shaft 24. Studs 43 on the hub extend into recesses 44 in the head 25. The arm 23 is swung to its original position and the tray 19 lowered. The grinding wheel may have a diameter of 200 mm. and rotate at 120 r.p.m.