Thread Former Having Molding
The thread former is used for the non-cutting shaping of threads and has a main body (1′) on which the moldings (6) are provided, distributed over the circumference. Said moldings are provided with thread-forming teeth (13, 14). Profile grinding tools are used to produce the thread-forming teeth (13, 14), both in the main body (1′) as well as in the moldings (6). In order for the thread former to be produced easily and cost-effectively, the moldings (6) protrude radially beyond the main body (1′) so far that the profile tool only engages with the molding when producing the thread-forming teeth (13, 14). Consequently, the profiling tool only has to machine one type of material. The thread former is used for the non-cutting shaping of threads, particularly of internal threads.
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The invention concerns a thread former according to the preamble of claim 1.
Thread formers serve for non-cutting shaping of threads. The free end of the main body constitutes a working part that, distributed about the circumference, has moldings. The working part has a polygonal cross-section. In the area of the cross-sectional corners, the moldings in the form of cylindrical bars are provided that consist of hard and wear-resistant material. The moldings are soldered into grooves of the main body. In particular the common profile grinding for producing the thread-forming teeth in the main body and in the inserted moldings causes difficulties because the grinding wheels that are used for this purpose clog quickly.
It is the object of the invention to develop the thread former of the aforementioned kind such that it can be produced in a simple and cost-effective way.
This object is solved for the thread former ofthe aforementioned kind in accordance with the invention with the characterizing features of claim 1.
In the thread former according to the invention, the moldings project radially past the main body to such an extent that with the profiling tool, preferably a grinding wheel, only the moldings for generating the thread-forming teeth are cut while the profiling tool no longer comes into contact with the main body. The profiling tool must only cut one kind of material so that the manufacturing process becomes simpler and faster. The profiling tool can therefore be selected optimally with respect to its profiling task.
The moldings are advantageously fastened in receiving grooves of the main body. In the receiving grooves, the moldings can be fastened reliably, for example, by soldering or by an adhesive. The moldings advantageously can be formed to be symmetrical to their longitudinal center plane. However, it is also possible that the moldings are formed to be asymmetrical relative to their longitudinal center plane.
The moldings can be arranged axis-parallel, i.e., the longitudinal axis of the thread former is positioned in the longitudinal center plane of the moldings. The bottom of the receiving grooves extends in this case parallel to the axial plane of the thread former.
Depending on the type of use of the thread former, it is also possible that the moldings are positioned at an angle to a correlated axial plane. In this case, the bottom of the receiving grooves extends from the free end of thread former at a slant in the direction toward the exterior side of the thread former.
The moldings, in a side view, can be positioned at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the thread former wherein the moldings may extends straight as well as in a spiral shape.
In one embodiment, the moldings are advantageously arranged uniformly distributed about the circumference of the main body.
In case of particularly long thread formers or in case of thread formers that operate at very high cutting speeds, it is advantageous when the moldings are arranged in non-uniform distribution about the circumference of the main body. Such non-uniform distribution leads to smoother running of the thread former.
The moldings can be arranged symmetrically to the axial plane of the main body in such a way that their longitudinal plane is located in the corresponding axial plane of the moldings.
It is however also possible that the moldings are arranged such that their longitudinal center plane is positioned at an acute angle relative to the correlated axial plane of the main body that extends through the moldings.
The area between neighboring moldings can be used for supplying cooling lubricant to the processing site. However, it may also be advantageous to provide the thread former with an inner cooling medium supply. In this way, the cooling medium can be applied in a targeted fashion to the processing site of the thread former.
Further features of the invention result from further claims, the description, and drawings.
The invention will be explained in more detail with the aid of some embodiments illustrated in the drawings. It is shown in:
The thread formers disclosed in the following serve for non-cutting shaping of threads. In particular, with the thread formers internal threads are formed. The thread former according to
The clamping shaft 1 passes with a short conical intermediate section 3 into a preferably cylindrical end section 4. It has a smaller cross-sectional surface area than the clamping shaft 1 in the area between the profiled section 2 and the intermediate section 3. The end section 4 is adjoined by a head section 5 to which moldings 6 are attached in a way to be described in the following. In deviation from the illustrated embodiment, the main body 1′ can have across its length any other suitable cross-sectional configuration.
The clamping shaft 1 with the profiled section 2, the intermediate section 3, the end section 4, and the head section 5 is of a monolithic configuration and is comprised of a tough material, for example, a high-speed steel. The head section 5 has a conically tapering end.
The head section 5 is provided with receiving grooves 7 for receiving the moldings 6 that extend axially away from the end face 8 of the head section 5. The receiving grooves 7 extend, for example, approximately about half the axial length of the head section 5. Depending on the design of the thread former, the receiving grooves 7 and thus also the moldings 6 disposed therein can also have different lengths. The receiving grooves 7 end at a minimal spacing from the end section 4 by tapering into the exterior side of the head section 5. The receiving grooves 7 can be introduced in a very simple and inexpensive way into the head section 5 by means of a grinding wheel. As can be seen in
As is illustrated in
The moldings 6 have at their exterior side thread-forming teeth 13, 14 (
The moldings 6 have advantageously a rectangular cross-section. The longer side 15 of the cross-section (
The moldings 6 have about the circumference of the head section 5 an angular spacing of 90 degrees relative to each other. Between neighboring moldings 6 intermediate spaces 17 are formed by means of which during the thread forming process a cooling lubricant can be supplied to the processing site.
Since the thread-forming teeth 13, 14 are provided exclusively on the moldings 6, during manufacture of the thread-forming teeth 13, 14 or when they are re-ground the grinding wheel must cut only one type of material so that the manufacturing process becomes simpler and faster.
The bottom 9 of the receiving groove 7 may extend parallel to an axial plane 16 of the thread former. The moldings 6 are formed such that their cross-sectional thickness, beginning at the end face 8 of the thread former, increases in axial direction continuously. The moldings 6 are arranged axis-parallel on the head section 5. The moldings 6 may also be attached conically in relation to the longitudinal axis 12 of the head section 5. In this case, the moldings 6 extend from the end face 8 of the head section 5 at a slant outwardly.
With the aid of
The thread former according to
In the described embodiments the thread-forming teeth 13, 14 each have pressing edges 19 that, in the embodiments according to
The thread formers can also be provided with an inner cooling medium supply in order to convey the cooling medium into the processing area.
In the exemplary illustrated embodiment according to
When the moldings 6 and the head section 5 of the thread former in a preferred way are connected by soldering or adhesive connection detachably with each other, a simple refurnishing of the thread former by reusing the main body 1′ is ensured. It is only necessary to exchange the moldings 6. The thread former with the moldings 6 can be provided with wear protection layers or friction-reducing layers. In this way, a long service life of the thread former is achieved.
In the described and illustrated embodiments the thread former has four moldings. Depending on the application and/or size, the thread former can also have fewer than or more than four moldings.
Claims
1.-13. (canceled)
14. A thread former comprising:
- a main body;
- moldings distributed about a circumference of the main body and provided with thread-forming teeth;
- wherein the moldings project radially so far past the main body that a profiling tool during manufacture of the thread-forming teeth engages only the moldings.
15. The thread former according to daim 14, wherein the main body has receiving grooves and the moldings are fastened in the receiving grooves.
16. The thread former according to daim 14, wherein the moldings each have a longitudinal center plane and are embodied symmetrical relative to the longitudinal center plane.
17. The thread former according to daim 14, wherein the moldings each have a longitudinal center plane and are embodied asymmetrical relative to the longitudinal center plane.
18. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings are arranged axis-parallel to an axis of the main body.
19. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings are positioned at an angle relative to an axial plane of the main body.
20. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings, viewed in a side view, are positioned at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the main body.
21. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings extend spirally about the main body.
22. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings are arranged uniformly distributed about the circumference of the main body.
23. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings are arranged non-uniformly distributed about the circumference of the main body.
24. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings are symmetrically arranged relative to an axial plane of the main body.
25. The thread former according to claim 14, wherein the moldings are arranged such that a longitudinal center plane of the moldings is positioned at an acute angle relative to an axial plane of the main body.
26. The thread former according to daim 14, comprising an inner cooling medium supply.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 16, 2009
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2011
Applicant: KOMET GROUP GMBH (Stuttgart)
Inventor: Karl-Heinz Edelmann (Ehningen)
Application Number: 13/124,662