Cutting tool with integrated abrasive trimming elements

Abstract

An integrated cutting and trimming tool including a cutter tool body having, in one embodiment, a plurality of spaced-apart cutting elements on its cutting face, channel extensions extending between the spaced-apart cutting elements and abrasive coated radially projecting trimming elements. The abrasive coated radially projecting trimming elements are sized and shaped to fit within the confines of the channel extensions and can be fixedly or removably secured to the cutter body. The abrasive coated radially projecting trimming elements may be attached to a ring-shaped body to allow for unitary attachment to the cutter body. The integrated cutting and trimming tool may be adapted for edge cutting and trimming and overcomes the necessity of having two machines and processes to accomplish the cutting and trimming of materials by condensing the manufacturing process into one step.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This present invention relates to multi-edge material cutting tools. More particularly it relates to a new and improved diamond and carbide cutting tool specially adapted to receive integrated abrasive grit trimming elements for accomplishing cutting and trimming operations in one step and a method of using same. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] In the past, diamond and carbide cutting tools, such as wood working cutters, have been utilized for cutting a variety of materials, including wood, nonferrous metals, rubber drive belts and plastic. An example of a cutting tool of the known prior art such as is useful in the manufacture of V-belts is shown in FIG. 1. A cutting tool 1 of the known prior art consists of a generally disc-shaped cutter body 2 with a central bore 3. An outer periphery 4 of a cutting face 5 of the cutter body 2 is adapted to receive a plurality of radially arranged and spaced-apart cutting elements 6. These cutting elements 6 are diamond-...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] The present invention fulfills the need for faster V-belt manufacture by providing for an integrated cutting and trimming tool for use in V-belt manufacture. In one embodiment, the integrated cutting and trimming tool comprises a generally disc-shaped cutter body with a plurality of spaced-apart cutting elements at the periphery of the cutter body, combined with a generally ring-shaped abrasive trimming plate having one or more radially projecting trimming elements. Each radially projecting trimming element extends from the outer ring portion of the abrasive trimming plate. Each radially projecting trimming element is selected, arranged and sized such that when the trimming plate is secured to a cutting face of the cutter body, each radially projecting trimming element lies in a specially created channel located in the space between two cutting elements on the cutter body. A further advantage of the present invention is realized by the fact the abrasive plate can be removably secured to the cutter body. By virtue of this feature the abrasive trimming plate is held securely to the cutter body during cutting and trimming operations. Yet, by using mechanical attachment means as opposed to fixed attachment means, the abrasive trimming plate can be easily removed from the cutter body for purposes of replacement and inspection.

[0006] In the preferred embodiment, the outer ring portion of the abrasive plate has a radial dimension less than the radial distance of cutting elements on the cutter body (as measured from the center of a central bore to the axial edges of cutting elements). When secured to the cutting face of the cutter body, the abrasive plate is positioned in such fashion such that its one or more radially projecting trimming elements extend into channels formed into the cutter body and extending between the cutting elements of the cutting tool. In the case where the cutting tool utilizes mechanically secured disposable cutting tips such as are explained below, the radial distance of the outer ring portion of the abrasive plate would need to be modified to account for any structural projection from the cutting face of the cutter body serving as part of a cutting element receptacle. These cutting element receptacles receive cutting elements including a clamping wedge and a disposable cutting tip.

[0007] When secured to the cutting face of the cutter body, the abrasive plate is positioned in such fashion such that each of its radially projecting trimming elements extend into a channel formed into the cutter body and extend between the cutting element receptacles of the cutting tool. A cutting tool utilizing the present invention can therefore accomplish both the cutting and trimming operations necessary for V-belt manufacture in one operation instead of the two-step operation currently necessitated by the prior art. A further advantage of the present invention lies in the fact that the trimming performance of the integrated cutting and trimming tool can be modulated by altering the shape of the tip portion, including tip edge, of the radially projecting trimming elements. Additionally, the trimming depth of the of the abrasive plate on the integrated cutting and trimming tool of the present invention can be adjusted by means of shims inserted between the abrasive trimming plate and the cutter body.

[0008] In another embodiment of the present invention, one or more individual trimming plates (trimming elements without interconnecting ring portion) are each separately secured to the face of the cutter body between the cutting element receptacles. Each radially projecting trimming plate is selected, arranged and sized such that when the trimming plate is secured to a cutting face of the cutter body, each radially projecting trimming plates lies in a specially created channel in the space between two cutting element receptacles on the cutter body. A further advantage of the present invention is realized by the fact these individual trimming plates can be removably secured to the cutter body. By virtue of this feature the individual trimming plates are held securely to the cutter body during cutting and trimming operations. Yet, by using mechanical attachment means as opposed to fixed attachment means, each individual trimming plate can be easily removed from the cutter body for purposes of replacement and inspection. The trimming depth of the individually securable abrasive trimming plate on the integrated cutting and trimming tool of the present invention can be adjusted by means of shims inserted between the abrasive trimming plate and the cutter body.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to face cutters and can be adapted for use with other cutting tools such as circular saw blades, whose cutting elements are located on the edge of the tool, as opposed to its face. Hence, in a further embodiment of the present invention, individual trimming elements are secured between the cutting teeth of a circular saw blade and the benefits of the combined cutting and trimming tool realized. As in the case with the face cutting and trimming tool, the use of shims to vary the height of the radially projecting trimming elements, in relation to the cutting elements, provides a means to adjust a single cutting tool for use in cutting a wide variety of materials and combinations of materials. Additionally, the present invention includes not just the integrated cutting and trimming tool, but also an improved cutting tool, face-cutting and edge-cutting, uniquely adapted to accept a removably securable abrasive grit plate or the removably securable individual trimming elements.

Problems solved by technology

In the manufacture of V-belts containing woven or wound binding materials a problem arises in that when a V-belt is cut to size, threads of the binding material project from resulting edges of the cut V-belt such that the edges are rough and in need of trimming.

This slicing operation is slow, costly and relatively dangerous.

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