Steady Rest Pliers Retraction for Turret Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steady rests mounted on toolholder turrets of numerical controlled lathes often have dimensions that hinder the rotation of the turret due to protruding pliers elements, leading to collisions with the lathe frame, limiting their usability across different lathe models.
Innovation Solution
A steady rest design featuring a grasping body with movable pliers elements that can transition between a grasping and a disengaged position, allowing the overall dimensions to be reduced during disengagement, thus enabling the toolholder turret to rotate without obstruction, and incorporating an oil hydraulic system for controlled movement and clamping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pliers elements are made with sufficient dimensions to grasp the workpiece effectively, then the grasping capability is improved, but the overall dimensions of the pliers elements increase causing collision with the lathe frame during turret rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The pliers elements are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to change position dynamically. During workpiece grasping, the pliers elements extend to provide sufficient dimensional coverage for effective gripping. During turret rotation, the pliers elements are retracted to reduce overall dimensions and avoid collision with the lathe frame. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between maintaining reliable grasping capability and achieving adaptability across different lathe models.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the pliers elements are fixed in the grasping position, then the workpiece support is stable, but the toolholder turret cannot rotate due to obstruction by the protruding pliers elements
Solution Approach 1:
The pliers elements are designed as movable components that can transition between extended and retracted positions. During workpiece support operations, the pliers elements are extended and locked to provide stable support. When turret rotation is required, the pliers elements are retracted to eliminate obstruction, enabling the turret to rotate at normal speed. This dynamic positioning mechanism resolves the contradiction between maintaining stable workpiece support and enabling unrestricted turret rotation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the overall dimensions of the pliers elements are reduced to allow turret rotation, then the adaptability to different lathes is improved, but the grasping capability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The pliers elements are designed to be extendable and retractable, allowing the overall dimensions to be reduced during non-grasping operations such as turret rotation, thereby improving compatibility with different lathe models. When workpiece grasping is required, the pliers elements are extended to provide sufficient dimensional coverage for reliable gripping. This dynamic size adjustment resolves the contradiction between achieving adaptability across different lathes and maintaining reliable workpiece grasping capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The pliers elements are designed to nest within the grasping body when retracted, minimizing the overall dimensions during turret rotation and other non-grasping operations. This nesting mechanism allows the steady rest to be mounted on a greater variety of lathes without interfering with turret rotation. When grasping is required, the pliers elements are extended from the nested position to provide the necessary dimensional coverage for reliable workpiece support.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enhances the flexibility and versatility of the steady rest, allowing it to be used in a greater variety of lathes without interfering with the turret rotation, thereby improving machining quality and productivity by accommodating different workpiece sizes and types.
Implementation Method 1
a piston that is slidable in a cylinder fixed to the body and that is drivable by pressurised oil and is arranged for moving the first abutting element, the second abutting element and the third abutting element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A steady rest (10), mountable on a toolholder turret of a numerical controlled lathe for supporting a workpiece, comprises a grasping body (12) from which a pliers element (13, 14, 15) protrudes to grasp the workpiece. The steady rest (10) further comprises a supporting body (18) which is fixable to the toolholder turret to support the grasping body (12). In order to make the steady rest (10) more flexible than known steady rests, a moving device (103, 104, 105, 108, 109) is provided for moving the grasping body (12) with respect to the supporting body (18) between a first position in which the pliers element (13, 14, 15) can grasp the workpiece and a second position in which the pliers element (13, 14, 15) cannot grasp the workpiece.