U.S. patent application number 11/013000 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-15 for extraction device and wear ring for a rotatable tool.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Sollami Company. Invention is credited to Phillip A. Sollami.
Application Number | 20060125306 11/013000 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36582958 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060125306 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sollami; Phillip A. |
June 15, 2006 |
Extraction device and wear ring for a rotatable tool
Abstract
A tool has a tapered forward cutting end behind which is a
cylindrical shank. A rearwardly facing annular flange separates the
forward cutting end from the shank. The shank is received in a tool
holder having a planar forward surface, and fitted around the shank
of the tool is an annular wear ring. The outer diameter of the wear
ring is less than the outer diameter of the radial flange and less
than the diameter of the forward end of the tool holder. The
thickness of the wear ring forms a gap on opposite sides of the
wear ring between a portion of the tool holder and a portion of the
radial flange of the tool. Spaced apart prongs of an extraction
tool can be fitted into the gaps to extract the tool from the tool
holder.
Inventors: |
Sollami; Phillip A.;
(Herrin, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Robert L. Marsh
P.O. Box 4468
Wheaton
IL
60189-4468
US
|
Assignee: |
The Sollami Company
|
Family ID: |
36582958 |
Appl. No.: |
11/013000 |
Filed: |
December 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
299/104 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21C 35/18 20130101;
E21C 35/188 20200501 |
Class at
Publication: |
299/104 |
International
Class: |
E21C 25/10 20060101
E21C025/10 |
Claims
1. The combination comprising: a tool having a tapered forward
cutting end, a rearwardly facing radial flange at a rear of said
tapered forward cutting end, said radial flange having a diameter
defining a first dimension, and a cylindrical shank extending
axially rearward of said radial shank, a tool holder having a
forward surface, a cylindrical bore opening in said forward
surface, an outer surface intersecting an outer peripheries of said
forward surface wherein diametrically opposing portions of said
intersecting surfaces define a second dimension, a wear ring on
said shank between said radial flange and said forward surface,
said wear ring having an outer end defining a width, said width
having a third dimension that is less than both said first
dimension and said second dimension wherein a spacing remains
between a portion of said flange and a portion of said forward
surface, and an extraction tool having a pair of parallel members
defining a fork and an impact portion that can be struck by the
head of a hammer wherein a portion of said parallel member is
receivable in said spacing for removing said tool from said tool
holder and wherein a hammer strike against said impact portion will
aid in the removal of said tool from said tool holder.
2. (canceled)
3. The combination of claim 1 and further comprising a compressible
sleeve around said shank and within said bore.
4. The combination of claim 3 and further comprising means on said
wear ring and on said compressible sleeve for locking said wear
ring against rotation with respect to said sleeve.
5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outer end includes a
pair of parallel opposing end surfaces.
6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said outer end further
includes a second pair of parallel opposing end surfaces
perpendicular to said first pair of parallel surfaces.
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. (canceled)
10. (canceled)
11. (canceled)
12. (canceled)
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to rotatable tools used in
machines to cut hard surfaces and to an improved wear ring between
the tool and the tool holder adapted to receive an extraction
device for extracting the tool from the tool holder.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Machines for cutting hard surfaces such as used in the
trenching and mining industries and for highway cold planning to
remove the upper surface of concrete and asphalt pavement, employ
tools fitted into tool holders on a rotatable wheel or drum. The
tools have a tapered forward cutting end and axially behind the
cutting end is a cylindrical shank that rotatably fits within a
complementarily shaped bore in the tool holder. Such rotatable
tools have an annular rearwardly directed flange between the
forward cutting end and the shank that contacts the forward surface
of the tool holder. The shank is retained in the bore of the tool
holder by a sleeve made of spring steel so as to be compressible
and has an unstressed diameter greater than that of the bore, such
that compression of the sleeve retains the sleeve within the bore
of the tool holder. To prevent the withdrawal of the tool from the
tool holder, the sleeve has one or more inwardly directed
projections in the inner surface that engage an annular shoulder
around the circumference of the shank of the tool.
[0003] To maximize the useful life of such tools, the tools are
adapted to rotate around the axis of the shank thereby causing the
tool to wear evenly about its circumference. A tool in a machine
may undergo 50,000 rotations or more during a single work day, and
the rotation of the rearwardly directed flange against the forward
surface of the tool holder will over time cause the forward surface
of the tool holder to become worn away. To prevent such wear, it is
common to provide an annular wear ring around the shank of the tool
between the forward surface of the tool holder and the rearwardly
directed flange of the tool.
[0004] To operate properly, the wear ring must remain stationary
against the forward surface of the tool holder while the tool
rotates. In my co-pending application filed Sep. 28, 2004 and
issued Ser. No. 10/952,158, I disclose a wear ring having an
inwardly directed projection on the inner opening thereof that will
engage portions of the upper end of the compressible sleeve to
prevent the wear ring from rotating with respect to the tool holder
while the tool is in use. In the same application I disclose that
an enlarged diameter of the wear ring can be used to facilitate the
extraction of the tool from the tool holder. There are
circumstances, however, when it is not desirable to have a wear
ring, the outer diameter of which is larger than the diameter of
the radial flange of the tool. In such circumstances, it is
desirable to provide an alternative method of extracting the tool
from the tool holder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Briefly, in the present invention a tool is provided having
a tapered forward cutting end with a hardened tip at the forward
end thereof. At the rearward end of the forward cutting end is a
rearwardly facing annular flange having a first diameter, and
extending axially from the rearwardly directed annular flange is a
cylindrical shank. Fitted around the cylindrical shank is a
compressible sleeve for retaining the shank of the tool in the tool
holder.
[0006] The tool holder for receiving the shank of the tool has a
generally planar forward surface and centrally located in the
forward surface is a perpendicularly oriented bore. The outer
surface of the tool holder in the proximity of the forward surface
is generally frustoconical and opposing portions of the
intersection of the forward surface with the frustoconical side
surface defines a second dimension.
[0007] A wear ring for use with the tool has planar forward and
rearward surfaces and an inner opening sized to receive the shank
of the tool. The periphery of the wear ring has a pair of opposing
parallel planar surfaces and the distance between the planar
surfaces is less than the first dimension and less than the second
dimension. Accordingly, when the shank of the tool is first
inserted through the central opening of the wear ring and then
received into the bore of the tool holder, the wear ring will space
the rearwardly directed radial flange of the tool from the forward
surface of the tool holder. Also, since the distance between the
opposing parallel outer surfaces of the wear ring are less than the
diameter of the radial flange of the tool and less than the
distance across the forward end of the tool holder, a gap exists
between a portion of the rearwardly directed radial flange of the
tool and the forward surface of the tool holder.
[0008] In accordance with the invention, an extraction tool having
a pair of parallel members spaced apart a distance a little greater
than the distance between the parallel spaced surfaces of the wear
ring is positioned in the gaps between the rearwardly directed
flange and the forward surface and a hammer or the like can be used
to pound against a surface of the extraction tool to thereby remove
the rotatable tool from the tool holder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] A better understanding of the present invention will be had
after a reading of the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the drawings wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of a tool and tool holder
having a wear ring in accordance with the invention, with the inner
portions of the parts shown in broken lines;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view, taken partly in
cross-section, of the tool, tool holder, and wear ring depicted in
FIG. 1 in assembled form;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the tool and wear ring shown
in FIGS. 1 and 2 prior to the tool being inserted into the tool
holder;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a front-elevational view of the wear ring shown in
FIGS. 1 through 3;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of the wear ring shown in
FIG. 4;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a front-elevational view of the working end of an
extraction tool for extracting the tool having the wear ring shown
in FIG. 4;
[0016] FIG. 7 is an exploded isometric view of the extraction tool
shown in FIG. 6 and the tool, tool holder, and wear ring shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0017] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the extraction device fitted
around a tool and tool holder having a wear ring in accordance with
the invention; and
[0018] FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of
a wear ring according to the invention;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of a third embodiment of
a wear ring according to the invention;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of a fourth embodiment
of a wear ring according to the invention; and
[0021] FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of a fifth embodiment of
a wear ring according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tool 10 is suitable for being
rotatably mounted in a tool holder 11 having a planar forward
surface 12 and a bore 13, the axis of which is perpendicular to the
forward surface 12. The tool holder 11 may be mounted directly to
the drum or wheel of the machine or may be a quick-change holder as
depicted. The tool 10 includes a tool body 14 having a tapered
forward cutting portion 15 at the forward end of which is a seat
into which is brazed a hardened cutting tip 16. The cutting portion
15 flares outwardly near its rearward end to a flange 18 having a
generally planar annular rearward surface 20. Extending axially
rearwardly from the center of the annular rearward surface 20 is a
cylindrical shank 22 having an enlarged hub 24 at the distal end
thereof. The hub 24 forms a shoulder 26, and fitted forwardly of
the shoulder 26 is a compressible sleeve 28 made of a suitable
spring steel.
[0023] The compressible sleeve 28 generally defines a hollow
cylinder with an elongate slot extending axially in the length of
the wall forming parallel spaced slot edges 30, 32. The sleeve 28,
as described herein, is of the type disclosed in my co-pending
application, Ser. No. 10/952,158 and has at the forward end of the
sleeve 28 adjacent slot edge 30, is a cut out portion defined by an
axial wall 36 and an arcuate wall 38. Similarly, at the forward end
of the second slot edge 32 is a second cut out portion defined by
an axial wall 40 and an arcuate wall 42.
[0024] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, fitted around the
compressible sleeve 28 is a wear ring 44 having a planar forward
surface 45, a parallel planar rearward surface 46, and outer
surfaces 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54. Surfaces 47 and 51 are
both planar and parallel to one another and are located on opposing
portions of the wear ring 44. Surfaces 49 and 53 are also planar
and parallel to each other, are located on opposing portions of the
wear ring 44, and are perpendicular to surfaces 47 and 51. Surfaces
48, 50, 52, 54 are all arcuate and preferably form arcuate sections
of the same cylinder.
[0025] The wear ring 44 also has a central opening including a
semi-cylindrical portion 56 that defines approximately 300 degrees
of a circle, and at the ends of the semi-cylindrical portion 56 are
radially outwardly extending notches 57, 58. Between the notches
57, 58 is a radially inwardly extending arcuate portion 60 having
sides 61 and 62. The inner surface of the arcuate portion 60
defines a cylinder having a center co-axial with the center of the
semi-cylindrical portion 54 but having a radius R1 that is
substantially less than the radius R2 of the semi-cylindrical
portion 56. The diameter of the opening defined by semi-cylindrical
portion 56 is greater than the diameter 64 of the tool holder
11.
[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, prior to insertion of the shank 22 of
the tool 10 into a bore 13 of a tool holder 11, the wear ring 44 is
fitted around the central portion of the circumference of the
sleeve 28 with the arcuate portion 60 extending across the edges
30, 32 of the slot therein.
[0027] Referring specifically to FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, and as
disclosed in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 10/952,158, the
inwardly directed protrusion of the arcuate portion 60 compresses
the sleeve 28 to a diameter that is less than the inner diameter of
the bore 13 of the tool holder 11. The distal end of the shank 22
of the tool 10, including a portion of the sleeve 28 can then be
manually inserted by a machine operator into the bore 13 using only
one hand. The machine operator will be able to insert the distal
end of the shank 22 until the rearward surface 46 of the wear ring
44 contacts the planar forward surface 12 of the tool holder 11.
Thereafter, the cutting tip 16 of the tool 10 is pounded with a
hammer to drive the shank 22 with the sleeve 28 thereon into the
bore 13 of the holder 11. As the shank 22 is driven into the bore
13 the wear ring 44 is moved forwardly along the sleeve until the
arcuate protrusion 60 thereof drops into the cut out portion 36,
38, 40, 42, after which the sleeve 28 can expand to the full
diameter of the bore 13 of the tool holder 11.
[0028] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the axial walls 36, 40 of the
cut out portions at the forward end of the sleeve 28, as it is
being compressed by the wear ring 44, are spaced further apart from
each other than the width of the arcuate portion 60 of the wear
ring 44 as defined by the distance between the sides 61 and 62.
Accordingly, when the shank 22 of the tool 10 is driven entirely
into the bore 13 of the tool holder 11, the wear ring 44 will be
forced to the forward end of the sleeve 28 and the arcuate portion
60 will drop between the axial walls 36, 40 of the compressible
sleeve 28. When this occurs, the compressible sleeve 28 will be
released from beneath the arcuate portion 60 and allowed to expand.
Since the diameter defined by semi-cylindrical portion 56 is larger
than the diameter of the inner bore 13 of the tool holder 11, the
compressible sleeve will expand until the outer surface thereof
contacts the inner surface of the bore 13 of the tool holder 11.
The tool 10 will thereafter be retained within the bore 13 of the
tool holder 11 by the radially outwardly applied force of the
partially compressed sleeve 28. Furthermore, the wear ring 44 will
be retained against rotation with respect to the sleeve 28 by the
contact of the sides 61, 62 of the arcuate portion 60 against the
axial walls 36, 40 of the cut out portions at the forward end of
the sleeve 28. Accordingly, the wear ring 44 is prevented from
rotating with the tool 10 and will not cause rotational wear to the
forward surface 12 of the tool holder 11.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the distance 65 between the
parallel outer surfaces 49, 53 and between parallel surfaces 47, 51
is significantly less than the outer diameter 66 of the radial
flange 18 and is also substantially less than the diameter 67
across the forward surface 12 of tool holder 11. As a result, when
the wear ring 44 is fitted around the shank 22 between the rearward
surface 20 of the flange 18 and the forward surface 12 of the tool
holder 11, a pair of opposing gaps 67, 68 are formed adjacent
surfaces 47, 51 (best shown in FIG. 2) and similar gaps (not shown)
are formed adjacent surfaces 49, 53. Preferably, for tools 10 used
in the road planning industry, the rearward surfaces 20 of the tool
10 and the forward surface 12 of the tool holder 11 have diameters
of about 1.5 inches, and the distance 65 is generally no greater
than 1.25 inches. Preferably, there is between one-eighth inch to
one-quarter inch of the width of the rearward surface 20 and on the
forward surface 12 of each gap 67, 68 to allow an end extraction
tool 70 to be inserted in the gaps 67, 68 between the surfaces 12,
20.
[0030] Referring to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, to remove the shank 22 of
the tool 10 from the bore 13 of the tool holder 11, an extraction
tool 70 is provided having forked end consisting of spaced apart
parallel prongs 72, 73. As best shown in FIG. 6, the prongs 72, 73
are spaced apart a distance that is a little greater than the
distance 65 between the spaced parallel surfaces 47, 51 or between
surfaces 49, 53 of the wear washer 44. The inwardly directed sides
74, 76 of the prongs 72, 73 respectively are tapered such that the
tapered inner sides will fit in the gaps 67, 68 adjacent the
surfaces 47, 51 of the wear ring 44. The extraction tool 70
includes an impact portion 78 that can be struck by the head of a
hammer, not shown, while the prongs 72, 73 are fitted in the gaps
67, 68 to thereby remove the tool 10 from the tool holder 11.
[0031] While the present invention has been described as employing
a wear ring having a radially inwardly directed projection 60 that
engages portions of the compressible sleeve 28 to thereby prevent
rotation of the wear ring, the invention may be employed on any
rotatable tool having a wear ring between the rear surface of the
tool and the forward surface of the wear ring. The configuration of
the inner opening of the wear ring is not a necessary element of
the invention.
[0032] It should be appreciated that the outer surface of the wear
ring may have any of a number of configurations as long as the wear
ring allows opposing gaps between the rearwardly directed surface
20 of the tool and the forward surface 12 of the tool holder.
Referring to FIG. 9, wear ring 90 has opposing parallel side
surfaces 92, 93 that are spaced apart a distance 94 that will allow
gaps between the two surfaces 12, 20 into which the prongs 72, 73
of a removal tool 70 can be inserted. Referring to FIG. 10, wear
ring 100 has a cylindrical outer surface 102 with an outer diameter
104 that is significantly less than dimensions 65 and 67 to allow
the use of the tool 70. Similarly, in FIG. 11 wear ring 110 has six
outer surfaces 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117 defining a hexagon with
the spacing 118 between parallel surfaces sized to allow gaps
sufficient for use of the tool 70. And, finally, in FIG. 12, wear
ring 120 has two sets of parallel sides 121, 122, and 123, 124
configured into a square with the spacing between parallel sides
having the needed dimension 125.
[0033] While the invention has been described with respect to a
single embodiment, it will be appreciated that many modifications
and variations may be made without departing from the true spirit
and scope of the invention. It is therefore the intent of the
appended claims to cover all such modifications and variations
which fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *