Apparatus for Manufacturing a Face Gear

Abstract

A precision grinding apparatus for grinding face gears having a gear table portion controllably driven for rotation about a central axis, and also being movable in a vertical plane along an axis in a controlled manner. The apparatus further includes a case hardened face mounted on the gear table portion. A grinding wheel mounted on the apparatus has controlled driven rotation about a central axis C, and is provided with a grinding surface of predetermined shape. The grinding wheel is movable in a controlled manner toward and away from the gear along a feed axis V, the grinding wheel being movable in a controlled manner in a tangential direction with respect to the gear and orthogonal to the feed axis along a tangential feed axis wherein the motion of the grinding wheel in the C, V and TF axes, and movement of the gear in B and W axes, is controlled by a central control means.

1 . A precision grinding apparatus for grinding face gears comprising:
 a suitable gear table portion being controllably driven for rotation about a central axis, said gear table portion also being movable in a vertical plane V along an axis in a controlled manner;   a case hardened face mounted on said gear table portion, said face gear having a series of gear teeth formed therein; and   a grinding wheel mounted on said apparatus, said grinding wheel having controlled driven rotation about a central axis C, said grinding wheel being provided with a grinding surface of predetermined shape, said grinding wheel being movable in a controlled manner toward and away from said gear along a feed axis V, said grinding wheel being movable in a controlled manner toward in a tangential direction with respect to said gear and orthogonal to said feed axis V along a tangential feed axis TF,   wherein the motion of said grinding wheel in said C, V and TF axes, and movement of said gear in B and W axes, is controlled by a central control means.   
   
   
       2 . A precision grinding apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a dressing apparatus is mounted on said apparatus in a predetermined relationship with said grinding wheel, said dressing apparatus comprising:
 a driven grinding disc of a second predetermined shape for controlled motion toward and away from said grinding surface of said grinding wheel along a Y axis, said disc being mounted on said apparatus for movement along an axis X substantially parallel to said C axis of said grinding wheel, and wherein said X axis is orthogonal to said Y axis, said disc also being capable of angular movement about a central dressing axis A, and wherein said movement in said X, Y and A axis is coordinated by and under the control of said central control means to create and restore said grinding surface of said grinding wheel to said predetermined shape.   
   
   
       3 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said grinding surface is shaped in the form of a worm for meshing with an grinding the gear teeth existing on said gear to a predetermined finished shape. 
   
   
       4 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said grinding wheel is movable in a direction along an axis TF tangential to said gear and orthogonal to said V axis, and said grinding wheel is capable of being tilted about a tilt axis WT. 
   
   
       5 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 4  wherein a dressing means is provided for creating and restoring the profile of said worm of said grinding wheel. 
   
   
       6 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said grinding wheel is movable along an axis TF tangential to said gear, and said grinding wheel is tiltable about a pivot axis WT. 
   
   
       7 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a feed mechanism for generating teeth on a face gear, said feed mechanism adapted to move said face gear in a composite vertical and horizontal direction such that said face gear traverses the entire width of the tooth face of said face gear. 
   
   
       8 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said central control means is a computer numerical control (CNC). 
   
   
       9 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said apparatus is adapted for producing teeth of a gear having a shape selected from the group consisting of regular, concave and convex. 
   
   
       10 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a coolant system. 
   
   
       11 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said coolant system is a high-pressure temperature-controlled coolant system adapted to prevent burning of said teeth during grinding. 
   
   
       12 . A precision grinding apparatus for a tapered pinion gear comprising:
 a base having a grinding portion mounted thereon for generating teeth in a gear by abrasion;   a gear driving means portion mounted on said base in juxtaposition to and cooperating with said grinding portion; and   a case hardened tapered pinion gear having preformed teeth of a predetermined size and configuration mounted on said gear driving portion, said gear driving portion having the capability of rotating said pinion gear in a manner controlled by a first CNC control portion in a central axis designated B  1 ,   said gear driving portion also being provided with the capability of moving said pinion gear up and down in a vertical axis designated W in a manner controlled by a second CNC control portion,   said grinding portion comprising a grinding wheel having a grinding surface thereon in which a worm of predetermined configuration is generated therein, said grinding wheel being rotatably driven and controlled by a third CNC control portion to control the rotation of said grinding wheel in its central axis designated C, said grinding wheel further having a fourth CNC control portion operably associated therewith to control the motion of said grinding wheel toward and away from said pinion gear along a V axis, and said grinding wheel further having a fifth CNC control portion operably associated therewith to control the motion of said grinding wheel in a tangential direction with respect to said pinion gear and orthogonal to said V axis along a TF axis,   wherein said CNC control portions cooperate together to mesh said worm with said teeth of said pinion gear to form teeth in said gear in a continuous grinding operation.   
   
   
       13 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 12  wherein said grinding wheel portion is movable along an axis tangential to said gear designated TF, and said grinding wheel portion is tiltable about a pivot axis designated WT. 
   
   
       14 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising a grinding wheel dressing portion mounted in cooperating relationship with said grinding portion to engage said grinding surface in a manner controlled by three additional CNC control portions to create said worm and restore said worm to its predetermined configuration when a predetermined amount of distortion is present in said worm. 
   
   
       15 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said three additional CNC control portions include:
 a sixth CNC control portion to operably associated with said dressing portion to control the motion of said dressing portion toward and away from said grinding surface along an axis designated Y;   a seventh CNC control portion operably associated with said dressing portion to control the motion of said dressing portion along an axis substantially parallel to said C axis, designated X; and   an eighth CNC control portion operably associated with said dressing portion to control angular motion of said dressing portion about a pivot axis designated as A.   
   
   
       16 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said dressing portion comprises a disc having a predetermined shape for engaging said surface of said grinding wheel to restore said worm configuration by abrasion. 
   
   
       17 . The grinding apparatus of any of  claims 12  through  16  further comprising a coolant system. 
   
   
       18 . The grinding apparatus of  claim 17  wherein said coolant system is a high-pressure temperature-sensitive coolant system adapted to prevent burning of said teeth during grinding.