Tips and tricks
Milling fixtures
MILLING FIXTURES
MACHINERY'S REFERENCE SERIES
The Industrial Press, New York, 1912
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CONTENTS
- Elementary Principles of Milling Fixtures
- Examples of Milling Fixtures
CHAPTER I
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF MILLING MACHINE FIXTURES
The principal consideration, when designing fixtures that are to be fastened solidly to the table of a milling machine, should be to have the fixture firm enough to admit working the machine and cutter to their limit of endurance. In fact, the fixture should be stronger than the machine itself, and able to resist any possible strain that the cutter can exert. While fixtures should be strong, the movable parts should be so made as to be easily manipulated. All bearing and locating points should be accessible to facilitate the removal of chips and dirt. The action of the clamping devices should be rapid, so that no time is lost in manipulating them.
The Milling Machine Vise-False Vise Jaws
The first fixture to consider is the milling machine vise, which has a stationary and a movable jaw, against which are placed removable jaws, held in place by means of screws. The stationary-removable jaw generally has connected with it any shelf, pins, or means for locating the pieces to be machined. The reason for attaching them to this jaw is that this portion of the vise is not movable, and is, or should be, stiff enough to resist without springing any pressure that may be exerted by means of the crank and screw. The jaw attached to the movable slide part of the vise, on the contrary, is liable to alter its location slightly under strain, especially when the vise becomes worn. For some purposes, where but a few pieces are to be milled, or where the character of the pieces is such that there is not much liability of the jaws wearing, and thus affecting the accuracy of the pieces, it is safe to make the jaws of cast iron. If, however, there is a considerable strain on the jaws, it is advisable to make them of steel and harden them. For most purposes, jaws made of a good grade of machinery steel and properly case-hardened answer as well as those made from tool steel, and cost only a fraction as much for stock.
If possible, the piece to be machined should be held in the jaws below the level of the top of the vise, in order to avoid springing the jaws out of a vertical position, as would be the case if the piece were above the level of the top of the vise. Occasionally pieces are so shaped, however, that they have to project considerably above the top of the vise jaws, in which case the jaws may be made with a rib which extends over the top of the vise and rests on the piece, as shown in Fig. 1. This furnishes a brace and prevents the springing that would prove harmful to almost any piece of work that it would be safe to hold in a vise while milling, As it would prove quite expensive if many jaws of this style were made from steel, they may be made from cast iron, and a plate of steel placed where the work is to rest, as shown at a, Fig. 1. After the steel plate has been cut to shape and the locating device attached, the jaw may be hardened. If the devices mentioned are pieces which must be attached to the jaw, or pins which enter holes in it, they must be removed when the jaw is hardened.
At times it is necessary to hold pieces so that they rest on shelves on each jaw, or are located by pins in both the stationary and movable jaw. Generally speaking, it is advisable to construct special fixtures for such pieces, provided the degree of accuracy and the number of pieces warrant the outlay. However, if the pieces must be held in jaws in the vise, some method should be found to prevent the movable jaw from rising when pressure is applied, in the operation of "tightening up." If the jaws are reasonably thick, large pins may be used, one near each end of the jaw, as shown in Fig. 2. These pins must be forced solidly into one jaw and fit closely in the other. Another method which works nicely is shown in Fig. 3. In this case the movable jaw proper is connected with the stationary jaw by means of pins, or a slide of different design. It is not, however, attached to the movable slide of the vise, but a hardened piece of steel is attached to this and bears against the movable part of the jaw. Many other forms are made, one of which is shown in Fig. 4. The front portion hinges at the bottom, and is pressed against the work by a movable slide. In all such holding devices, however, chips are liable to get between the various parts, decreasing their accuracy.
When making any form of holding device, it is necessary to provide a place for the burrs that are a result of previous operations, unless they are removed by a process of filing or grinding. In many cases these burrs will be removed by future operations if it is possible to provide a place for them so that they will in no way affect the accuracy of the piece. For this reason milling machine jaws and other fixtures are cut away or recessed in places to allow the burrs a place in which to drop, as shown in Fig. 5 at A. At B a piece of work is shown with the burr mentioned.
Provisions for Removing Chips
It is the custom in most shops to provide a liberal supply of oil, or other lubricant, for cutters when milling work that requires lubrication. In many cases this fluid is used to wash out the jaws or fixtures after removing a piece of work. As this supply is used over and over, however, it is liable to become thick and gummy, and apt to prove harmful rather than helpful, unless the operator watches his fixtures closely. In some shops compressed air is used to blow chips from the working surface, and in many cases "works like a charm." On certain jobs nothing seems so effective as the hand and finger method for cleaning the surfaces of the fixtures.
One example of the necessity of taking account of the question of chips, taken from actual practice, may give this matter its full emphasis. This example also shows how at times it is necessary to change existing methods in order to accomplish the desired result. A piece of work consisting of a flange, as shown in Fig. 6, was provided with projecting portions, a a, which were to be straddle-milled. The jaws of the vise used to hold this piece had circular grooves, 6 6, Fig. 7, which were thought necessary to properly hold the piece, since the pull of the cutters was in an upward direction; but these grooves made an excellent place for a deposit of chips, and as it was a difficult matter to clean them, and as the operator was working by the piece at a rather low rate, and consequently was not inclined to take too great precautions, the edges of the flanges of the piece being milled became badly scored, and required an extra operation in the turret lathe to remove the marks. To overcome this difficulty, the projecting lips of the vise jaws were cut away and the direction of rotation of the cutters reversed, the overhead belt being changed so that the cutters would run onto the work, thus holding the work securely down on the seating surface of the jaws.
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The Milling Machine Vise-False Vise Jaws
The first fixture to consider is the milling machine vise, which has a stationary and a movable jaw, against which are placed removable jaws, held in place by means of screws. The stationary-removable jaw generally has connected with it any shelf, pins, or means for locating the pieces to be machined. The reason for attaching them to this jaw is that this portion of the vise is not movable, and is, or should be, stiff enough to resist without springing any pressure that may be exerted by means of the crank and screw. The jaw attached to the movable slide part of the vise, on the contrary, is liable to alter its location slightly under strain, especially when the vise becomes worn. For some purposes, where but a few pieces are to be milled, or where the character of the pieces is such that there is not much liability of the jaws wearing, and thus affecting the accuracy of the pieces, it is safe to make the jaws of cast iron. If, however, there is a considerable strain on the jaws, it is advisable to make them of steel and harden them. For most purposes, jaws made of a good grade of machinery steel and properly case-hardened answer as well as those made from tool steel, and cost only a fraction as much for stock.
If possible, the piece to be machined should be held in the jaws below the level of the top of the vise, in order to avoid springing the jaws out of a vertical position, as would be the case if the piece were above the level of the top of the vise. Occasionally pieces are so shaped, however, that they have to project considerably above the top of the vise jaws, in which case the jaws may be made with a rib which extends over the top of the vise and rests on the piece, as shown in Fig. 1. This furnishes a brace and prevents the springing that would prove harmful to almost any piece of work that it would be safe to hold in a vise while milling, As it would prove quite expensive if many jaws of this style were made from steel, they may be made from cast iron, and a plate of steel placed where the work is to rest, as shown at a, Fig. 1. After the steel plate has been cut to shape and the locating device attached, the jaw may be hardened. If the devices mentioned are pieces which must be attached to the jaw, or pins which enter holes in it, they must be removed when the jaw is hardened.
At times it is necessary to hold pieces so that they rest on shelves on each jaw, or are located by pins in both the stationary and movable jaw. Generally speaking, it is advisable to construct special fixtures for such pieces, provided the degree of accuracy and the number of pieces warrant the outlay. However, if the pieces must be held in jaws in the vise, some method should be found to prevent the movable jaw from rising when pressure is applied, in the operation of "tightening up." If the jaws are reasonably thick, large pins may be used, one near each end of the jaw, as shown in Fig. 2. These pins must be forced solidly into one jaw and fit closely in the other. Another method which works nicely is shown in Fig. 3. In this case the movable jaw proper is connected with the stationary jaw by means of pins, or a slide of different design. It is not, however, attached to the movable slide of the vise, but a hardened piece of steel is attached to this and bears against the movable part of the jaw. Many other forms are made, one of which is shown in Fig. 4. The front portion hinges at the bottom, and is pressed against the work by a movable slide. In all such holding devices, however, chips are liable to get between the various parts, decreasing their accuracy.
When making any form of holding device, it is necessary to provide a place for the burrs that are a result of previous operations, unless they are removed by a process of filing or grinding. In many cases these burrs will be removed by future operations if it is possible to provide a place for them so that they will in no way affect the accuracy of the piece. For this reason milling machine jaws and other fixtures are cut away or recessed in places to allow the burrs a place in which to drop, as shown in Fig. 5 at A. At B a piece of work is shown with the burr mentioned.
Provisions for Removing Chips
It is the custom in most shops to provide a liberal supply of oil, or other lubricant, for cutters when milling work that requires lubrication. In many cases this fluid is used to wash out the jaws or fixtures after removing a piece of work. As this supply is used over and over, however, it is liable to become thick and gummy, and apt to prove harmful rather than helpful, unless the operator watches his fixtures closely. In some shops compressed air is used to blow chips from the working surface, and in many cases "works like a charm." On certain jobs nothing seems so effective as the hand and finger method for cleaning the surfaces of the fixtures.
One example of the necessity of taking account of the question of chips, taken from actual practice, may give this matter its full emphasis. This example also shows how at times it is necessary to change existing methods in order to accomplish the desired result. A piece of work consisting of a flange, as shown in Fig. 6, was provided with projecting portions, a a, which were to be straddle-milled. The jaws of the vise used to hold this piece had circular grooves, 6 6, Fig. 7, which were thought necessary to properly hold the piece, since the pull of the cutters was in an upward direction; but these grooves made an excellent place for a deposit of chips, and as it was a difficult matter to clean them, and as the operator was working by the piece at a rather low rate, and consequently was not inclined to take too great precautions, the edges of the flanges of the piece being milled became badly scored, and required an extra operation in the turret lathe to remove the marks. To overcome this difficulty, the projecting lips of the vise jaws were cut away and the direction of rotation of the cutters reversed, the overhead belt being changed so that the cutters would run onto the work, thus holding the work securely down on the seating surface of the jaws.
DOWNLOAD FREE BOOK: Milling fixtures
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