This invention relates to a tool for abrasive 5 machining y honing the free-form surfaces, in particular, as well as those that are flat but not perpendicular to the main axes of the

10 A honing tool of an axis common ith the cylinder to be machined is known. The honing tool is fitted with several abrasive sticks which are positioned along the cylinder generatrix and forced against the work surface by hydraulic or pneumatic

15 means. The honing sticks are mounted in a bodu which employs a hydraulic- or pneumatic-system piston. The articulated Joint and hydraulic- or pneumatic load provide means of compensation for both stock removed and the abrasive-sticks reduction in size.

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The finishing of free-form surfaces by means of industrial robots employing a honing tool was presented by H. Weule and 8. Timβrmann in their publication "Automation of the Surface Finishing in the

E5 Manufacturing of Dies and Monids". 1992. Ann. CIRP 39.299-302.

The abrasive sticks were secured by means of an articulated Joint having one degree of freedom with

30 respect to the honing tool. The abra ive-stick axis of rotation in the hone was located above the surface being honed. The force of the stone against the surface being honed was provided by a hydraulic system.

This approach employed only industrial robots for

35 machining operations. Owing to the reciprocating movement of the abra ive stick its velocity was not high, and owing to the articulated Joint axis located above the surface, the wear of the abrasive stick was not uniform.

The finishining of free-form surfaces by means of industrial robots where the abrasive stick performed rotational movement was presented by M. uniβd, T. Nakagow, et al. in thei r pub1 ication in P. Proc. of 24-th CIRP (1983) 205. There was a honing tool made in the form of a ring manufactured of cast iron and diamond composite. The articu1ated Joint axis was located above the surface being honed. The abrasive-stick force against the surface being honed was provided by a permanent magnet made in the form of a ring mounted inside the honing tool ring.

This approach cannot be used for honing non-ferrous materials and is feasible only in those situations where industrial robots with dedicated control software are employed for machining operations. The abrasive sticks have to be made of expen ive materials.

The essence of the honing tool manufactured according to this invention consists in the a is of the articulated Joint in which the hone os secured, which is located on/in the work piece. The articulated Joint is made in the form of a spherical cap. The articulated Joint is made in the form of a cylindrical surface sector, if this is a case, a cuboidal abrasive stick is secured in a articulated Joint holder so that the angle & between the longer axis of the articulation and the tangent to the circle determined by the centre of the abrasive stick that rotates around the honing tool axis is included between 0° and 90 ^β i.e. 0°<|0|< 90° .

An embodiment of this invention provides means of e ficient honing ith the use of a machine-tool.

The subject of this invention is described by way of example with the use of figures where Figure 1 illustrates an axial half-section of the honing tool employing a spherical articulated Joint, Figure 2 illustrates a half-section of the honing tool employing a cylindrical articulated Joint, and Figure 3

illustrates an arrangement diagram of cuboidal stones in the honing tool of Fig. 2 when positioned on the work piece.

The body ± of the head carries three hone assemblies £., 2., , ϋ, & positioned at an angle of 120° each against another and arranged in circular pattern. They consi t of a pneumatic or hydraulic system piston 2_ that is moved in a cylinder _£_!_. The piston £. is terminated with a piston rod 3. which in turn is terminated with an articulated Joint having a radius n and a holder 5 where an abrasive stick £ in the form of cuboidal stone is secured. The body ± has a collector fi. to feed positive-pressure air or other medium to the cylinders 2 _ through channels jLl. The hones £., _3.» , ϋ ϋ rotate around the axis of the machine-tool spindle that is dri en with a motor and reciprocate along the honing tool axis during the honing process. The pneumatic system force of the abrasive stick £ against the work piece, the vertical displacement of the abrasive sticks & pressed elastically and their rotation around the axis Q- of the articulated Joint __\_, which is located in the work piece 2., result in positioning the abrasive sticks £ on the plane ±Q. that is tangent to the surface being honed at an angle « with respect to the axis £_. The abrasive stick £ has three degrees of freedom.

The honing tool illustrated in Figure 2 employs a cylinrdrical articulated Joint ± having a radius ul. The abrasive stick has two degrees of freedom. The cuboidal stone which makes the abrasive stick £ is secured in a holder £ of the articulated Joint A. at an angle β with respect to the tangent to the circle £. determined by the centre of the abrasive stick £ that rotates around the axi Q.. Thus the angle fi is determined with respect to the vector of the around the honing tool axis main rotational velocity Jβ., too. The angle _Q is set between 0° and 90 ^β degrees i.e. 0°<ifi|<90° by means of a wedge X located in a channel located in the spindle .3.. The wedge X prevents the

rotation of piston £_. in the cylinder 2" . The abrasive stick £, as it is i 1 lustratβd in Figure 3, is positioned on the surface of the work piece 2. and its longitudi al a is is slanted at the angle ϋ to the vector Y too because this vector is tangent to circle mmS. determined by the centre of the abrasive stick £ that rotates around the honing tool axis Q_.