Apparatus for writing in metal

Abstract

A computer-controlled machine having a driven rotary chuck writes symbols on the hard surface of a workpiece using an impact device to displace material at workpiece sites corresponding to spots in a virtual pattern and series of virtual patterns of symbols. The machine mounts a workpiece in a position to be impacted by the device, and equipment for moving the workpiece so that it may be impacted at different sites corresponding to virtual pattern spots defined by programming in the machine's computer. The impact device comprises a rotatable driven element which is mounted in the machine rotary chuck, a housing journaling the driven element and held against rotation, an impact element in the housing having a home position from which it is movable, and a mechanism in the housing for converting the rotary motion of the driven element into longitudinal movement of the impact element to displace material at a workpiece site.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A machine for writing symbols on the hard surface of a workpiece, comprising a device for impacting a workpiece at sites corresponding to spots in a virtual pattern of a symbol to displace material thereat, apparatus for mounting a workpiece in a position to be impacted by said device, and equipment for moving one of said device and apparatus so that the workpiece may be impacted according to the different virtual pattern spots.  
     
     
         2 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the size, shape, or the depth of the impact may be selected.  
     
     
         3 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the nature of the symbol written according to a pattern may selected.  
     
     
         4 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacing of the next symbol from the one whose sites were just impacted may be selected.  
     
     
         5 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the machine is a digital controller which may be programmed to control the size and spacing of the virtual symbols written and the expression to be recorded.  
     
     
         6 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the machine is a numerically-controlled machine which may be preprogrammed to control the size and spacing of the virtual patterns and the expression to be recorded.  
     
     
         7 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the machine includes a driven rotary element connected to the impact device.  
     
     
         8 . A machine according to  claim 7 , wherein a driver element of the impact device is connected to the machine driven rotary element.  
     
     
         9 . A machine according to  claim 8 , wherein the impact device includes a housing which journals its driver element and a latch mechanism which secures the housing from rotation with respect to the machine.  
     
     
         10 . A machine according to  claim 9 , and the housing includes a mechanism for converting the rotary motion of the driven element to movement of the impact element.  
     
     
         11 . An impact device for recording symbols on the hard surface of a workpiece, comprising a rotatable driven element, a housing journaling said driven element, an impact element in said housing having a home position from which it is movable, and a mechanism for converting the rotary motion of the driven element to movement of the impact element.  
     
     
         12 . An impact device according to  claim 11 , wherein the rotatable driven element bears a cam surface, and the impact element is biased to engage the cam surface in its home position.  
     
     
         13 . An impact device according to  claim 12 , wherein the cam surface is on a disc centrally mounted on the rotatable driven element and has a multiple of two lobes to move the impact element as it is rotated.  
     
     
         14 . An impact device according to  claim 13 , wherein the disc surface has four equally spaced lobes.  
     
     
         15 . An impact device according to  claim 12 , wherein the impact element bears a roller with which it follows the cam surface.  
     
     
         16 . An impact device according to  claim 14 , wherein the impact element bears four equally spaced rollers with which it follows the cam surface.  
     
     
         17 . An impact device according to  claim 12 , wherein the impact element is biased by spring discs.  
     
     
         18 . A method for writing symbols on the hard surface of a workpiece via an impact tool, comprising the step of mounting a workpiece in a position to be impacted by the tool, the step of impacting with said tool a workpiece site corresponding to a spot in a virtual pattern of a symbol, and the step of moving said workpiece so that it may be impacted at another site corresponding to another spot in the virtual pattern.  
     
     
         19 . A method for writing on the hard surface of a workpiece via an impact tool according to  claim 18 , and the step of moving said workpiece so that it may be impacted at another site corresponding to a spot in another symbol virtual pattern.  
     
     
         20 . A method for writing on the hard surface of a workpiece via an impact tool according to  claim 18 , the method including the step of selecting the nature of the writing on the workpiece of the symbol represented by the virtual pattern.