Adjustable indexable drill

Abstract

An adjustable drill having a drill body having a longitudinal axis, and a face surface including an aperture extending into the drill body. A directional feature adjacent the aperture extends toward an edge of the drill body, and a longitudinal gullet extends from the face surface along at least a portion of the drill body. A cartridge adjacent the face surface is selectively slidable along the directional feature, and a cutting face having an insert pocket positioned adjacent the edge of the drill body in which an insert is releasably affixed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable drill comprising:
 a drill body having a rotational axis, comprising:
 at least two top face surfaces comprising a directional feature formed in association with the at least two top face surfaces; 
   at least one cartridge adjacent each top face surface and having a mating surface to mate with the directional feature, with at least one of the cartridges being slidable along the directional feature and comprising:
 a slot having an axis along the directional feature; and 
 a cutting face comprising at least one insert pocket positioned adjacent the top edge of the cartridge; 
   a fastening system for releasably affixing the cartridges to the two top face surfaces; and   at least one cutting insert releasably affixed in the insert pocket, wherein the at least one insert in each of the at least two cartridges form an entire hole in a workpiece, and the at least one slidable cartridge is infinitely adjustable to adjust the diameter of the hole.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 1 , wherein the top face surfaces are angled obliquely away from a plane perpendicular to the axis. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 1 , wherein the directional feature is at least one longitudinal serration. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 3 , wherein a plurality of serrations are provided. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 4 , the serrations are about 60 degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 1 , wherein the directional feature is at least one longitudinal keyway. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least two insert pockets in each cartridge having at least one insert releasably affixed in each insert pocket. 
 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 1 , wherein the directional feature on the top face surfaces drives the cartridge mounted thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 1 , the second cartridge cutting face being about 180 degrees from the first cartridge cutting face. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one insert includes first and second clearance surfaces adjacent the cutting edges of the insert. 
     
     
         11 . An adjustable drill comprising:
 a drill body having a rotational axis, comprising:   at least two top face surfaces comprising a drive feature formed in association with the at least two top face surfaces;   at least one cartridge adjacent each top face surface and having a mating surface to mate with the drive feature and to be driven with the drill body, with at least one of the cartridges being slidable along the top face surface and having a cutting face comprising at least one insert pocket positioned adjacent the top edge of the cartridge;   a fastening system for releasably affixing the cartridges to the two top face surfaces; and   at least one cutting insert releasably affixed in the insert pocket, wherein the at least one insert in each of the at least two cartridges form an entire hole in a workpiece, and the at least one slidable cartridge is infinitely adjustable to adjust the diameter of the hole.   
     
     
         12 . The adjustable drill of  claim 11 , wherein the distance from the end of the drill body to the cutting edge of the at least one insert is in a range of about ½ to 2 inches. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable drill of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one insert pocket is rotated insert pocket outward from the rotational axis. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable drill of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one insert pocket is rotated about 1.5 to 2.75 degrees from the rotational axis. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable drill of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one insert is indexable. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable drill of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one gullet having a leading surface formed in the drill body, and wherein at least one face surface is angled such that a normal vector of the face surface remains parallel to the gullet leading surface. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable drill of  claim 16 , comprising a plurality of inserts including at least one inboard and outboard insert, wherein the at least one inboard insert begins forming a track in the workpiece before the at least one outboard insert begins to enter the workpiece. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 11 , wherein the top face surfaces are angled obliquely away from a plane perpendicular to the axis. 
     
     
         19 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 12 , wherein the drive feature is a plurality of longitudinal serrations, and wherein the serrations are about 60 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . The adjustable drill according to  claim 13 , wherein the drive feature is at least one longitudinal keyway formed in each face surface.