Spline rolling rack and method

Abstract

A spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece is provided, having a durable carriage of the type secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly, a perishable rack insert that is removably secured upon the carriage, a locating key disposed between the rack insert and the carriage for properly aligning the rack insert upon the carriage, a locating assembly disposed upon the carriage and engageable with the rack insert for assisting in properly aligning the rack insert and the carriage between load and work positions, and multiple clamping assemblies disposed within said carriage for releasably securing the rack insert upon the carriage. The perishable rack insert is designed for quick and convenient replacement, reducing maintenance cost and idle time for these devices. The single-use nature of the insert relieves the user from the burden of managing an inventory of like tools, in various states of use, in order to ensure that new tools are ordered in a timely manner for replacing tools that have exhausted their useful life.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece, comprising:
 a durable carriage operable for being fixedly secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly within a machine for forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece, said carriage having a mounting surface, said carriage operable for sliding in relation together with rotation of the workpiece;   a perishable rack insert operable for being removably secured upon said mounting surface of said carriage, said rack insert having a working surface with a series of feature-forming surfaces formed thereupon for forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece and a locking bearing surface, said rack insert operable for being removed from, and secured upon, said carriage within said machine without removing said carriage from within said machine;   a locating key operable for being disposed between a first locating key recess formed within said rack insert and a second locating key recess formed within said carriage for properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position, wherein manufactured configurations of said locating key and said first and second locating key recesses together comprise the primary engaging components and surfaces for properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position, and wherein said locating key is secured to said carriage;   a locating assembly operable for being disposed upon said carriage in movable relation between a first position corresponding to a loading position of said rack insert upon said carriage and a second position corresponding to a work position of said rack insert upon said carriage, said locating assembly also operable for engaging a recess within said rack insert, wherein movement of said locating assembly from said first position to said second position engages said locating assembly with said recess within said rack insert to assist in properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position, wherein said locating assembly comprises a lock pin attached to a lock shaft rotatably disposed within said carriage and capable of being rotated between a first position corresponding to a load position of said rack insert upon said carriage and a second position where the locking shaft engages a tapered surface of the insert corresponding to a work position of said rack insert upon said carriage; and   a plurality of clamping assemblies disposed at spaced apart locations longitudinally within said carriage, each clamping assembly having a translatable locking member with an annular engagement surface configured to engage the locking bearing surface of the rack insert, the translatable locking member having a shaft defining a cam following surface, said clamping assemblies each having a rotatable member disposed generally perpendicular to the shaft and having a cam configured to engage the cam following surface upon rotation of the rotatable member in a first direction, the translatable member being operable for releasably contacting said rack insert in a pressurized manner for securing said rack insert in a clamped work position upon said carriage, wherein each clamping assembly is operable for being adjusted between a released unclamped condition and an engaged clamped condition, wherein said locating assembly comprises a lock member attached to a lock shaft rotatably disposed within said carriage and capable of being rotated between a first position corresponding to a load position of said rack insert upon said carriage and a second position corresponding to a work position of said rack insert upon said carriage.   
     
     
         2 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each clamping assembly comprises a surface disposed within said carriage and operable for engaging a clamp pin which forms part of the clamping. 
     
     
         3 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein each clamping assembly is operable for engaging a recess within the rack insert, and wherein adjustment of said clamping assembly from a released unclamped condition to an engaged clamped condition operates to engage the clamp pin forming part of the clamping assembly against said recess within said rack insert. 
     
     
         4 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said carriage includes longitudinally disposed inner and outer datum rails for engaging a member upon said rack insert in close fit relation to assist in properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position. 
     
     
         5 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rack insert further comprises an inner datum surface locations said feature-forming surfaces when said rack insert is in said work position. 
     
     
         6 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said locating key and said first and second locating key recesses operate to enhance the location of said feature-forming surfaces when said rack insert is in said work position. 
     
     
         7 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rack insert selectively wears and is intended for disposal after said working surface becomes worn. 
     
     
         8 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said locating key is secured to said carriage. 
     
     
         9 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rack insert and said carriage each include load alignment indicia on corresponding surfaces for indicating when the rack insert and the carriage are aligned in a load position. 
     
     
         10 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said rack insert comprises at least one height location datum in contact with the carriage during operation. 
     
     
         11 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein said rack insert comprises inner and outer height location datums which are mounted upon, and correspond to, inner and outer datum rails formed upon the carriage. 
     
     
         12 . A spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said external surface configurations formed upon a metal workpiece are in the form of splines. 
     
     
         13 . A spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece, comprising:
 a durable carriage operable for being fixedly secured upon a slide assembly within a machine for forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece, said carriage having a mounting surface, said carriage operable for sliding in reciprocating relation together with rotation of the workpiece;   a perishable rack insert operable for being selectively secured upon said mounting surface of said carriage, said rack insert having a working surface with a series of feature-forming surfaces formed thereon for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece, said rack insert defining a coupling aperture holding an insert bearing plate that defines a bearing surface, said rack insert operable for being removed from, and secured upon, said carriage within said machine without removing said carriage from within said machine;   a locating key operable for being disposed between a first locating key recess formed within said rack insert and a second locating key recess formed within said carriage for properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position, wherein manufactured configurations of said locating key and said first and second locating key recesses together comprise the primary engaging components and surfaces for properly aligning said rack insert upon said carriage in at least one of a load position and a work position; and   a plurality of clamping assemblies disposed on said carriage, each clamping assembly having a translatable locking member with an engagement surface configured to engaged the ramped bearing surface of the rack insert, the translatable locking member having a shaft defining a cam following surface, said clamping assemblies each having a member disposed generally perpendicular to the shaft and having a cam configured to engage the ramped bearing surface upon movement of the rotatable member in a first direction, the translatable member being each clamping assembly operable for releasably contacting said rack insert in a compressive manner for securing said rack insert in a fixed work position in said carriage.   
     
     
         14 . A spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece, comprising:
 a durable carriage operable for being fixedly secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly within a machine for forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece, said carriage operable for sliding in reciprocating relation together with rotation of the workpiece;   a perishable rack insert operable for being removably secured upon said carriage, said rack insert having a working surface with a series of feature-forming surfaces formed thereupon for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece, said rack insert defining a coupling bearing surface, said perishable rack insert being operable for being removed from, and secured upon, said carriage within said machine without removing said carriage from within said machine; and   a plurality of clamping assemblies having a selectively rotatably translatable member with a ramped annular engagement surface configured to engage the coupling bearing surface of the rack insert, the selectively translatable member having a cam following surface, said clamping assemblies each having a movable member disposed generally perpendicular to the shaft and having a cam configured to engage the cam following surface upon translation of the translatable member in a first direction, the selectively translatable member being operable for releasably contacting said rack insert in a compressive manner for securing said rack insert in a fixed work position upon said carriage, wherein each clamping assembly is operable for being adjusted between a released unclamped condition and an engaged clamped condition.   
     
     
         15 . A method for preparing a spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece comprising the steps of:
 providing a durable carriage fixedly secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly within a machine for forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece;   providing a perishable rack insert defining a clamping assembly having a selectively engagable bearing surface operable for being removably secured upon a mounting surface of said carriage;   disposing a locking member defining a bearing surface adjacent the selectively engagable bearing surface;   positioning said rack insert upon said mounting surface of said carriage, so as to engage a locating key secured upon said carriage with a locating key recess disposed within said rack insert, to engage a locating assembly disposed upon said carriage with a locating assembly recess disposed within said rack insert, and also to engage at least one clamping assembly disposed upon said carriage with the selectively engagable bearing surface, wherein said locating assembly comprises a lock pin attached to a lock shaft rotatably disposed within said carriage and capable of being rotated between a first position corresponding to a load position of said rack insert upon said carriage and a second position where the locking shaft engages a tapered surface of the insert corresponding to a work position of said rack insert upon said carriage;   actuating said locating assembly to move said rack insert longitudinally relative to said carriage into a working position, to engage said locating key against a primary stop surface forming part of said locating key recess, and also to place said clamping assembly in a configuration to be secured into a clamped condition; and   securing said at least one clamping assembly into a clamped condition between said carriage and said rack insert.   
     
     
         16 . The method for preparing a spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of positioning said rack insert upon said carriage comprises engaging a plurality of clamping assemblies between said carriage and said rack insert. 
     
     
         17 . The method for preparing a spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the step of positioning said rack insert upon said carriage causes a clamp pin protruding from said carriage to engage a large radius recess forming part of said clamping assembly recess in said rack insert. 
     
     
         18 . The method for preparing a spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of actuating said locating assembly causes said clamp pin to switch from engaging said large radius recess to engaging a small radius recess forming part of said clamping assembly recess in said rack insert. 
     
     
         19 . The method for preparing a spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 18 , further comprising securing said clamp pin against said small radius recess. 
     
     
         20 . The method for preparing a spline rolling rack assembly according to  claim 15 , further comprising causing a lock pin to move from a first load position to a second work-unclamped position and subsequently to a third work-clamped position between said carriage and said rack insert. 
     
     
         21 . A perishable rack insert operable for use as part of a spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece, said rack insert comprising:
 a working surface with a series of feature-forming surfaces formed thereupon for cold-forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece; and   said rack insert defining an aperture having a ramped bearing surface operable for being removably secured upon a durable carriage fixedly secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly within a machine for forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece, without removing said carriage from within said machine.   
     
     
         22 . A method for preparing a spline rolling rack assembly for cold-forming external surface configurations upon a metal workpiece comprising the steps of:
 providing a durable carriage support having a plurality of coupling mechanisms, said durable carriage support being fixedly secured upon a reciprocating slide assembly within a means for forming external surface configurations upon said metal workpiece;   providing a perishable rack insert operable for being removably secured upon a mounting surface of said carriage, said perishable rack insert defining an annular ramped coupling bearing surface;   positioning said rack insert upon said mounting surface of said carriage;   securing said rack insert to the coupling mechanism upon said mounting surface of said carriage without removing said carriage from within said machine; and translating the coupling mechanism to engage the coupling bearing surface of the rack insert.