July 3, 1956 I. C.

McKECHNIE 2,753,429
ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINING
Filed Feb. 25, 1953

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 United States Patent Office 2,753,429
Fatented July 3, 1956
2
ing the rod to the diaphragm such that the rod and arma
ture are supported for vertical vibratory motion.
At its lower end the rod 32 carries a fluid connection
2,753,429 block 60 which is provided with a fluid passage through
ELECTRICAL DESCHARGE MACHNING which fluid may flow from a suitable supply 62. Below
the connection block, the rod carries a chuck 64 which
an C. McKechnie, Pontiac, Mich., assignor to Elox Cor. is adapted to mount an electrode 66. The electrode may
poration of Michigan, Clawson, Mich. be of any desired size and as a hollow passageway 68
Application February 25, 1953, Serial No. 338,670 through which fiuid may flow from the supply 62.
O Figs. 1 and 3 show a typical workpiece which consists
4 Claims. (Cl. 219-15) of a fabricated part 24 in which a broken tap or screw
68 has become imbedded.
in the operation of the machine, the coolant supply 62
This invention pertains to a method and apparatus for 15 is turned on, the Switch (not shown) energizing the field
coil. 4) is closed and a source of E. M. F. 70 is connected
removing material from electrically conductive stock by across the work and the electrode by means of leads 72
electrical-discharge-machining. and 74. The E. M. F. source 78 may be the same source
More specifically it relates to a self-contained electrical as used to energize the field coil or a separate source may
discharge-machining apparatus which is simple in design, be provided. The coclant may be tap water, kerosene or
economical in manufacture when compared to apparatus 20 a jixture. The coolant serves to cool the electrode and
now available, and which can be operated off a standard the area of the work adjacent the discharge area and
60 cycle supply without use of rectifiers or other auxiliary expels the particles removed from the work by the action
3pparatus. of the electrical discharge.
The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus After the apparatus has been activated as above de
of the type above described. 25Scribed, the electrode 66 is moved into proximity with
For a description and illustration of a preferred em the work by manipulation of the handle 29. The arma
bodiment of the invention, reference is made to the ac tire 34 along with the rod 32 and the electrode 66 will
companying drawings in which reference characters have vibrate at power line frequency which, in most cases,
been used in the several views to designate parts referred will be 60 cycles per second.
to 30
in the drawings, By properly adjusting the handle 20 with regard for
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the discharge
the length of the vibratory stroke as determined by the
machining apparatus with certain parts broken away to constants of the flexible diaphragm 54, the electrode 66
show details thereof and the electrical connections shown
may be positioned such that it will approach the work
diagrammatically; closely enough to permit an electrical discharge between
the electrode and the work at the bottom of its stroke
Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the and recede sufficiently at the top of its stroke to prevent
Fig. 1 apparatus; and a discharge taking place when the electrode is positive
Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the electrode relative to the workpiece.
entering the work. Thus it will be seen that an electric arc or spark dis
Referring now to the views and to Fig. 1 in particular, 40 charge will occur between the electrode and work once
it may be seen that the apparatus comprises a supporting each cycle and the work will be eroded, the eroded par
Structure or frame it having an upward extension 2 ticles being flushed away by the coolant flow as indicated
on which is mounted an adjustable drill press head or diagrammatically in Fig. 3.
other suitable support 4. The vibrating head 16 of the For maximum cutting efficiency it is desirable that
tool is mounted on the rack-bar 18 ordinarily provided 45 the work be positive and the electrode negative when the
and is therefore adjustable vertically by manipulation of discharge takes place. in the apparatus being described,
a handle 23. An adjustable shelf 22 is provided for sup A. C. current is used in the interest of economy and
porting a workpiece Such as the one shown designated simplicity. It is therefore necessary to properly phase the
by numeral 24. mechanical motion of the tool with the power line fre
The vibratory head 6 of the apparatus is mounted in 50 quency Such that the work will be positive and the tool
a casing 26 which consists of a pair of cylindrical housings negative when the tool is at the bottom of its stroke, or at
having mating flanges adapted to be secured together by a define point with relation to the bottom of the stroke.
bolts 28. The casing 26 is secured to the rack-bar 18 This can be accomplished in several ways. The resonant
by suitable fastening means and has an aperture 36 for frequency of the vibratory system can be fixed by care
accommodating the vibratory rod 32. fully choosing the constants of the diaphragm 54. Under
The rod 32 carries an armature 34 at its upper end. Scine conditions, it may be desirable to employ a phase
The latter comprises a pair of permanent magnets 36 shifting network having the required amount of induct
of opposite polarity spaced a predetermined distance ace, resistance or capacity to effect the desired result.
apart. A field structure 38 is disposed in surrounding viy issued Patent No. 2,501,954, dated March 28, 1950,
relation to the armature 34 and includes a field coil 40 60 illustrates and describes the use of Springs and networks
adapted for connection to an A. C. Supply by means of for this purpose and reference is made thereto. Of
leads 42. course it is necessary to connect the leads 42 to the
The field structure has a bell-shaped lower extension power supply 78 or suitabie alternate phased supply in
44 which mates with a second bell-shaped member 46, a polarized manner so as to result in the desired displace
the latter having a cylindrical extension 48 which slid 65 ment of the electrode relative to the power pulse within
ably guides the rod 32. Each of the bell-shaped mem 180 electrical degrees.
bers is provided with a flange 50, 52, which flanges are Instead of a pair of spaced permanent magnets 36, a
disposed in nating relationship as shown. single magnet may be used with its north and south poles
A flexible metallic diaphragm 54 is secured between properly oriented. Similarly, may use a pair of dia
the flanges 50, 52 at its marginal portion and at its center 70 phragms instead of the single diaphragin shown.
has an opening which receives the rod 32. A collar 56 While have described but one of the many forms
and a nut 58 carried by the rod constitute means for secur the invention may take, it will be understood that this
 2,758,429
3 4.
has been done for illustrative purposes and that it is yieldable member mounting said rod for axial recipro
cation.
not desired or intended to limit the invention in its details
or application except as set forth in the appended claims. 3. An apparatus for machining a conductive workpiece
I have described the use of my method and apparatus comprising, an electrode, means connecting said electrode
as a "tap buster' or salvage machine. Obviously, how to one side of an A. C. source, means for connecting a
ever, the method and apparatus are useful in many other workpiece to the other side of said source, a fixed coil of
applications such as machining hard alloys, carbides, etc. annular shape, means connecting said coil to said source,
I claim: an armature comprising a pair of permanent magnets of
1. In an apparatus for machining a conductive work opposite polarity mounted on said electrode and disposed
piece, an electrode, a head for reciprocating said electrode 0. within said coil, and a yieldable member mounting said
comprising an annular fixed coil, an armature having electrode and armature for axial reciprocation, said yield
spaced permanent magnets disposed in the flux path of able member having a frequency of reciprocation resonant
said coil, a yieldable member mounting said armature, an with the frequency of said A. C. source.
extension member connecting said electrode to said 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the recipro
armature, means connecting said electrode and the work 15 cation of the electrode is phased with the A. C. source
piece to an A. C. source, and means connecting said coil such that the electrode is always negative and the work
to said A. C. source. piece positive when the electrode is at the bottom of its
2. In an apparatus for machining a conductive work stroke.
piece by intermittent electrical discharges, a source of
A. C. power, an electrode; means connecting said elec 20 References Cited in the file of this patent
trode and the workpiece to said A. C. source, means for UNITED STATES PATENTS
reciprocating said electrode at A. C. power supply fre 458,872 Depoele -------------- Sept. 1, 1891
quency comprising a fixed coil of ring form, means con 2,167,078 Lakatos -------------- July 25, 1939
necting said coil to said A. C. source, a rod adapted to 2,399,977 Bardos ---------------- May 7, 1946
mount said electrode, an armature carried on said rod 25
and disposed within said coil, said armature comprising a 2,50 1954 McKechnie ------------ Mar. 28, 1950
pair of permanent magnets of opposite polarity; and a