Kenneth C Wikle

US Patent:

55035892, Apr 2, 1996

Filed:

Jun 17, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/262005

Inventors:

Kenneth C. Wikle - Dayton OH

International Classification:

B24B 4904

US Classification:

451 5

Abstract:

A contoured gas turbine blade has tapered outer surfaces projecting from a base which is secured to a work holder mounted on a rotary table. This table is supported by an X-Y cross slide, and separate stepping motors rotate and move the holder on the three axes. A high speed grinder motor has a shaft supporting a grinding wheel for rotation on a fourth axis generally parallel to the rotary axis. The grinder motor is supported for universal tilting movement on fifth and sixth axes which are perpendicular to the fourth axis and intersect the grinding wheel, and two stepping motors and ball screw slides control the tilting movement. An adjustable follower is supported adjacent the grinding wheel for engaging the blade while the blade moves, and the grinding wheel removes weld flash from the tip of the blade to form a tapered contoured weld surface which is a smooth extension of the tapered contoured blade surface. The grinding wheel motor is replaced with a fixture having separate electrical contact probes which replace the grinding wheel and follower and provide for using motor position readings from a finished blade to generate a computer program for automatically controlling the stepping motors during the grinding operation.

US Patent:

56454660, Jul 8, 1997

Filed:

Apr 1, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/625335

Inventors:

Kenneth C. Wikle - Dayton OH

International Classification:

B24B 4900

US Classification:

451 5

Abstract:

A contoured gas turbine blade has tapered outer surfaces projecting from a base which is secured to a work holder mounted on a rotary table. This table is supported by an X-Y cross slide, and separate stepping motors rotate and move the holder on the three axes. A high speed grinder motor has a shaft supporting a grinding wheel for rotation on a fourth axis generally parallel to the rotary axis. The grinder motor is supported for universal tilting movement on fifth and sixth axes which are perpendicular to the fourth axis and intersect the grinding wheel, and two stepping motors and ball screw slides control the tilting movement. An adjustable follower is supported adjacent the grinding wheel for engaging the blade while the blade moves, and the grinding wheel removes weld flash from the tip of the blade to form a tapered contoured weld surface which is a smooth extension of the tapered contoured blade surface. The grinding wheel motor is replaced with a fixture having separate electrical contact probes which replace the grinding wheel and follower and provide for using motor position readings from a finished blade to generate a computer program for automatically controlling the stepping motors during the grinding operation.