FORM2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10; rule 13)
1. Title of the invention. - UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC DRILLING
FIXTURE FOR LATHE
2. Applicant(s)
(a) NAME : STEEL AUTHORITY OF INDIA LIMITED
(b) NATIONALITY : A Govt, of India Enterprise
(c) ADDRESS : Bhilai Steel Plant, Bhilai - 490001, State of Chattisgarh
3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :


FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved drilling fixture mechanism for lathe. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved drilling fixture mechanism integrally mounted on any conventional lathe in a predetermined manner is adapted to achieve continuous, smooth and accurate drilling in a very cost effective and time effective manner. The fixture mechanism is without tailstock. With minor position and dimensional adjustment of desired components it can be used for any capacity lathe providing flexible operation.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
Drilling machines are used in the industry for various drilling needs. Generally pedestal drilling machine, turret lathe and conventional lathe are used for drilling. Turret or capstan lathe is mainly used by many industries on large scale for drilling. But, Turret or capstan lathe has following disadvantages:
These machines are very costly and are not affordable for small-scale industries. Highly skilled workers are required for its operation.
Conventional lathe consists of "Tail Stock" which operates manually and used . for drilling. Conventional lathe has following disadvantages:
Manual operation is tedious and time consuming,
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Conventional lathes are not suitable where more production is desired,
Needs frequent repairing,
Finished goods have high rejection rate.
The operation with pedestal drilling machine is also tedious and time consuming. Moreover its industrial application on large scale is difficult.
Drilling is the most common metalworking operation. Overall, more time is spent making holes than performing any other operation. There are many, many effective ways to rough and finish holes in metal. The demand for high quality holes is greater than ever, and the standards for efficient, productive hole making have never been as high as today.
US4191366 describes a universal planetary clamping device comprising base surface of a rigid plate resting upon the work support surface of a machine tool. An insert, having an aperture therethrough, is journalled within "the plate. A pin is detachably affixed to a work piece and extended through the aperture. Access is provided through the edge of the plate for engaging the pin to the insert and for cammingly advancing and retracting the insert relative the base surface. In response to advancement of the insert, the work piece is drawn against the work bearing surface of the plate. Random aperture location to accommodate several randomly placed pins is provided by a plurality of rotatably journalled inserts, each having a slotted aperture.
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Given these facts, every industry has to keep an eye out for better or faster methods of hole making. Therefore, there is need of a drilling machine, which overcomes problems in the prior art.
The Inventors of the present invention have invented a drilling fixture, which can be mounted on any center lathe with minor alterations of dimensions.
Drilling mechanism of the present invention is advantageous as operation is simple, it does not require skilled workers, rejection rates of the finished goods are less, and installation is simple.
OBJECTS OF INVENTION
Thus one object of the present invention is to provide an improved drilling fixture mechanism integrally mounted on any conventional lathe in a manner to follow the center height of the job fitted in the lathe.
Another object is to provide drilling operation without use of tailstock.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a drilling fixture mountable on any center lathe with minor alterations of dimensions.
Yet another object is to provide continuous, smooth and accurate drilling in a very cost effective and time effective manner
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Further object of the present invention is to provide an automatically operable drilling fixture, which operates automatically.
The other object of the present invention is to provide a drilling fixture providing less rejection of finished goods.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the basic aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved drilling fixture mechanism for precision drilling, said mechanism being integrally mounted on any conventional lathe,
wherein said fixture mechanism designed in a manner that the drilling mechanism follows a predetermined height of job fitted in the lathe and comprising:
plate means comprising a base plate and a vertical plate being operatively juxtaposed at a predetermined angle and having support means being disposed in between so as to provide appropriate fixture of base plate and the vertical plate;
holding means located at a predetermined height on the
vertical plate, said holding means being fixed to the
vertical plate with pin means in a manner to achieve
vibration free drilling and concentric holes; and
detaching and/or locking means provided on the base plate so as to detach and/or lock the mechanism from or with any conventional lathe carriage.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The present inventors have addressed the need of a drilling machine, which is simple to operate and economical.
In one embodiment of the present invention the drilling fixture of the present invention is positioned on carriage part of the lathe, which can be operated manually as well as automatically. It can be mounted on any center lathe with minor modification of base plate or sleeve position and dimension as per the location where the drilling fixture has to be fitted. The sleeve position means every lathe has different center height/ spindle height. Accordingly, the sleeve is positioned at required height.
In another embodiment of the present invention the drilling fixture mechanism of the present invention comprises a rectangular parallelepiped plate means having a predetermined thickness. The said plate means being made up of medium carbon steel plate, first plate of thickness of at least 16 mm and length of side of at least 160 mm. Preferably, the thickness of the first plate ranges from 24mm to 30mm and the length of the side may vary from 190mm to 240mm. The rectangular parallelepiped first plate is located at the base {hence, herein referred to as the base plate). Another rectangular parallelepiped, second plate of thickness of at least 24 mm, preferably the thickness ranging from 24mm to 30mm is located in juxtaposition to the first plate i.e. the base plate. The side length of the second plate (as located in the vertical plane, hence herein referred to as the vertical plate) is at least 220 mm, which preferably range from 220mm to 275mm. The vertical plate is located such that the solid angle
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existing between the vertical plate and the base plate is approximately right angle. The fixture mechanism comprises of support means being located in a predetermined angular fashion with its one end welded to the base plate and the other end welded to the vertical plate to ensure proper fixture' of the base plate and the vertical plate.
Yet in another embodiment of the present invention on the vertical plate at a predetermined height is provided means for holding drill tool almost perpendicular to the surface of the vertical plate. The said means comprises conventional Morse taper sleeve being operatively located on the vertical plate by means of sleeve supporting pins in a manner that the center i.e. the longitudinal central axis of the tapered sleeve or the drill axis and the axis of the object or job to be drilled are co-linearly located so as to eliminate vibration during drilling operation and generate concentric holes. The tapered sleeve passes through the vertical plate with a predetermined portion of its length with the maximum diameters protruding out of the surface of the vertical plate.
Yet in another embodiment of the present invention the fixture mechanism comprises means for detaching and locking the said fixture mechanism to the lathe. The detaching and locking means comprises "T" headed hexagonal bolt and hexagonal nut (nut-bolt assembly) being profiled in a manner to fit in different spanners with suitable insertion in slots provided in lathe carriage. The WT" headed shape is such that during fixation with the lathe carriage there is no degree of freedom for rotation in the carriage slot
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thereby providing firm and perfect fastening / locking of the fixture mechanism on the lathe.
Thus the drilling fixture of the present invention has following advantages:
• It can be mounted on any center lathe with minor alteration of dimension,
• Operation is simple,
• Manufacturing cost is low,
• Installation is very easy,
• Functioning is simple and therefore highly skilled workers are not required,
• Holes generated are always concentric and therefore rejection rate of the drilled goods are less,
• As per the capacity of lathe machine, drilling time can be minimized by variation of speed.
• Can be used by small scale to large scale industry,
• Production rate is high and labour cost is less, which in turn gives high productivity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figures 1 (a) and 1 (b) illustrate schematic views of automatic drilling fixture mechanism of the present invention for HMT Lathe.
Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of base plate of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
Figure 3 illustrates a plan view of vertical plate of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
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Figure 4 illustrates side angular plate of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
Figure 5 illustrates the taper sleeve of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
Figure 6(a) illustrates top view of sleeve-supporting pin of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
Figure 6 (b) illustrates lateral view of sleeve-supporting pin of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
Figure 7 illustrates "T" head bolt of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
Figure 8 illustrates washer of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
Figure 9 illustrates hexagonal nut of fixture mechanism of the present invention.
In figures 1(a) and 1(b) schematic views of automatic drilling fixture mechanism of the present invention for HMT Lathe are illustrated. First plate / base plate (1) is located at the base and is provided with plurality of identical holes (4) (shown in figure 2 in the plan view of the base plate (1)) . Plate (1) is located in juxtaposition to vertical plate (2) (also shown in figure 3) having a predetermined solid angle between them. Side angular plates (3) (also shown in figure 4) (which are the support means) are provided between the plates (1 and 2) to achieve proper fixture. Taper sleeve (5) (also shown in figure 5) is operatively located on the vertical plate (2) by means of sleeve supporting pins (6). Tapered sleeve (5) passes
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through the vertical plate (2) with maximum diameter (Dm) protruding out of the surface of the vertical plate (2).
In figures 6 (a) and 6 (b) the sleeve supporting pin (6) of the sleeve (5) is illustrated.
In figure 7 "T" head bolt of fixture mechanism of the present invention is illustrated. "T" headed hexagonal bolt {7) and hexagonal nut (9) are profiled in a manner to fit in different spanners with suitable insertion in slots provided in lathe carriage (not shown here). The bolt (7) and nut (9) combination comprises of washer (8) (shown in figure 8).
The invention has been described in a preferred form only and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. The invention is not limited to the details cited above. For example, different thickness and lengths of the base and the vertical plates may be used and the fixture mechanism can be used in any lathe and still the invention can be performed.
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WE CLAIM
1. An improved drilling fixture mechanism for precision
drilling, said mechanism being integrally mounted on
any conventional lathe,
wherein said fixture mechanism designed in a manner that the drilling mechanism follows a predetermined height of job fitted in the lathe and comprising:
plate means comprising a base plate and a vertical plate being operatively juxtaposed at a predetermined angle and having support means being disposed in between so as to provide appropriate fixture of base plate and the vertical plate;
holding means located at a predetermined height on the vertical plate, said holding means being fixed to the vertical plate with pin means in a manner to achieve vibration free drilling and concentric holes; and
detaching and/or locking means provided on the base plate so as to detach and/or lock the mechanism from or with any conventional lathe carriage.
2. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support
means comprises angular plates being disposed between
the base plate and the vertical plate at a
predetermined angle to provide a solid angle of 90 ° in
between the base plate and the vertical plate.
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3. Mechanism as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the holding means comprises tapered sleeve so as to hold drilling tool.
4. Mechanism as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the pin means comprises sleeve supporting pins in a manner that longitudinal central axis of the tapered sleeve and the axis of the object to be drilled are co-linearly located so as to eliminate vibration during drilling operation and generate concentric holes.
5. Mechanism as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the base plate comprises thickness of at least 16 mm, preferably ranging from 24mm to 30mm.
6. Mechanism as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the base plate comprises length of at least 160mm, preferably ranging from 190mm to 240mm.
7. Mechanism as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the vertical plate comprises thickness of at least 24 mm, preferably ranging from 24mm to 30mm.
8. Mechanism as claimed in any preceding claims, wherein the vertical plate comprises length of at least 220 mm, preferably ranging from 220mm to 275mm.
9. Mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detaching and/or locking means comprises "T" headed hexagonal nut-bolt assembly being profiled in a manner that during fixation with the lathe carriage there is no degree of freedom for rotation in the carriage slot
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thereby providing firm and perfect fastening / locking of the fixture mechanism on the lathe.
10. An improved drilling fixture mechanism as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying figures.
Dated this 7th day of March 2006.

Abhishek Sen
of S. Majumdar & Co.
Applicant's agent
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ABSTRACT
TITLE : UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC DRILLING FIXTURE FOR LATHE
The present invention relates to an improved drilling fixture mechanism mounted on any conventional lathe. The fixture mechanism is designed in a manner that the drilling mechanism follows a predetermined height of job fitted in the lathe and comprises plate means comprising a base plate {1) and a vertical plate (2) having support means (3) being disposed in between so as to provide appropriate fixture of base plate (1) and the vertical plate (2), holding means (5) located at a predetermined height on the vertical plate (2) with pin means (6), and detaching and/or locking means provided on the base plate (1) so as to detach and/or lock the mechanism from or with any conventional lathe carriage.
Figure la