PowerPoint to accompany

Technology of Machine Tools

6th Edition

Krar • Gill • Smid

Cam, Rack, Worm, and

Clutch Milling
Unit 72

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 72-2

Objectives
• Calculate and cut a uniform-motion cam
• Set up the machine and cut a rack
• Understand how a worm is cut
• Set up the machine and cut a clutch
 72-3

Cams
• Used to change rotary motion into straight-
line or reciprocating motion and to transmit
motion to other parts of machine through
follower
– Plate or bar cams (templates)
– Often used on tracer-type milling machines
• May also be used as locking devices
– Application in jig and fixture design
 72-4

Positive-Type Cams
• Control follower at all times
• Follower remains engaged in groove on face
or periphery of cam
Cylindrical Grooved plate

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 72-5

Nonpositive-Type Cams
• Cam pushes follower in given direction and
depends on some external force to keep
follower bearing against cam surface
Plate Toe and wiper Crown

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 72-6

Types of Followers
• Roller: least frictional drag, little
or no lubrication
• Tapered roller: Used with grooved
plate or cylindrical cams
• Flat or plunger: Used to transmit large
forces and requires lubrication
• Knife-edge, pointed: Used on
intricate cams (follows sharp contours)
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 72-7

Cam Motions
• Three standard types of motions imparted
by cams to followers and machine parts:
1. Uniform motion
– Moves follower at same rate from beginning
to end of stroke
– Goes from zero to full speed instantaneously
and ends in same abrupt way
 72-8

2. Harmonic-motion
• Provides smooth start and stop to cycle
• Used when uniformity of motion not essential
and high speeds required
3. Uniformly accelerated and decelerated
motion
• Moves follower slowly at first, then
accelerates or decelerates at uniform rate
• Gradually decreases in speed permitting
follower to come to slow stop
• Smoothest of three motions and used on high-
speed machines
 72-9

Radial Cam Terms

• Lobe
– Projecting part of cam imparts reciprocal
motion to follower
– May have one or several lobes depending on
application
• Rise
– Distance one lobe will raise or lower follower as
cam revolves
 72-10

• Lead
– Total travel imparted to follower in one
revolution of uniform-rise cam, having only one
lobe in 360º
• Lead for double-lobe cam twice lead of single-lobe
– Lead of cam NOT rise that controls gear selection
• Uniform rise
– Rise generated on cam that moves inward at even
rate around cam, assuming shape of Archimedes
spiral
– Caused by uniform feed and rotation of work
when cam machined
 72-11

Cam Milling

• Plate cams without uniform rise

– Laid out and machined by incremental cuts
– Black rotated through angular increment and
cut taken to layout line (then repeated)
– Ridges left between each successive cut
removed by filing and polishing
 72-12

Cam Milling
• Uniform-rise cam produced in milling
machine with vertical head
– Combined uniform rotation of cam blank, held
in spindle of dividing head and uniform feed of
table
– Work and vertical head swung at angle so axis
of work and axis of mill parallel
• Required lead to be cut on cam always less
than forward feed of table
 72-13

Calculations Required
rise of lobe in inches x 360
Lead 
number of degrees of circumference
occupied by the lobe
If circumference is divided into 100 equal parts,
it will necessary to calculate the lead as follows:
rise of lobe in inches x 100
Lead 
% of circumference occupied by lobe
 72-14

Example:
A uniform-rise cam having a rise of .375 in. in 360º
is to be cut. Calculate the required lead, the
inclination of the work, and the vertical head.

Solution:
Lead of cam = .375 in.
This is impossible, since shortest lead that can be
cut with regular change gears is .670 in.
By consulting a handbook, note that gears required
for .670 in. lead are 24, 86, 24, 100
 72-15

H Cam
sin i 
L a= 360º
.375 L = lead to which
 machine geared
.670
 .5597
Angle  342
Cutter
i =will
It angle of inclination
be necessary to
of dividing
swing work head spindle
and vertical H = lead of cam
in degrees
head to definite angle. Dividing head
Table
Feed

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 72-16

Example:
• Specify steps required to cut a uniform-rise
cam having three lobes, each lobe
occupying 120º and each having a rise of .
150 in.
Procedure:
.150 x 360
1. Lead of cam   .450 in.
120
 72-17

2. Smallest lead over .450 to which machine

can be geared is .670 in. (handbook)
3. Change gears required to produce lead of .
670 in. 24 24 (driven)
Gear ratio  x
86 100 (drivers)
4. Mount dividing head, and connect worm
shaft and lead screw with above gears.
• Disengage index plate locking device
5. Scribe three marks 120º apart on periphery
of cam
 72-18

6. Mount work in dividing head chuck

7. Mount end mill of sufficient length in
vertical attachment
8. Calculate offset of work and vertical head
.450
Sine of angle   .67164
.670
 angle  4212
9. Swivel dividing head to 42º12´
10. Swivel vertical milling attachment to
90º - 42º12´ = 47º48´
 72-19

11. Centralize work and cutter

12. Rotate work with index crank until one
scribed mark on cam blank is exactly at
bottom dead center
13. Adjust table until cutter touching lower
side of work and center of cutter in line
with mark
14. Set vertical feed collar to zero
15. Start machine
 72-20

16. Using index head crank, rotate work one-

third turn or until the second scribed line is
in line with forward edge of cutter
17. Lower table slightly and disengage gear
train, or disengage dividing head worm
18. Return table to starting position
19. Rotate work until next line on
circumference is in line with center of
cutter
 72-21

16. Re-engage gear train or dividing head

worm
17. Cut second lobe
18. Repeat steps 17, 18, 19, and 20, and cut
third lobe
 72-22

Rack Milling
• Rack, with gear (pinion) used to convert
rotary motion into longitudinal motion
• Pitch line of rack distance of one
addendum (1/DP) below top of tooth
• Pitch of rack measured in linear pitch,
obtained by dividing 2.1416 by diametral
pitch 3.1416
Rack pitch 
DP
 72-23

Rack Indexing Attachment

• Moves table for each tooth when cutting rack
using rack milling attachment
• Consists of indexing plate with two
diametrically opposed notches and locking
pin
• Two change gears (set of 14) mounted
– Different combinations permit accurate
increments corresponding to linear pitch of rack
– All diametral pitches from 4 to 32 as well as
circular pitches from 1/8 in to 3/4 in.
 72-24

Worms and Worm Gears

• Used when great ratio reduction required between
driving and driven shafts
• Worm – cylinder on which is cut single- or
multiple-start Acme-type thread
– Angle ranges from 14.5º to 30º pressure angle
• Worm gear machined on peripheral groove
– Radius equal to half root diameter of worm
• Drive ratio between worm and worm gear depends
on number of teeth in worm gear and whether
worm has single or double-start thread
 72-25

To Mill a Worm
• Worms often cut on milling machine with
rack milling attachment and thread milling
cutter
– Setup of cutter similar to rack milling
– Work held between index centers and rotated
by gears between worm shaft and lead screw
• Short lead (<1in.) attachment used when
worm milled because thread has short lead
 72-26

Procedure to Mill a Worm

1. Calculate all dimensions of thread: lead,
pitch, depth, and angle of thread
2. Mount worm blank between dividing head
centers located at end of milling machine
3. Determine proper gears for lead and
mount them so they connect worm shaft
and lead screw
4. Disengage index plate locking device
 72-27

5. Mount proper thread milling cutter on

rack milling attachment
6. Swing rack milling attachment to required
helix angle of worm thread and proper
direction for lead of worm
7. Center work under cutter
8. Raise work up to cutter
9. Move work clear of cutter, raise table to
required depth of thread
10. Cut thread using automatic feed or by
manually turning index crank handle
 72-28

Positive-Drive Clutches
• Used extensively to drive or disconnect
gears and shafts in machine gearboxes
– Headstocks on most lathes use clutches to
engage or disengage gears to provide different
spindle speeds
• Positive drive produced by means of
interlocking teeth
• Three forms: straight-tooth, inclined-tooth,
and sawtooth
 72-29

Straight-Tooth Clutch

• Permits rotation in either direction

• More difficult to engage
– Mating teeth and grooves
must be in perfect
alignment

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 72-30

Inclined-Tooth Clutch
• Provides easier means of engaging or
disengaging driving and driven members
because of an 8º or 9º angle
on faces of teeth
– Must be provided with
positive means of locking it
in engagement
• Permit shafts to run in
either direction without backlash
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 72-31

Sawtooth Clutch

• Permits drive in only one direction

• More easily engaged than
other clutches
• Angle of teeth generally 60º

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 72-32

To Machine a Straight-Tooth
Clutch Having Three Teeth
• Note: method applies to all clutches
having odd number of teeth
1. Mount dividing head on milling machine
table
2. Mount three-jaw chuck in dividing head
3. Mount workpiece in chuck (vertically)
 72-33

4. Set sector arms to proper indexing, that is

40/3 = 13 1/3 turns or 13 turns and 13
holes on 39-hole circle
5. Mount side milling cutter on milling
machine arbor
6. Set proper spindle speed and table feed
7. Start cutter and adjust work until edge
nearest front just touches the inner side of
cutter. Set crossfeed graduated feed collar
to zero
 72-34

8. Move table longitudinally until work

clear of cutter
9. Move table laterally half diameter of
work plus about .001 in. for clearance,
and lock saddle in position
10.Set depth of cut, and lock knee clamps
11.Take cut across full width of work
12.Return table to starting position
 72-35

13.Index for next tooth and take second

cut
14.Return table to starting position
15.Index next tooth
16.Take third cut
 72-36

To Machine a Straight-Tooth
Clutch Having Four Teeth
• Even number of teeth require that
machining one side of each tooth first then
machining second side
– Procedure requires more time
• Clutches should be designed with odd
number of teeth
– Reduce machining time
– Reduce chance of error
 72-37

Procedure to Machine Straight-

Tooth Clutch Having Four Teeth
1. Mount work as in previous example and
set proper indexing
2. Start cutter and adjust workpiece until
edge nearest front of machine just touches
the inner edge of cutter
3. With work clear of cutter, move saddle
over half diameter of work plus thickness
of cutter minus .001 in. for clearance
 72-38

4. Adjust work so cutter over center hole of

clutch
5. Set depth and lock knee clamp
6. Take first cut
7. Index and cut remaining teeth on one side
8. Revolve work one-eighth of turn
9. Touch opposite side of work to other side
of cutter
10. Repeat operations 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 until all
teeth have been cut