A rotary joint for a fluid is in the form of a hollow ring having an upper half and a lower half that are rotatable relative to one another in an X-Y plane around a C-axis. An inlet tube admits fluid to the ring and an outlet tube exhausts fluid from the ring. Both the inlet tube and the outlet tube are displaced from the C-axis. An inlet elbow is positioned in the hollow ring and has a rounded bend in the interior of the ring that directs fluid around the circumference of the ring. An outlet manifold that is tangential to the outer surface of the ring is coupled to the outlet tube.
B23Q 5/06 - Driving main working members rotary shafts, e.g. working-spindles driven essentially by fluid pressure or pneumatic power
B23Q 11/00 - Accessories fitted to machine tools for keeping tools or parts of the machine in good working condition or for cooling workSafety devices specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools
2.
METHOD FOR AUTOMATIC COMPENSATION OF THERMAL DISTORTION IN A GANTRY MACHINE
A method for automatically compensating short-term relative thermal transient deformation of the cross rail of a gantry machining device includes the steps of measuring the horizontal expansion of the cross rail, measuring the horizontal expansion of the bed, and determining the difference between the two measurements to determine a compensation amount.
B23Q 1/01 - Frames, beds, pillars or like membersArrangement of ways
B23Q 11/00 - Accessories fitted to machine tools for keeping tools or parts of the machine in good working condition or for cooling workSafety devices specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools
B23Q 15/18 - Compensation of tool-deflection due to temperature or force
A motorized head for applying fiber composite material to an application surface includes a drive roll assembly for applying fiber composite material to an application surface. The drive roll assembly includes a drive roll and a backup roll and a drive roll nip formed between the drive roll and the backup roll. At least one cutter is mounted on the drive roll for cutting fiber composite material, and an ejector mechanism is mounted on the drive roll behind the cutter mechanism. The ejector mechanism positively displaces the leading end of the cut tow material away from the surface of the drive roll to ensure that the cut tow material does not misfeed as it approaches the fiber path chute downstream from the cutter.
An apparatus is disclosed for charging molds used to mold wind turbine blades in which the molds have a root end and a tip end. The apparatus includes a first and second gantries located at the root end of the mold and capable of moving to the tip end of the mold. A layup end effector on the first gantry receives a length of reinforcing ply material and temporarily stores the ply material on the layup end effector. A clamping end effector mounted on the second gantry has a clamping board that is shaped to fit the root end of the mold. The clamping end effector grips the end of the ply material temporarily stored on the layup end effector secures the end of the ply material to the root end of the mold while the first gantry lays the ply material in the mold.
B29C 33/00 - Moulds or coresDetails thereof or accessories therefor
B29C 33/38 - Moulds or coresDetails thereof or accessories therefor characterised by the material or the manufacturing process
B29C 70/30 - Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or coreShaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
5.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAPID MOLDING OF WIND TURBINE BLADES
A compliant cover is placed over a part being molded in a molding process. The compliant cover is formed from a plurality of longitudinal cells positioned next to one another. At least one communication port is coupled to each longitudinal cell, and a source of fluid media at a preselected temperature is coupled to the communication ports whereby the longitudinal cells may be filled with the fluid media at the preselected temperature. The compliant cover may thus be used to selectively heat and cool the part being molded to decrease the time required by the part to rise to the temperature required to cure the resin in the part and to cool the part so that it can be removed from the mold.
B29C 33/00 - Moulds or coresDetails thereof or accessories therefor
B29C 33/38 - Moulds or coresDetails thereof or accessories therefor characterised by the material or the manufacturing process
B29C 70/30 - Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or coreShaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
A machining center is designed for machining a hub having faces that are spaced one hundred and twenty degrees from one another around the hub. The machining center includes a table for supporting the hub when it is being machined and three vertical gantries arranged around the table that are spaced one hundred and twenty degrees from one another. The gantries have X and Z axis drives for moving the gantries parallel to the faces of the hub and toward and away from the hub. At least one machining member is mounted on each of the gantries for vertical movement on the gantry and stroke drives are provided for the machining members for driving the machining members toward the center axis of the hub, allowing the three faces of the hub to be machined simultaneously by the machining center.
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