Reciprocating machine tools: The Reciprocating machines which use only reciprocating motion.

The major machine tools that fall in this class are Shaper Planer Slotter The main characteristics of this class of machine tools are that they are simple in constructionand as a result are very economical in initial cost as well as operation.

SHAPER
The shaper is a relatively slow machine tool with very low metal-removal capability. Hence, itis being replaced by the more versatile milling machines in many shops. This is a low-costmachine tool and hence is used for initial rough machining of the blanks. It is rarely used inproduction operations. It uses a single-point tool similar to a lathe, which is clamped to a tool post mounted to a clapper box, which in turn is mounted to a reciprocating ram as shown in Fig. The ramwhile undertaking the cutting stroke pushes the cutting tool through the work piece to remove the material. When the ram returns, no cutting takes place. In between the return and cuttingstrokes, the table moves in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the cutting direction termedthe feed direction.

SHAPER CONSTRUCTION: The main constructional pieces of a mechanical shaper are Base Column Ram Tool head (clapper box) Cross rail Table BASE : The base provides stability for the shaper as it supports all other equipment present as well asabsorbs the forces coming due to the cutting. Generally, it is made of grey cast iron and willhave the necessary arrangement of bolts so that it can be bolted to the factory floor with properlevelling. HOUSING (COLUMN): The housing is a boxlike structure to provide the necessary rigidity and also houses all themotors and powertransmission equipment. On top of the housing, necessary guide ways areprovided for the linear motion of the ram for the cutting stroke. The front verticalface of the column also has guides for the cross rail to slide up and down. The vertical movementof the cross rail is obtained by actuating an elevator screw. RAM It is a part of the shaper that provides the reciprocating motion for the cutting tool. It gets themotions directly from the quick-return mechanism present in the housing. It contains a screw rod, by rotating it using a hand wheel, position of the stroke of the ram can be varied. Ram is semi cylindrical in shape and is made highly rigid by the ribs inside. TABLE Table is a box type casting. The front face of the table is supported by an adjustable support and the rear face is attached to the saddle. Its top and sides are perfectly machined and the sidesare square with the top surface. Top and sides have 'T' slots for clamping the work pieces.Thetable has horizontal and vertical movements. 1

TOOL HEAD (CLAPPER BOX):

Tool head provides vertical and angular feed movement of the tool. Tool headconsists of a vertical tool slide, a clapper box, an apron and a tool holder. By rotating the tool head on the graduated swivel base, tool slide can be turned to the require angle. This is required to give angular feed to the machine surfaces at an angle. The tool slide can be actuated by turning the down feed screw. A dial is fixed to the handle for accurate movementof the slide. The apron has a sector shaped slot and using a screw, it can be clamped to any position permitted by the slot. This arrangement is required to provide relief to the tool when making vertical or angular cuts. The apron consists of clapper box, Clapper block and tool post. Clapperblock is hinged to the clapper box. Tool post is attached to the clapper block. During the forwardstroke of the ram, clapper block is pressed to the clapper box and make a rigid support to the tool. During the return stroke the block is sufficiently lifted out of the box preventing thecutting edge of the tool rubbing on the work surface. CROSS RAIL: Cross rail is guided by the vertical guide ways of the column. In the front of the crossrail, two horizontal guides (one on top and one at the bottom) are provided for the saddle to slidealong. SADDLE: Since the table is attached to the saddle, when the saddle is actuated by a horizontal screw (which is housed inside the cross rail), horizontal motion of the table is obtained. Screw can be rotated by hand or by power. TYPES OF SHAPERS: l. According to the mechanism used to give reciprocation to the cutting tool, a) Crank type, - Most common type. A mechanism, which converts the rotary motion of a large gear (bull gear) into reciprocating motion of the ram, is used. b) Hydraulic type, Oil under pressure is pumped into a hydraulic cylinder and acts on the piston. c) Geared type 2. According to the travel of ram a) Horizontal type -Ram carrying the tool reciprocates horizontally b) Vertical type, - Ram carrying the tool reciprocates vertically. This type of shapers are very convenient for cutting internal key ways slots or grooves. Using an indexing attachment, internal and external gears can also be cut in these machines c) Travelling head type. 3. According to the design of table a) Standard table, b) Universal type. 4. According to the type of cutting stroke a) Push type b) Draw type.

SHAPER MECHANISM- QUICK RETURN MECHANISM: In a shaping machine during the forward stroke of the ram metal is cut and during the return stroke, no metal is removed (idle stroke). In order to reduce the total machining time return stroke should be made faster than the cutting stroke. This is achieved by using any one of the quick return mechanisms listed below. 1. Crank and slotted link mechanism 2. Whitworth quick return mechanism 3. Hydraulic shaper mechanism CRANK AND SLOTTED LINK MECHANISM A bull gear is driven at a uniform angular velocity by a pinion which gets drive from a pulley fitted outside the column. A radial slide is fitted to the centre of the bull gear. There is a sliding block in the slide, whose position is adjusted (to obtain different stroke lengths) by turning the stroke adjusting screw using bevel gear. A crank pin is carried by the sliding block and the pin rotates with uniform angular velocity about the centre of the bull gear. Rocker arm sliding block is attached to the crank pin and is free to rotate about the pin. The rocker arm sliding block can slide along the slot in the rocker arm (slotted link), one end of which is pivoted to the bottom of the machine frame. The other end is forked and connected to the ram block via a pin which can slide in the forked end. As the bull gear rotates, the crank pin and the rocker arm sliding block rotate in a circle about the bull gear centre. The rocker arm block will have, in addition to rotation, a sliding motion (up and down motion) inside the slot. This will give rocking motion (oscillatory motion) to the rocker arm which causes reciprocation to the ram. Thus the rotary motion of the bull gear is converted to reciprocating motion of the ram. PRINCIPLE OF QUICK RETURN MECHANISM Refer to Figure. When the rocker arm is in position Q C1 M the ram is in the extreme end of the backward stroke and when in position Q C2N, it is in the extreme end of the forward stroke. Q C1M and Q C2, N are the tangent to the crank pin circle. O is the centre of the bull gear. During the cutting stroke the crank OC rotates through an angle C 1 C C2 = a, which is greater than 180 and during the return stroke, through an angle (360 - a). Since the crank rotates at constant angular speed we may write the ratio, Cutting time / Return time = 36Q ..:.a ~ It is seen from the figure that a> 360 >a. Therefore the above ratio is greater than I. Usually it varies between 2: I and 3:2. The disadvantage in the mechanism is that the linear speed of the ram is not unifonn throughout the stroke (for both culling stroke and return stroke). The speed is minimum at the beginning and at the end of a stroke and is maximum in the middle of the stroke.