ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE MACHINE APPARATUS TILTED CURRENT PICKUP

摘要

A current pickup assembly for placing electrical current on a moving wire electrode in an electrical discharge machine apparatus and having a normal straight line of travel. The current pickup assembly includes a current pickup having a bore therethrough for receiving the wire electrode. The bore longitudinal axis is at an angle with respect to the normal straight line of wire travel and the moving wire electrode contacts the bore contact wall therein. A pivot means is provided for selectively pivoting the carbide pickup longitudinal axis at an angle with respect to the straight line of wire travel. A rotation means rotates the current pickup about the bore longitudinal axis. In the alternative, the current pickup is supported on a gimball means for selectively pivoting the pickup about two mutually perpendicular and intersecting axes of rotation intersecting at a point. A control shaft connected to the current pickup and engaged with a connecting rod are driven by a drive means through a variable displacement means. Thus, selective angular displacement of the bore longitudinal axis from the normal straight line of wire travel and also rotational movement of the bore longitudinal axis about the normal straight line of wire travel are provided.