Milling cutter and milling insert with coolant delivery

1. A cutting insert for use in chipforming and material removal from a workpiece wherein coolant is supplied to the cutting insert from a coolant source, the cutting insert comprising:

at least one discrete cutting location;

at least one distinct internal channel that corresponds to the cutting location;

the internal channel has an inlet to receive coolant and an outlet to exit coolant, the outlet being proximate to the cutting location, and the inlet being radial inward of the outlet; and

the cutting insert comprising a mediate cutting insert body having a peripheral flank surface and a peripheral portion of opposite rake surfaces wherein each one of the cutting locations comprises a discrete cutting edge formed at intersections between the peripheral flank surface and the peripheral portions of the rake surfaces, and a pair of rake plates attached to the mediate cutting insert body wherein each one of the rake plates defining in part its corresponding one of the rake surface.

2. The cutting insert according to claim 1 wherein the mediate cutting insert body is made of a material different from the material from which either one of the rake plates is made.

3. The cutting insert according to claim 1 comprising a peripheral rake surface and a pair of opposite rake surfaces, and wherein each one of the cutting locations comprising a discrete cutting edge at the intersections between the rake surfaces and the peripheral flank surface.

4. A cutting insert for use in chipforming and material removal from a workpiece wherein coolant is supplied to the cutting insert from a coolant source, the cutting insert comprising:

a mediate cutting insert body defining a peripheral flank surface and a peripheral portion of opposite rake surfaces wherein the peripheral flank surface intersects the peripheral portion of the opposite rake surfaces to form discrete cutting locations;

a pair of rake plates attached to the mediate cutting insert body, and each one of the rake plates defining in part its corresponding one of the rake surfaces;

the mediate cutting insert body and the rake plates together defining a first group of a plurality of discrete internal channels and a second group of a plurality of discrete internal channels;

each one of the first group of discrete internal channels corresponding to one of the cutting locations at the intersection of one of the rake surfaces and the peripheral flank surface, and each one of the second group of discrete internal channels corresponding to one of the cutting locations at the intersection of other of the rake surfaces and the peripheral flank surface; and

each one of the first group of the discrete internal channels having an inlet opening at the other of the rake surface and an outlet opening at the one rake surface adjacent to its corresponding cutting location, and each one of the second group of the discrete internal channels having an inlet opening at the one of the rake surface and an outlet opening at the other rake surface adjacent to its corresponding cutting location.

5. The cutting insert according to claim 4 wherein a selected one of the cutting locations being in engagement with the workpiece, and the internal channel corresponding to the selected cutting location being in communication with the coolant source.

6. The cutting insert according to claim 4 wherein the internal channels corresponding to the cutting locations not in engagement with the workpiece being in substantial fluid isolation from the coolant source.

7. The cutting insert according to claim 4 wherein the outlet of the internal channel corresponding to the selected cutting location being oriented to provide a direct spray of coolant adjacent to the selected cutting location.

8. The cutting insert according to claim 4 wherein the selected cutting location being the sole cutting location to receive a direct spray of the coolant.

9. The cutting insert according to claim 4 having a central axis passing between the rake surface and the bottom surface, and each one of the inlets being disposed offset from the central axis.

10. The cutting insert according to claim 4 wherein the mediate cutting body being made from a material different from that of the rake plates.