Tool changing – Including machine tool or component – Rotary spindle machine tool
Patent
1997-12-09
1999-03-02
Briggs, William R.
Tool changing
Including machine tool or component
Rotary spindle machine tool
483 56, B32Q 3157
Patent
active
058763155
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to the machine-tool area and more particularly to a numerically controlled machining unit for transfer machines.
In its French Patent No. 85.02897, the Applicant proposed a numerically controlled three-axis (X, Y, Z) machining unit for transfer machines. This unit, as illustrated by a perspective view in the drawing of FIG. 1, is constructed as a frame 10 comprised substantially of a bed 11 equipped with a pair of rails 12 and 13 to permit sliding of a vertical crosspiece 20 surmounting the said bed in the form of a horizontal movement illustrated by arrow X. This crosspiece 20, of one-piece construction with two posts 21 and 22, is equipped with a pair of rails 21a and 22a on which there slides in the form of a vertical movement illustrated by arrow Y, a head 30 traversed by a spindle-holding slide 40 advancing by a horizontal movement (arrow Z) normal to the X displacement. A magazine 50 constructed as a ring 51 for carrying tool cassettes 60 is engaged on the head 30 so as to encircle the crosspiece 20. In the context of the present invention, "cassette" means a housing containing a kinematic linkage that develops the drive for one or more machining spindles, thus allowing diverse operations such as: etc.
The ring 51 of magazine 50 is mounted for rotation around bracket 20 in the form of a rotational movement illustrated by arrow R, in such a way that the cassette 60, selected as a function of the type of machining operation to be accomplished, can be positioned facing the carrier end 41 of slide 40. The Z displacement control of slide 40, the carrier end 41 of which is outfitted to receive and fix the cassette 60 selected by ring 51, then permits the said selected cassette 60 to be directly guided thereacross up to the piece to be machined, thus obviating the involvement of a tool-changing arm. In order to ensure the machining operations on the said piece, slide 40 incorporates a motor drive device 42 cooperating with the kinematic linkage of the attached cassette 60 to ensure, at the carrier end 41 thereof, that the different spindles disposed on the attached cassette 60 are made to rotate (arrow r).
In this unit, cassette 60 is more particularly fixed at the carrier end 41 of slide 40 via a cassette-holding plate 61, which also constitutes the means for attaching cassettes 60 to ring 51 of magazine 50. For this purpose the cross section of these plates 61 has dimensions equal to those of the cross section of the carrier end 41 of slide 40, thus making it possible, by means of a plurality of tie rods parallel to motor drive device 42, to ensure that a plate 61 is locked in place on the carrier end 41 of slide 40.
Although the general embodiment of the machining unit of its French Patent No. 85.02897 constitutes an indisputable improvement compared with the operation of prior art machines extant at that time, it is nevertheless now open to potential improvements, especially in the mechanism actuating the attachment system of the cassette-holding plates, the complexity of which remains an obstacle both in terms of construction cost and operation. In fact, the sources of failure of this mechanism are if anything more numerous, especially since certain parts, especially the tie rods, necessitate considerable adjustment, checking and maintenance tasks or even replacement as a result of extensive wear phenomena. In addition, the risk incurred by such a mechanism is that the cassette carried by the carrier end of the slide in question and wobbling under the effect of looseness or wear, will break loose from the carrier end of the slide, thus causing the cassette to drop.
Starting from these observations and a preestablished set of specifications, the Applicant has therefore conducted studies aimed at improving the cassette attachment mechanism by perfecting the guidance thereof in the magazine and by guaranteeing the connection thereof with the slide during the phases of machining of pieces and engagement and/or arrangement of cassettes. These studies have culminated in an origi
REFERENCES:
patent: 4216572 (1980-08-01), Matsushita et al.
patent: 4354306 (1982-10-01), Ida et al.
patent: 4776081 (1988-10-01), Okunishi et al.
Briggs William R.
Renault-Automation
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