Electric heating – Metal heating – Cutting or disintegrating
Patent
1987-04-21
1989-04-04
Pellinen, A. D.
Electric heating
Metal heating
Cutting or disintegrating
B23H 702, B23H 710
Patent
active
048188484
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wire cut electric discharge machine and, more particularly, to an automatic connecting apparatus for a wire electrode.
A wire cut electric discharge machine has been known, which comprises upper and lower wire guides respectively arranged above and below a workpiece table for supporting a workpiece, a wire feed mechanism for feeding the wire electrode downward while clamping it, and a wire recovery device arranged below the lower wire guide. In this conventional electric discharge machine, during electric discharge machining, the wire electrode is continuously fed downward by the wire feed mechanism, and is guided to the wire recovery device via wire paths defined in the wire guides. When the electric discharge machining position of the workpiece is to be changed, the wire electrode must be temporarily cut and must be automatically extended between the wire guides. When the wire electrode is broken in the electric discharge machining region, it is required to draw the broken wire electrode upward from the electric discharge machining region, and then cut a bent portion or a portion with a roughened surface of the wire electrode, and thereafter effect automatic extension of the wire electrode. For this reason, a wire cutting device is conventionally arranged above or below the upper wire guide.
In case that the wire cutting device is arranged above the upper wire guide, the used portion of the wire electrode which is cut from the remaining portion thereof by the wire cutting device is fed downward upon operation of the wire feed mechanism. At this time, the cut end of the wire electrode is easily caught in narrow wire paths of the wire guides and a hole or groove of the workpiece, and thus it is difficult to reliably perform an automatic extension operation of the wire electrode. Even if the wire cutting device is arranged below the upper wire guide, it is also difficult to smoothly pass the wire electrode through the hole or groove of the workpiece and the narrow wire path of the lower wire guide.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a compact, lightweight automatic wire connecting apparatus of a wire cut electric discharge machine, which can smoothly and reliably perform automatic connection of a wire electrode, can reduce the frequency of malfunction and can perform a safe operation.
In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, there is provided an automatic wire connecting apparatus of a wire cut electric discharge machine in which a wire electrode is fed through an upper wire guide arranged above a workpiece and a working fluid supplied to the upper wire guide is sprayed from the upper wire guide to the workpiece, comprising rotary driving means arranged to use a pressurized fluid as a driving source to effect rotary action; a wire processing unit coupled with a rotating shaft of the rotary driving means for rotation therewith; and positioning means for selectively positioning the wire processing unit at a wire insertion position or an escape position; the wire processing unit having an openable/closable nozzle hole forming portion, the forming portion defining a slit allowing the wire electrode to pass therethrough when it is opened and defining a nozzle hole capable of fitting with the upper wire guide when it is closed.
More preferably, the automatic wire connecting apparatus includes coupling means coaxially arranged with the rotating shaft of the rotary driving means; and axial driving means, which is arranged to use a compressed fluid as a driving source, for moving the wire processing unit in the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the rotary driving means. The wire processing unit is coupled to the rotating shaft of the rotary driving means through the coupling means so as to be rotatable therewith and be movable relative thereto in the axial direction.
According to the present invention as described above, upon automatic wire connection, the wire processing unit is
REFERENCES:
patent: 3891819 (1975-06-01), Ullmann et al.
Aso Toshiyuki
Ishibashi Tamotsu
Kinoshita Hiroshi
Obara Haruki
Evans Geoffrey S.
Fanuc Limited
Pellinen A. D.
LandOfFree
Automatic wire connecting apparatus for wire cut electric discha does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Automatic wire connecting apparatus for wire cut electric discha, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Automatic wire connecting apparatus for wire cut electric discha will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-181210