Tool changing – Tool transfer to or from matrix – Matrix including means to project tool for transfer
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-06
2003-09-30
Banks, Derris H. (Department: 3712)
Tool changing
Tool transfer to or from matrix
Matrix including means to project tool for transfer
C483S060000, C483S067000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06626809
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a general machining center, and more particularly to a cutter depot structure of the general machining center.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The general machining center is provided with a disk-type cutter depot from which a desired cutter is selected in conjunction with a computer program. The cutter socket is horizontally disposed in the cutter depot. In order to facilitate the cutter exchange, the cutter exchanging point of the cutter depot is provided with a cut to enable the cutter socket to invert the cutter, thereby enabling the cutter exchanging arm to hold and deposit the cutter. As a result, in the course of the cutter exchange, the cutter socket is swiveled from the horizontal position to the vertical position, and then back to the original horizontal position. The swiveling motion of the cutter socket is attained by an elevation mechanism and a roller which is driven by the elevation mechanism to enable the cutter socket to swivel at the cut of the cutter exchanging point of the cutter depot. The cutter socket is provided with a retaining pin which is fastened with the cutter disk to serve as a rotating center of the cutter socket. Under the circumstance that the cutter socket is capable of turning freely, the cutter socket is kept in the downward state on the cutter disk in view of the gravitational direction. In order to prevent such a situation from taking place, it is necessary to confine the rotation of the cutter socket so as to ensure that the cutter socket moves on the cutter disk in accordance with the preset program.
With the purpose of confining the cutter socket, this inventor of the present invention discloses a cutter depot structure in the Taiwan Patent Serial No. 84211224. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the cutter depot structure comprises a cutter disk
1
, which is provided in the outer periphery with an annular protruded edge
11
serving to confine the inward motion of the cutter socket
2
. In addition, a machine frame
3
is provided with a stop edge
31
, which serves to confine the outward motion of the cutter socket
2
. When the cutter disk
1
is in action, the cutter socket
2
is confined by the protruded edge
11
of the cutter disk
1
and the stop edge
31
of the machine frame
3
such that the cutter socket
2
is kept in the horizontal state, and that cutter socket
2
is confined to move in the annular slot rail formed by the protruded edge
11
and the stop edge
31
. Such a cutter socket confining structure as described above is not cost-effective in view of the fact that the casting of the protruded edge
11
of the cutter disk
1
and the stop edge
31
of the machine frame
3
calls for an additional capital expenditure.
In light of the disadvantage of the cutter depot structure described above with reference to
FIG. 1
, this inventor of the present invention discloses another cutter depot structure in the Taiwan Patent Serial No. 87212806. As shown in
FIG. 2
, this cutter depot structure comprises a cutter disk
4
which is provided in the outer periphery with a protruded block
41
which is arranged in a radiate manner to facilitate the mounting of a cutter socket
5
on the outer periphery of the cutter disk
4
in conjunction with a retaining pin
42
. The cutter depot structure further comprises a machine frame
6
which is provided with an annular guide slot
61
having a cut
62
and accommodating a roller
51
. When the cutter disk
4
is turned, the roller
51
moves along the annular guide slot
61
of the machine frame
6
so as to enable the cutter socket
5
to keep moving horizontally. In spite of being relatively cost-effective, the cutter depot structure is deficient in design in that the cutter socket is turned on the retaining pin which serves as a rotating axis, and that the cutter socket swivels downwards in the course of inverting the cutter, thereby calling for the use of a cutter-exchanging arm of a constant length to carry out the cutter-removing action and the cutter mounting action. Such a mechanical set-up as described above calls for the use of various peripheral parts which are not only costly but also take up additional space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a general machining center with a cost-effective cutter depot structure.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a general machining center with a space-saving cutter depot structure which does not take up too much of the available space of the general machining center.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a cutter depot structure with a cutter exchanging arm which has a relatively short length to facilitate the mounting of the peripheral elements.
In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objectives of the present invention are attained by a cutter depot structure comprising a cutter socket which is provided with an L-shaped rod having a roller. A retaining pin is put through the L-shaped rod to fasten the cutter socket on the protruded block which is formed integrally on the periphery of a cutter disk. The cutter disk is provided with an annular stop surface of an inclination and opposite in location to the roller of the cutter socket. The cutter depot structure further comprises a round machine frame which is fastened with a center shaft of the cutter disk and is provided with a wearproof annular pad having a cut. When the cutter socket is actuated by the cutter disk to rotate, the roller of the cutter socket is urged by the annular stop surface of the cutter disk, so as to prevent the cutter socket from swiveling inwards. In the meantime, the annular pad of the round machine frame serves to prevent the cutter socket from swiveling outwards. As a result, the cutter socket in motion is always kept in a horizontal position. The present invention is therefore capable of a precision confinement of the cutter socket in motion. In addition, the present invention is provided with the annular pad which replaces the annular guide slot of the prior art to lower the cost of the cutter depot structure.
When the cutter socket in motion arrives at the position of the cut of the machine frame, the cutter socket is driven by a drive mechanism to swivel backwards on the retaining pin serving as a fulcrum. As a result, when the cutter socket is engaged in the action of inverting the cutter, the distance between the cutter handle and a cutter exchanging arm is shortened. For this reason, the cutter exchanging arm of the present invention is relatively short so as to facilitate the mounting of peripheral elements.
The features and the advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood upon a thoughtful deliberation of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5395297 (1995-03-01), Takada et al.
patent: 5554087 (1996-09-01), Hwang et al.
patent: 5704885 (1998-01-01), Lee
patent: 6102840 (2000-08-01), Xiao
patent: 6203479 (2001-03-01), Gengo et al.
patent: 6245003 (2001-06-01), Pollington et al.
Abdelwahed Ali
Banks Derris H.
Liauh W. Wayne
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