Machine element or mechanism – Rotary member or shaft indexing – e.g. – tool or work turret – Locking means
Patent
1997-02-19
1999-01-19
Marmor, Charles A.
Machine element or mechanism
Rotary member or shaft indexing, e.g., tool or work turret
Locking means
B23Q 1606
Patent
active
058603328
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an indexing device with a first crown gear arranged on a first annular body connected with an indexing table, with a second crown gear arranged on a second annular body connected with a stationary housing, and with a third crown gear arranged on an axially slidable third annular body. The third crown gear can be brought into and out of engagement with the first and second annular crown gears by means of a hydraulically operable lifting and lowering device. A radial bearing supports the indexing table rotatably on the housing. The lifting device incorporates at least one lifting piston, which is supported axially movably within the housing and cooperates with the third annular body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In an indexing device, such as disclosed in Japan A-2 041 850, the fourth annular body exclusively along its exterior periphery forms a guide for the longitudinally slidable third annular body. The known lifting and lowering device used at this point has two hollow chambers separated from one another by the fourth annular body and filled alternately with liquid. In the case of this known arrangement, hydraulically controllable separate lifting pistons are used exclusively. Because of such pistons, the indexing device is of large structural dimensions. Also, this arrangement provides non-optimum flux of force. With the lifting of the third annular body for the purposes of engagement and mating of the crown gears with one another, a favorable moment of force arises as a result of the offset of the third annular body projecting out further than the crown gears.
An indexing device is disclosed in German 26 28 677 C2 wherein the radial bearing of the indexing table is arranged between the two coaxial first and second annular bodies. Each annular body is provided with respectively first and second crown gears. Compared with the devices known until this time, the rotation factor error of this indexing table is decreased. Thus, the annular bodies supporting the crown gears in turn can be configured as supporting bodies and are manufactured with great precision on their bearing surfaces. Precise manufacturing of these rings is also required with regard to the crown gears provided on these annular bodies. The parts required for precision of rotation are to be accommodated in a narrow construction space. Since the annular bodies with their crown gears are manufactured precisely, the precision of the relevant parts and the rotation precision of the indexing table are, for the most part, guaranteed.
With the known arrangement, in order to slide the axially slidable third annular body axially upwardly and consequently to disengage its third crown gear from the two other crown gears of the other annular body, lifting pistons of a hydraulically operable lifting device are arranged in the housing of the indexing device around the periphery at predeterminable defined distances from one another. The lifting pistons undertake the decoupling or disconnecting process from the center, controlled by an auxiliary attachment. For the lowering process and consequently for bringing the crown gears, which in this case are called "Hirth gearings", into engagement with one another, the lifting pistons of the lifting device are made pressureless. A disk spring set engages on the relevant lifting piston and takes over the axial resetting movement. With the force of the spring set, the engagement of the third crown gear of the third annular body with the other crown gears is secured for further operation of the switching device.
This type of structural arrangement requires a plurality of lifting pistons and disk spring sets in the housing. The hydraulic control, including the necessary casing or lining, is costly. Furthermore, the lifting and lowering device in the known indexing devices is incorporated in the housing. Raising of the indexing table from the device by means of a lifting tool or the like for maintenance and assembly procedures is achievable only with great diff
REFERENCES:
patent: 3797333 (1974-03-01), Maier
patent: 4015487 (1977-04-01), Pfister
patent: 5682658 (1997-11-01), Roseliep
Battista Mary Ann
Marmor Charles A.
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