Turning – Lathe
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-25
2004-07-06
Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)
Turning
Lathe
C082S129000, C029S036000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06758117
ABSTRACT:
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in German Application No. 100 48 291.0 of Sep. 29, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a lathe comprising a machine frame arranged on a support surface, a first working spindle which is arranged on the machine frame, is drivable for rotation about a first spindle axis and has a first workpiece receiving means, at least one first tool slide, with which a tool carrier can be displaced in an X direction transversely to the first spindle axis so that a workpiece held in the first workpiece receiving means can be machined with at least one tool held on the tool carrier, a second working spindle which is arranged on the machine frame, is drivable for rotation about a second spindle axis and has a second workpiece receiving means which faces the first workpiece receiving means, at least one second tool slide, with which a tool carrier can be displaced in an X direction transversely to the second spindle axis so that a workpiece held in the second workpiece receiving means can be machined with at least one tool held on the tool carrier.
Lathes of this type are known from the state of the art as so-called counterspindle machines.
The problem with such counterspindle machines is to be seen in the fact that when as large a number of tools as possible is intended to be available for machining, in particular, as large a number of tools as possible is intended to be brought into engagement for the machining at the same time, these machines are of a very large construction.
The object underlying the invention is therefore to improve a lathe of the generic type in such a manner that this is of as compact a construction as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a lathe of the type described at the outset, in that the machine frame has a machine base member elongated in a longitudinal direction, that the machine base member has a first support section and a second support section arranged to follow this in the longitudinal direction, that each of the support sections has a base side, a spindle support side located opposite this in a first transverse direction in relation to the longitudinal direction and two slide support sides located opposite one another in a second transverse direction in relation to the longitudinal direction and between the base side and the spindle support side, that the first working spindle is arranged on the spindle support side of the first support section and the second working spindle is arranged on the spindle support side of the second support section and that the first tool slide is held on one of the slide support sides of the first support section and the second tool slide is held on one of the slide support sides of the second support section.
The advantage of the inventive solution is to be seen in the fact that with the use of such a machine base member a particularly space-saving type of construction of the inventive lathe has been developed.
Furthermore, such a machine base member has the advantage that with such an arrangement of working spindle and tool slide as well as tool carrier relative to one another this machine base member has a negative influence on the exactness of the rotary machining only to a slight degree with the heat expansion inherent in it since the heat expansion of the machine base member is slight in the transverse directions which are decisive for the exactness of the rotary machining and the expansion of the machine base member in the longitudinal direction is insignificant for the exactness of the respective rotary machining.
In this respect, a particularly favorable solution provides for the support sections to have essentially the same cross section so that the heat expansion in both support sections has the same effect and thus the relative exactness during the machining of the front and rear sides is very high since the heat expansion affects the exactness of the rotary machining in the same way in both support sections.
The machine base member could, in principle, be realized in the most varied of ways; for example, it is possible to construct the machine base member in a special profiled shape, for example, in a double T profile or in similar profiled shapes. A particularly favorable solution provides for the machine base member to extend like a beam in the longitudinal direction, wherein the beam-like shape is to be understood, in particular, such that the machine base member is designed on the basis of the beam-like basic shape.
With respect to the subdivision of the machine base member, it has merely been mentioned so far that this is intended to have two support sections.
In principle, it is possible to design the machine base member such that the support sections merge into one another.
A particularly favorable solution does, however, provide for a connecting section to be provided between the support sections.
Such a connecting section can, in the inventive solution, have essentially the same cross-sectional shape as the support sections.
It is, however, also possible when providing such a connecting section for this to have a cross-sectional shape different from the support sections.
Even when a connecting section is provided, the machine base member does, however, preferably form an integral part with the support sections and the connecting section.
With respect to the movability of the working spindles, no further details have so far been given in conjunction with the explanations concerning the individual embodiments. One advantageous embodiment, for example, provides for at least one of the support sections to have, on its spindle support side, guides means for a working spindle which is displaceable in Z direction parallel to the spindle axis, these guide means being located in a spindle guide plane, so that at least one of the working spindles can be moved in Z direction.
In this respect, the guide means are preferably located in a spindle guide plane extending parallel to the longitudinal direction.
In principle, it would be conceivable to mount the tool slides securely on the respective slide support sides of the machine base member.
However, since movability of the tools relative to the working spindle is necessary in any case, it is preferably provided for at least one of the tool slides to be guided so as to be movable on the machine base member with slide guide means located in a slide guide plane.
In this respect, the slide guide means preferably extend in slide guide planes extending parallel to the longitudinal direction.
With respect to the arrangement of the slide support sides relative to the spindle guide plane, it is particularly advantageous for reasons of space, especially to accommodate the tool slides in a space-saving manner, when the slide support sides of the machine base member are located on the same side of the spindle guide plane.
A particularly favorable geometry is present when the slide guide plane extends transversely to the spindle guide plane. It is even more favorable when the slide guide planes located opposite one another extend transversely to the spindle guide plane.
Such an extension of the slide guide plane transversely to the spindle guide plane includes all angles between these planes which are greater than 0°. The slide guide planes preferably extend at least at an angle of 45° to the spindle guide plane.
It is even better when the angle between the slide guide planes and the spindle guide plane is close to a right angle. A particularly expedient solution provides for the slide guide planes to extend approximately at right angles to the spindle guide plane.
In order to obtain as space-saving a construction of the inventive lathe as possible, it is particularly favorable for the machining of the respective workpiece when the corresponding tool slide and the corresponding working spindle are arranged on the same side of the respective tool located in
Baumann Ulrich
Sonnek Werner
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
Traub Drehmaschinen GmbH
Walsh Brian D.
Wellington A. L.
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