Tool changing – Including machine tool or component – Rotary spindle machine tool
Patent
1994-07-27
1995-08-01
Briggs, William
Tool changing
Including machine tool or component
Rotary spindle machine tool
2941101, 294116, 483902, B23Q 3157
Patent
active
054375924
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention refers to a device for metal cutting a workpiece in a clamping fixture by tools which are removable in alternating sequence from a tool magazine to occupy their working position. Such devices are known, and devices were introduced which enable the workpiece to be machined in a clamping fixture sequentially with several different tools, with the various tools usually disposed in one or more tool holders e.g. a turret head, and then readied for use through turning and/or shifting of the tool holder.
Moreover, also such devices are known in which the tools provided for use are readied in tool magazines. Various structures of such magazines are known e.g. drum or disk magazine, chain magazine, rack magazine etc. Although devices of this type with tool magazines enable a continuous provision of freshly reground or aligned tools, there is still a need for particular tool changing units because they cannot be brought in machining position by means of the magazines. In these devices, the tools are placed by particular changing tongs from the magazine into the tool holder or spindle and used there after previously removing the tool to be replaced.
Tool magazine and changing unit ensure an automatic tool supply which is suited to the respective machining task.
In connection with tool changing units, machining centers provide also the basis for higher automation stages (flexible manufacturing cells and manufacturing systems). A particular difficulty is encountered when successively using tools which considerably deviate in size and structure and when providing these tools with differently sized shank diameters, Morse tapers or steep cone--(SK)--sizes. Then, changing units must be used which are designed to remove these differently configured tools with varying tool shank diameters or SK sizes from the magazine and to feed them to the tool holder or spindle and to insert them therein.
In these cases, it is certainly also required to provide respective arrangements in order to position the differently sized tools for use also with differently designed tool holders or spindles in varying sizes.
Devices of this type are thus suitable for removing the tools from a tool magazine and for supplying the tool and insertion thereof in a tool holder or spindle to bring them in machining position. Therefore, they are provided with a tool changing unit for drilling tools, milling tools and grinding tools and with a tool spindle unit changing apparatus as well as a control unit for clocked sequence control of algorithmically preset machining steps until reaching the finished size of the workpiece.
In the event, the tool axis in the magazine and the spindle axis do not extend parallel to each other, the use of an angled double-armed grab was required to date.
Starting out from these realities of the prior art, the invention is based on the idea that as of yet no devices are known which enable a so-called chaotic manufacture in a configuration as flexible manufacturing cell or fully automatic machining center, with various workpieces being machined fully automatically with most different tools in a same manufacturing system in a clamping fixture at random sequence by means of a greater number of machining steps until reaching the finished size of the workpiece. Thereby, drilling work, turning work, milling work and grinding work should be executable.
The invention is thus based on the object to create a device for metal cutting a workpiece in a clamping fixture by tools which are removable from a tool magazine to occupy in alternating sequence their working position, with the device being provided with a control unit for clocked sequence control of the algorithmically preset machining steps until reaching the finished size of the workpiece and with a tool spindle unit changing apparatus for drilling tools, milling tools, turning tools and grinding tools, which is comprised of a power-operated movable and rotatable as well as pivotable tongs-type grab having grab jaws which can be aligned with respect to the respective t
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Klicpera Udo
Schlieter Bernd
Briggs William
Feiereisen Henry M.
Schiess Kopp Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH
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