Geometrical instruments – Miscellaneous – Light direction
Patent
1993-02-08
1995-07-25
Fulton, Christopher W.
Geometrical instruments
Miscellaneous
Light direction
33 1N, 33534, 36447428, G05B 1919
Patent
active
054350670
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of indexing an attachment detachably mounted on an end portion of a spindle head of a machine tool through an angular position determining mechanism and to an apparatus for executing the method.
BACKGROUND ART OF THE INVENTION
In a relatively large numerical control (NC) machine tool such as a gate-shaped machining center, a ram is provided for holding a spindle in a rotatable manner, and an attachment is detachably mounted on a front end of the ram. The attachment has a rotatable shaft extending in a direction different from the spindle, such as a direction perpendicular to the spindle, and a tool is mounted on the rotatable shaft to thereby work a plurality of surfaces of a workpiece.
In order to work the various surfaces of the workpiece, it is necessary to change, i.e., index, the mounting position of the attachment with respect to the ram. The attachment is ordinarily mounted on the ram through an angular position determining mechanism such as a gear coupling. When an attachment indexing procedure is carried out, the attachment is moved forward together with the spindle to thereby disengage the gearing of the gear coupling then rotated by a predetermined angle and again engaged with the gear coupling.
In the prior art, such indexing rotation has been performed only in one direction such as in a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise direction (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open (KOKAI) No. 34251/1985). Accordingly, in the case of a large angle of indexing rotation, much time is required for the indexing procedure, causing a lowering of the working efficiency.
Furthermore, at the time of indexing the attachment, backlash of the gears or torsion of the shaft is applied as an error, which results in an adverse reengagement of the gear coupling.
In an NC machine tool, when an automatic operation is interrupted for a reason such as breakage of the tool and the operation program is again started after repairing of the tool, it is necessary to obtain coincidence between the indexing position of the attachment on the program with the present indexing position thereof actually mounted on the machine tool and then to execute a re-starting of the program, for preventing interference between the attachment and the workpiece.
In the prior art, this obtaining of coincidence between the indexing position of the attachment on the program and the present indexing position thereof actually mounted on the machine tool is performed under the observation and confirmation of an operator, and the angular positioning of the attachment is carried out by a manual operation.
This method, however, involves a problem in that there is a possibility of the operator restarting the program without being aware of a deviation between these indexing positions, and, in such a case, the attachment and the workpiece will undergo mutual interference, thereby resulting in damage or breakage of the attachment or the workpiece.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention was conceived in view of the technical problems in the prior art described above and aims to provide a method of indexing an attachment and an apparatus for carrying out the method by which attachment indexing time is shortened and at the same time an angular position determining means for performing the final angular positioning can carry out indexing accurately.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method of indexing an attachment and an apparatus for carrying out the method in which the indexing position of the attachment in a program can be automatically made to coincide with an actual indexing position.
A method of indexing an attachment according to this invention for achieving the above objects comprises the steps of indicating an objective indexing position angle of the attachment, detecting the present position angle of the attachment, comparing the objective indexing position angle with the present position angle, determining the indexing rotation direction of the attachment i
REFERENCES:
patent: 4138633 (1979-02-01), Narikiyo
patent: 4530155 (1985-07-01), Burkhardt et al.
patent: 4881021 (1989-11-01), Hirai
patent: 5065324 (1991-11-01), Oshita et al.
patent: 5237509 (1993-08-01), Ueta et al.
Tanaka Tadashi
Uchida Noboru
Fulton Christopher W.
Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
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