Conveyors: power-driven – With means to facilitate working – treating – or inspecting... – Means to convey a palleted load back and forth between an...
Patent
1989-10-27
1992-09-08
Spar, Robert J.
Conveyors: power-driven
With means to facilitate working, treating, or inspecting...
Means to convey a palleted load back and forth between an...
1984651, 414225, 29 33P, 29563, B65G 3700
Patent
active
051450488
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a pallet changer to exchange pallets attached to, for example, a table of a machine tool.
BACKGROUND ART
A pallet changer is installed in front of a machine tool such as a vertical machining center. A plurality of pallets are located on a pallet stand of the pallet changer and hydraulic cylinders are fixed to the pallet stand. One hydraulic cylinder is provided for each pallet.
For example, when transferring the first pallet to the table, the table is moved to the position opposite to the first pallet. And, the first rod of the first hydraulic cylinder is expanded so that the first pallet engaging the first rod is transferred to the table. After the first rod is contracted, a work on the first table is machined. Next, the first rod is expanded to engage the first pallet. The first rod is then contracted so that the first pallet is returned to the pallet stand.
To transfer the second pallet, the table is moved to the position opposite to the second pallet. And, the second rod of the second hydraulic cylinder is expanded so that the second pallet engaging the second rod is transferred to the table. After the second rod is contracted, a work on the second table is machined. Next the second rod is expanded to engage the second pallet. The second rod is then contracted so that the second pallet is returned to the pallet stand.
With a pallet changer of this type, large hydraulic cylinders are used. Moreover, the number of hydraulic cylinders needed is equal to the number of pallets, consequently the pallet changer is heavy and large in size and expensive to make. Moreover, when the hydraulic cylinder starts or stops, the pallet and the work are shocked at its stroke end. The pallets can not be transferred in smooth manner.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The object of this invention is to provide a pallet changer in which a plurality of hydraulic cylinders are not needed. The pallet changer according to this invention is small in size and can exchange pallets smoothly.
A PALLET CHANGER
The pallet changer according to this invention is seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 which are explained as follows:
A place board 60 is a board on which a plurality of pallets 30, 50 are placed side by side. The place board 60 has guide means 81, 82.
A table 26 is located to a position corresponding to the place board 60. The place board 60 is supported by a support stand 61.
A transfer means 62 is to tranfer the place board 60.
A drive means 65 is provided to the support stand 61.
Operating means 66, 67 transfer the place board 60 from the support stand 61 to the table 26 and transfer the place board 60 from the table 26 to the support stand 61. Each first end of the operating means 66, 67 is related to the guide means 81, 82 of the place board 60. The operate means 66, 67 rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise around it's second end by predetermined degrees by means of the drive means.
In this invention, the operating means rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise by predetermined degrees by means of the drive means instead. of a plurality of hydraulic cylinders so that the place board 60 is transferred between the support stand 61 and the table 26. Thus, the pallets can be smoothly transferred without shock. In the pallet changer according to this invention, heavy hydraulic cylinders equal in number to the pallets is not needed. Therefore, the pallet changer is small in size and is inexpensive to produce.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a machine tool equipped with a pallet changer according to this invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view, partly in cross section, of the machine tool.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the pallet changer.
FIG. 4 is a side view, partly in cross section, of the pallet changer.
FIG. 5 is a top view of the pallet changer.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the pallet changer.
FIG. 7 is a view showing the relationship between the servomotors, the cylinders and a CNC device.
FIG. 8 to 33 are explanatory views showing the operation of the pallet chang
REFERENCES:
patent: 4423806 (1984-01-01), Ogasawara
patent: 4970765 (1990-11-01), Sakawa et al.
patent: 4985971 (1991-01-01), Kitamura
patent: 4996754 (1991-03-01), Kitamura
patent: 5062190 (1991-11-01), Kitamura
Kitamura Machinery Co. Ltd.
Spar Robert J.
Underwood Donald W.
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