Tool change apparatus

Metal working – Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for... – Common reciprocating support for spaced tools

Patent

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Details

408239R, 409233, B23Q 355

Patent

active

046514058

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to tool change apparatus for use in, for example, changing the measuring tools in coordinate measuring machines or changing cutting tools in machine tools.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

British Pat. No. 2,047,133 shows a tool change apparatus comprising a tool, a storage device having means for releasably supporting the tool in a stored position, a head which is capable of movement relative to the storage device for removal of the tool from the stored position and return of the tool thereto, the head having an axis and including first support surfaces arranged at a plane transverse to said axis, the tool having second support surfaces engageable with the first support surfaces, the first and second support surfaces being adapted to define a kinematic support, and operating means for engaging the tool with the head at said support surfaces and disengaging the tool therefrom. In the known apparatus the engagement and disengagement between the head and the tool is effected by a bayonet system involving relative rotation between the head and the tool about said axis. This leads to difficulty for example in cases where electrical contacts need to be provided between the head and the tool because such contacts would confront each other in the direction of said axis so that said rotation could be undesirable.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome this difficulty the present invention is characterised by a first coupling element provided on the head, a second coupling element provided on the tool, one of the coupling elements being supported on one of the tool and the head for movement between positions of engagement with or disengagement from the other coupling element thereby to respectively secure the tool to the head and release it therefrom, the one coupling element being arranged, during said movement thereof in the sense of securing the tool to the head, to exert on the tool a force in the direction of said axis thereby to establish engagement between said first and second support surfaces, and in that said operating means is provided on one of the head and the storage device for operating said one of the coupling elements to effect said engagement and disengagement.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation of part of a coordinate measuring machine,
FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a sectional and enlarged detail of FIG. 1,
FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV--IV in FIG. 3, and
FIG. 5 is a section on the line V--V in FIG. 4.


DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 the coordinate measuring machine has a head 10 supported for movement in mutually perpendicular directions X, Y, Z relative to a table 11 defining a fixed structure. The head 10 has a longitudinal axis 10A extending in the Z direction. The head 10 supports a tool or probe 12A having a housing 13 (see FIG. 13) from which projects a stylus 14 whereby to engage a workpiece 15 for the purpose of measuring the workpiece, and the probe 12A is adapted to generate an electrical signal responsive to such engagement. Such signal generation is known per se e.g. from British Pat. No. 1,445,977. The probe 12A is automatically interchangable with other probes 12B,12C supported by a storage device or magazine 16 secured to the table 11. The different probes 12 have different construction or different styli as may be required for measuring different portions of the workpiece, or the magazine may contain such accessories as extension bars by which different probe assemblies may be built up.
The probes 12 are releasably secured to the head 10 by a coupling 17 comprising a first coupling part 18 secured to the head 10 and, in respect of each probe 12, a second coupling part 18A engageable with and releasable from the first part 18 by a mechanism 19 provided on the magazine 16.
Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the first coupling part 18 comprises a body 20 secured to the head of the machine and a first coupling element or locking pin 21 projecting from the body 20 in the direction Z. At its f

REFERENCES:
patent: 3064321 (1962-11-01), Rose
patent: 4332495 (1982-06-01), Burgers
patent: 4349946 (1982-09-01), McMurtry
patent: 4403391 (1983-09-01), Peacock

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