Patent ID: 6402671
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: B23Q,Y10T

Abstract:
A tool-exchange apparatus for a machine tool including;a tool magazine defined by a plurality of tool pots which are arranged on the same circumference of a circle and equally spaced away from each other, and each of the tool pots has an opening for putting a tool therein facing toward the center of the circle whereby a plurality of tools are held by the tool magazine in a radial manner, wherein a selected tool pot is indexed at an indexing position to exchange a present tool installed in a spindle of the machine tool for a next tool held by the tool magazine with a tip of the next tool looking toward the center of the circle, wherein the tool magazine is arranged above a work process area having an exchanging position of the spindle side of the machine tool and revolves the tool pots around the center of the circle within a horizontal plane for indexing the tool pots at the indexing position, further including; a transfer means for transferring the selected tool pot indexed at the indexing position to the exchanging position of a tool pot side which is located below the indexing position; and a tool exchange arm which exchanges the present tool in the exchanging position of the spindle side for the next tool in the exchanging position of the tool pot side.