Flexible manufacturing apparatus having several parallel, spaced-apart processing machines

A flexible manufacturing apparatus having several parallel, spaced-apart processing machines several shelf-like magazines disposed at the rear of the processing machines and extending transverse thereto, and transport mechanisms for conveying tools from the magazines to the processing machines. Two magazine rows are provided, each composed of magazine sections having superimposed, horizontal bottoms, including a lower shelf bottom and an upper shelf bottom, for holding tools. Transport mechanisms are provided in the form of a first upper transport mechanism, which, above the height of a person, is disposed on an upper transport rail, and a second lower transport mechanism, which, below the upper transport mechanism and at approximately half of the height thereof, is disposed on a lower transport rail. At least one mechanism is provided for conveying tools in a vertical plane from the lower shelf bottoms to the upper shelf bottoms, and vice versa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a flexible manufacturing apparatus having 
several parallel, spaced-apart yet side-by-side processing machines, such 
as drilling and milling machines, several shelf-like magazines that are 
disposed at the rear of the processing machines and extend transverse 
thereto, and transport means for conveying tools from the magazines to the 
processing machines or to magazines thereof. 
It is an object of the present invention to improve heretofore known 
manufacturing apparatus of this general type, and to provide a 
manufacturing apparatus where the tools can be accommodated in magazines 
in a space-saving manner, and can be brought to and taken from the 
processing machines in a time saving manner. This is to be effected with 
structurally straightforward means that can be rapidly moved and can be 
operated without difficulty. It is a further object of the present 
invention to increase the effectiveness of a manufacturing system that is 
installed on a small floor space relative to the effectiveness of 
heretofore known systems, with not only the processing machines, but also 
the means for transporting the tools, being easily accessible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The manufacturing apparatus of the present invention comprises: two 
magazine rows, each comprised of magazine sections having superimposed, 
horizontal bottoms, including a lower shelf bottom and an upper shelf 
bottom, for holding tools; transport means in the form of a first upper 
transport mechanism, which, above the height of a person, is disposed on 
an upper transport rail, and a second lower transport mechanism, which, 
below the upper transport mechanism and at approximately half the height 
thereof, is disposed on a lower transport rail; and at least one mechanism 
for conveying tools in a vertical plane from the lower shelf bottoms to 
the upper shelf bottoms of the magazine sections, and vice versa. 
As a result of the arrangement of the shelf-like magazines in two 
superimposed levels, a space-saving storage of tools is automatically 
assured. In so doing, however, accessibility to the processing machines 
from the back side is completely preserved. The transport mechanisms 
assure a rapid and especially precise grasping and transporting of the 
tools to and from the processing machines and the shelves. 
Further specific features of the present invention will be described in 
detail subsequently. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawings in detail, the two processing machines Bm can 
be seen in the plan view of FIG. 1. In front of the processing machines, 
the workpieces that are to be processed rest upon pallets P, which can be 
moved in the transverse direction in front of the processing machines Bm. 
Associated with the processing machines are magazines M that are disposed 
behind the processing machines Bm, parallel to the direction of movements 
of the pallets P for the workpieces. Extending parallel to the 
longitudinal central axis N of the processing machines are further 
magazines Ms which in principle have the same construction as do the 
magazines M that are disposed at the rear end of the processing machines 
Bm. The magazines M are disposed in two magazine rows A and B that are 
parallel to one another and to the direction of movement of the pallets P, 
while the magazines Ms are disposed in magazine rows As and Bs that are 
parallel to one another and perpendicular to the direction of travel of 
the pallets P. A street G is formed between the magazine rows A and B, and 
a street Gs is formed between the magazine rows As and Bs. 
Each of the two parallel magazine rows A and B behind the processing 
machines Bm is provided with vertical magazine sections 5 that are 
successively arranged in a longitudinal direction. The magazine sections 
5, in turn, have an upper shelf bottom 12 and a lower bottom shelf bottom 
13. The upper and lower shelf bottoms 12, 13 of the two parallel magazine 
rows A and B are disposed in pairs in the same planes, and are provided 
with recesses 14, with the openings of oppositely disposed shelf bottoms 
facing one another, as can be seen in FIG. 1. 
The shelf bottoms 12, 13 of the magazine rows A, B are held by support 
columns 15 that are oppositely disposed in pairs. One of the support 
columns 15 of a pair of such columns is provided with an extension 16 that 
projects beyond the two upper shelf bottoms 12. Disposed on this extension 
16 is a gallows or bracket-like arm 17, the end of which carries an upper 
support rail 18. Guided on this support rail 18 is an upper transport 
mechanism Tro that has a guide member 19 that is provided with a drive 
unit 20. An arm 21 is pivotably disposed on the underside of the guide 
member 19 in the central plane of the street G, between the two magazine 
rows A and B. Disposed on the end of the arm 21 is a second pivot arm 22, 
the end of which grasps and supports the tools W. With reference to FIG. 
3, this double arm 21, 22 permits tools from the left upper shelf bottom 
12 to be brought into a middle position in the vertical plane E as well as 
into the right upper shelf bottom 12, and vice versa. Thus, the double arm 
can remove the tools W from the oppositely disposed recesses 14 of the 
upper shelf bottoms 12 and bring them into the central plane E of the 
street G, in order then to redeposit these tools at an appropriate 
location in one of the shelf bottoms, or to transport the tools further to 
a different transfer location. 
That support column 15 of the rows A, B that carries the extension 16 with 
the bracket-like arm 17 is provided, at approximately half of the height 
of the column, with a further arm 23 of the same type as the arm 17. In 
other words, the free end of this arm 23 carries a lower support rail 24, 
on which one or more lower transport mechanisms Tru are longitudinally 
guided via a guide member 25 with drive units 26. The lower guide member 
25 also supports pivotable arms 27, 28 that are in a position to grasp and 
transport the tools of the lower shelf bottom 13. Here also the tools are 
transported in the central plane E of the street between the shelf bottoms 
13. 
The rows As and Bs of the magazines Ms, which rows are disposed parallel to 
the longitudinal central axis N of the processing machines Bm, are 
provided with sections 5s that have support columns 15s that need no 
extension such as the extension 16 of the columns 15; this can be seen 
from FIG. 3. At the level of the parts 23, 24 of the columns 15, the 
columns 15s are provided with appropriate arms 23s and a rail 24s, on 
which the lower transport mechanisms Tru can be moved. For this purpose, 
the lower shelf bottoms 13 of the magazine row B extend over only a 
portion of the overall length of the magazine M, with one or more gaps L 
being provided, depending upon the number of processing machines Bm and 
the number of magazines Ms. Provided at the gaps L are bends 29 in the 
rails via which the rails 24 are horizontally connected with the rails 
24s, so that lower transport mechanisms can bring tools out of the 
magazines M into the magazine Ms, and vice versa. The gap L has the length 
of a shelf bottom 13. Next to one of the gaps L of the lower shelf bottoms 
13 of the magazine row B (next to the right gap L in FIG. 1), a further 
gap D is left in the row B at the same level; this further gap D similarly 
has the length of a shelf bottom. At the level of the gap D, the lower 
shelf bottom 13 of the magazine row A is also omitted, so that a free or 
clear passage that is as tall as a person results below the upper shelf 
bottoms 12 of the magazine rows A and B; the tools W, which are suspended 
on the arms 21, 22, are transported above this passage. 
At one end (the right end in FIG. 1), the magazine or shelf sections 5a 
have a special configuration in the center of the rows A, B. At this 
location, shelf bottoms 30, 31 that are adjustable in height are disposed 
on the support columns 15a. Only a single shelf bottom 30 and 31 is 
associated with the section 5a of each row A, B. These shelf bottoms 30, 
31 are interconnected by chains 32 that are guided over guide rollers of a 
drive shaft 32a. The length of the chains 32 is such that, for example, 
the shelf bottom 30 assumes its lowermost position at the level of the 
lower shelf bottom 13 of the row A, while the shelf bottom 31 assumes its 
uppermost position at the level of the upper shelf bottom 12 of the row B. 
The two shelf bottoms 30, 31 are thus interconnected in the manner of a 
counterweight train, and move in this fashion when the drive shaft 32a is 
actuated by a motor 32b. 
The shelf sections 5b at the other end of the two magazine rows A, B (the 
left end in FIG. 1) have a similar configuration. There also, the two 
shelf bottoms 33, 34 are adjustable in height on columns 15b, and are 
interconnected and movable via chains 35 of a drive shaft 35a, with a 
motor 35b, in a manner similar to the bottoms 30, 31. One of the two shelf 
bottoms 33, 34 can be omitted, and the chains 35 can be wound on a roller 
on the shaft 35a. It is also possible to use a counterweight in place of 
the one shelf bottom. The shelf section 5b of the row B is accessible at 
the level of the lower shelf bottom 13 in the direction of the arrows K 
and 0 (FIG. 1), so that at this location it is possible to effect a 
mechanical or manual equipping of the shelf bottoms 33, 34. The length of 
the chains 35 is such that one of the shelf bottoms 33, 34, in its 
lowermost position, is disposed at a height that is favorable for the 
operator, thus facilitating loading and unloading of the shelf bottom, 
while the other movable shelf bottom is disposed at the level of the shelf 
bottoms 12 of the rows A, B. 
Instead of a shelf bottom 33 or 34 suspended on the chains 35, a magazine 
cartridge can be used that corresponds to these shelf bottoms and that can 
be loaded and unloaded away from the apparatus and, for example via a 
forklift or similar device, can be brought into the position of the shelf 
bottom 33 or 34, where it can be connected with the chains 35. 
At the end of each magazine row Bs is a transfer arm 37 via which the tools 
W, which are suspended in the shelf bottoms of the magazine rows A, B or 
As, Bs and are transported in the vertical position with the aid of the 
transport mechanisms Tru, are brought out of their vertical position and 
placed into a horizontal position, as a consequence of which the tools can 
be placed into the nonillustrated tool magazine on the processing machines 
Bm, or into the drilling spindle or the like of the machines. 
The transport mechanism on the upper support rail 18 can convey tools from 
the upper shelf bottoms in any desired fashion and succession to the 
sections 5a at the ends of the rows A, B. In these sections, an exchange 
of the tools from the upper shelf bottoms 12 into the lower shelf bottoms 
13, and vice versa, can be effected, or the tools from the movable shelf 
bottoms 30, 31 of the sections 5a can be conveyed directly from the 
transport mechanisms Tru of the lower support rails 24, 24s to the 
magazine rows A and B, or directly to the transfer arms 37. 
For the aforementioned transportation process, the suspended tools W must 
be rapidly and precisely grasped and must be lifted out of or placed into 
the recesses 14 of the shelf bottoms 12, 13 of the sections 5 and 5s. 
Furthermore, the tools must be removed from or introduced into the 
transfer mechanism 37. For this purpose, the tools W have the shank 51 
which, adjacent the upper side 52 of the tool, is provided with a 
cylindrical portion 53, to the top of which is connected an 
annular-groove-like bead 54, the outer diameter of which is appreciably 
greater than the outer diameter of the cylindrical portion 53. Disposed 
above the bead 54 is the cone 55 of the tool shank 51. Adjoining the cone 
55 are first a cylindrical portion 56, as well as a conical portion 57 
that tapers in an upward direction. Disposed above the conical portion 57 
is again a cylindrical portion 58, and thereafter an outwardly directed 
conical abutment surface 59 and a further cylindrical portion 60. 
In its rest position, the tool W is disposed in one of the recesses 14 of 
the shelf bottom 12, 13. In so doing, the annular-groove-like bead 54 of 
the tool is suspended upon the rim 63 of the recess 14, which has an 
opening angle of about 180.degree.. The end portions of the recess 14 of 
the shelf bottom 12, 13 merge into outwardly directed curvatures or 
bevellings 64, so that the cylindrical portion 53 of the tool W can be 
suspended in, and withdrawn from, the recess 14 without difficulty in the 
direction of the double arrow P. In the rest position of the tool, the 
cylindrical portion 53 is suspended in the recess 14 in a precisely 
positioned manner (FIG. 7). 
With the aid of the bearings 66, the part 67 of a pivot mechanism S is 
rotatably mounted in a housing 65 on the outer arms 22, 28 of the 
transport mechanisms Tru and Tro. The part 67 is connected to a spur gear 
or pinion 68, via which the pivot mechanism S can be rotated. The part 67 
is provided on one side with a downwardly directed extension 69, on which 
is disposed a horizontal arm 70, the forward region 71 of which has a 
prong-like, outwardly open configuration (FIG. 7), as will be described in 
detail subsequently. Mounted in the part 67, and extending to the arm 70, 
is a vertical shaft 72 that is rotatable about the central axis R with the 
aid of the two bearings 73. Rotation is effected via a spur gear or pinion 
74, the diameter and the number of teeth of which correspond to the 
diameter and the number of teeth of the gear 68, so that when the arm part 
67 rotates with the aid of the gear 68, no relative rotation of the shaft 
72 relative to the part 67 results. 
The lower portion of the shaft 72 between the two bearings 73 is provided 
with two parallel, closed threads 76, 77, each of which is provided with a 
lower horizontal region 78, and an upper, similarly horizontal, region 79, 
and between these regions an inclined thread section 80. A cam roller 81 
meshes between the two threads 76, 77 and is adjustable in height via 
these threads upon rotation of the shaft 72. The shaft 81a of the cam 
roller 81 is mounted in an angular part 82 that is guided in a 
non-illustrated manner on the housing 65 in such a way that the shaft 81a 
can be adjusted in height. The head 83 of the part 82 again has a 
prong-like configuration, with the opening thereof being directed opposite 
to the opening of the recess 14 of the shelf bottom 12, 13. The inner rim 
of the thus embodied recess 84 of the head 83, which, like the recess 14, 
has a periphery of 180.degree. and sections that correspond to the 
bevellings or curvatures of the recess 14, is provided with a cylindrical 
section 85 (FIGS. 5-7), above which is connected a conical section 86 that 
adjoins a further section 87. The configuration and arrangement of these 
sections of the head 83 conform to the configuration of the sections 58, 
59, and 60 of the tool shank 51. The sections 85 and 87 of the head 83 
rest flush against the sections 58 and 60 of the tool shank 51 regardless 
of whether, as described below, the conical section of the head 83 rests 
against the conical section 59 of the shank 51, in other words, whether 
the tool is being raised by the head 83 or if the head 83 is disposed in 
its lowermost position. In this way, in addition to an exact positioning 
of the tool W in the shelf bottom 12, 13, a precise positioning of the 
tool relative to the arm part 67 and its components is also provided. 
The tool W and its parts initially have the position illustrated in FIG. 5, 
where, as indicated, the annular-groove-like bead 54 rests upon the rim 63 
of the recess 14. If the shaft 72 is rotated with the aid of its spur gear 
74, the cam roller 81, with the aid of the closed threads 76, 77, is 
raised into the position illustrated in FIG. 6, with the head section 86 
resting against the conical section 59. In so doing, the 
annular-groove-like bead 54 comes to rest against the bottom edge 90 of 
the similarly prong-like region 71 of the arm 70. As a result, the tool W 
is tensioned along with the arm, so that the tool can be rotated and 
transported by this arm. During such rotation, due to the similarity of 
the drive gears 68 and 74, the tool maintains its coordinate position and 
can be moved linearly, even though the part 67 rotates. 
If the tool is to be introduced into a recess 14 of one of the shelf 
bottoms 12, 13, the arm part 67 moves the tool into the recess 14, with 
the tool again being positioned in the recess. If the head 83 is now 
lowered with the aid of the threads 76, 77 and the cam roller 81, the bead 
54 again rests upon the rim 63 of the recess 14, and the head 83 can be 
moved from the sections 58, 59, and 60 of the tool shank 51. 
If the upper portion of the tool shank is provided, for example, with a 
cylindrical bead instead of the conical abutment surface 59, the section 
86 of the head 83 is embodied as a horizontal projection. 
As can be recognized, raising the bead 53 of the tool from the shelf bottom 
12, 13 simultaneously effects a holding with the transport mechanism, here 
with the arm 22, 28. 
In place of the pivot mechanism S, with the aid of which the tool W is 
removed from or introduced into the recess 14 of the shelf bottom 12, 13, 
any other also linearly moved device can be used that effects removal and 
introduction of the tools from or into their rest position on the shelf 
bottom. 
If the shape of the shank head of the tool deviates from the illustrated 
conventional shape, the head 83 of the lifting mechanism is 
correspondingly embodied in order to assure that the tool W can be raised 
in the manner described. 
The prong-shaped portions of the parts 83, 70, and 62, and their recesses, 
are embodied in such a way that the rims thereof form abutments for the 
corresponding sections of the tool shank, thus making possible a precise 
grasping and positioning of the tools. 
The positioning of the tools in the recesses of the shelf bottom 12, 13 and 
of the arm 70 and of the head 83 can be effected in a known manner, for 
example via centering pins Z, or similarly-operating pins, that cooperate 
with a portion of the tool or its shank 51. 
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific 
disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any 
modifications within the scope of the appended claims