Jig plate

An end surface 820 of a work 80 gripped by a chuck 50 equipped to a main spindle of a lathe-type machine tool is machined, and at the same time has a screw hole 830 formed thereto. The jig plate 60 is provided with a main body 600 having a fixing surface 630 and an inverse tapered portion 610. The jig plate 60 is provided with a bolt 620, and is fixed to the work 80 by a torque wrench tool 70. A chuck claw 122 of a chuck 120 of the second main spindle grips the inverse tapered portion 610 and processes the remaining surfaces of the work.

The present application is based on and claims priority of Japanese patent application No. 2003-348159 filed on Oct. 7, 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a jig plate for fixing a work thereto and which is gripped by a main spindle, and more specifically, to a jig plate suitable for application to a system for automatically processing all six surfaces of the work in a lathe-type machine tool or a machining center.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Conventionally, the method of machining all surfaces of a work using a special purpose machine equipped with a main spindle having a function of changing a pallet having the work mounted thereon and a work table, such as those shown in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-1234, is known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a jig plate to be used in an automatic six-surface processing system that automatically processes all the surfaces of a work including an irregular shaped object such as a cast material, the system equipped with one general-purpose lathe-type machine tool and one general-purpose robot.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the jig plate gripped by a main spindle of a lathe-type machine tool comprises a main body provided with a fixing surface to be detachably fixed to an end surface of a work, and an inverse tapered portion provided to the opposite side of the fixing surface of the main body and gripped by a chuck of the main spindle.

According to the present jig plate, the inverse tapered portion has a common size and shape, and the main body corresponds to the size and shape of the work, and a means for detachably fixing the main body of the jig plate to the end surface of the work is a bolt to be inserted to the main body.

Also, the inverse tapered portion of the jig plate is provided with three notches on the circumference thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a plan view showing the outline of an automatic six-surface processing system which adopts the present invention.

An automatic six-surface processing system indicated as a whole by reference number1is equipped with a lathe-type machine tool10and one robot30. A stage exchange station40is provided to the vicinity of the robot30.

The lathe-type machine tool10comprises, on a base12thereof, a first main spindle110and a second main spindle120equipped facing the first spindle110, and is equipped with a function of delivering a work processed by the first main spindle110to the second main spindle120, and performing subsequent processing to the work.

Between the first spindle110and the second spindle120on the base12of the lathe-type machine tool10, there is provided a milling main spindle150. The milling main spindle150may be equipped with a rotating tool for milling, a setup tool such as a torque wrench, besides machining tools.

On the base12of the lathe-type machine tool10, there are placed a tool magazine160for storing exchange tools, and an automatic tool changer165, and provides necessary tool to the milling main spindle150.

The robot30comprises a robot main body300and a robot arm310, and transfers the work, the jig or the like by a robot hand320attached to the leading end of the robot arm310.

The stage exchange station40is provided with a jig storage410and work pallets420and430, and supplies necessary jig and work to the lathe-type machine tool10with the robot30.

FIG. 2andFIG. 3are explanatory views showing the processing steps of the automatic six-surface processing system of the present invention.

The first main spindle110of the lathe-type machine tool10is equipped with a universal chuck with grip range adjuster50, which is so-called a form lock chuck, and grips a work80.

The universal chuck with grip range adjuster50comprises a main body500and a holding member510, which slidably opens and closes in a radial direction with respect to the main body500. The holding member510supports a clamping member520, and to the inner side of the clamping member520, there is provided a plurality of trace pins530. The work80as the object of automatic six-surface processing is, for example, a casting material with a hole82.

An outer surface800of the work80is a non-processed cast surface, and does not have a reference plane for gripping. The universal chuck with grip range adjuster50grips the work80with an appropriate pressure by the trace pins530coming into contact with the outer surface800of the work80at a constant pressure.

When it is inappropriate to perform gripping based on the positioning accuracy of the robot as mentioned above, the universal chuck may be provided at the interior thereof with a patch block or the like.

Under such condition, for example, a machining of the outer circumferential surface810and an end surface820is performed to the edge portion of the work80using the first main spindle110and the milling main spindle150. A screw hole830for fixing the jig plate is also machined to the end surface820.

Next, using the robot30, a jig plate60suitable for the work is transferred from the jig storage410of the stage exchange station40to the vicinity of the first main spindle110.

The jig plate60is equipped with a main body600, and an inverse tapered portion610of a so-called bayonet structure to the side of the main body600facing the second main spindle120.

The hand of the robot contacts an end surface630of the jig plate60to the processed end surface820of the work80.

The jig plate60comprises a fixing bolt620, and the center of the fixing bolt620is fit to the screw hole830for fixing that is processed to the work80. Then, the torque wrench70mounted to the milling main spindle is activated, and the jig plate60is automatically attached to the work80.

Next, as shown inFIG. 3, after the attaching of the jig plate60is completed, the second main spindle120advances to the first main spindle side, and grips with a chuck claw122of a chuck121the jig plate60integrated with the work80.

To the cast surface800or the hole82of the work80chucked to the chuck121of the second main spindle120, the milling main spindle performs necessary processing using various tools.

In this process, necessary processing is performed to a leading end surface850of the work80gripped by the chuck121of the second main spindle120.

That is, even if the work80has a shape composed of six surfaces, all six surfaces can be processed automatically by the processing in the condition where the work80is gripped by the first main spindle, and the processing in the condition where the work80is transferred and gripped by the second main spindle.

The jig plate60prepared on the jig storage410has the same size and structure to correspond to the common inverse tapered portion610. The size and structure of the main body600differs to correspond to the work.

By fitting the jig plate60suitable to the work80with the robot to the work having its end surface820processed by the first main spindle, the second main spindle is able to perform processing to a different work without the need for a stage exchange.

FIG. 4is an explanatory view indicating a more detailed structure of the universal chuck with grip range adjuster50.

The universal chuck with grip range adjuster50includes a holding member510, which opens and closes in the radial direction with respect to the main body500. A clamping member520slidably attached to the holding member510moves in the direction of arrow A by rotating an adjust bolt560provided to the holding member510in the direction of arrow R.

With this adjustment, the initial opening of the trace pin530may be adjusted to correspond to the outer diameter size of the work80.

FIG. 5is an explanatory view showing the detail of the jig plate60, andFIG. 6is an explanatory view of a standard chuck121of the second main spindle.

The jig plate60comprises a main body600and an inverse tapered portion610.

To the main body600, four bolt holes624are provided, and a bolt620is inserted to each of the bolt holes624. To the opening of the bolt hole624, a C-shaped retaining ring622is fitted in order to prevent dropping of the bolt620.

Three notches614are provided to the inverse tapered portion610. The chuck claw122of the second main spindle120is provided with three chuck claws that pass through the notches614of the inverse tapered portion610. Therefore, when the second main spindle120advances to the side of the first main spindle110, the rotation phase of the second main spindle is brought into unity with the angle position so that the chuck claws122of the chuck121of the second main spindle pass through the notches614of the inverse tapered portion610of the jig plate60.

After the chuck claws122pass the notches614, the second main spindle is turned 60 degrees to perform chucking, so that the tapered surface612of the inverse tapered portion610is steadily engaged with the tapered surface124of the chuck claw122of the second main spindle.

In order to adapt to works having different sizes and shapes, jig plates having different sizes and shapes of the main body600of the jig plate60are prepared, with a common size and shape for the inverse tapered portion610. Therefore, it is possible to correspond to various works without the need for stage exchange of the second main spindle.

The shape of the fixing surface630of the jig plate, the arrangement of the bolt620for fixing of the main body600or the like may be varied to correspond to the shape and size of the work.

By having the structure mentioned above, the jig plate of the present invention is capable of performing automatic machining to the irregular shaped work mounted thereto.

Also, even if the work is not irregular shaped, it is attached to the jig plate using a bolt for fixing, so that finishing with higher precision can be performed.