Manipulator for tools and tool adapters

A manipulator for material removing tools and their adapters, particularly in machine tools and matching centers, has a horizontal rail for a reciprocable carrier which supports an elongated vertical holder which is movable up and down and the lower end of which carries one end of a horizontal link. The link is turnable relative to the holder about a vertical axis and its other end supports an arm which is turnable about a vertical axis and supports two tongs. The tongs are angularly offset relative to each other by 180.degree. about the horizontal axis and at least one jaw of each tongs is movable relative to the other arm in the direction of the horizontal axis. The movements of the carrier, holder, link, arm and movable jaws are regulated by numerical controls.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASE 
The manipulator of the present invention can be used in machining centers 
of the type disclosed in commonly owned copending patent application Ser. 
No. 07/560,610 filed Aug. 1, 1990 for Machining Center. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to machine tools and machining centers in general, 
and more particularly to improvements in machine tools and machining 
centers (which can contain one or more material removing machine tools) 
wherein tools are stored in magazines and must be shuttled between their 
magazines and the locale or locales of use, e.g., between the magazines(s) 
and one or more horizontal, vertical or otherwise inclined tool spindles. 
Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in 
manipulators for tools, i.e., to devices which can transport tools between 
their magazine(s) and the work treating station or stations. 
The majority of conventional manipulators are designed for use in a single 
machine tool, e.g., in a vertical boring or drilling machine or in a 
horizontal boring or drilling machine. Moreover, conventional manipulators 
are designed for transport of tools only; thus, they are not suitable for 
the shuttling of adapters for tools. 
Published European patent application No. 0 310 128 discloses a tool 
changer which can deliver tools to and from horizontal as well as to and 
from vertical tool spindles. However, the tool changer is not capable of 
transporting adapters for tools, and the tools which are to be transported 
by such tool changer must all have identical stubs, sockets or like parts 
which are to be engaged by the tool changer. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide a manipulator which is more 
versatile than heretofore known manipulators. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a manipulator which can be 
used as a tool changer or as a changer for adapters for tools of numerous 
sizes and/or shapes. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a machine, such as a 
machine tool, which employs one or more manipulators of the above outlined 
character. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a manipulator which can 
be used in a machine with a horizontal or with a vertical tool spindle as 
a means for shuttling tools and/or adapters for tools between the tool 
spindle or spindles and one or more magazines for tools and/or adapters. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide the manipulator with 
means for simultaneously or alternately gripping and transporting 
identical or different tools and/or adapters for tools. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a manipulator which can be 
installed in existing material removing and/or other machines or machining 
centers as a superior substitute for heretofore known manipulators. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a manipulator which can be 
automated to a desired degree and the movements of which can be regulated 
by the numerical controls of the machine or machining center. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved 
method of manipulating tools and adapters for tools in machine tools and 
machining centers. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a manipulator which can 
exchange tools and/or adapters for tools within a fraction of time that is 
necessary to carry out similar operations with heretofore known tool 
changers. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention is embodied in a manipulator for tools and adapters, 
particularly for material removing tools and adapters for such tools in 
machine tools and machining centers. The improved manipulator comprises a 
support (e.g., an elongated rail) which defines a first elongated path, a 
carrier which is mounted on the support for movement along the first path 
and defines a second elongated path extending substantially at right 
angles to the first path, an elongated holder mounted on and movable 
relative to the carrier along the second path, a link having a first end 
mounted on one end of the elongated holder for angular movement about a 
first axis, an arm mounted on the second end of the link for angular 
movement about a second axis which is substantially normal to the first 
axis, and adjustable gripper means on the arm. 
One of the paths (e.g., the first path) is or can be substantially 
horizontal, and the other path is or can be substantially vertical. One of 
the axes (e.g., the first axis) is or can be substantially vertical, and 
the other axis is or can be substantially horizontal. 
The gripper means can comprise a plurality of adjustable tongs which are 
angularly offset relative to each other with reference to the second axis. 
For example, the gripper means can include two tongs which are angularly 
offset relative to each other by 180.degree.. At least one of the tongs 
preferably comprises a first jaw or claw and a second jaw or claw, and at 
least one of the jaws or claws is movable along the arm relative to the 
other jaw in the direction of the first axis. 
The link is preferably mounted at the lower end of the holder. 
The manipulator further comprises means for moving the carrier and the 
holder along the respective paths, means for turning the link and the arm 
about the respective axes, and means for moving the at least one jaw 
relative to the other jaw, and numerical controls for the moving and 
turning means. 
For example, the means for moving the carrier can comprise a rack and 
pinion drive, and the means for moving the holder can comprise a feed 
screw or vice versa. 
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention 
are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved 
manipulator itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of 
operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will 
be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of 
certain presently preferred specific embodiments with reference t the 
accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows a machine tool which employs a horizontal tool spindle 21. 
This machine tool (hereinafter called machine or material removing 
machine) can form part of a machining center with two or more machines, 
e.g., the machine of FIG. 1 and the machine of FIG. 2 which latter is a 
portal type machine and employs a vertical tool spindle 21'. 
The improved tool changer or manipulator 1 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 serves to 
shuttle tools and/or adapters for tools between one or more magazines and 
the material removing station (shown at 17 in FIG. 1 and at 22 in FIG. 2). 
The station 17 of FIG. 1 is adjacent one or more magazines 18 (one shown) 
for adapters A and one or more magazines 20 for tools T. FIG. 1 shows that 
the magazines 18, 20 are reciprocable along guide rails 19 extending in 
parallelism with the horizontal axis of the spindle 21. The illustrated 
magazine 18 for adapters A is located between the magazines 20 for the 
tools T and the material removing station 17. 
The details of a presently preferred embodiment of the manipulator 1 are 
shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. This manipulator comprises a stationary or 
mobile support 15 in the form of an elongated horizontal rail which is 
secured to or forms part of the machine frame and extends at right angles 
to the horizontal axis of the tool spindle 21 as well as at right angles 
to the vertical axis of the tool spindle 21'. The manipulator 1 of FIGS. 1 
and 3-5 is or can be identical with the manipulator of FIG. 2 and, 
therefore, the parts of the manipulator of FIG. 2 are denoted by the same 
reference characters as the parts of the manipulator of FIGS. 1 and 3-5. 
In FIG. 2, the magazine 18 is again disposed between the magazines 20 and 
the material removing station. 
The support or rail 15 has a toothed rack 115 forming part of means for 
moving a carrier 15a of the manipulator 1 back and forth (note the 
double-headed arrow 2) along a horizontal path in front of and above the 
spindle 21' of FIG. 2 and above the spindle 21 of FIG. 1. The means for 
moving the carrier 15a further comprises a reversible motor 13 which 
drives a pinion defines a vertical path for an elongated holder 4 which is 
movable up and down (note the double-headed arrow 3) by a rotary feed 
screw 14 driven by a reversible motor 12 at the upper end of the holder 3 
and meshes with a nut (not shown) in the carrier 15a. The lower end 
portion of the holder 4 turnably mounts one end of a link 5 which can be 
turned in and counter to the direction of arrow 6 by a motor 105. The link 
5 is substantially horizontal and is turnable (arrow 6) about a vertical 
axis, namely about an axis which is parallel to the vertical path for the 
holder 4. The other end of the link 5 turnably supports one end of a 
horizontal arm 7 for two gripping devices or tongs 9 and 10. The arm 7 is 
turnable (arrow 8) about a horizontal axis (i.e., about an axis which is 
normal to the axis of the link 6) by a further motor 107. 
The gripping devices 9, 10 are angularly offset by 180.degree. with 
reference to the horizontal axis of the arm 7, and each of these gripping 
devices comprises two jaws or claws 11 at least one of which is movable 
toward and away from the other jaw or claw 11 of the respective gripping 
device in the longitudinal direction of the arm 7, i.e., in the direction 
of the axis of rotation of the arm. The means for moving the jaws 11 
longitudinally of the arm 7 (note the double-headed arrows 16 in FIG. 4) 
includes motors 111 one of which is shown in FIG. 4. The operation of some 
or all of the motors can be regulated by the numerical controls NC (shown 
in FIG. 1), depending on the desired degree of automation of the 
manipulator 1. The purpose of the manipulator 1 is to transport tools T 
and/or adapters A between the respective magazines and the spindle 21 or 
21'. The tools T and/or adapters A can be held between the jaws 11 of the 
gripping device 9 and/or 10. 
The arm 7 is turnable about its own horizontal axis as well as about the 
vertical axis of the link 5. In addition, the link 5 is movable up and 
down with the holder 4 as well as back and forth horizontally along the 
support or rail 15. This renders the gripping devices 9 and 10 
sufficiently versatile to ensure that they can grasp and transport tools T 
and/or adapters A between the respective magazine or magazines and the 
material removing station 17 or 21. The gripping devices 9, 10 can 
transport tools having steeper or shorter cones or flanges of larger or 
smaller diameter. 
It goes without saying that the improved manipulator can be used with 
advantage in machines or machining centers wherein the tool spindle or 
another tool- and/or adapter-receiving device is rotatable about an axis 
which is inclined to the horizontal as well as to the vertical. The path 
which is defined by the support 15 need not be exactly horizontal, and the 
path which is defined by the carrier 15a (for the holder 4) need not be 
exactly vertical but is preferably normal to the path for the carrier. The 
numerical controls NC render it possible to shuttle a selected tool T 
and/or a selected adapter A between the material removing station and the 
respective magazine within a short interval of time and in a fully or 
partly automatic way. 
The manner of mounting the workpiece or workpieces which are to be treated 
in the machine of FIG. 1 or 2 or in a machining center which includes the 
machine of FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2 forms no part of the present invention. 
Each of the gripping devices 9 and 10 is preferably designed to shuttle 
tools T of different sizes and/or shapes as well as to shuttle adapters A 
of different sizes and/or shapes. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to 
the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be 
comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended 
claims.