CUTTING OIL SORTING APPARATUS

Abstract: In a machine tool including a spindle head (l), a XY table (2) placed under the spindle head (l) and a base (A), and a cutting liquid sorting apparatus, the cutting liquid sorting apparatus comprising: a receiver (l9) for receiving water soluble cutting liquid and oily cutting liquid; a first tank (l5) for containing the water soluble cutting liquid; a second tank (l6) for containing the oily cutting liquid; the receiver (l9) having at its bottom an opening (2l); means (20) for moving the receiver (l9) between a first position in which the water soluble cutting liquid flows from the receiver (l9) into the first tank (l5) through the opening (2l) and a second position in which the oily cutting liquid flows from the receiver (l9) into the second tank (l6) through the opening (2l).

Description: This invention relates to a machine tool with a cutting liquid sorting apparatus. There are many kinds of cutting liquids for a machine tool which are water soluble cutting liquid and/or oily cutting liquid. In the prior art, a machine tool is equipped with only one tank for receiving the cutting liquid and a single pump for pumping the cutting liquid within a base of the machine tool. Therefore, after the water soluble cutting liquid is used in a tank, it must be completely discharged so that the tank can be cleaned. After that, the oily cutting liquid can be used in the same tank. Also, after the oily cutting liquid is used in a tank, it must be completely cleaned so that the water soluble cutting liquid can be used in the same tank. It is already known a coolant separator for a machine for grinding ophthalmic lenses (US-A-4 197 678). This coolant separator has a tray with a discharge point at its bottom. Below this discharge point is a receiver without a bottom. In the receiver is mounted a deflector plate which can be switched between two positions. In each position, the coolant liquid is directed to one of two tanks which are disposed below the receiver. Both tanks are used for different coolant liquids. In this device, the receiver must be fixed at an exact position below the discharge port of the tray. The object of this invention is to provide a cutting liquid sorting apparatus in which both of water soluble cutting liquid and oily cutting liquid can be simply used in a machine tool. According to this invention, there is provided a machine tool comprising the features of claim 1. Developments of the invention are subject matter of the further claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. l is a front view showing a machine tool equipped with a cutting liquid sorting apparatus according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a side view showing the machine tool shown in Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the cutting liquid sorting apparatus shown in Fig. l. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A receiver l9 receives water soluble cutting liquid and oily cutting liquid after they are used in cutting of a work piece at a machine tool. The receiver l9 is formed in the shape of a dish or tray. The receiver l9 has an opening 2l at its bottom portion. A first tank l5 contains the water soluble cutting liquid. A second tank l6 contains the oily cutting liquid. Moving means such as an actuator 20 moves the receiver l9 between a first position in which the water soluble cutting liquid flows from the receiver l9 into the first tank l5 through the opening 2l and a second position in which the oily cutting liquid flows from the receiver l9 into the second tank l6 through the opening 2l. Therefore, the water soluble cutting liquid and the oily cutting liquid can be contained in the first tank l5 and the second tank l6, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to Figs. l and 2, a machine tool includes a spindle head l, a XY table 2 placed under the spindle head l, a splash guard 3, a base 4, a cutting liquid sorting apparatus 5, a NC machine NC and a tool magazine M. The spindle head l can move in the direction of the arrow Z by means of a motor 6. A spindle 7 attached to the spindle head l holds a tool 8. The spindle 7 can rotate by means of a motor 7a. A workpiece W is set on the XY table 2. The splash guard 3 covers the XY table 2, the tool 8 and others. The cutting liquid sorting apparatus 5 is provided in the base 4 as best shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the XY table 2 has a first table 9 and a second table l0. The first table 9 can move in the direction of the arrow X by means of a servomotor ll. The second table l0 can move in the direction of the arrow Y by means of a servomotor l2 (Fig. 2). A support l3 for supporting the second table l0 is positioned in a tray l4. A base surface of the tray l4 is inclined so that a depth at one side of the tray l4 is deeper than that at the other side thereof. A discharge port l4a is formed in the bottom of the tray l4. A first tank l5 and a second tank l6 are arranged in a side by side manner below the tray l4. A pair of rails l7, l8 are arranged in parallel on a supporting means (not shown) so as to extend over the first tank l5 and the second tank l6. The receiver l9 can slidably move along the rails l7 and l8 in the direction of the arrow P when a rod of the actuator 20 extends. Also, the receiver l9 can slidably move in the reverse direction when the rod of the actuator 20 is contracted. The actuator 20 can be a hydraulic cylinder means attached to the base 4. The receiver l9 has at its bottom a rectangular opening 2l through which the cutting liquid can flow out. If the receiver l9 moves to a first position by means of the actuator 20, the opening 2l is directly over the first tank l5 so that the cutting liquid received in the receiver l9 can flow into the first tank l5. If the receiver l9 moves to a second position by means of the actuator 20, the opening 2l is directly over the second tank l6 so that the cutting liquid received in the receiver l9 can flow into the second tank l6. As shown in Fig. 2, a pump 23 is attached to the first tank l5. A pump 24 is attached to the second tank l6. The pump 23 is used to feed the water soluble cutting liquid from the first tank l5 into a main tank 25. The pump 24 is used to feed the oily cutting liquid from the second tank l6 to a main tank 26. A strainer (not shown) is placed at an entrance of each of the main pumps 23, 24. The pump 23 is connected through a pipe 23a to the main tank 25. The pump 24 is connected through a pipe 24a to the main tank 26. These main tanks 25, 26 constitute a main tank unit 27. A pump 28 is attached to the main tank 25. A pump 29 is attached to the main tank 26. The pump 28 is used to feed the water soluble cutting liquid received in the main tank 25 to a nozzle 30 by way of a pipe 28a and a check valve 28b. A pump 29 is used to supply the oily cutting liquid received in the main tank 26 to the nozzle 30 by way of a pipe 29a and a check valve 29b. A tank 3l is placed directly under the nozzle 30. The tank 3l is detachably attached to the spindle head l. An upper end portion of a flexible hose 32 is joined to the tank 3l. A lower end portion of the flexible hose 32 is placed so as to face the tool 8. A valve 33 is provided at an intermediate portion of the flexible hose 32. The first tank l5 and the main tank 25 are used to contain the water soluble cutting liquid. The second tank l6 and the main tank 26 are used to contain the oily cutting liquid. The pumps 23, 24, 28, 29 are electrically connected to an operator control panel 34 as shown in Fig. 2. Means 20a for actuating the actuator 20 is electrically connected to the operator control panel 34. In operation, the water soluble cutting liquid or the oily cutting liquid is selected in view of machining conditions such as tool materials, machining requirements, work materials or the like. If the water soluble cutting liquid is selected, it is contained in the main tank 25 of the main tank unit 27. According to the control signals from the operator control panel 34, the pump 28 starts. The water soluble cutting liquid is introduced by way of the pipe 28a, the check valve 28b and the nozzle 30 into the tank 3l. When the valve 33 is open, the water soluble cutting liquid is discharged from a tip of the flexible hose 32 to the tool 8. The spindle head l moves down while the tool 8 rotates whereby the work piece W is cut. The water soluble cutting liquid flows into the tray l4 together with the chips and dusts as best shown in Fig. 3. The actuator 20 is in a contracted position according to the control signals from the operator control panel 34. The opening 2l of the receiver l9 is directly over the first tank l5. The water soluble cutting liquid is discharged through the discharge port l4a of the tray l4 and received by the receiver l9, and then introduced into the first tank l5 through the opening 2l. The pump 23 continues to operate according to the control signals from the operator control panel 34. The pump 29 for the main tank unit 27 and the second pump 24 for the second tank l6 do not operate. The water soluble cutting liquid in the first tank l5 is fed by way of the tube 23a into the main tank 25 of the main tank unit 27. The water soluble cutting liquid including the dust or chips flows through a strainer unit 25a placed in the main tank 25. At that time, the dust or chips are removed by the strainer unit 25a. After that, the water soluble cutting liquid is fed to the nozzle 30 by means of the pump 28 and then received in the tank 3l. The water soluble cutting liquid is circulated in the above-mentioned manner. If the cutting operation is finished, the tool 8 stops and the spindle head l moves up. If the oily cutting liquid is selected, it is contained in the tank 3l. The pumps 23, 28 stop according to the control signals from the operator control panel 34. The pumps 24 and 29 start according to the control signals from the operator control panel 34. The actuator 20 is in its extended condition according to the control signals from the operator control panel 34. The receiver l9 has moved in the direction of the arrow P so that the opening 2l is directly over the second tank l6. The oily cutting liquid in the main tank 26 is supplied through the pipe 29a, the check valve 29b and the nozzle 30 to the tank 3l by means of the pump 29. The oily cutting liquid is discharged onto the tool 8 through the tip of the flexible hose 32. The spindle head l moves down so as to cut the workpiece W. The oily cutting liquid including dust or chips flows into the tray l4. After that, the oily cutting liquid is discharged through the discharge port l5 and received by the receiver l9 and then introduced into the second tank l6 through the opening 2l. The oily cutting liquid in the second tank l6 returns to the main tank 26 of the main tank unit 27 through the pipe 24a by means of the pump 24. The oily cutting liquid in the main tank 26 flows through the strainer unit 26a so that the dust and chips can be separated from the liquid. The oily cutting liquid in the main tank 26 is again fed to the tank 3l through the pipe 29a and the valve 30 by means of the pump 29. The oily cutting liquid is circulated in the above-mentioned manner. If the machining operation is finished, the tool 8 stops and the spindle head l moves up.

Claims: A machine tool including a spindle head (1), an XY-table (2) placed under the spindle head (1) and a base (4), and a cutting liquid sorting apparatus comprising: a tray (14) having at its bottom a discharge port (14a); a support (13) placed in the tray (14) for supporting the XY table (2); a receiver (19) having a means defining an opening (21) at its bottom and formed in the shape of a dish for receiving water soluble cutting liquid and oily cutting liquid from the discharge port (14a) of the tray (14); a first tank (15) for containing the water soluble cutting liquid; a second tank (16) for containing the oily cutting liquid, the first tank (15) and the second tank (16) being arranged in a side-by-side manner; a pair of rails (17, 18) arranged over the first and second tanks (15, 16); and a hydraulic cylinder type actuator (20) for moving the receiver (19) slidably along the rails (17, 18) between a first position in which the water soluble cutting liquid flows from the receiver (19) into the first tank (15) through the opening (21) and a second position in which the oily cutting liquid flows from the receiver (19) into the tank (16) through the opening (21). The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the hydraulic cylinder type actuator (20) is attached to the base (4) and has a rod which is retracted or extended. The machine tool of claim 1 or 2, wherein the spindle head (1) is moved by a motor (6) in a vertical direction and is equipped with a spindle (7) to which a tool (8) is attached so that the tool (8) can move together with the spindle head (1) and the spindle (7) in the vertical direction. The machine tool of one of the claims 1 to 3 further comprising: a third tank (25) connected to the first tank (15) for receiving the water soluble cutting liquid from the first tank (15); a fourth tank (26) connected to the second tank (16) for receiving the oily cutting liquid from the second tank (16); a nozzle (30) connected to both the third and fourth tanks (25, 26) so as to receive either the water soluble cutting liquid from the first tank (15) or the oily cutting liquid from the second tank (16); a fifth tank (31) placed under the nozzle (30) and detachably attached to the spindle head (1) so as to receive the cutting liquid from the nozzle (30); and a hose (32) connected to the fifth tank (31) for feeding the cutting liquid to the tool (8) in such a way that the spindle head (1) can move together with the fifth tank (31) and the hose (32).

Inventors: KITAMURA, KOICHIRO
Applicants: KITAMURA MACHINERY CO.,LTD.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B23Q11
IPC codes: B23Q11