Bar guide device for bar feeders in machine tools

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bar guide device for bar feeders in machine tools. The device has a plurality of guiding units (101) which are longitudinally aligned. Each guiding unit has a pair of sprockets (102,103) which are rotatable and have polygonal peripheral grooves (107,108). The grooves are constituted by semicylindrical recesses (107a-107e; 108a-108e) which have different diameters and form, in the mutually opposite position, a guiding channel for a bar (20) to be fed toward the machine tool.

Description: The present invention relates to a bar guide device for bar feeders in machine tools. Guide devices for bar feeders are known for example from EP-A-0224894. As is known, in the field of machining it is necessary to guide a bar both along its advancement direction and in its rotation. Advancement requires the forming of a longitudinal slot to allow the passage of the element for coupling the bar pusher to the transfer train. When the diameter of the bar varies, there is also the problem of changing the dimensions of the channel in which the bars are guided in order to avoid excessive play which might cause vibrations of the bars. An aim of the present invention is to provide a device which can be adapted rapidly and safely so as to guide, within the tolerance plays, bars having different diameters. This aim is achieved with a device according to claim 1. Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a device allowing the advancement of the bar pusher without requiring a continuous slot for the passage of the element for coupling the bar pusher to the transfer train. This object is achieved with a device according to claims 3-10. Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description on the basis of the accompanying drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in the position for receiving a bar; figure 2 is a perspective view of the device with a bar in a guiding position; figure 3 is a sectional view of the sprockets in the bar receiving position; figure 4 is a sectional view of the sprockets in the bar guiding position; figures 5 and 6 are sectional views taken along the planes V-V and VI-VI of figures 3 and 4; figure 7 is a side view of a different embodiment of the device; figure 8 is a plan view; figures 9 and 10 are enlarged-scale side views of a detail of the device in two operating conditions; figure 11 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the plane XI-XI of figure 7; figure 12 is a plan view of a unit with a sprocket shown in cross-section as taken along the plane XII-XII of figure 11; figure 13 is a transverse sectional view of an embodiment which provides for a plurality of guiding devices arranged angularly around a central longitudinal axis. With reference to the above figures, the device is generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and comprises a plurality of guiding units 2 distributed longitudinally. Each guiding unit 2 is constituted by a pair of sprockets 3 and 4 which are rotatably supported by respective parallel shafts 5 and 6 protruding from a stationary supporting framework (not shown in the drawing), which is constituted for example by a central shaft, such as the shaft designated by the reference numeral 106 in the embodiment of figure 13. The sprockets 3 and 4 comprise portions 7 and 8 which constitute constantly mutually meshing gears having on one side a cylindrical tang 9 and a toothed pinion 10 respectively. A rack 11 is guided between the pinion 10 and the tang 9, meshes with the pinion 10 and has its back in tangential contact with the tang 9. The sprockets 3 and 4 have, at the opposite end with respect to the gears 7 and 8, collars 7a and 8a having a diameter smaller than the mutual distance of their axes, thus forming a slot through which the element for coupling the bar pusher to the transfer train can pass. A polygonal groove is formed in the peripheral region of the sprocket 3 and comprises a plurality of recesses 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 which constitute the sides of the polygonal groove and are distributed at identical angles around the shaft 5. The recesses 13-16 have a semicylindrical cross-section, and their axes are at right angles to the axis of the shaft 5 and are all arranged on the same plane. The diameter of the recesses 13-16 furthermore increases from the recess 13 to the recess 16. It should be noted that the recess 12, differently from the others, is not semicylindrical but is opened by a flattened portion 17 parallel to the shaft 5 and cutting the collar 7a. The sprocket 4 also has a peripheral polygonal groove comprising a plurality of identical recesses which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the recesses 12-16 and are designated by the same reference numerals. The meshing of the gears 7 and 8 is chosen so that the recesses 12-16 of the sprocket 3 are arranged opposite to the respective recesses 12-16 of the sprocket 4 during the rotation of the sprockets 3 and 4. In this manner, channels or openings 18 with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the oppositely arranged grooves are formed in each instance. In particular, when the recesses 12 are oppositely arranged between the sprockets 3 and 4, an open channel 19 is formed which has walls constituted by the flattened portions 17. The operation of the described device will become apparent from the observation of figures 1 and 2. In the operating position of figure 1, the racks 11 are actuated so that the grooves 12 are mutually opposite so as to form the channel 19 between the sprockets 3 and 4. In this situation it is possible to insert in the channels 19 of the various units 2 a bar 20 which must be fed toward a machine tool by means of an appropriate bar pusher. When the bar 20 has been inserted in the channels 19 of the guiding units 2, the rack 11 is actuated so that it rotates the sprockets 3 and 4 until the channels whose diameter is slightly larger than that of the bar 20 close. In the drawing it has been assumed that said channels are those defined by the recesses 16. Radial movements of the bar are effectively prevented by means of the closure of the channels; however, said bar remains guided longitudinally in order to be fed toward the machine tool. It should be noted that the difference in diameter between the recesses 12-16 forms corners which, when appropriately chamfered, act as ramps and allow the bar 20 inserted in the channel 19 to rise in the selected channel when the sprockets 3 and 4 are rotated. As can be seen, a slot allowing the passage of the coupling element of a bar pusher remains between the collars 7a and 8a. Said slot does not allow to guide and feed small-diameter bars and is the source of noise. The embodiment of figures 7-13 is provided in order to obviate these drawbacks. In the embodiment of figures 7-13, the device comprises a plurality of guiding units 101 distributed longitudinally. Each guiding unit 101 is constituted (see figure 11) by a pair of sprockets 102 and 103 arranged symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal centerline plane C and rotatably supported on respective parallel shafts 104 and 105 which protrude from a base 106. Said base 106 is, for example (see figure 13), a prism-like drum rotatable about a longitudinal central axis and on the faces of which various guiding units, sized for guiding bars of various kinds, are arranged. A peripheral groove 107 and 108 is formed in the sprockets 102 and 103 and delimits two toothed collars 109, 110 and 111, 112. For convenience in description, the toothed collars 109, 111 are termed "upper collars", whereas the toothed collars 110, 112 are termed "lower collars", with reference to the face 113 of the base 106 on which they are arranged. The grooves 107, 108 have a polygonal shape, since they comprise a plurality of semicylindrical recesses 107a, 107b, 107c, 107d, 107e and 108a, 108b, 108c, 108d, 108e which have co-planar axes at right angles to the shafts 104 and 105 and are distributed around said shafts so as to form identical angles, so that the grooves 107 and 108 increase in depth along a circumferential direction. The toothed collars 109, 111 and 110, 112 mutually mesh and are arrangeable so that a recess 107a-107e of one sprocket 102 is arranged opposite to a recess 108a-108e of the sprocket 103 which has the same diameter, so as to circumscribe a circular opening, the diameter whereof corresponds to the diameter of the oppositely arranged recesses. The deepest recesses 107a, 108a, differently from the other recesses, are not semicylindrical but are opened by chamfers 114, 115 which are slightly flared toward the ends of the shafts 104, 105 which affect the upper collars 109 and 111. The lower collars 110, 112 furthermore have faces 114a, 115a parallel to the recesses 107a, 108a. As more clearly shown by the plan view of figure 12 (in which the two sprockets are spaced in a non-meshing position for the sake of clarity of the drawing), the plane of the chamfers 114, 115 is slightly inclined with respect to the plane of the respective faces 114a, 115a and thus with respect to the direction of the recesses 107a, 108a. The upwardly open seats in which the bar to be machined is insertable are delimited in the angular position of the sprockets in which the chamfers 114, 115 are parallel to the longitudinal centerline plane C. In this position the faces 114a, 115a and the recesses 107a, 108a converge in the bar advancement direction A (see figure 12). Between the lower collars 110, 112 and the face 113, the sprockets have pinions 117, 118 having a smaller diameter than the collars 110, 112. Two respective racks 119, 120 mesh with the pinions 117, 118 and are formed on the side walls of a sliding block 121 sliding in a complementarily shaped slot 122 formed longitudinally in the face 113 of the base 106. The sliding block 121 has a U-shaped cross-section, with two mutually parallel walls 123, 124 on the outer faces of which the racks 119, 120 are formed; said walls laterally delimit a channel 125 and rise from a plate 126. The plate 126 slides appropriately on a strip 127 arranged so that it covers the bottom of the slot 122. Two longitudinal holes 128, 129 are formed in the plate 126 laterally to the channel 125. The holes 128 of the sliding blocks 121 are aligned, and a rod 130 is driven through them; said rod is actuatable in the direction A by a pneumatic or hydraulic jack 131 against the biasing action of a return spring 132. Collars 133 are arranged on the rod 130 and, when the jack 131 actuates the rod 130 in the direction A, act as actuation elements for the sliding blocks 121. Springs 134 are arranged between the sliding blocks 121 and the collars 133 downstream of said collars and keep the sliding blocks 121 in abutment against the collars located upstream. An abutment 130a is provided at the end of the rod 130 and is suitable to interact with a pin, chosen among a plurality of pins 134, when the rod 130 is moved back by the spring 132 in a direction opposite to the direction A once the action of the jack 131 has ended. Thus the pins 134 cause the sliding blocks to stop at a point in which the angular position of the sprockets produces the mutually opposite arrangement of the recesses 107a-107e and 108a-108e which correspond to the diameter of the bars to be machined. A rod 135 is driven in the holes 129 of only some of the initial units 101, and collars 136 are fixed on said rod along the portions arranged between the units 101. The rod 135 is actuatable by means of a jack 137 so that it moves the sliding blocks 121 in the same direction A independently of the activation of the jack 131. A plate-like pawl 139 is pivoted in each sliding block by means of a pivot 138 and is accommodated in a seat 140 formed on the internal face of the wall 123. The pawl 139 (see figure 10) comprises an arm 141 provided with a tooth 142 protruding through a slot 143 of the base plate 126 of the sliding block 121. The pawl 139 is actuated against the bottom plate 126 by a spring 144 so that in a given longitudinal position of the sliding block 121 the tooth 142 can engage, through the slot 143, an opening 145 formed in the strip 127 at each guiding unit 101. The pawl 139 has a second arm 146 protruding from the seat 140 and ending with a tab 147 in which a channel 148 is formed; said channel 148 is Z-shaped, with two parallel and horizontal portions joined by a vertical portion which forms two abutments constituted by steps 149 and 150. A pin 151 engages the channel 148 and protrudes from a rib 152 of a coupling element 153 of a pusher or rod 154 for the advancement of the bars (figure 8). In order to allow the passage of the pin 151 and of the tab 147 below the sprocket 102, an angular portion 154a of the lower collar 110 has been removed. The coupling element 153 comprises a slider 155 guided in a U-shaped profiled element 156 extending along the channels 125 of the sliding blocks 121. The slider 155 is connected, by means of the rib 152, to a bush 157 from which the bar pusher rod 154 protrudes. The diameter of the bush 157 is equal to the maximum diameter formed by the mutually opposite arrangement of the recesses 107a, 108a having the largest diameter. A passage 158 is formed in the slider 155 and is crossed by the two straight and superimposed portions of a belt 159 for moving the bar pusher; the upper portion of said belt is fixed to the slider. The belt 159 runs within the profiled element 156 and is closed in a loop around a plurality of guiding pulleys 160a, 160b, 160c and 161a, 161b and a pulley 162 driven by a motor 163. The operation of the described device is as follows. Assume that one wishes to feed toward a machine tool bars having a diameter equal to the opening which can be obtained by arranging the recesses 107e, 108e of the sprockets having the smallest diameter mutually opposite. For this purpose, the pin 134 is selected; by virtue of the spring 132, said pin stops the rod 130a in the position in which the recesses 107e, 108e are arranged mutually opposite. In this position, the springs 134 keep the sliding blocks 121 in abutment against the collars 133. Assuming that the bar pusher 154 is in retracted position, first of all the bar is loaded between the sprockets of the guiding units. For this purpose, the rod 130 is actuated, by means of the jack 131, in the direction A so that the collars 133, by acting on the sliding blocks 121, produce the simultaneous sliding of all the sliding blocks and thus the rotation of the sprockets into the position in which the chamfers 114, 115 are mutually opposite. As shown by figure 12, the faces 114a, 115a form an acute angle in the direction A. Since the chamfers 114, 115 are mutually parallel in this position, it is possible to insert a bar between them. When the jack 131 is deactivated, the spring 132 returns the rod 130 into abutment against the pin 134, thus stopping the sliding blocks 121 in the point in which, by means of the rotation of the sprockets 102, 103 due to the racks 119, 120, the recesses 107e, 108e which allow the best guiding of the bar are mutually opposite. It should be noted that the diameter of the recesses is the most suitable among those available in order to guide the bar with the smallest possible play and at the same time allow the advancement of the bar pusher, which usually has a larger diameter than the bar. After loading has thus been completed and after the bar has been positioned in the recesses 107e, 108e of the sprockets, the motor 163 is activated so that it causes the advancement of the bar pusher 154 through the guiding units, the sprockets of which are momentarily orientated by the wedge-like action applied by the rib 152 in the faces 114a, 115a so as to move mutually opposite the recesses 107a, 108a which have the largest diameters and form the passage channel for the bush 157 of the bar pusher. As soon as this preliminary angular positioning of the sprockets by the rib 152 has been completed, the pin 151 of the coupling element 153 enters the channel 148 of the pawl 139 and abuts against the step 149 (figure 9). Since the pawl is prevented from rotating by the abutment of the tooth 142 against the strip 127, the sliding block 121 is moved in contrast with the action of the spring 134, and the sprockets 102, 103 consequently rotate. When the tooth 142 reaches the opening 145, the thrust applied by the pin 151, combined with the thrust of the spring 144, produces the engagement of the tooth 142 in the opening 145 and the lifting of the tab 147, so that the pin 151 can disengage from the step 149 and protrude forward (figure 10). Since the tooth 142 is kept in the opening 145 by the spring 144, and since in this position the slot 116 forms and the recesses 107a, 108a are mutually opposite, the coupling element 153 can continue its stroke through the related guiding unit 101. The above described operations are repeated for all the units crossed, which remain all in "open" position at the end of the advancement of the bar pusher. The initial conditions are restored during the return stroke of the bar pusher. During said return stroke, the pin 151 in fact enters the channel 148 on the opposite side, so that it abuts on the step 150 causing the oscillation of the pawl 139 in the position in which the springs 137, previously pressed by the advancement stroke of the sliding blocks 121, keep the step 149 rested on the pin 151. In this manner, during the return stroke of the bar pusher the sliding blocks do not snap into the initial position but are sequentially carried backward, following the movement of the belt 159. The described device perfectly achieves the intended aim and objects. In particular, it should be noted that the collars 109-112, by virtue of the meshing of the sets of teeth, fully close the seats for the passage of the bars, which accordingly are always perfectly guided. A particularity of the present invention is that it allows to load the bars from below in a drum feeder such as the drum feeder shown in figure 13. In this case, the bar remains firmly retained within the lower guiding units, but would fall if use of a new bar pusher rod 154, which requires the temporary opening of the guiding channel (i.e. the rotation of the sprockets 102, 103 into a position in which the recesses 107a, 108a are mutually opposite), is intended. The described device obviates this by providing, by means of the activation of the jack 137 and of the traction applied by the rod 135 on the sliding blocks 121, the opening only of the guiding units allowing to apply the bar pusher rod, whereas the other guiding units maintain their closed position. According to a different embodiment of the present invention, radial holes 164 (figures 11, 12 and 13) are formed in a median plane of each sprocket and lead into the recesses 107b-107e and 108b-108e. The radial holes 164 of each sprocket 102, 103 are connectable to a hole 165 formed radially in the sprocket rotation pivot 104, 105. The holes 165 lead into holes 166 which extend axially in the pivots 104, 105 and are connected to a source for the supply of lubricant. In this manner, the sprockets act as lubricant distributors, since they allow to deliver lubricant only into the recesses forming the guiding channels of the bars. It should be noted that there are no radial holes toward the recesses 107a, 108a in order to avoid the leakage of lubricant when the guides are open. Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims: Bar guide device for bar feeders in machine tools, comprising a plurality of bar guiding units (2;101) longitudinally aligned, characterized in that each unit comprises a pair of sprockets (3,4; 102,103) which are rotatable about parallel axes (5,6; 104,105) and provided with polygonal peripheral grooves which form collars (7,8; 7a,8a; 109-112) in tangential contact and are constituted by semicylindrical recesses (12-16; 107a-107e; 108a-108e) having an axis arranged at right angles to the sprocket rotation axis and a depth increasing progressively in a circumferential direction, said recesses (12-16; 107a-107e; 108a-108e) being angularly distributed so that the pairs of recesses having the same diameter are in the mutually opposite angular position, thus forming openings for the passage and guiding of a bar (20), means being provided to rotate said sprockets (3,4; 102,103) into said mutually opposite positions. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the sprockets (3,4) of each pair comprise toothed collars (7,8) which constantly mesh together, one of said sprockets being furthermore provided with a pinion (10) meshing with a rack (11) suitable to control the angular positioning of said sprockets. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said collars (7,8; 7a,8a; 109-112) have chamfers (114,115) and faces (114a,115a) which, in the mutually opposite position, respectively allow the insertion of a bar (20) to be machined in the recesses (107a-107e; 108a-108e) and the passage of an element (153) for coupling a bar pusher (154) to a movement element; wherein the sprockets (102,103) of each pair are actuatable by means of respective racks (119,120) guided parallel to the bar advancement direction, a pawl (139) being pivoted in said racks and interacting with said coupling element (153) during the advancement of the bar pusher, causing the movement of the rack (119) on which it is pivoted and the consequent rotation of the sprockets (3,4; 102,103) from a reference position until they assume an angular position at which said faces (114a,115a) form a passage for said coupling element (153); said pawl (139), in said angular position, being suitable to assume a position in which it is disengaged from said coupling element (153) in order to allow its advancement through said passage; said pawl (139), during the return stroke of the bar pusher (154), being suitable to interact with said coupling element (153) so as to move the rack (119) into said sprocket reference position. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that said racks (119,120) are formed on sliding blocks (121) having a U-shaped cross-section with two parallel walls (123,124) externally provided with said racks, which mesh with pinions (117,118) formed in said sprockets (102,103), and internally form a guiding channel (125) for said bar pusher coupling element (153), said sliding blocks (121) being actuatable, along a sliding surface (127), by means of a jack (131) over such an extent that said racks rotate said sprockets between a position in which said recesses are open, so as to allow the loading of the bar to be machined, and a position in which the recesses corresponding to the diameter of said bar are mutually opposite so as to guide said bar (20). Device according to claim 4, characterized in that a longitudinal hole (128) is formed in said sliding blocks (121), a rod (130) being driven through said hole, said rod being actuatable by means of a jack (131) and being provided with abutments (133) for moving the sliding blocks (121) and rotating the sprockets (3,4; 102,103) between said loading position and said bar guiding position, said sliding blocks (121) being retained rested on said abutments by elastic means (134) mounted on said rod. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said pawl (139) comprises a first arm (146), which is provided with two abutments (149,150) for an element (151) for moving said bar pusher coupling element (153), and a second arm (141), which is provided with a tooth (142) slideable along the sliding surface (127) of said sliding block (121), one of said abutments (149) being active in the bar pusher advancement direction (A) so that it moves the sliding block (121) up to an angular position in which said sprockets (3,4; 102,103) form the passage (116) for said coupling element and said tooth (142) engages an opening (145) of the guiding channel (125) of the sliding block (121), stopping the sliding block (121) in said passage position and causing the pawl (139) to oscillate into a position in which, during the return stroke of the bar pusher (154), said movement element (151) can engage the other abutment (150) after said coupling element (153) has passed beyond said passage, in order to return the pawl (139) into the position in which said tooth (142) is disengaged from said opening (145). Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the movement rod (130) of the sliding blocks (121) is retained by elastic means (132) in abutment against stroke limiters (134) which can be selected so as to stop the rod in a position in which the recesses having such a diameter as to allow the guiding of the bar to be fed are arranged mutually opposite. Device according to one of the claims 5 to 7, characterized in that a second longitudinal hole (129) is formed in said sliding blocks (121); a rod (135) is driven through said hole, is actuatable by means of a jack (137) and provided with abutments (136) for moving the sliding blocks (121) and rotating the sprockets of only some of the initial guiding units (101) into the position for inserting the bar pusher (154). Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said recesses (12,16; 107a-107e; 108a-108e) are connectable to a lubricant supply source. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is applied on a drum-type bar feeder.

Inventors: CAMELLI MARCO, NENNI ENRICO, CAMELLI, MARCO, NENNI, ENRICO
Applicants: IEMCA SPA, I.E.M.C.A. S.P.A. INDUSTRIA ELETTROMECCANICA COMPLESSI AUTOMATICI
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B23B13
IPC codes: B23Q1, B23B13