Patent GB-1324828-A (GB)
Title: Machine tool with a tool carrier
IPC: B23Q23/00
Filed: 1971-04-19
Abstract: 1324828 Tool changers; drilling and boring machines DEVLIEG MACHINE CO 19 April 1971 [22 April 1970] 24418/71 Headings B3B and B3C A tool carrier 60 for use with an automatic tool changing machine tool includes a carrier body 78 having an opening 80 therethrough, tool gripping means 88a, 88b on said body releasably coupling said body to a tool positioned in said opening with opposite ends of the tool projecting from said body on opposite sides thereof, handle means e.g. pins 100, on said body engageable by a tool transfer mechanism for transporting said carrier and a tool coupled thereto, and coding means on said body. The machine tool includes a tool spindle in a vertically movable spindle head 30, a tool storage means 62 carrying the plurality of tool carriers 60, a transfer mechanism engageable with the handle means on the tool carriers 60 for transporting a selected tool carrier between said storage means 62 and said spindle, and means associated with said spindle for opening and closing the tool gripping means when a tool is received in said spindle. Tool carrier.-The tool carrier 60 comprises a flanged plate 78 having a central opening 80 in which a tool is positioned and gripped by jaws 88a, 88b, and through which the spindle is advanced during a machining operation. The jaws are released when the carrier is held adjacent the spindle by eccentric spigots (274) (Fig. 11, not shown) that engage in slots 98. The carrier has codings means in the form of rings (114a), (114b) (Fig. 17, not shown) arranged along a bolt 112 in groups of four to produce a binary code signal when the rings are engaged by a number of wires (282) (Fig. 6, not shown) of a reader 64. The carrier also carries means to identify the length of the tool so that the axial positioning of the spindle and the positioning of the work supporting table 26 are controlled to produce optimum spindle over-hang. This means comprises a bolt 122 on which are manually set rotatable cams 120 which are read by a bank of microswitches (278) (Fig. 13, not shown) mounted on the spindle head 30. Tool changing.-The tool carriers are carried by the store 62 which is in the form of a chain, the links of which have sockets for receiving a tool shank and gripping means that latch the tool carrier plate 78 to the chain. A selected tool carrier is removed by a shuttle 72 which grips handle means on one side of the carrier, i.e. pins 100, that extend from either side of the plate 78. The shuttle moves along guides 70 of a support member 66 which moves vertically with the spindle head 30. A translationally and rotatably mounted transfer arm 74 grips the pins 100 from the opposite side of the plate 78 and swings the carrier to the spindle and the tool inserted therein and then released from the carrier. During a machining cycle the next required tool is selected and aligned with the shuttle 72 in a retracted position. Electrical control means then drives the chain to retain that alignment during vertical movement of the spindle head 30 and support member 66. Beds and frames.-The spindle head 30 moves on a fixed column 28. A bed 22 supports a saddle 24 on which is movably supported the work-table 26. The movement of the table 26 is controlled (Fig. 20, not shown) to move it away from the spindle during a tool change cycle and to move it towards the spindle to an optimum position dependent on the length of the tool 40.